In Country

In Country is back for a new year ... not just 2015, but 1969! January 1969 kicks off with The 'Nam#36: "What's Going On?" a story where the racial tensions among the boys of the 23rd start to come to a head. Brought to you by Doug Murray and Wayne Vansant. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue I'll be taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads.

"Sounds of Silence" is the title of issue #35 of The 'Nam and here we see the start of an important subplot involving racial tension between some of the boys of the 23rd. We also catch up with Ed Marks as he has a short conversation about My Lai right before heading home for Christmas break. It's December 1968 and it's all brought to you by Doug Murray, Wayne Vansant, and Geof Isherwood. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue I'll be taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads.

In "Phoenix," the 23rd encounters some unsavory goings-on in a village and we get a little clue into Ice's past. It's The 'Nam #38, brought to you by Doug Murray, Wayne Vansant, and Geof Isherwood. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue I'll be taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads. WARNING: The episode has an explicit tag due to graphic description of torture.

After a bit of a detour back in the world, we're in the 'Nam again and so is Daniels, the communications officer who was more cut-up than cut out for combat. But he's there reluctantly and has definitely changed. It's "Back in the Saddle Again" in The 'Nam #33 by Doug Murray, Wayne Vansant, and Geof Isherwood. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue I'll be taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads.

It's the summer of 1968 and back home in Chicago, Pig's brother Teddy joins a group of protesters outside of the Democratic National Convention while Pig is in Vietnam fighting off the latest VC attack. Join us for The 'Nam #32, "Land of the Free," brought to you by Doug Murray, Wayne Vansant, and Geof Isherwood. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue Ill be taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads.

Issue #31 brings closure to the subplot involving the 23rd's resident comic geek, Aeder. "Fire and Ice" is brought to you by Doug Murray, Wayne Vansant, and Geof Isherwood. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue Ill be taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads.

We take a look at "Bunker Line" and July 1968 in issue #30 of The 'Nam, a story that introduces Lt. Biggs and shows Ice and Pig's return to action. It's brought to us by Murray, Vansant and Isherwood. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue Ill be taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads.

"War and Peace" is the title of issue #29 of The 'Nam and what we've got here is a look at the rest of the world while the guys from the 23rd take a little R&R. This episode is full of historical context including events that are important and notable from June 1968. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue Ill be taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads.

The 23rd is officially deployed near the Cambodian border in "The Border Line" and we're introduced to several new characters who we'll see quite a bit of in the next year's worth of comics. It's The 'Nam #28, brought to you by Doug Murray, Wayne Vansant, and Geof Isherwood. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue Ill be taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads.

"Like A Candle in the Wind" is the title of issue #27 of The 'Nam and is a "fill-in" story where Clark hears the story of a wounded soldier he is helping. It's a harrowing, sad tale brought to us by Doug Murray and guest artist Sam Glanzman. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue Ill be taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads.

We are back in The 'Nam with a look at "Auld Acquaintance" from The 'Nam #26, a story that takes a look at the current lives of characters from the original year of the issue: Ed, Sarge, Top, Rob, Thomas, and Frank. Meanwhile, the 23rd moves from its current base of operations to Tay Ninh. Brought to you by Doug Murray, Wayne Vansant, and Geof Isherwood. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue Ill be talking about the storys historical context as well as taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads.

One hundred years ago, the world went to war. After living through the war, a German soldier and writer named Erich Maria Remarque took his experiences and wrote them into a novel, All Quiet on the Western Front. In this episode, I take a break from the Vietnam War and look back at Remarque's World War I novel, giving it a full synopsis and review, then taking a look at two movie versions, and spending time on the poetry and songs of the First World War Era.

The Tet Offensive continues with "Hue: City of Death," a story about Marines told via the 23rd's own Andy Clark in The 'Nam #25, brought to us by Doug Murray, Wayne Vansant, and Geof Isherwood. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue Ill be talking about the storys historical context as well as taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads.

It's 1968 and the beginning of the Tet Offensive in "The Beginning of the End," a story by Doug Murray, Wayne Vansant, and Geof Isherwood that sees the 23rd encountering events that have historical significance when it comes to the media's coverage of the war. That's in The 'Nam #24. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue Ill be talking about the storys historical context as well as taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads. After listening to the episode, I encourage you to go check out the show notes at Pop Culture Affidavit. I've included the famous Eddie Adams photograph described in the issue as well as some video about it.

It's Christmas time in the 'Nam and we see the boys of the 23rd treated to some genuine USO entertainment, even if it is a "Blue Christmas" for some of them. It'sThe 'Nam #23, presented to you by Doug Murray, Wayne Vansant, and Frank Springer. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue Ill be talking about the storys historical context as well as taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads.

It's Thanksgiving and that means ... well, humpin' in in the boonies, unfortunately. But the focus on this issue is not necessary the misery of our boys in the 23rd; rather it's a look at the VC. The 'Nam issue #22, "Thanks for Thanksgiving," is brought to you by Doug Murray, Wayne Vansant, and Geof Isherwood. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue Ill be talking about the storys historical context as well as taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads.

This time around, we have "Do Not Forsake Me" from The 'Nam #21, a story that develops the potential romance between Clark and his nurse friend, Jane. Unfortunately, things don't always go the way we hope they will. Brought to you by Doug Murray, Wayne Vansant, and Geof Isherwood. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue Ill be talking about the storys historical context as well as taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads.

This time around, it's "Dominoes," The 'Nam #20, where we see the boys of the 23rd team up with Thai soldiers and get some resolution in the fragging of Alarnick storyine. Brought to you by Doug Murray, Wayne Vansant, and Geof Isherwood. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue Ill be talking about the storys historical context as well as taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads.

We're back in The 'Nam with a look at issue #19, "Milk Run." This time, the guys of the 23rd help out a Marine who's been shot down. Brought to you by Doug Murray, Wayne Vansant, and Geof Isherwood. As always, in addition to the summary and review of the issue Ill be talking about the storys historical context as well as taking a look at the letters, ‘Nam Notes, and ads.

This time around, I take another break from regular coverage of The 'Nam for an extra-sized episode where I talk to Wayne Vansant, who was the penciller on The 'Nam for more than 50 issues and has a long career writing and penciling comics and graphic novels of his own. We discuss his career, his work on The 'Nam, and his most recent work, Katusha, Girl Soldier of the Patriotic War, a story about the war between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany during World War II.