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The EC Archives
The EC Archives: Two-Fisted Tales Volume 1
Writer-artist-editor Harvey Kurtzman teamed with legendary artists Wally Wood, Johnny Craig, Jack Davis, Al Feldstein, John Severin, Will Elder, and Dave Berg to create these powerful stories of struggle and humanity that are considered to be among the best war stories ever told. Volume 1 volume reprints the first six complete issues (24 stories) of the comic book Two-Fisted Tales, originally published in 1950 and 1951.
212 pages, Hardcover
First published September 22, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 16, 2020
Very nice collection of these pre-code war stories by the great EC Comice. Wonderful reads. Recommended
January 10, 2014
My problem with EC stories is that they so rarely have a point. You're given characters, then something unpleasant and vaguely dramatically fitting happens to them, then the story's over. Okay. They're all cautionary tales for things that I wasn't going to do anyway. Don't throw somebody in a giant vat of boiling wax for the insurance money; thanks, EC!
But with war stories this works great. The moral compass of the universe is all askew in War, and people live and die for no reason or to prove that there is no reason. Illustrating the horrors of war is one of the most apt uses for the EC story, because EC is like war; people die, in great numbers, and we sift the data to see if life has meaning or not.
The art is truly great, too.
The jingoism of the day gets a bit annoying, though I have to admit that time has proven their criticism of North Korea to be spot-on.
But with war stories this works great. The moral compass of the universe is all askew in War, and people live and die for no reason or to prove that there is no reason. Illustrating the horrors of war is one of the most apt uses for the EC story, because EC is like war; people die, in great numbers, and we sift the data to see if life has meaning or not.
The art is truly great, too.
The jingoism of the day gets a bit annoying, though I have to admit that time has proven their criticism of North Korea to be spot-on.
March 23, 2025
Paul Buhle, in an afterword to a book I recently read, put Two-Fisted Tales on my radar. He mentioned that the writers for the old EC Comics title had taken an unusual tack for war-story comic books at the time. Instead of offering romanticized and glorified tales of valor, they depicted more of the ugly truths of war—in particular the Korean War.
That was intriguing to me, since my understanding of the Korean War has been informed by scholars like Martin Hart-Landsberg and Bruce Cumings, who view it from a critical perspective as America's departure into militarism and imperialism, a war that foreshadowed America's military aggressions and moral bankruptcy in places like Vietnam, Guatemala, and Iraq.
Unfortunately, my high expectations for the comic weren't entirely met. Two-Fisted Tales was an anthology comic, so the Korean War stories were just short vignettes jumbled together with stories about other combat zones, from ancient Rome to the (then) contemporary era. Many of those stories were also cringe-worthy by today's standards, relying on a lot of racial stereotypes and xenophobic tropes to contrast various antagonists with the stories' protagonists.
That disappointment aside, there is something fun about reading EC's old comics. The art and writing were excellent for their time. Had it not been for the publisher's many financial woes, I really think EC could have emerged as a big contender in the industry, and we would have grown up talking about a big three instead of a big two; EC would have been right up there with DC and Marvel.
Some readers have complained about the color restoration that Dark Horse did to these comics. For what it's worth, though, I think the restoration looks great. It's not completely true to the original, but it respects the original while bringing it up to today's printing standards.
That was intriguing to me, since my understanding of the Korean War has been informed by scholars like Martin Hart-Landsberg and Bruce Cumings, who view it from a critical perspective as America's departure into militarism and imperialism, a war that foreshadowed America's military aggressions and moral bankruptcy in places like Vietnam, Guatemala, and Iraq.
Unfortunately, my high expectations for the comic weren't entirely met. Two-Fisted Tales was an anthology comic, so the Korean War stories were just short vignettes jumbled together with stories about other combat zones, from ancient Rome to the (then) contemporary era. Many of those stories were also cringe-worthy by today's standards, relying on a lot of racial stereotypes and xenophobic tropes to contrast various antagonists with the stories' protagonists.
That disappointment aside, there is something fun about reading EC's old comics. The art and writing were excellent for their time. Had it not been for the publisher's many financial woes, I really think EC could have emerged as a big contender in the industry, and we would have grown up talking about a big three instead of a big two; EC would have been right up there with DC and Marvel.
Some readers have complained about the color restoration that Dark Horse did to these comics. For what it's worth, though, I think the restoration looks great. It's not completely true to the original, but it respects the original while bringing it up to today's printing standards.
June 8, 2025
Historias bélicas para acabar con las historias bélicas. Ese era el propósito de Harvey Kurtzman cuando se encargó de esta revista, y no duda en expresarlo abiertamente en historias como la excelente «Kill». El plantel de talentos de esta recopilación es, simplemente, alucinante: Wally Wood, Jack Davies, Johnny Craig, el ya mencionado Harvey Kurtzman... hay historias mejores y otras peores, lógicamente, pero el nivel medio es altísimo, sobre todo cuando se dejan de historietas de aventuras entretenidillas y van al grano, que consiste en crear una revista de corte pacifista a través de las historias de guerra más desazonadoras y duras jamás concebidas. Sin duda, Robert Kanigher tomaría buena nota de estos relatos cuando se pusiera al mando de otras dos magníficas series de guerra: Enemy Ace (conocida en España como El barón rojo) y, por supuesto, Sargent Rock. Lamentablemente, Lee y Kirby (que, paradójicamente, también había creado algunas duras historias de guerra en la Atlas pre-Marvel) echarían todo a perder con la lamentable Sargent Fury and his Howling Commandos, en la que se glorificaba la carnicería sin pudor alguno. Pero los que quedarán para la historia, sin duda, son estos cómics, durísimo testimonio de una de las mayores vergüenzas del ser humano: nuestra innata compulsión por destruir a nuestros semejantes por las más peregrinas razones que imaginarse pueda. Como nunca diría Stan Lee: «¡A mí dadme EC!»
March 23, 2018
After the first issue, I was afraid that I might not like this series as much as I enjoyed Shock SuspenStories and Weird Science, but then a helpful article pointed out that each artist had written his own story in the first issue of Two-Fisted Tales. In #2, Johnny Craig wrote his own story, but the other three tales were written by Kurtzman. All four stories in each of the following four issues were entirely Kurtzman's writing.
Unsurprisingly, the stories got much better after that first comic!
I've mentioned before how much I love Kurtzman's art, but it's especially true in the war settings, where he adds a real sense of surreality and inhumanity to his very human characters. Jack Davis' art is also killer, grounding the scenes in palpable settings and gritty to the max. John Severin and Will Elder were also fabulous, and the Alex Toth pencils/Kurtzman inks chapter was gorgeous!
The move to focus on war stories was a good one. They felt more concrete, probably due the exposure the creators had to the Korean war, and the tension and danger really spilled over to the page. Kurtzman didn't have to rely on a twist ending to surprise the reader - the humanity of the soldiers kept me engaged right through.
Great stuff.
Unsurprisingly, the stories got much better after that first comic!
I've mentioned before how much I love Kurtzman's art, but it's especially true in the war settings, where he adds a real sense of surreality and inhumanity to his very human characters. Jack Davis' art is also killer, grounding the scenes in palpable settings and gritty to the max. John Severin and Will Elder were also fabulous, and the Alex Toth pencils/Kurtzman inks chapter was gorgeous!
The move to focus on war stories was a good one. They felt more concrete, probably due the exposure the creators had to the Korean war, and the tension and danger really spilled over to the page. Kurtzman didn't have to rely on a twist ending to surprise the reader - the humanity of the soldiers kept me engaged right through.
Great stuff.
July 1, 2019
It's funny how many stories published at the same time were so dull compared to the stories cranked out by Kurtzman. Although the plots were sometimes thin and the themes obvious, they are so fun to read. This volume does not have any poorly drawn stories, but, to me, the stand-out artists here are Jack Davis and Johnny Craig. If I have any gripes, it's that Gemstone had the color "modernized", and I am no expert on the process, but I just don't really like the color fade effects they created. Hopefully Dark Horse won't carry this over when they publish this.
February 23, 2020
A reprint of the first six issues of the classic series. The first issue is nothing to write home about, in fact it is quite bad, but after that the book gradually finds its footing and become the hard hitting, merciless real comic that we all remember. One of its key factors in its stories, which has caused it to still be brutal and hard hitting after 60 years, is they never glamorize war or pain- usually the exact opposite. Highly recommended.
February 19, 2022
A friend of mine called this "genre schlock" affectionately. And he's right. This is shameless genre schlock, although, to its credit, it's bolder than a lot of pop culture from the 50s, with an anti-war bent and a willingness to assume perspectives like that of a Korean civilian occasionally.
So why are they lovingly restored? The art. As art books, these can't be beat. If you only know the likes of Jack Davis, Will Elder, and Wally Wood from their comedy work, these are real eye openers.
So why are they lovingly restored? The art. As art books, these can't be beat. If you only know the likes of Jack Davis, Will Elder, and Wally Wood from their comedy work, these are real eye openers.
August 26, 2022
Fantastic from cover to cover. Love the early stories, Kurtzman's work is especially great, with five of his eleven self-drawn man tales here (Frontline Combat vol. 1 has four, TFT vol. 2 has two). The non modern combat stories, about pirates, headhunters, Roman Emperors, cowboys and conquistadors, are especially cool and welcome. Jack Davis may have done his best art for this series, too. The writing is exemplary, the sense of adventure alive and real. I was shocked at how good these are.
January 15, 2021
It took a couple of issues before Harvey Kurtzman was fully in charge of this title, so some of the early stories are just passable, but then Kurtzman is established as the editor and the rest simply transcends most other comics of the fifties.
September 25, 2024
I've been wanting to read these stories for ages.
Very grim!
Stunning artwork.
Very grim!
Stunning artwork.
March 30, 2008
A rag-tag bullpen of young artists came together in 1950/51 under the umbrella of William Gaines' struggling, newly restructured EC Comics line to help him launch a new series of comic book titles. Gaines's father had passed away and left him the EC publishing company (previously publishing illustrated stories from the bible), and Gaines decided to make a go of it along with editor Al Fieldstein, albeit with a fresh approach to the established comic book genres. Over the next five years, Gaines, Fieldstein and their stable of previously unknown artists would go on to create the most influential, iconic, sophisticated and beautifully illustrated comic books titles that set the bar for graphic narrative excellence to this day.
In the case of Two-Fisted Tales, Gaines and Fieldstein handed the editing reins over to veteran cartoonist Harvey Kurtzman, and the resulting beautifully rendered war stories have been lauded over the years for their realism, innovative cinematic style, and anti-war stance (unheard of in comic books at the time of the Korean War). Reading them now, it's hard to believe these still hard-hitting stories were created for lowly ten cent comic books back in the innocent 1950's.
Kurtzman would go on to create a little humor title for Gaines in 1953 simply called "MAD". MAD had such a profound influence on the American satirical/parody zeitgeist over the years that it's now considered an institution. Virtually all of EC's stable of artist went on to become revered figures in the comics industry... and many became institutions themselves in areas such as the advertising, graphic design, animation and fine art fields.
The fact that, nearly 60 years later, each of EC's 1950's comic book titles are getting the full-color, high quality, hardcover treatment with forwards by the likes of Steven Spielberg is a testament to their enduring status on our pop culture landscape. Check'em out.
In the case of Two-Fisted Tales, Gaines and Fieldstein handed the editing reins over to veteran cartoonist Harvey Kurtzman, and the resulting beautifully rendered war stories have been lauded over the years for their realism, innovative cinematic style, and anti-war stance (unheard of in comic books at the time of the Korean War). Reading them now, it's hard to believe these still hard-hitting stories were created for lowly ten cent comic books back in the innocent 1950's.
Kurtzman would go on to create a little humor title for Gaines in 1953 simply called "MAD". MAD had such a profound influence on the American satirical/parody zeitgeist over the years that it's now considered an institution. Virtually all of EC's stable of artist went on to become revered figures in the comics industry... and many became institutions themselves in areas such as the advertising, graphic design, animation and fine art fields.
The fact that, nearly 60 years later, each of EC's 1950's comic book titles are getting the full-color, high quality, hardcover treatment with forwards by the likes of Steven Spielberg is a testament to their enduring status on our pop culture landscape. Check'em out.
July 29, 2011
"What does the future mean when everything you love is dead, my son?"
Forget Nick Fury and Sgt, Rock... THIS is what war comics should be! The first few stories are pretty generic, but by issue two, things get kicking and you get comics that are absolutely as relevant today as they were in fifties. A bunch of these take place during the then current Korean war, and based on the reprinted letters from the soldiers, EC was dead on in its depiction.
Sadly, Two-Fisted Tales gets largely overlooked compared to Tales From The Crypt and Weird Science, and it's a real shame. The stories here are just as thought provoking and hard hitting, and the art is to die for. highly recommended.
"Regard no man's life cheaper than your own! Respect and cherish life and then, truly... "Though shalt not kill!!""
Forget Nick Fury and Sgt, Rock... THIS is what war comics should be! The first few stories are pretty generic, but by issue two, things get kicking and you get comics that are absolutely as relevant today as they were in fifties. A bunch of these take place during the then current Korean war, and based on the reprinted letters from the soldiers, EC was dead on in its depiction.
Sadly, Two-Fisted Tales gets largely overlooked compared to Tales From The Crypt and Weird Science, and it's a real shame. The stories here are just as thought provoking and hard hitting, and the art is to die for. highly recommended.
"Regard no man's life cheaper than your own! Respect and cherish life and then, truly... "Though shalt not kill!!""
Read
August 21, 2007Thank god all these EC classics are finally available in new editions! They're all interesting historically, and a lot of them are pretty great stories, too. But for my money the best volume thus far is this first book of Kurtzman-edited war stories. "Edited" is, of course, damning Kurtzman's contribution with faint praise—he wrote and laid out every single story. It's thrilling to watch Kurtzman invent new storytelling techiques in these stories, but they're more than just historical curiosities—the stories really hold up. Kurtzman's bleak outlook on war and perspective from his own time in combat keep the more blunt aspects of this era of comics storytelling from getting too saccarine, and his mastery of panel-to-panel comics is rivaled by very few, even today. Just great stuff.
December 15, 2008
I initially started buying the EC archives out of nostalgia. I wasn't around before the comic code, but I fondly remember sneaking the reprints into summer camp, and passing them from cabin to cabin. When the first volume came out I parted ways with the price on the jacket, thinking, "Man, this is cool."
Really the EC Archives are more than just nostalgia reprints. They can not ground down to just cool.
Specifically the war stories are well thought out, and by no means the he-man adventure they sold them as. They paint a picture of war that is dirty, painful, and in one word hell.
Really the EC Archives are more than just nostalgia reprints. They can not ground down to just cool.
Specifically the war stories are well thought out, and by no means the he-man adventure they sold them as. They paint a picture of war that is dirty, painful, and in one word hell.
January 10, 2010
The two main reasons to read this are Harvey Kurtzman and the historical context. Publishing during the Korean War, the creators were careful to depict war accurately, rather than the romanticized propaganda of the WWII comics. I used to skip over the one-page prose stories as a kid and discover they're just as unreadable now. I understand why they modernized the colors, and that most audiences will prefer that look, but I found it distracting. Confusingly, these books all have the Comics Code seal on them.
December 6, 2011
Brilliant stuff.
Starts as historical adventure stories and slowly evolved into all war stories, focusing mostly on WW2 and the Korean war.
Gritty, cool blood, sweat and bullet stories of adventure with just enough history involved to get kids interested and maybe get them to read more about actual history.
I was never a fan of EC comics horror titles, but loved all the historical adventure stuff.
Starts as historical adventure stories and slowly evolved into all war stories, focusing mostly on WW2 and the Korean war.
Gritty, cool blood, sweat and bullet stories of adventure with just enough history involved to get kids interested and maybe get them to read more about actual history.
I was never a fan of EC comics horror titles, but loved all the historical adventure stuff.
May 25, 2014
A mixed bag. Kurtzman's war stories are as remarkable and groundbreaking as ever. Certainly they address the dehumanizing reality of war far better than most films or TV of the day. No empty headed jingoism here!
That being said, many of the other stories included here are dumb, badly dated he-man style adventures with all of their period misogyny and racism intact.
The art, especially that of Wally Wood, John Severin and Kurtzman himself is, for the most part, excellent.
That being said, many of the other stories included here are dumb, badly dated he-man style adventures with all of their period misogyny and racism intact.
The art, especially that of Wally Wood, John Severin and Kurtzman himself is, for the most part, excellent.
March 27, 2012
The post-issue behind the scenes page after each issue of this volume is not as informative as some other volumes of the EC Archives. This volume also features probably the single most racist EC story I've ever read from a company that was usually way ahead of their time.
November 6, 2008
An ultimate in comic storytelling, art and heart. Harvey Kurtzman makes magic that is seen & felt in the page.
=v=
=v=
February 12, 2012
fantastic but this is EC so it is the minimum you would expect
October 8, 2015
The first issue was fun but the rest of the Two-Fisted Tales in this volume were rather dull.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews