Our Army at War featuring Sgt. Rock #No. 261
DC Comics • Our Army at War (Vol. 1)
Writer
Robert Kanigher
Interior Artist
John Severin
Cover Artist
Joe Kubert
Publication Date
October 1973
Cover Variant
Regular
Printing
First Printing
Comic Description
The main story, 'The Medal That Nobody Wanted!', follows Sgt. Rock and Easy Company. A soldier's bravery earns him a medal, but the weight of the loss of his comrades makes the award feel hollow. It is a classic anti-war sentiment common in Robert Kanigher's 1970s war stories.
Condition & Value
Condition Grade
Fine (CGC 6.0)
Condition Details
Visible color-breaking spine stress/ticks (at least 4-5 significant ones), minor corner blunting on the bottom right and top right, slight edge wear on the right side of the cover, and overall light surface wear consistent with age. Paper appears reasonably white but likely has light tanning on inner edges.
Estimated Market Value
Raw: $15 - $25; Graded (CGC/CBCS 6.0): $50 - $70
Recent Sales
Recent sales for mid-grade raw copies of this issue range from $12 to $28. High-grade (9.0+) copies fetch over $100, while lower grades (3.0-4.0) sell for under $10.
Grading Recommendation
Not recommended for professional grading. In Fine (6.0) condition, the cost of grading and shipping would likely exceed the market value of the slabbed book. Modern collectors usually look for 9.2 or higher for this specific bronze-age issue to justify grading costs.
Notable Features
Bronze Age DC War comic. Cover and interior art by legends Joe Kubert and John Severin. Features the iconic 20-cent price point. Notable for the psychological depth typical of 70s Sgt. Rock stories.
Authentication Notes
The item appears to be an authentic 1973 original. The dot-matrix printing visible in the color fields and the natural aging/oxidization of the cheap paper stock used during the Bronze Age are consistent with the period. No immediate signs of restoration or reproduction are evident.