Combat Kelly is the name of two fictional characters in

comic books A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...

published by Marvel Comics. Both appear in war comics titles: ''Combat Kelly'', published by Marvel's 1950s iteration,

Atlas Comics Atlas Comics may refer to * Atlas Comics (1950s) Atlas Comics is the 1950s comic book, comic-book publishing label that evolved into Marvel Comics. Magazine and mass market paperback, paperback novel publisher Martin Goodman (publisher), Martin ...

, and set during the Korean War; and the 1970s series ''Combat Kelly and the Deadly Dozen'', set earlier during World War II.

Hank Kelly

Combat Kelly starred in the 44-issue, Korean War-set ''

Combat Kelly Combat Kelly is the name of two fictional characters in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Both appear in war comics titles: ''Combat Kelly'', published by Marvel's 1950s iteration, Atlas Comics (1950s), Atlas Comics, and set during the Korean ...

'' (Nov. 1951 to Aug. 1957), published by

, the 1950s forerunner of Marvel Comics. The character also made two appearances in the Atlas war comics series ''Battle'' comics. Kelly is accompanied by his sidekick Cookie Novak; Kelly is of Irish heritage, while Novak is a

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...

immigrant. Combat Kelly stories were drawn by artists including Dave Berg,''Combat Kelly'' (Marvel, Atlas [Sphere Publications
/nowiki> imprint, 1951 Series)">/nowiki>Sphere Publications">''Combat Kelly'' (Marvel, Atlas [Sphere Publications
/nowiki> imprint, 1951 Series)at the Grand Comics Database Joe Maneely, and Gene Colan, with at least one cover drawn by Russ Heath.

Michael Kelly

Corporal Michael Lee Kelly starred as the leader of group of military convicts paroled for special missions in a nine-issue series cover-billed as '' Combat Kelly and the Deadly Dozen'' (June 1972 - Oct. 1973). The series name and premise are similar to those of the 1960s film '' The Dirty Dozen''. With issue #5 (Feb. 1973), the cover title changed slightly to ''Combat Kelly and his Deadly Dozen''. In issue #3, Kelly is described as a U.S. Army boxer who in 1940 killed a man in the ring. He was convicted and sentenced for

manslaughter Manslaughter is a common law legal term for homicide considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is sometimes said to have first been made by the ancient Athenian lawmaker Draco in the 7th cen ...

, and was later paroled. In the final issue, almost the entire cast is murdered by Nazis.

References

{{reflist

Sources

*Christiansen, Jeff
The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe: "Deadly Dozen"
Characters created by Dick Ayers Characters created by Gary Friedrich Comics characters introduced in 1951 Comics characters introduced in 1972 Fictional boxers Fictional characters from New York City Fictional Korean War veterans Fictional World War II veterans Fictional corporals War comics published by Marvel Comics Atlas Comics characters Atlas Comics titles Marvel Comics male characters Marvel Comics military personnel