Their resolve is not so foreign as ah oft stated--
: J.E.B. "Jeb" Stuart- "I-WOULD-RATHER DIIIIE!! THAN-GET-WHIPPED!"
: Chop Chop, Babe, and Hot Rocks in unison.
Haunted Tank #4 is an issue of the series Haunted Tank (Volume 1) with a cover date of May, 2009. It was published on March 4, 2009.
Synopsis for "I Had Rather Died than be Whipped!"
In 1855, Jeb Stuart is riding back to his plantation as he thinks over an imminent Northern attack on the South. Just as he returns to his home, he finds his overseer who is about to whip a female slave.
In the present, the tank crew and Task Force 1-64 Armor are nestle outside of Baghdad as the city is being bombarded which Jamal and Jeb Stuart observe with fascination. Babe, Hot Rocks, Chop Chop are playing cards with Schwartz. At Schwartz's behest the crew reveal their reasons for fighting in the war: Chop Chop reveals that he joined the Army for the tuition money; Hot Rocks was a former criminal on a moral waiver; Babe saw the military as something more exciting than working in his family business as a pig farmer; and Jamal purely follow his duty as a soldier and its aspects.
The next day, the tank crew leads the Task Force to Saddam International Airport. At hearing the 1st Gulf War from Jamal, Jeb regales on one of his stories.
In 1856, Jeb partook in the apprehension of "terrorist free-staters" in Kansas which he came to arrest the fervent abolitionist John Brown. By 1859, Stuart participated in the federal raid on the federal armory in Harpers Ferry where he once again came across John Brown, who was leading an attempted armed insurrection to end slavery, and arrested him. Jeb lamented that he should have caught Brown and dispatch for his actions the first time he had met him.
Jamal is disgusted to hear from Jeb's statement which degenerate into another issue on slavery and their views of John Brown before the tank column is then immediately attacked by Iraqi resistance fighters. Jeb takes the initiative in flanking their enemies on the buildings' rooftops. Chop Chop then realize that the column is going in the wrong direction into downtown Baghdad as according to a traffic sign. Jamal has their tank to turn the column to the correct direction to the airport. However, they soon find the airport to be heavily defended. Jeb provide more flanking which inspire Jamal to hard drive the tank and allowing enemy fire to accidentally hit on their own people before finally breaching into the airport.
Back in 1855, Jeb learns from his overseer that the slave woman was trying to steal a loaf of bread to feed her baby. He then has the overseer to serve the slave's punishment before walking to his plantation house. This is watch by another slave who vengefully swears that Jeb will not live to see peace in the afterlife.
Appearing in "I Had Rather Died than be Whipped!"
Featured Characters:
- Jamal Stuart
- J.E.B. "Jeb" Stuart (Flashback and main story)
Supporting Characters:
- Beauregard "Babe" Johnson
- Hot Rocks
- "Chop Chop" Kim
- Schwartz
Villains:
- Iraqi Armed Forces
Other Characters:
- John Brown (Flashback only)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
- U.S. Army M1 Abrams tank
Notes
- Haunted Tank is a five-issue limited series published under DC's Vertigo imprint. This series is suggested for mature readers.
Trivia
- The most-wanted Iraqi playing cards or "personality identification playing cards" are played by the tank crew in this issue.
- Babe Johnson has the Abrams tank to perform a high jump in a manner similar to the General Lee in the television show The Dukes of Hazard.
See Also