Bully Says: Comics Oughta Be Fun!: Today in Comics History, August 3: Happy birthday, Ernie Pyle!

Born on this day in 1900: Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ernie Pyle, one of the greatest American journalist and famed for his reporting from the front of WWII.

He certainly showed that masthead's boss.

He certainly showed that masthead's boss.

cover of Real Heroes #16 (Parents' Magazine Press, October 1946)
Pyle is spotlighted in this biographical comic which tells how he worked alongside America's fighting forces and brought their news and stories back home. Much like cartoonist Bill Mauldin, he was respected for writing from the soldier's point of view.

'Managing Editor's job is to sweep up all these papers.'

'Managing Editor's job is to sweep up all these papers.'

'Nobody ever told us the enemy would be firing at US!'

'Well, if you're sold out, can i have a copy of that new comic book everyone's talking about, Action?' 'Naw, that thing ain't gonna sell a copy. In fact, I threw out about three dozen of those yesterday.'

'I prefer a typewriter bolted onto a machine gun.'

from "G.I.'s Best Friend" in Real Heroes #16, pencils and inks by Sam Glankoff

He was also an advocate for the fighting forces, writing about their predicaments and influencing change in the policies of the US Army.

Fifteen dollars if you actually ate the chipped beef on toast.

Fifteen dollars if you actually ate the chipped beef on toast.

Pyle was played by Burgess Meredith in a movie biography, adapted for comics here:

'That dog might be a Ratzi spy!'

I can see why they're demoralized. Their rations only got a 'C!'

from "Ernie Pyle's Story of G-I Joe" in Picture News #2 (Lafayette Street, February 1946), creators unknown
Ernie Pyle was killed in action in the Pacific a mere couple of weeks before VE Day.

I highly recommend checking out one of the many compilations of his frontline reporting from a day when journalism truly made a difference.

'Now, who else among you feels like they're made out of tweed?' 'Oh, that's just Chaykin, sir. He gives that texture to EVERYBODY.'

'Now, who else among you feels like they're made out of tweed?' 'Oh, that's just Chaykin, sir. He gives that texture to EVERYBODY.'

from The Newsboy Legion and the Boy Commandos Special #1 one-shot (DC, October 2017); script, pencils, and inks by Howard Chaykin; colors by Wil Quintana; letters by Ken Bruzenak
Happy birthday, Ernie!

Wednesday, August 03, 2022

Today in Comics History, August 3: Happy birthday, Ernie Pyle!

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