SALUTE TO P.S.

Joe Kubert and Paul E. Fitzgerald have started a year-long blog salute to the Army’s PS Magazine in honor of its 60^th year. Fitzgerald was the magazine's first managing editor (1953-1963), and is the author of the 2010 Eisner Award-nominated history, Will Eisner and PS Magazine. He will make “best of” selections from the 227 issues Eisner produced over his 21 years with PS; Kubert, who has just completed his tenth year as the contractor for the magazine’s creative art, design and pre-press services, will make selections from all issues since February 2001, and the magazine's existing staff will choose from issues by the six art contractors between Eisner and Kubert.

Of the eight contractors responsible for producing PS, Eisner served the longest; next with 150 issues are Jack and Diane Backes. Murphy Anderson served twice, 111 issues (and he had worked in Eisner’s PS shop). Kubert has so far produced 124 issues and is still the contractor. The blog, which apparently will post new material daily, can be found at thebestofpsmagazine1951-2011.blogspot.com

It was in the Army during WWII that Eisner began experimenting with instructional comics. After the war, Eisner won the contract to produce P.S., the Army’s how-to safety magazine for servicemen/women, which, in turn, led him to developing instructional comics for industries and other non-military entities.