Love, Espionage and the Atomic Cannon in G. I. Sweethearts, at Auction

Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: high quality comics, Romance Comics

G.I. Sweethearts #37 is one other uncommon fusion of Cold War espionage and romance, that includes the then recently-revealed atomic cannon.

The Korean War period mixed with the post-WWII issues of the Cold War to rework battle comedian books into their very own distinct style that lasted for many years, and like different genres, battle comics usually had particular themes.  For instance, the nature of battle and the impression of service on relationships made for pure romance-war style crossover titles like Quality Comics’ G.I. Sweethearts and True War Romances. We lately lined a exceptional mixture of Cold War politics, espionage, and romance in Quality’s Flaming Love #1, and the writer gave us one other wonderful instance of this mixture in the G.I. Sweethearts #37 story Drafted for Heartbreak, a fantastically written and drawn story whose creators are sadly unknown.

In Drafted for Heartbreak, younger Doris Kenny is a “government girl” who works for the Bureau of Government Statistics. She’s engaged to company lawyer Burt Phillips, and as our story begins, all appears properly for the completely satisfied couple.  But this home bliss is interrupted by go to from the FBI, who inform Doris that resulting from her background (she had additionally been a radio present singer in earlier days) she was in a place to do a fantastic service for her nation.

It appeared that there was a leak at a U.S. Army ordnance base regarding the then recently-developed Atomic Cannon.  The FBI duties Doris with posing as membership singer close to the base to seek out the supply of the leak.  Unfortunately, she should put together to depart instantly with out saying a phrase about what is going on on to her fiancé Burt.  Doris does finally observe down the supply of the leak, and issues take an sudden flip when Burt tracks down Doris.

Hitting newsstands at the starting of October 1953, Drafted for Heartbreak was doubtless written not too lengthy after the extremely publicized testing of the real-life M65 atomic cannon that May.  At least 20 atomic cannons had been produced and deployed to Korea and Europe.  They fired 600-pound shells at a spread of as much as 20 miles and with a yield of between 15 and 20 kilotons.  They had been retired in 1963, when more practical nuclear shells had been developed.

This situation is one other instance of the distinctive element that Quality delivered to their total line, together with their romance titles.  There’s a duplicate of this distinctive Cold War fusion of battle and romance up for public sale in the 2024 February 29 – March 1 Golden Age Romance Featuring Fox Comics & Comic Art Showcase Auction #40258.

G. I. Sweethearts #37 (Quality, 1954) Condition: VG. The first copy we have ever seen from this powerful title. Some small items are lacking from the cowl. Overstreet 2023 VG 4.0 worth = $24.

G. I. Sweethearts Group of 4 (Quality, 1953-55). Includes points #35 (VG-, foxing and staining), 39 (VG, foxing, tanning, and staining), 43 (VG-, foxing, staining, and backbone fray), and 44 (VG-, water injury and foxing). Approximate Overstreet worth for group = $100.

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