Sgt. Rock (comics)
Encyclopedia
Sgt.
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....

 Frank Rock
is a fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...

al infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...

 non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...

 during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 in the . He first appeared in Our Army at War
Our Army at War
Our Army at War was the title for a comic book published by DC Comics that featured war themed stories and was the first appearance for popular heroes such like Sgt. Rock and Enemy Ace. The series started in August 1952 and ended in February 1977....

#83 (June 1959
1959 in comics
- October :* October 29: first issue of Pilote, featuring debuts of the series Astérix by René Goscinny, and Albert Uderzo, and Michel Tanguy by Uderzo and Jean-Michel Charlier.-U.S...

), and was created by Robert Kanigher
Robert Kanigher
Robert Kanigher was a prolific comic book writer and editor whose career spanned five decades. He was involved with the Wonder Woman franchise for over twenty years, taking over the scripting from creator William Moulton Marston. In addition, Kanigher spent many years in charge of DC Comics' war...

 and Joe Kubert
Joe Kubert
Joe Kubert is an American comic book artist who went on to found The Kubert School. He is best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Sgt. Rock and Hawkman...

.

Publication history

Sgt. Rock's prototype first appeared in G.I. Combat
G.I. Combat
G.I. Combat is a long-running comic book series published first by Quality Comics and later by National Periodical Publications, which was the primary company of those that evolved to become DC Comics.-Publication history:...

#68 (Jan. 1959). His rank is not given in this story; instead, he is merely called "The Rock." The Rock returned as a sergeant in Our Army at War
Our Army at War
Our Army at War was the title for a comic book published by DC Comics that featured war themed stories and was the first appearance for popular heroes such like Sgt. Rock and Enemy Ace. The series started in August 1952 and ended in February 1977....

#81 (April 1959) Named "Sgt. Rocky" with his unit, Easy Company
Easy Company (comics)
Easy Company is a fictional comic book World War II US Army infantry unit led by Sgt. Rock in stories published by DC Comics. The group first appeared in Our Army at War #81 , and were created by Bob Haney and Ross Andru.-Publication history:...

 (the precise US Army infantry regiment to which Easy belonged was never identified during the history of the character). In this last prototype appearance with the Easy Company (as opposed to the nameless infantryman with a nickname, as he was portrayed previously), the story was actually written by Bob Haney, but the character's creator, Robert Kanigher
Robert Kanigher
Robert Kanigher was a prolific comic book writer and editor whose career spanned five decades. He was involved with the Wonder Woman franchise for over twenty years, taking over the scripting from creator William Moulton Marston. In addition, Kanigher spent many years in charge of DC Comics' war...

 was the editor. He would go on to create the bulk of the stories with Joe Kubert
Joe Kubert
Joe Kubert is an American comic book artist who went on to found The Kubert School. He is best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Sgt. Rock and Hawkman...

 as the artist. In Issue #82 (May 1959), He is called "Sgt. Rock" (Name only) and by Issue #83 (June 1959), he makes his first full appearance as Sgt. Rock.

Sgt. Rock steadily gained popularity, until, in 1977
1977 in comics
- Year overall :* Wendy and Richard Pini establish WaRP Graphics.* Jan and Dean Mullaney establish Eclipse Comics.* The United Kingdom's Eagle Awards are established.* Bob Brown dies at age 62.* Ciao magazine is launched.-January:...

, the name of the comic was changed to Sgt. Rock. The comic ran until Sgt. Rock #422 (July 1988
1988 in comics
-Events and publications:* Jack Binder, creator of the original Daredevil, dies at c. age 86.* Tarpé Mills, creator Miss Fury, dies at c. age 73....

). In addition to the semi-regular comic, several "digests
Digest size
Digest size is a magazine size, smaller than a conventional or "journal size" magazine but larger than a standard paperback book, approximately 5½ x 8¼ inches, but can also be 5⅜ x 8⅜ inches and 5½ x 7½ inches. These sizes have evolved from the printing press operation end...

" were sold, under the DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest banner, reprinting stories from Our Army at War or Sgt. Rock. Some were subtitled as OAAW or Sgt. Rock, some as Sgt. Rock's Prize Battle Tales. (The Prize Battle Tales title was also used on earlier 80 page annual specials). The digest format
Digest size
Digest size is a magazine size, smaller than a conventional or "journal size" magazine but larger than a standard paperback book, approximately 5½ x 8¼ inches, but can also be 5⅜ x 8⅜ inches and 5½ x 7½ inches. These sizes have evolved from the printing press operation end...

 was 4-13/16" x 6-5/8", softcover, with 98 full colour pages and no advertisements.

A 21-issue run of reprints followed from 1988
1988 in comics
-Events and publications:* Jack Binder, creator of the original Daredevil, dies at c. age 86.* Tarpé Mills, creator Miss Fury, dies at c. age 73....

 to 1991
1991 in comics
-January:* Checkmate is canceled by DC Comics with issue #33.* El Diablo vol. 2 is canceled by DC with issue #16.* Count Duckula is canceled by the Marvel Comics imprint Star Comics with issue #15....

, and two Sgt. Rock Specials with new content saw publication in 1992
1992 in comics
-Year overall:* Image Comics explodes onto the scene, releasing eight ongoing and limited series, starting with Youngblood in April; followed by Spawn in May; Savage Dragon in July; and Brigade, Shadowhawk, and WildC.A.T.S. in August....

 and 1994
1994 in comics
-Year overall:* Huge changes in the marketplace force many retailers and small publishers out of business...

. A Christmas themed story appeared in DCU Holiday Bash II in 1997
1997 in comics
-January:*Avengers #3 - Marvel Comics*Captain America #3 - Marvel Comics*Fantastic Four #3 - Marvel Comics*Iron Man #3 - Marvel Comics-February:...

, again featuring new content.

According to John Wells, in Fanzing 36 (July 2001), an online fan magazine:
In at least one Sgt. Rock comic book published in the late 1960s
1960s in comics
See also:1950s in comics,other events of the 1960s,1970s in comics and thelist of years in comics-1961:See also: 1961 in comics*Amazing Adventures #1 - Marvel Comics*Fantastic Four #1 - Marvel Comics-1962:...

, it was revealed that Sgt. Rock had a brother who was an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, fighting in the Pacific Theater. In this episode, Sgt. Rock told his fellow-soldiers about a weird combat incident that his brother had taken part in on a Pacific island, shown in the comic in a "flashback" style.

A Viet Nam soldier by the name of Adam Rock appears in Swamp Thing #16 (May 1975), though it's never specifically stated if he is intended to be a relative of Frank Rock.

DC Comics published Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion, written and drawn by William Tucci
William Tucci
William Tucci is an illustrator, writer and filmmaker best known among American comic book audiences for his creator-owned title and character, Shi.-Career:...

, starting in November 2008. The story places Rock and Easy Company with the 1st Battalion, 141st Infantry
Lost Battalion (World War II)
"The Lost Battalion" refers to the 1st Battalion, 141st Infantry , which was surrounded by German forces in the Vosges Mountains on 24 October 1944....

, which was surrounded by German forces in the Vosges Mountains on 24 October 1944 and eventually rescued by the Asian-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

Fictional character biography

During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, Sgt. Rock fought in the infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...

 branch of the U.S. Army in the European Theatre and eventually rose to authority within his unit, Easy Company
Easy Company (comics)
Easy Company is a fictional comic book World War II US Army infantry unit led by Sgt. Rock in stories published by DC Comics. The group first appeared in Our Army at War #81 , and were created by Bob Haney and Ross Andru.-Publication history:...

. The unit was a collection of disparate individuals who managed to participate in every major action in the European war. Rock's dogtag number was 409966, which had been, it was claimed, Robert Kanigher's own military serial number.

Robert Kanigher mused in letters columns
Comic book letter column
A comic book letter column is a section of a comic book where readers' letters to the publisher appear. Comic book letter columns are also commonly referred to as letter columns , letter pages, letters of comment , or simply letters to the editor...

 in the 1970s and 1980s that Rock probably belonged to "The Big Red One" (First US Infantry Division) given his appearance on battlefields in North Africa, Italy, and Northwest Europe. Rock's backstory was fleshed out in different comics over the years; generally he is considered to have come from Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...

, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

, where he worked in a steel mill. Enlisting after the attack on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...

, he went to North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...

 as a private but promotion came quickly as his superiors were killed, to assistant squad leader, squad leader, and then platoon sergeant. During the main series, his unit is only ever given as "Easy Company
Easy Company (comics)
Easy Company is a fictional comic book World War II US Army infantry unit led by Sgt. Rock in stories published by DC Comics. The group first appeared in Our Army at War #81 , and were created by Bob Haney and Ross Andru.-Publication history:...

", but no regiment or division is named nor is unit insignia ever shown. In the 2009 six-issue mini-series "Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion" Rock's unit is still referred to as "Easy Company" but is of the 141st Infantry Regiment
Lost Battalion (World War II)
"The Lost Battalion" refers to the 1st Battalion, 141st Infantry , which was surrounded by German forces in the Vosges Mountains on 24 October 1944....

. However, in the closing pages of the last issue, the narration states that, following the end of the story, "As usual, Sgt. Rock's 'Combat-Happy Joes' moved out to fill the ranks of another Easy Company left fractured by war," moving them to the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division, under 2nd Lieutenant Audie Murphy
Audie Murphy
Audie Leon Murphy was a highly decorated and famous soldier. Through LIFE magazine's July 16, 1945 issue , he became one the most famous soldiers of World War II and widely regarded as the most decorated American soldier of the war...

. A famous tagline of Rock's is: "Nothin's easy in Easy Company."

Rock also usually wears the chevrons and rockers of a Master Sergeant on his uniform and also applied, oversize, to the front of his helmet.

It is likely Rock's official position in Easy Company was of senior platoon sergeant though dialogue and scripts are usually vague on his actual responsibilities and duties. He usually leads patrols and appears to have powers of command over the men of the company. Several officer characters also appeared in the comic, as both platoon and company commanders, all of whom were regarded by Rock as superiors. Easy's commander was usually referred to as "the skipper" by Rock. Rock in turn was referred to by others as the "topkick", or senior non-commissioned officer in the company. Most infantry companies did not have Master Sergeant
Master Sergeant
A master sergeant is the military rank for a senior non-commissioned officer in some armed forces.-Israel Defense Forces:Rav samal rishoninsignia IDF...

s; significantly, Rock does not have the diamond of a First Sergeant on his rank insignia.

Powers and abilities

  • Rock is a crack shot, able to shoot down several German fighter planes with a single submachine gun, and able to throw hand grenades with amazing accuracy.
  • Rock is a highly effective close combat fighter, mostly shown using a style of streetfighting mixed with boxing.
  • Rock seems to have close to superhuman endurance and strength, surviving large number of gunshot wounds, fragments from hand grenades, exposure to freezing water and other hazards. Rock's powers seem to be more realistic in Bob Kanigher's stories than in Joe Kubert's.

Equipment

  • The classic Rock was usually dressed in olive drab fatigues, with a .45 caliber Thompson submachine gun
    Thompson submachine gun
    The Thompson is an American submachine gun, invented by John T. Thompson in 1919, that became infamous during the Prohibition era. It was a common sight in the media of the time, being used by both law enforcement officers and criminals...

     (although sometimes he's been shown using an M50 Reising instead) and .45 caliber Colt M1911A1 Semi-automatic pistol as his armament. Oddly, the classic artwork almost always depicts Rock with an M-1 Garand cartridge belt which would be useless to him, as well as two belts of .50 caliber ammunition, which Rock considers lucky charm
    Amulet
    An amulet, similar to a talisman , is any object intended to bring good luck or protection to its owner.Potential amulets include gems, especially engraved gems, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants and animals; even words said in certain occasions—for example: vade retro satana—, to...

    s. Artists John Severin
    John Severin
    John Powers Severin is an American comic book artist noted for his distinctive work with EC Comics, primarily on the war comics Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat; for Marvel Comics, primarily on its war and Western comics; and for the satiric magazine Cracked...

     and Russ Heath
    Russ Heath
    Russell Heath, Jr. is an American artist best known for his comic book work — particularly his DC Comics war stories for several decades and his 1960s art for Playboy magazine's Little Annie Fanny featurettes — and for his commercial art, two pieces of which, depicting Roman and...

     sometimes attempted a more realistic portrayal of Rock's equipment, but the .50 caliber ammunition remained a personal trademark.
  • Rock is always shown with a number of hand grenades secured to his equipment.

Fates of Sgt. Rock

The ultimate fate of Sgt. Frank Rock is complicated. There were initially two versions of the character, one residing on Earth-One and the other residing on Earth-Two. According to a number of stories, he was killed on the last day of the war by the last enemy bullet fired. However, DC has also published a number of stories incorporating a post-war Rock into the modern stories of superheroes, including appearances alongside Superman and the Suicide Squad.

In stories told after the demise of his own comic book, Rock's character was revived, explained to have survived the war, and went on to perform covert missions for the United States government. He also battled his old foe, the Iron Major, and went on an adventure to Dinosaur Island with his old second in command, Bulldozer. According to John Wells:
Kanigher had established Frank's post-war survival in OAAW #168, wherein he had Rock visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and Bob Haney
Bob Haney
Robert G. "Bob" Haney was a US comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics. He co-created the Teen Titans as well as characters such as Metamorpho, Eclipso, Cain, and the Super-Sons.- Early life and career :...

 picked up on that fact in The Brave and the Bold. In issue #84, he'd had Rock and Easy cross paths with Bruce (Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...

) Wayne during the war (in an episode obviously set on Earth-Two) and followed up with a present-day sequel in Brave & the Bold #96. In that one, Bruce arrived at the United States Embassy in South America and was introduced to "our Military Attache and Chief of Embassy Security ... Sergeant Rock, U.S. Army." Two subsequent present-day episodes found Rock tracking a Satanic figure that he believed was Adolf Hitler (B&B #108) and an Easy Company "ghost" that he'd been ordered to execute at the Battle of the Bulge (B&B #117). In the bizarre Brave & the Bold #124, Bob Haney and Jim Aparo
Jim Aparo
James N. "Jim" Aparo was an American comic book artist best known for his 1960s and 1970s DC Comics work, including on the characters Batman, Aquaman and the Spectre....

 actually guest-starred as Rock and Batman trailed a terrorist organization called the 1000.
Following this, he appeared as a general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....

 and a Chief of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...

 for Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...

's administration. However, Frank Rock was involved with an incarnation of the Suicide Squad
Suicide Squad
The Suicide Squad, also known as Task Force X , is a name for two fictional organizations in the DC Comics Universe. The first version debuted in The Brave and the Bold #25 , and the second in Legends #3...

. At the end of the title, he peels off a mask and walks away from the team, while his companion "Bulldozer," assumed to be the original, stands up from his wheelchair, comments on how it was good to feel young again, and also walks away. Whether this was the real Frank Rock in disguise or an impostor is unknown; the series concludes with the line "Frank Rock died in 1945."

The use of the Rock character in post-war stories had one major effect on Rock's backstory, according to Wells:
All of the super-hero crossovers were more than Kanigher could take. In the letter columns of 1978's Sgt. Rock #316 and 323 and 1980's Sgt. Rock #347 and 348, he announced that his hero had not lived past 1945, blunting most of Haney's Brave and the Bold episodes if nothing else. "It is inevitable and wholly in character that neither Rock nor Easy survived the closing days of the war," he proclaimed.
Indeed in the letter column for Sgt. Rock #374, Kanigher stated that:
As far as I'm concerned ROCK is the only authentic World War II Soldier. For obvious reasons. He and Easy Company live only, and will eventually die, to the last man, in World War II.


The first use of the Rock character after the demise of the series was an issue of Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing
Swamp Thing, a fictional character, is a plant elemental in the created by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson. He first appeared in House of Secrets #92 in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century . The Swamp Thing then returned in his own series, set in the contemporary world and in...

, six months after the release of Sgt. Rock #422. The story was set in May 1945, intimating that Sgt. Rock had survived the war in Europe and raised the question of whether Rock transferred to the Pacific theatre.

In the backup story "Snapshot: Remembrance" in the retrospective mini-series DC Universe: Legacies #4, set during a reunion on July 4, 1976, it is revealed that Sgt. Rock did die, on the last day of the war, using his body to shield a small child who had wandered into in a crossfire. Easy Company learns later that the final bullet that killed him was the last bullet fired in the war. The other attendees are Jeb Stuart of the Haunted Tank
The Haunted Tank
The Haunted Tank is a comic book feature that appeared in the DC Comics anthology war title G.I. Combat from 1961 through 1987. It was created by writer and editor Robert Kanigher and artist Russ Heath in G.I. Combat #87 ....

, the Losers, Gravedigger
Gravedigger (comics)
Gravedigger is a codename used by two fictional soldiers published by DC Comics. Captain Ulysses Hazard the first Gravedigger debuted in Men of War #1 , and was created by David Michelinie and Ed Davis. Tyson Sykes the second Gravedigger debuted in Checkmate vol...

, Mademoiselle Marie
Mademoiselle Marie
Mademoiselle Marie is the name of two fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics...

 (and her son, who is a soldier and the others think resembles Sgt. Rock) and possibly the Unknown Soldier.

Flashpoint

In the Flashpoint
Flashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...

universe, Sgt. Rock was a member of Team 7
Team 7 (comics)
Team 7 is a comic book superhero team appearing in titles published by Wildstorm Productions. The team has appeared in 3 self-titled miniseries: Team 7, Team 7: Objective Hell and Team 7: Dead Reckoning. The first 5-issue Gen¹³ limited series also involved members of Team 7...

, an elite unit of soldiers lead by Grifter. Sgt. Rock and most of his teammates were ultimately killed during a botched attack on a Jihadist training camp.

Television

  • Sgt. Rock (alongside Easy Company) appear in the Justice League
    Justice League (TV series)
    Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...

    episode, "The Savage Time" voiced by Fred Dryer
    Fred Dryer
    John Frederick "Fred" Dryer is an American actor and former football defensive end in the National Football League . Dryer played 13 years in the NFL, playing 176 games, starting 166, and recording 104 career sacks with the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams...

    .
  • Sgt. Rock appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold
    Batman: The Brave and the Bold
    Batman: The Brave and the Bold is an American animated television series based in part on the DC Comics series The Brave and the Bold which features two or more super heroes coming together to solve a crime or foil a super villain...

    episode "The Plague of the Prototypes", voiced by Fred Tatasciore
    Fred Tatasciore
    Frederick "Fred" Tatasciore is an American voice actor who portrays secondary characters as well as monstrous-looking types...

    . He and G.I. Robot team up with Batman to fight Nazi soldiers. After G.I. Robot sacrifices itself, he gets teary-eyed and continues to fight.

Film

  • For a period of time in the late 1980s early 1990s, Arnold Schwarzenegger
    Arnold Schwarzenegger
    Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....

     was attached to the role, despite the seeming incongruity of an Austrian actor playing an American G.I. in World War II. Screenplays were written by David Peoples
    David Peoples
    David Webb Peoples is an American screenwriter.-Life and career:Peoples was born in Middletown, Connecticut, the son of Ruth and Joe Webb Peoples, a geologist. He studied English at the University of California, Berkeley...

     (1987), John Milius
    John Milius
    John Frederick Milius is an American screenwriter, director, and producer of motion pictures.-Early life:Milius was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Elizabeth and William Styx Milius, who was a shoe manufacturer. Milius attempted to join the Marine Corps in the late 1960s, but was rejected...

     (1993), and Brian Helgeland
    Brian Helgeland
    Brian Thomas Helgeland is an American screenwriter, film producer and director. He is most known for writing the screenplays for L.A...

     (1996), depicting Rock as having a German-American father and being able to speak German
    German language
    German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....

     (a skill he uses to ambush the enemy).
  • Producer Joel Silver
    Joel Silver
    Joel Silver is an American Hollywood film producer, co-creator of the sport of Ultimate, co-founder of Dark Castle Entertainment and owner of Silver Pictures.-Life and career:...

     is still attempting to make a Sgt. Rock movie. John Cox
    John Cox (screenwriter)
    John Cox is an American screenwriter born and currently residing in Los Angeles, CA. Cox co-wrote the film Boot Camp , and the most current draft of Sgt. Rock for Joel Silver and Warner Bros. He also wrote Virulents for New Regency and director John Moore...

     has written the latest screenplay, which is not based on any of the previous screenplay drafts. Cox has stated that Schwarzenegger is no longer attached to star in the project. In April 2007, David Gambino, VP at Silver Pictures said, "The good news is we have a fantastic screenplay and everybody's really happy with it. It's really just about trying to attach cast right now and really decide what the movie is going to be, how we're going to make it." Bruce Willis was reportedly under consideration for the role. Guy Ritchie
    Guy Ritchie
    Guy Stuart Ritchie is an English screenwriter and film maker who directed Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Revolver, RocknRolla and Sherlock Holmes.-Early life:...

     is rumored to direct.
  • In December 2008, Ritchie reported that the film has been shelved due to his work on a Sherlock Holmes
    Sherlock Holmes
    Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...

     feature film, but confirmed that the "Sgt. Rock" film will indeed be set during World War II and include the members of Easy Company.
  • On February 2, 2010, Silver announced the drastic and surprising setting change from World War II to another battle in the near future.

Video Games

  • Activision
    Activision
    Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...

     confirmed at E3 1997 that they were developing a Sgt. Rock game for the PlayStation
    PlayStation
    The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...

    , set for release in 1998. However the game was never mentioned again by Activision.
  • Sgt. Rock appears a playable figure in the superhero miniatures game DC Heroclix
    HeroClix
    HeroClix is a collectible miniatures game that uses the Clix system. Originally designed and produced by WizKids, it is now owned and marketed by NECA. Players construct teams of comic book heroes, villains, and other characters from popular video games such as Street Fighter, Gears of War, and Halo...

     in the Cosmic Justice expansion. Additionally, a limited edition tournament prize figure of "General Frank Rock" was released as well. He has been confirmed to appear in the DC Heroclix
    HeroClix
    HeroClix is a collectible miniatures game that uses the Clix system. Originally designed and produced by WizKids, it is now owned and marketed by NECA. Players construct teams of comic book heroes, villains, and other characters from popular video games such as Street Fighter, Gears of War, and Halo...

     DC75 expansion as well.
  • Sgt. Rock was featured in a Gameboy Color game called SGT Rock On the Frontline which was a sequel to the game Front Line for the Atari.
  • Sgt. Rock has been confirmed as a character in the MMORPG DC Universe Online
    DC Universe Online
    DC Universe Online or DCUO is an MMORPG by Sony Online Entertainment – Austin. Jim Lee serves as the game's Executive Creative Director, along with Carlos D'Anda, JJ Kirby, Oliver Nome, Eddie Nuñez, Livio Ramondelli, and Michael Lopez...

    .

Merchandise and collectibles

  • A line of 3-3/4" action figures bearing the SGT. ROCK name was released in the 1980s by Remco Toys
    Remco
    Remco Industries, Inc. was a toy company founded in the 1940s that was best known for toys marketed and sold in the late 1950s and 1960s, like the Johnny Reb Cannon and Mighty Matilda Atomic Aircraft Carrier. The slogan was "Every Boy Wants a Remco Toy...And So Do Girls!" Remco was founded by two...

    , likely as a result of the popularity of Hasbro's G.I. Joe toy line. The figures had little resemblance to the World War II characters of the comic books. The Sgt. Rock figure was depicted in Vietnam-era fatigues and gear and had an M-16 rifle instead of a Thompson submachine gun. Other generic figures were sold, with no other characters recognizable from the comics. These US troops also had Vietnam-era equipment and helmets/helmet covers or berets, and were collectively referred to as "Tough Action Soldiers." "Enemy" soldiers were simply toys produced from the same molds used to make the US soldiers, painted black with blue helmets. Each figure came with a plastic dog tag on which purchasers could ink their name and rank. A serial number was printed on a paper sticker affixed to the plastic tag, which also came with a silver coloured string to suspend the tag around the neck. Playsets included plastic machinegun and mortar bunkers. The quality of these toys was very low; soft plastic was used, and joints had limited movement, especially compared to the much superior G.I. Joe line of 3-3/4" action figures.
  • There were also a range of diecast metal vehicles, produced by Universal Toys for Azrak-Hamway of New York. These were packaged on cards similar to the Remco Action Figures. The range included two tanks, a Jeep, a staff car and an ambulance.

  • In 2002, a limited edition of 12" SGT. ROCK figures was released by Hasbro, as part of the 12" GI Joe line, including four other characters from the comic book series; Bulldozer, Little Sure Shot, Jackie Johnson and Wildman. The figures wore proper World War II-era fatigues and carried the same weapons they carried in the comic books (though the Bulldozer figure carries an M-1 rifle instead of an air-cooled Browning .30 calibre machine gun). A female figure was also released, portraying French Resistance fighter Mademoiselle Marie
    Mademoiselle Marie
    Mademoiselle Marie is the name of two fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics...

    , Sgt. Rock's only love interest during the comic book series. A number of playsets were also produced by Dreams and Visions in 2003, for either Sgt. Rock or any other 12" figures.

Cultural references

  • In the graphic novel Tank Girl
    Tank Girl
    Tank Girl is a British comic created by Jamie Hewlett and Alan Martin. Originally drawn by Jamie Hewlett, it has also been drawn by Rufus Dayglo, Ashley Wood, and Mike McMahon.The eponymous character Tank Girl drives a tank, which is also her home...

    , Tank Girl's helmet has "Sgt. Rock Can't Dock" written on it.
  • The English rock band XTC
    XTC
    XTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...

     included a song called "Sgt. Rock (Is Going To Help Me)" on their 1980 album Black Sea. The song was released as a single that December and reached No. 16 on the U.K. singles chart
    UK Singles Chart
    The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...

    . Songwriter Andy Partridge
    Andy Partridge
    Andrew John "Andy" Partridge is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He has been known as Sir John Johns and Melchior and rose to fame as a founding member, guitarist and chief songwriter of the pop/new wave band, XTC. He lives in Swindon, Wiltshire, where he was raised.Partridge also...

     would later pen songs about two other DC Comics characters, Supergirl
    Supergirl
    Supergirl is a female counterpart to the DC Comics Superman. As his cousin, she shares his super powers and vulnerability to Kryptonite. She was created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino in 1959. She first appeared in the Action Comics comic book series and later branched out...

     and Brainiac
    Brainiac (comics)
    Brainiac is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Action Comics #242 , and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino....

    .
  • The character Xander Harris
    Xander Harris
    Alexander LaVelle "Xander" Harris is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as in numerous items in the series Expanded Universe, such as comic books, tie-in novels and video games...

     made frequent references to Rock on the TV series Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
  • During the end credits of the 1987 film Predator
    Predator (film)
    Predator is a 1987 American science fiction action film directed by John McTiernan, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, and Kevin Peter Hall. It was distributed by 20th Century Fox....

    , Lt. Hawkins (Shane Black
    Shane Black
    Shane Black is an American actor, screenwriter and film director. He contributed to some of the biggest blockbuster action films of the late 1980s and early 1990s, including work on Lethal Weapon and The Last Boy Scout...

    ) is shown reading Sgt. Rock #408 (February 1986).
  • One issue of the underground comic Dopin Dan had a Sgt. Rock parody called Sgt. Jock. It featured the main character leading a dispirited platoon in the Vietnam War
    Vietnam War
    The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

     and taking out two deliberately anachronistic foes by impossible means, namely destroying a Tiger Tank
    Tiger I
    Tiger I is the common name of a German heavy tank developed in 1942 and used in World War II. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. E, often shortened to Tiger. It was an answer to the unexpectedly formidable Soviet armour encountered in the initial months of...

     with nothing but a brass knuckles
    Brass knuckles
    Brass knuckles, also sometimes called knuckles, knucks, brass knucks, or knuckledusters, are weapons used in hand-to-hand combat. Brass knuckles are pieces of metal, usually steel despite their name, shaped to fit around the knuckles...

     assisted punch, then downing a Stuka dive bomber by throwing a bayonet through the windshield, killing the pilot.
  • Stacey David former host of the Spike TV show Trucks! built an off-road truck and named it Sgt. Rock
  • The Simpsons' Episode, Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in "The Curse of the Flying Hellfish", is considered a homage to both Sgt. Rock and Joe Kubert's Art Design.
  • American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith
    Elliott Smith
    Steven Paul "Elliott" Smith was an American singer-songwriter and musician. Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and resided for a significant portion of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he first gained popularity...

     mentions him in the song Color Bars, on the album Figure 8
    Figure 8
    Figure 8 may refer to:* 8 , in Arabic numeralsIn entertainment* Figure 8 , by American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith* "Figure of Eight" from the album Flowers in the Dirt by Paul McCartney...

    : "Sgt. Rock broke the key off in the lock to where I come from"

Reception

Sgt. Rock was ranked as the 183rd greatest comic book character of all time by Wizard
Wizard (magazine)
Wizard or Wizard: The Magazine of Comics, Entertainment and Pop Culture was a magazine about comic books, published monthly in the United States by Wizard Entertainment from July 1991 to January 2011...

magazine. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...

 also listed Sgt. Rock as the 78th greatest comic book hero of all time stating that Sgt. Rock represents the epitome of DC’s oftentimes overlooked World War II comics.

Collected editions

The series has been collected into a number of trade paperbacks
Trade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...

:
Title Material collected Pages ISBN#
Sgt. Rock Archives, Volume 1 Our Army at War #81-96, G.I. Combat #68 228 ISBN 1-56389-841-1
Sgt. Rock Archives, Volume 2 Our Army at War #97-110 207 ISBN 1-4012-0146-6
Sgt. Rock Archives, Volume 3 Our Army at War #111-125 228 ISBN 1-4012-0410-4
Sgt. Rock's Combat Tales, Volume 1 Star Spangled War Stories #72, G.I. Combat #56, 68, Our Army at War #83-84, 87-90 128 ISBN 1-4012-0794-4
Showcase Presents
Showcase presents
Showcase Presents is a line of black-and-white paperback books published by DC Comics at an average rate of two per month. Created to effectively be DC's version of Marvel Comics' Essential Marvel volumes, each book includes over 500 pages of reprints, primarily from the Silver Age...

: Sgt. Rock, Volume 1
G.I. Combat #68, Our Army at War #81-117 544 ISBN 978-1-4012-1713-6
Showcase Presents: Sgt. Rock, Volume 2 Our Army at War #118-148 520 ISBN 978-1-4012-1984-0
Showcase Presents: Sgt. Rock, Volume 3 Our Army at War #149-163, 165-172 and 174-180 496 ISBN 978-1-4012-2771-5
Sgt. Rock: The Prophecy Sgt. Rock: The Prophecy #1-6 144 ISBN 978-1-4012-1248-3
Sgt. Rock: Between Hell and a Hard Place Sgt. Rock: Between Hell and a Hard Place #1-6 144 ISBN 1-4012-0054-0
Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion #1-6 160 ISBN 978-1-4012-2533-9

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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