mitchmen's war No 12 - Not Commando

Were it not for negative character traits in the thoughts of the man above you might find him quite attractive in a boyish way. This artist draws more heroic types in a similar way to this, showing them not as stereotypical, square-jawed, hunks (not that I've got anything against square-jawed hunks!) but as ordinary, slightly immature men, which is what most WW2 soldiers were of course (at least, when they joined up).

This picture of the same character is infused with the same gangling, not-quite-mature characteristics.
The open legged pose is mildly erotic with cute turned-in feet, but scrupulously 'proper' in accord with the norms of the genre. At this point in the story, 18 pages later, his desertion has evolved into outright collaboration with the enemy, but let's leave that aside for now, I'll fill in the story line at the end of the article. My primary focus is in some surprising homo-erotic details in the pictures which are revealed by closer study.

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If you look at the backside of the running man in the first picture (1), you'll see some thin lines cutting across his thigh which don't look quite like crease lines should look. It suggested an alternative to me which I have illustrated below (3).
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In my imagination I visualised the original artist doodling these lines as he wondered what this man would look like if he was dressed in shorts. My colouring brings this vision out. The baggy, lower leg details don't fit this alternative, but notice how the shadow on the far leg takes on a shorts shape too. There's even a discontinuity in the top of this thigh suggesting a hem or turn-up. Bringing out the curve of the imaginary shorts leg makes his stance look open legged, more static and rather more sexy.

I started wondering if these odd 'thigh lines' appeared in any other pictures in the story and a search turned up the second picture (2, above). Similar lines also appear here with even less obvious purpose than the first example, but also suggesting leg-hugging shorts. However, I then noticed another detail which put shorts right out of my mind, illustrated in the picture below.

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 In case you are wondering, I haven't added anything but colour to this picture and if you refer to the original (2 above) there is an unmistakable line of circles around the Cooper's upper thigh which look just like the hem of frilly knickers. Some people may think I have an overactive imagination but I can't think of any other thing this pattern might be intended to represent.

It may be that the artist is playing with the cowardly character of his subject (unfortunately using female associations which we would frown upon today). Maybe he's secretly confessing to an interest of his own! It seems legitimate to interpret it as a subversive, hidden, erotic message.

 Whatever the leanings of the artist might be, there is no suggestion in any of the story that Cooper is gay although his words in the second picture (taken out of context) might make you wonder. Given his unfortunate behaviour and the morality of that era, it's a relief no such link is made. There's actually no sexual dimension or depth to any of his relationships with the other men in the story.
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I outline the plot of Cooper's story and his fate below.


The pictures featured here come from
Commando Comic No 1432, 'Trapped!'


 At the outset of the story Cooper, who we met above, is depicted running from the battlefield.
Unluckily for him, he runs into his own Sergeant, 'Frank'.
(Sergeant Frank is tagged with his first name because he is a goodie!).
Both have been cut off behind enemy lines, hence Trapped!


The Sergeant vows to take Cooper back to face disciplinary action.
 You can see here how the 'hero' Sergeant is shown as a callow youth rather than the traditional hunk. I think the depiction of a sullen Cooper, hands in pockets (left), is marvellous, much more interesting!

The voices they hear (right, above) turn out to be two US soldiers who are also cut-off behind the lines.
They join forces to rescue a senior Officer whose plane has crashed in the same area (!).
The enemy however are determinedly hunting for the Officer for themselves,
hoping to extract vital information from him.
Their attentions give Sergeant Frank's group a torrid time and Cooper deserts them (below).



 Cooper's flight leads him straight into an enemy patrol.
  Their officer easily obtains Cooper's collaboration by threatening to execute him.



Cooper betrays his colleagues twice, once by revealing their whereabouts and when that capture attempt fails, he is told to rejoin the group and signal when they are vulnerable to attack.
However, Sergeant Frank foils that too and knocks Cooper out.


Cooper's demise, two thirds of the way through the story, avoids an awkward, messy ending.
It's a rather sad tale really, a not-very-subtle lesson in morality, bravery and loyalty for young readers.
I confess I'm drawn to his rebellious, outsider character imagining there must be a redeeming feature we haven't been told about.

The more interesting moral for me is that there may be more 'hidden eroticism' in this artist's output!
Watch this space!

For more hidden eroticism also click in the label below.