Vietnam Journal #1

Vietnam Journal #1 was published in 1987 by Apple Comics, marking the beginning of a seminal limited series written and illustrated by Don Lomax. The series emerged during a period of renewed interest in the Vietnam War within popular culture, providing a gritty, grounded perspective that stood apart from the more action-oriented or politically polarizing portrayals prevalent at the time. Lomax drew directly from his own experiences as a combat photographer in Vietnam, opting for a documentary-style approach that prioritized the visceral, day-to-day realities of soldiers over standard genre tropes.

The design and narrative tone of the work were heavily influenced by the tradition of war correspondence, with the protagonist serving as an embedded journalist whose observations anchor the reader. By eschewing romanticized heroism in favor of nuanced moral ambiguity and stark realism, Lomax created a work that garnered critical acclaim from historical societies and veterans for its authenticity. The series remains highly regarded for its objective, almost clinical depiction of the psychological toll of conflict and stands as a significant artifact of independent underground comics of the late 1980s.