PS, The Preventive Maintenance Monthly
Encyclopedia
PS, The Preventive Maintenance Monthly is a monthly United States Army
magazine published since June 1951 to illustrate proper preventive maintenance
methods with comic book
-style art. (The magazine's title derives from its being a "postscript" to other, related publications.)
peninsula, it realized that its soldiers were encountering problems with their equipment. The Army had experienced some degree of acceptance and success during WWII with the instructional publication Army Motors, for which Corporal Will Eisner
, an established comic-book writer-artist-editor, had been appropriated to draw such characters as Private Joe Dope, Connie Rodd, and Sgt. Half-Mast McCanick. In 1951, the Army hired
Eisner to create similar instructional material for its new publication, PS, The Preventive Maintenance Monthly.
Eisner was the publication's artistic director from its inception through the end of 1971. The magazine's artists have included Eisner, Murphy Anderson
, Joe Kubert
, Dan Spiegle
, Scott Madsen, Malane Newman, Alfredo Alcala
, and Mike Ploog
. As of 2010, Kubert is the art contractor for the magazine, having begun his PS work in 2001.
The magazine from its inception has been, written, researched, and edited by Department of the Army civilians. The home office of PS was located at Aberdeen Proving Ground
, Maryland
, from April 1951 through January 1955, when it was moved to Raritan Arsenal, New Jersey
. It was moved again in October 1962 to Fort Knox
, Kentucky
. It remained there until July 1973, when it moved to the Lexington
-Blue Grass Army Depot
in Kentucky. In June 1993, it moved to Redstone Arsenal
, Alabama
.
In March 2011, the magazine is scheduled to publish its 700th issue.
Later characters that as of 2010 still appear are: Bonnie, an African-American civilian who appeared in 1970 to work with Connie; SFC Benjamin "Rotor" Blade, an aviation
specialist; and the Online Warrior, a Logistics Management avatar.
From the 1950s through the 1970s, Connie and Bonnie were played up as "cheesecake
" targeted at the mostly male GIs to help interest them in using PS. Following an increased presence of females in the Army since that time, and at the urging of Congresswoman Bella Abzug
and Senator William Proxmire
, the magazine updated the two characters in March 1980 to a more modest and professional form.
PS Magazine Abrams ComicArts, 2011
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
magazine published since June 1951 to illustrate proper preventive maintenance
Preventive maintenance
Preventive maintenance has the following meanings:#The care and servicing by personnel for the purpose of maintaining equipment and facilities in satisfactory operating condition by providing for systematic inspection, detection, and correction of incipient failures either before they occur or...
methods with comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
-style art. (The magazine's title derives from its being a "postscript" to other, related publications.)
History
As the US Army ramped up for its involvement in the war on the KoreanKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
peninsula, it realized that its soldiers were encountering problems with their equipment. The Army had experienced some degree of acceptance and success during WWII with the instructional publication Army Motors, for which Corporal Will Eisner
Will Eisner
William Erwin "Will" Eisner was an American comics writer, artist and entrepreneur. He is considered one of the most important contributors to the development of the medium and is known for the cartooning studio he founded; for his highly influential series The Spirit; for his use of comics as an...
, an established comic-book writer-artist-editor, had been appropriated to draw such characters as Private Joe Dope, Connie Rodd, and Sgt. Half-Mast McCanick. In 1951, the Army hired
Eisner to create similar instructional material for its new publication, PS, The Preventive Maintenance Monthly.
Eisner was the publication's artistic director from its inception through the end of 1971. The magazine's artists have included Eisner, Murphy Anderson
Murphy Anderson
Murphy Anderson is an American comic book artist, known as one of the premier inkers of his era, who has worked for companies such as DC Comics for over fifty years, starting in the 1930s-'40s Golden Age of Comic Books...
, Joe Kubert
Joe Kubert
Joe Kubert is an American comic book artist who went on to found The Kubert School. He is best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Sgt. Rock and Hawkman...
, Dan Spiegle
Dan Spiegle
Dan Spiegle is an American comic book and cartoon artist and illustrator . He has had a long career in drawing comics based on movie and television characters, and has worked for companies including Dell Comics, DC Comics and Marvel Comics.-Life and career:In his second year of high school,...
, Scott Madsen, Malane Newman, Alfredo Alcala
Alfredo Alcala
Alfredo P. Alcala was a Filipino comic book artist, born in Talisay, Negros Occidental in the Philippines. Alcala was an established illustrator whose works appeared in the Alcala Komix Magazine. His 1963 creation Voltar introduced him to an international audience, particularly in the United...
, and Mike Ploog
Mike Ploog
Michael G. Ploog is an American storyboard and comic book artist, and a visual designer for movies....
. As of 2010, Kubert is the art contractor for the magazine, having begun his PS work in 2001.
The magazine from its inception has been, written, researched, and edited by Department of the Army civilians. The home office of PS was located at Aberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen Proving Ground is a United States Army facility located near Aberdeen, Maryland, . Part of the facility is a census-designated place , which had a population of 3,116 at the 2000 census.- History :...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, from April 1951 through January 1955, when it was moved to Raritan Arsenal, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. It was moved again in October 1962 to Fort Knox
Fort Knox
Fort Knox is a United States Army post in Kentucky south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. The base covers parts of Bullitt, Hardin, and Meade counties. It currently holds the Army Human Resources Center of Excellence to include the Army Human Resources Command, United States Army Cadet...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. It remained there until July 1973, when it moved to the Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
-Blue Grass Army Depot
Blue Grass Army Depot
Blue Grass Army Depot is a U.S. Army conventional munitions and chemical weapon storage facility located in east central Kentucky, southeast of the cities of Lexington and Richmond, Kentucky, operated by the United States Army. The site, composed mainly of open fields and wooded areas, is used...
in Kentucky. In June 1993, it moved to Redstone Arsenal
Redstone Arsenal
Redstone Arsenal is a United States Army base and a census-designated place adjacent to Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama, United States and is part of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
.
In March 2011, the magazine is scheduled to publish its 700th issue.
Recurring characters
The original characters that appeared in PS, were Private Joe Dope, Private Fosgnoff, MSG Bull Dozer, Percy the Skunk, SFC Windy Windsock, SFC Macon Sparks, SFC Pablo Hablo, Half-Mast, and Connie Rodd. Two remain as of 2010: Half-Mast, who was promoted to Master Sergeant, and Connie Rodd, both of whom have appeared in every issue.Later characters that as of 2010 still appear are: Bonnie, an African-American civilian who appeared in 1970 to work with Connie; SFC Benjamin "Rotor" Blade, an aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
specialist; and the Online Warrior, a Logistics Management avatar.
From the 1950s through the 1970s, Connie and Bonnie were played up as "cheesecake
Pin-up girl
A pin-up girl, also known as a pin-up model, is a model whose mass-produced pictures see wide appeal as popular culture. Pin-ups are intended for informal display, e.g. meant to be "pinned-up" on a wall...
" targeted at the mostly male GIs to help interest them in using PS. Following an increased presence of females in the Army since that time, and at the urging of Congresswoman Bella Abzug
Bella Abzug
Bella Savitsky Abzug was an American lawyer, Congresswoman, social activist and a leader of the Women's Movement. In 1971, Abzug joined other leading feminists such as Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan to found the National Women's Political Caucus...
and Senator William Proxmire
William Proxmire
Edward William Proxmire was an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a United States Senator from Wisconsin from 1957 to 1989.-Personal life:...
, the magazine updated the two characters in March 1980 to a more modest and professional form.
Reference
- Eisner, Will, Eisner, Ann, Campell, Eddie, Schomaker, Peter J. PS Magazine: The Best of the Preventive Maintenance Monthly
PS Magazine Abrams ComicArts, 2011
External links
- PS online
- Online Archive of PS issues at Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
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