Every week we spotlight the various characters, phrases, objects or events that eventually became notable parts of comic lore. Not major stuff like "the first appearance of Superman," but rather, "the first time someone said, 'Avengers Assemble!'" or "the first appearance of Batman's giant penny" or "the first appearance of Alfred Pennyworth" or "the first time Spider-Man's face was shown half-Spidey/half-Peter." Stuff like that. Here is an archive of all the When We First Met features so far! Check 'em out!

Today, in honor of the legendary Joe Kubert, this week is a collection of some Joe Kubert-related firsts!

The Digital Comic Museum is a great resource for old comic books now in the public domain. Sadly, they do not have a great copy of Cat Man Comics #8, featuring the Volton story that was Joe Kubert's first comic book work.

Here is one iffy page from the copy that they do have...



Now two issues later, we DO have a great copy (courtesy of Marc Burkhardt) of the Volton story in Cat Man Comics #10...





You can barely tell it is Kubert! It WAS 1942, though, and he was just a young teenager.

Over a decade later, here is the first appearance of Tor from One Million Years Ago #1...







Six years later, Kubert was the artist for the lead story of G.I. Combat #68 (written by Robert Kanigher), which debuted a soldier known as "The Rock"...







Later in the story, we see the Rock in action...





After Bob Haney, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito introduced "Sgt. Rocky" as part of Easy Company in Our Army At War #81, Kanigher and Kubert officially debuted Sgt. Rock in 1959's #83...







In 1965's Our Army at War #151, Kanigher and Kubert introduce Enemy Ace...





In 1966's Our Army at War #168, Kanigher and Kubert introduced the Unknown Soldier...





After he saves Rock a few more times, he is seemingly killed, but we know better, don't we?



Finally, in 1972's Tarzan #207 (DC's first issue with the Tarzan license), Kubert got his crack at the lord of the jungle...





(click on the double spread to enlarge)



Marvelous work. Joe Kubert was brilliant. A true comic book legend.