W.T.F. Wednesday: Everything's better with robots (plus, a declaration!)

No one could be blamed for thinking that once you've got a robot fighting a dinosaur, you've pretty much reached the pinnacle for war-time wackiness.

But then your name wouldn't be Bob Kanigher, and you wouldn't be writing The War That Time Forgot. Because if you were, then you would see a story-telling challenge that could only be met by pitting Joe the G.I. Robot against a giant enemy robot on Dinosaur Island!

Click to Gigantorize

You ran out of crack? For some reason, I find that hard to believe.

EXTRA! EXTRA!

While reading this latest story about Joe the G.I. Robot, I came across an interesting panel and what might be a hazy glimpse into the creative mind of Bob Kanigher. Check out this scene with Joe and his human buddy, Mac:


OK, let's try to ignore the fact Mac can't seem to remember that Joe is a robot that usually only reacts to direct orders. (Seriously, Mac has to remind himself on almost every page - if Joe could act on his own, he would've pimp-slapped him bald-headed by now.) The part that caught my eye was one word - "responsometer."

What with their re-emergence in 52 and now in their own limited series, you might recognize the responsometer as the same device that gives the Metal Men their personalities and abilities. And the Metal Men were created by Robert Kanigher, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito - the same team that brought us The War That Time Forgot!

So which came first? It's close enough to say G.I. Joe-bot and the Metal Men probably percolated out of Kanigher's melon around the same time, with the Metal Men first seeing print in Showcase #37, the March/April 1962 issue. But - surprise! - Joe beat them to it, making his first appearance in Star Spangled War Stories #101 - the February/March 1962 issue!

OK, so the "responsometer" reference didn't show up in The War That Time Forgot until two months later in Star Spangled War Stories #103 - meaning the concept first came up in Metal Men - but screw it, I'm making a declaration:

JOE THE G.I. ROBOT IS THE METAL MEN'S GRANDPA!!

Panels from Showcase Presents: The War That Time Forgot
Originally published as "Doom at Dinosaur Island!" in Star Spangled War Stories #103
Robert Kanigher, writer; Ross Andru, penciller; Mike Esposito, inker

W.T.F. Wednesday: Robot vs. dinosaur!

During our little trips through the pages of Showcase Presents: The War That Time Forgot we've seen dinosaur stampedes, wrestling-inspired giant lizards, colossal gorillas (coconuts included) and soldiers sailing rough seas in one big-ass eggshell.

But you still may not be prepared for the sheer metric-ton of awesome that is Joe the G.I. Robot emptying his machine gun into a rampaging T-Rex ... all while saving his buddy from drowning in quicksand by lifting him up one-handed!


Neither did I, my friend ... neither did I.


Panels from Showcase Presents: The War That Time Forgot
Originally published as "The Robot and the Dinosaur!" in Star Spangled War Stories #101
Robert Kanigher, writer; Ross Andru, penciller; Mike Esposito, inker

W.T.F. Wednesday: It's as good as grabbed!

Y'know, World War II might've had the Greatest Generation, pterodactyls and giant gorillas, but do you know what it really needed? How about a team of acrobatic brothers who used questionable language while dodging angry dinosaurs?

Click for big top size

Aaah - that's better!

Panels from Showcase Presents: The War That Time Forgot
Originally published as "The Circus of Monsters!" in Star Spangled War Stories #99
Robert Kanigher, writer; Ross Andru, penciller; Mike Esposito, inker

W.T.F. Wednesday: Shell Shock

Reading through The War That Time Forgot, you sometimes come across something that really doesn't need any further explanation: A panel showing a couple of World War II soldiers making their escape from a sinking island IN A GIANT EGG SHELL is one of them.

Click for extra-large

Panels from Showcase Presents: The War That Time Forgot
Originally published as "Mission X!" in Star Spangled War Stories #96
Robert Kanigher, writer; Ross Andru, penciller; Mike Esposito, inker

W.T.F. Wednesday: And Then They Made The Biggest Pie You Ever Saw

I bet you thought I was kidding about the giant coconuts, didn't you?

In part two of The Sub-Crusher, the crew of the Little PT Boat That Could manage to get away from the Crusher, but find even more trouble down-river. Apparently, EVERYTHING was big back in prehistoric times, and that ain't braggin' - check out the size of these coconuts!

Click to ape-size

Luckily, the boys know how to handle their cannons, and soon enough ...



Panels from Showcase Presents: The War That Time Forgot
Originally published as "The Sub-Crusher!" in Star Spangled War Stories #97
Robert Kanigher, writer; Ross Andru, penciller; Mike Esposito, inker

W.T.F. Wednesday: The Sub-Crusher!

In this weeks' installment from the archives of The War That Time Forgot we get to see some moves from The Sub-Crusher, a giant spiky dinosaur and three-time World Wrestling Federation champ whose ring is the waters surrounding a prehistoric Monster Island.

His opponent? Any pencil-necked sub and ship that dares to call the champ out, and they're going down! After some naval gazers come across a submarine that's been crunched and tossed aside like an empty beer can, a couple of ships are sent out to find out what secret weapon is responsible for the damage. You want to know what's responsible? These 40-inch pythons, baby, that's who!

(Gee, I almost feel sorry for the challengers and their little patrol boat ... I hope it's not too late ...)

Click to Crusher-size

Oooh! Man, they'd just better hope The Crusher shows some sweet mercy and lets them go.


Snap into a Slim-Jim!

Next week: Giant coconuts.


Panels from Showcase Presents: The War That Time Forgot
Originally published as "The Sub-Crusher!" in Star Spangled War Stories #97
Robert Kanigher, writer; Ross Andru, penciller; Mike Esposito, inker

W.T.F. Wednesday: FIRE!

Click to dino-size

Panels from Showcase Presents: The War That Time Forgot
Originally published as "Island of the Armored Giants!" in Star Spangled War Stories #90
Robert Kanigher, writer; Ross Andru, penciller; Mike Esposito, inker

W.T.F. Wednesday: That's a lot of dinosaurs

Welcome to a new feature here at the Post, in which once a week I'll share a panel or two from the Showcase Presents collection of The War That Time Forgot (the butchered "W.T.F." up in the title there). Believe me, the WTF is appropriate because seriously - WTF?!? Released a couple of months ago, The War That Time Forgot is prime Robert Kanigher nuttiness, answering the age-old question: What if soldiers during World War II had to fight dinosaurs, which have been freed from suspended animation deep below the surface of the Earth?

Just typing that out makes me grin like an idiot.

You know what else makes me happy? This:

Click to dino-size

EXTRA! EXTRA!

Man, Radio Shacks always look a little dumpy, don't they?


Panels from Showcase Presents: The War That Time Forgot
Originally published as "Last Battle of the Dinosaur Age!" in Star Spangled War Stories #92
Robert Kanigher, writer; Ross Andru, penciller; Mike Esposito, inker