Will Eisner's magazine for Army mechanics

Bibliodyssey posted a bunch of fantastic Will Eisner covers from The Preventive Maintenance Monthly, a magazine for US Army mechanics. Will Eisner is best known as the creator of The Spirit.

Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries have just posted full copies (145 regular issues; 5 special issues and 14 index issues) of the Army publication Preventive Maintenance Monthly, illustrated by Will Eisner and covering the years 1951 to 1972. Link (Thanks, Coop!)

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CatsGrin

Wow. I worked at the VCU archive when they first started to take in comics and I got to get the collection going (ended up hopelessly in love with comics in the process). Thrilled to see that it’s grown so much 20 years later.

My real comment is that the cover with a tank would be awesome updated for a recycling/ reusing campaign. “Stop! There’s a lot of art you could make from that jeep!”
Takuan

I suppose the ancient muskets depicted in those comic books are still available
buddy66

Note that it’s ‘Preventive,’ not a ‘tat’ to be found.

I grew up with Eisner. During 1940-41 The Detroit Times Sunday funnies section each week contained a separate but small ‘Spirit’ comic book. I collected them, of course, but they went off to fight the Axis in the first wartime paper drive. Those things would be priceless today. Never question my patriotism!
DiegoV

Preventative Maintenance?

Bibliodyssey makes the mistake, but it’s correct on both the comic’s cover and the original flickr page title.
jlbraun

Tht M16 mnl rlly shws hw bd th systm rlly ws.

“Tk cr y dn’t s ths typ f rly mgzn!”

“Mk sr y hv ths nw frng pn rtntn, nt th ld n!”

tc., tc.

‘ll tk n K, thnks.
mortis

i looked forward to snaking these from the Maintenance office as soon as they came in. ahh the good old days of sending the new privates to find 30″ Johnsons and boxes of reticles.
buddy66

I assume you mean 10″ johnsons and a box of testicles. I’m a little slow today….
WordyGrrl

These were great little mags! Jokey as they might be, they did give you lasting visuals to help you remember how to take care of stuff.

(As for the wild goose chases, I was an AFKN broadcaster. We used to send newbs out looking for cans of white balance, packets of black burst and boxes of color bars. Good times.)
mortis

BUDDY66: oops! yes, i did indeed mean a 10″ Johnson, but the “box of reticles” was correct…
either those or the old “box of grid squares”.
kip w

Okay, trying again.

PS still comes out, with Joe Kubert at the helm, and drawing something in every issue (including a 10-page Spider-Man story).

Buddy66, I’m a fan of those Spirit sections as well — Mom saved a pile of (non-Eisner) ones and then gave them to me.

There was a nice show of Eisner art at U Mass Amherst a while back. I took photos, but it’s nicer to see the originals — Spirit pages, graphic albums, and even some of his Army work.

(I signed in again. Please let this one post!)
Frank_in_Virginia

I too stole these before they got to the Motor Pool. I don’t think the guys down there even knew it was published until I PCSed…
SaulTSack

Funny, when I was in boot camp in 1989, this issue:

M16 Manual

Was still in use. It really was a great training aid, considering the other FM’s and TM’s we were given weren’t comics.
Bruce Arthurs

I was in the Army just a little too late to see the Eisner issues. The ones I saw were being done by Murphy Anderson (whose work I recognized from STRANGE ADVENTURES and other comics).
License Farm

I have one of these! Supposedly Rick “Army @ Love” Vietch has a large collection of them.
zikman

hey, I go to VCU! I’m actually in the library right now.

wait a minute, I’m actually looking at the comics right now! right behind me, on the fourth floor… some of them are featured in a large bookcase, where they usually feature vintage comic books.
Steaming Pile

Those were the days. When the PS Magazine dames were smoking hot. Connie had cleavage, Bonnie had a groovy ‘fro, and the Army was a lot more fun than it is now. Then came the 80s, Connie had to put some clothes on, Bonnie got her ‘fro straightened, and everything got all PC around the motor pool. Good God that sucked.