SARGE STEEL CLOSES DOWN THE VILLAGE MONEYMAN !!!

Sarge Steel ran as a back-up feature in Charlton Comics Judomaster series, between the year publication gap between Secret Agent #9 & #10.

Dick Giordano was the definitive Sarge Steel artist. He really knew how to draw the guns and cars! His women were easy to look at as well. 

Judomaster #96 
"File #112 Conclusion of The Village Moneyman"
Steel barely avoids being shot, returning fire and killing the gunman, with his partner escaping. He drops by the Daily Mirror to check out a theory of his, then he goes to meet his lovely client Bebe Summins at the location mentioned in the note. Thugs grab them at gunpoint, taking them to the mastermind of the operation, Frank Jackson (also called Johnson), a crime syndicate big-wig that Steel thought went straight. Jackson tells Bebe that as long as she does what he says, he won't kill her father. Steel reveals to her that they killed him three months earlier, after obtaining his plates, burning his body in a fire. Jackson wanted the Treasury Department to believe Eric Summins was behind the counterfeit operation. Steel gets the upper hand while Bebe runs for a police officer.
Written by Steve Skeats with art by Dick Giordano (who also took care of the letters page). 

Judomaster #96 was reprinted by Modern Comics, It was an exact reprint of the Charlton issue #96 except for newer ads and different cover copy (Modern Comics logo and 35c cover price). The letters page was omitted.

I've always though Charlton had some great logos for their Action Heroes. They didn't disappoint!

Sarge Steel has never had his own series at DC (who took over the rights to his character along with the other Charlton Action Heroes) and doesn't seem likely to have one in the future. As a series-less denizen of a superhero universe, you can expect him to be involved with government affairs.

Sarge Steel's first appearance was in Sarge Steel #1. The series ran through issue #8, the title changed to Secret Agent and ran two more issues. Unfortunately they have not been collected into a nice hardcover or trade paperback. Would like to have seen DC Action Heroes Archives cover Peacemaker, Judomaster and Sarge Steel as well.  

Live Large My Friends!

Thank You!

Sarge Steel creator Pat Masulli provided the cover for Sarge Steel #8. Masulli also co-created Son of Vulcan.

Steel appeared in Special War Series #4, again with Judomaster (Judomaster's first appearance) in the "Sport of Judo" back-up feature.