For military cartoonists the absurdity of war inspires a laugh-or-cry response and provides an endless source of un-funny amusement. Cartoons by hundreds of artists-at-arms from more than a dozen countries and spanning two centuries are included in this study--the first to consider such a broad range of military comics. War and military life are examined through the inside jokes of the men and women who served. The author analyzes themes of culture, hierarchy, enemies and allies, geography, sexuality, combat, and civilian relations and describes how comics function within a community. A number of artists included were known for their work with Disney, Marvel Comics, the New Yorker and Madison Avenue but many lesser known artists are recognized.

Horses, pickup trucks, ropin', and relationships are just some of the topics in this entertaining series of cowboy cartoons. Horses are often jealous of pickup trucks, while wives are often jealous of the horses! At the rodeo and on the ranch, the opportunities for mishaps abound, providing humorous results. With his many life experiences and his vivid imagination to draw on, Talbot has again created a series of memorable cowboy cartoons to delight readers of all ages. Daryl Talbot is a native of Oklahoma, and is proud of his Choctaw Indian and Western heritage. He is a graduate of Oklahoma State University, where he worked as a staff artist and consultant while attending school. Talbot began his professional cartooning career while serving in the U.S. Marines during the Vietnam era. This service was followed by a hitch in the Navy as an illustrator and cartoonist, where he won awards for his cartoons. From 1990 to 1992, he exhibited and drew cowboy and cowgirl cartoons for rodeo fans and contestants of the National High School Finals Rodeo. This was followed by drawing board support of the new Shawnee, Oklahoma, based International Finals Youth Rodeo, an annual event held for the rodeo youth of the United States and Canada. In 1993, Talbot was invited to exhibit his work with a group of professional cowboy cartoonists, Cowboy Cartoonists International, in Cody, Wyoming.