BEACH BUM COMICS : SARGE STEEL, WE HAVE YOUR SECRETARY !!!

So sad, so very sad, the end of another Charlton comic book series. What a great looking cover to go out with though! I love dinosaur covers and this is, by far, one of my favorites!

"Another story I wrote was a stand-alone Sarge Steel story in the last issue of Judomaster. I found out after I’d finished (drawing) part one of a two-part Steel story that the issue part one came out in was going to be the last issue. I didn’t think it was a good idea to put out a two-part story that nobody could read a conclusion to, so I wrote and drew a new story over the weekend to get it in on time. If you can find the last issue of Judomaster that had a Sarge Steel back-up in it. That one was done by me."
From an interview with Dick Giordano by John Lustig (Last Kiss).

Judomaster #98
"File 115 Case of the Key West Caper"
"Mr. Steel, we have your secretary. She'll be alive for the next 48 hours...no longer!" An X on a map marks a small island in the Florida Keys. Steel was going to find Bess, no matter what!!
Written & illustrated by legendary Dick Giordano (The L.A.W.).

This Sarge Steel story has only been reprinted in the Modern Comic Judomaster #98. It was an exact reprint of the Charlton issue #98, except for newer ads with different cover copy (Modern Comics logo and a 35c cover price). The text article ("The Power of the Bow") was omitted.

Sarge Steel also showed up in the Sentinel's back-up series in Thunderbolt #58.

Since it's been hard to find these in the back issue bins, it would be great to see these reprinted!

Unfortunately, Sarge has never had his own series at DC and doesn't seem likely to have one in the future. At the same time, it would be great to see a reprinting of his exploits in further volumes of DC Comics Action Heroes Archives, along with Judomaster and Peacemaker.