A tough, eye-catching Silver Age war comic with a classic Charlton battlefield cover, Fightin’ Army #81 delivers exactly the kind of gritty combat energy war-comic readers look for. Photo-verified details include the 12¢ cover price, September 1968 date, bright front-cover art, interior vintage ads, cream-to-tan paper, and visible handling wear throughout.
Story Teaser
This issue mixes World War II combat stories with a one-page Vietnam story and a non-fiction military text feature, giving it that satisfying anthology feel many vintage war-comic readers love. The lead cover-feature story, “The Warrior,” throws inexperienced American infantry against an elite German SS division on D-Day.
Creators
• Writer: Most stories in Fightin' Army during this period were written by Joe Gill. He was the primary writer for Charlton's war titles, often producing the majority of the scripts.
• Penciler: Nestor Olivera (“The Warrior” cover story and closing story), Sam Glanzman (“Devil’s Brigade”), Charles Nicholas (“In Memoriam,” “Never Alone”)
• Inker: Nestor Olivera, Sam Glanzman, Vince Alascia
• Colorist: Not credited in the available records
• Letterer: Jon D’Agostino credited on the cover-feature “The Warrior”; other interior lettering not fully credited in the available records
• Editor: Sal Gentile, managing editor
• Cover Artist: Nestor Olivera (cover-feature splash used for cover image in GCD records)
Condition Section grade: Good
• Front cover has a blue ink scribble at the upper left area above the title/logo
• General cover wear with noticeable edge wear and corner wear
• Small creasing and stress wear along the spine/front-left edge
• Lower right front corner shows wear and creasing
• Cover surface shows age toning and light soiling, especially visible in the lighter background areas
• Back cover shows overall age toning/discoloration and handling wear
• Interior pages are visibly toned from age, ranging cream to tan
• Splash page has a handwritten “Red” notation near the top margin
• Minor interior smudges/marks visible near some top margins
• Interior and back cover show general wear consistent with age, storage, and reading
• No page numbers noted in the copy as described
• Photo-verified details suggest the comic is complete and readable, with no obvious missing pages seen in the provided photos
Condition Grade Key
Near Fine: minimal wear; tight; clean.
Very Good: light wear; clean text; minor flaws.
Good: noticeable wear; sound reading copy; some marks.
Fair: heavy wear; complete but worn; priced accordingly.
We are not professionally grading comic books, so this is a conservative in-house assessment based on close photo review. See all photos – sold as pictured.
Quick Specs
• Item Type: Vintage comic book
• Title: Fightin’ Army #81
• Size: 10.25 x 7 inches
• Material: Paper
• Color: Full color cover and interiors; cream/tan aged paper
• Origin: Charlton Comics / Charlton Press Inc., Derby, Connecticut
• Year/Era: September 1968 / Silver Age
• Genre: War Comic
• Language/Pages: English / 36 pages total; no printed page numbers noted in the copy description
• Identifiers: 12¢ cover price • No. 81 • Sept. • Approved by the Comics Code Authority
Edition & Features
• Complete: 36 pages, all present, no missing pages or coupons visible in the provided photos
• Interior vintage ads
• Anthology issue with multiple war stories plus one non-fiction text feature
• Stories include “Devil’s Brigade,” “In Memoriam,” “Never Alone,” and “The Warrior”
• No pin-ups, letters page, or extra inserts were clearly visible in the provided photos
Collectors Notes
This is a solid reader-grade Charlton war comic for collectors who enjoy late Silver Age military titles without paying DC or Marvel war-book prices. The appeal here is the classic combat cover, the anthology format, Sam Glanzman interior art, and the D-Day/World War II atmosphere that gives Charlton war books their own rough-edged charm.
It also fits nicely for readers building out 1960s war-comic runs or anyone who likes honest, affordable vintage copies with real shelf presence.
Shelf-worthy vintage finds you can trust. Find Your Story.
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Disclaimer
The vintage items I share with you have been previously owned and loved and may show some wear. Please use the pictures as a guide. While I do my best to capture colors accurately, your monitor or device screen may display colors slightly differently from the actual item.
Care & Handling: Handle with clean, dry hands. Store upright, out of direct sunlight, at about 68°F and 40–50% relative humidity. Avoid damp areas and extreme temperature swings. Please note: If you have any questions or need more photos, ask.
