In my mid-elementary school years in the 70s, I went through a couple years with an intense interest in WW2 comic books. Ranking at the top of my list of favorites in the G.I. Combat series was The Haunted Tank. For those who need to have their memory refreshed, the “haunted” element of The Haunted Tank was none other than the ghost of J.E.B. Stuart. It seems ol’ JEB had been tapped by the ghost of Alexander the Great to act as a guardian over his two namesakes, Lieutenant Jeb Stuart (named in the early stories as Jeb Stuart Smith, but eventually just shortened to Jeb Stuart) and the Light Tank M3 Stuart that Jeb commanded. To get those childhood memory cogs rolling, you can read a bit more on this page at Wikipedia.
Well, a week or so ago, I was surfing around the Web and happened upon (don’t ask me how) a site that mentioned bringing The Haunted Tank back from the grave. The new publisher, Vertigo, took a bit of a twist on the old story and changed the storyline to focus on an M1 Abrams in Iraq at the onset of the invasion in 2003. But that isn’t the biggest shocker. Frank Marraffino, the writer of the re-done comic book, commented that JEB’s ghost, “no longer satisfied with only being a cryptic Caucasian Confucius… now takes a more active role but the frightful efforts of this plantation-raised, slave-owning, defender of the Confederacy are not entirely welcome by the black tank commander whose name is… Jamal Stuart.”
[Huh!? O.k. Frank, I’m detecting a little sensationalism tainting your knowledge of history, but go on…]
“When I heard word from Brandon Montclare that Haunted Tank was fair game at Vertigo, it was immediately obvious that it should be set in Iraq and that the lead protagonist would behave more than a little superciliously towards the Haunter in Whiteness. The sparks would fly, drive and maybe even snorkel.”
Whew! Talk about a total change-up from the old story! But that still ain’t it! Take a look at the image below… Stuart looks wayyyy cooler than he did in the 70s, let me tell you! Hey Harry; now, this, THIS(!) is Civil War art at its FINEST!
Cenantua's Blog 
Larry the Kidman
February 4, 2009
I loved that comic as a kid. If I recall the ghost Jeb often gave what was more like Bedford Forrest type advice on the practical application of cavalry. I enjoy your blog, a great mixture.
cenantua
February 4, 2009
Thanks for stopping by and comenting Larry. It’s been years since I saw my last issue, but yes, I think you are correct. Wish I had those old issues today!
David Schneider
February 5, 2009
Oh man, this is cool! I used to have some Haunted Tank. Thanks!
Michael Aubrecht
February 5, 2009
Robert, great post, but you’re a little late to the party. 🙂
http://www.pinstripepress.net/PPBlog/index.blog/1243548/prepc-comics/
cenantua
February 5, 2009
Hi Michael,
New twist on an old comic book so… new party! 🙂
caswain01
February 5, 2009
Let see…. LaMatt and the M4 Carbine… two weapons that are apt to cause the shooter more aggravation than the intended target…. but I digress.
But at least the artist picked a “proper” division to place “Jamal” in – 3rd Infantry Division. None less than Audie Murphy’s (and my) old unit. Of course then we’ve got Audie’s Texas roots, with at least one Confederate ancestor.
I’m not much into the comic book scene, so tell me, does JEB go into a rendition of “Dog Face Soldier” with Jamal? The updated version substitues a name for our current adversary in place of “Kraut” (or “raw meat” in the Cold War era). Ooppss now we are into the World War II memory.
At any rate, I’m jealous of Jamal’s goggles there. I tried for years out of vanity to get my goggles to find such a purchase on top. They invariably flip off into the dirt. Instead, the only way to keep the darned things on the CVC helmet was resting on top of the front edge. Sort of made me look like a giant Kermit the Frog. Not cool.
So any news if they will resurrect the ghost of “Custer” or “Sheridan” or, here’s a good one “Judson Kilpatrick” to help ol’ JEB out?
cenantua
February 5, 2009
Hey Craig,
I was reading the full scoop on the idea for the comic book and it looks like the guys did some homework. One of the things they were really worried about was getting their technical stuff wrong with the M1 and getting letters from people (particularly soldiers) who knew better. So they touched base with some treadheads to get their stuff in order.
Speaking of language, from what I also read, it looks like this book was not meant for kiddies. True-to-life soldier-speak. Of course, I do recall the older comics having some colorful language in German.
Hmmm, wasn’t there a couple of camios by Uncle Billy in some of the old Haunted Tanks? Oh, but the addition of Kil-Cavalry to the new scene, that would add some flavor. Now that guy knew how to party!
caswain01
February 5, 2009
Well the artwork is a bit better than “Cleburne!”
cenantua
February 5, 2009
But it did give me a little flashback of… “ruhroh(!)”… Scooby-Doo’s Confederate ghost.
cenantua
February 5, 2009
Nah, on second thought, the new Stuart in the new Haunted Tank beats Shaggy’s Uncle Beauregard “hands-down.!”
Sherree Tannen
February 6, 2009
Oh, lol, Robert. Thanks for the comic relief. “The Haunted Tank” version of history makes more sense than some scholarly versions of it.
cenantua
February 6, 2009
Hi Sherree, Yes, the lighter side of history can be just as educational sometimes!