14 - Warriors and Weather: Part B

The amazing loyalty of PS Magazine readers over the past sixty years derives in no small part from the ongoing visual message that the communicators, both writers and artists, producing PS maintain an awareness of the operational and environmental actualities that confront soldiers in the field.

In this second of a four-part presentation of weather-related challenges and complications, we open with a two-color, two-page interior spread, above, by Joe Kubert for pages 18-19 in PS 670 (September 2008), and his Front Cover for PS 652 (March 2007), below.

The wide range of Will Eisner's weather whimsy is reflected in his Front Covers for PS 39 (December 1955), above, followed by PS 91 (June 190) and PS 188 (July 1968), in that order, below.

And, what better vehicle for depiction of a flood-sequence than Will's updated adaptation of the Story of Noah, with a Front Cover, above, and Continuity, below, from PS 107 (October 1961).

Remember! Our next two BlogPosts in this specialized subset will continue our focus on woes and worries associated with warriors and weather.

—p.e.f.

Following on the heels of Will Eisner and the others responsible for a publication that's lasted over these many decades is not an easy responsibility, nor is it to be taken lightly. The emotions evoked on the PS covers shown here resulted through personal experience (I'm sure!). How else can a basically humorous drawing showing some G.I.'s submerged chest-deep in rain be sad, funny and ironic—all at the same time? It takes someone whoknows it—and felt it—to be able to create a drawing to show it!

—j.k.

UPCOMING BLOG POSTS-

¶ Warriors and Weather: Parts C, and D

¶ Early Covers Put Eisner, PS in Hot Water

¶ The Best of Zeke Zekely in PS

¶ A Covey of Connie Covers

¶ Perspective Instructional Communications' Best in PS

13 - Warriors and Weather: Part A

Staffers at PS Magazine throughout the sixty years of its existence have attached a high priority to reflecting a realistic awareness of the widely varied and challenging array of physical circumstances under which America's warriors (and their equipment) must function. Probably the most adversarial of the natural factors involved is the weather.

Whether one is contemplating Hannibal's tribulations in the altitudes of the Alps, Napoleon's disastrous winter retreat from the gates of Moscow, or Washington's frigid winter at Valley Forge, the nexus between the vagaries of weather and military difficulties is indisputable. There has been an ongoing challenge for PS to reflect this natural conflict.

Will Eisner, the PS artist for "the little book's" first twenty-one years, reveled in the opportunity. He had been widely recognized prior to his arrival on the PSscene as a master in the visual use of weather factors to convey mood, emotions, mental conditions, and personalities. His ability to employ drips, splashes, sloshes, puddles, reflections, and torrents was given the generic term, Eisenshpritz, by his friend, Harvey Kurtzman.

In a hat-tip to Joe Kubert, the current PS artist, and reflecting back through his SGT Rock years, one close observer remarked: "Joe probably does 'military mud' better than any other artist, with the possible exception of Bill Mauldin."

The "gather" of appropriate "weather" samples from PS turned out to be so extensive that we've decided to spread it across four BlogPosts—this one and the next three.

Included in this first segment are three Eisner pieces: PS29.FC (February 1955), above, and in this order, below, PS77.FC (March 1959) and PS119.FC (October 1962).

The two-color interior page (pencils by Brian Buniak, inks by Joe Kubert) shown above, PS628.IFC (March 2005), directly reflects the ongoing challenge of weather, in general, including commentary by Mark Twain. Kubert's Continuity, below, PS637.27-34 (December 2005) presents a mid-winter fantasy with a pronounced nod to Dickens.

Remember! Our next three BlogPosts will focus on more woes and worries associated with warriors and weather.

—p.e.f.

Will's approach to depicting weather was similar to Disney's and other capable cartoonists That idea is: make the drawing credible. It matters little if the integrity of the figure is a bit "off," as long as the background looks believable. Because if the backgrounds (e.g., the weather) look right, the whole drawing will be credible. Ergo, rain must look like rain and mud must look like mud.

—j.k.

UPCOMING BLOG POSTS-

¶ Warriors and Weather: Parts B, C, and D

¶ Early Covers Put Eisner, PS in Hot Water

¶ The Best of Zeke Zekely in PS

¶ A Covey of Connie Covers

¶ Perspective Instructional Communications' Best in PS