“Yesterday’s” Comic> Sarge Steel #5

Sarge Steel is a great argument for asexuality.

Sarge Steel #5

Charlton Comics (September, 1968)

“The Case Of The Caged Brain”

Bill Montes and Ernie Bache get credited on the splash page, but according to Comic Book Plus Joe Gill did the writing, while Dick Giordano did the cover art and Herb Field the lettering. Thought they aren’t sure about the letterer.

[Read along with me here]

While on vacation, Sarge meets a woman named Li-Li, who is working for Chung. Quickly smitten, he keeps falling for her charms as she brings him in on behalf of a Dr Crayne, who is working on a project for Chung, with Sarge being insurance of returning to the states. Instead he ends up a hostage and has to fight Chung’s hit-man Nhu, and Chung himself, escaping with the doctor as Li-Li switches sides and dies helping them escape.

What they got right: There are some good action moments.

What they got wrong: Sarge really comes off as a dope in this story. He keeps falling for Li-Li’s tricks because he fell in love with her…having known her for a few minutes as she came to take him to his enemy. There’s a bit about the FBI being aware of Sarge’s kidnapping, secretly using him to rescue Crayne, but nothing really comes of it after the first part.

Sarge fares better in the back-up. Frank McLaughlin takes the chance of the Judo teaching section (and we aren’t even up to Judomaster yet) to tell the story of Sarge back when he still had a normal left hand, using Judo to subdue a mugger.

What I think overall: Nice art for the time, but I don’t believe the romance between Sarge and Li-Li, and that ultimately kills the story despite Sarge’s arch nemesis returning.