MK-Ultra Themes In "Unknown Soldier"

The use of various psychological/technological methods to seriously alter a subject's brain has been liberally used in comic book stories for a while now -- the "programmed" soldier/operative with implanted memories, visions of the government-sponsored (whether ours or those of "foreign powers") mad-scientist with a fistful of electrodes, Shipwreck from the "G.I. Joe" cartoon hallucinating his Springfield family. But when a comic actually references MK-Ultra by name, my ears prick up.


DC's "G.I. Combat" #0 opens with the following exchange between the Unknown Soldier -- a mysterious man in military fatigues and a face completely covered in bandages -- and Agent Komal from the organization Advanced Medical Military Operations (or, "A.M.M.O"):

Unknown Soldier: "Who or what am I?"

Komal: "Are you aware of the MK-Ultra program executed during the Cold War?"

Unknown Soldier: "No. Can't you answer a question without asking one?"

Komal: "In the Fifties and Sixties, the Office of Scientific Intelligence conducted experiments that involved illegal testing of random Citizens. LSD, PCP, and a whole catalogue of drugs were used. This testing led to the development of a substance capable of tapping into subconscious memory. If you really want answers..."

Unknown Soldier: "I'll do it. When can we start?"

Two things I find interesting here: how MK-Ultra techniques are offered in a "therapeutic" manner (indeed, in the beginning of its real-world use it was billed as something that could treat depression, etc.) -- and how enthusiastic the Unknown Solider is to use it. This all feels like the character is a patsy for A.M.M.O., a brainwashed operative literally walking into the same situation that messed him up in the first place.

A good portion of the rest of the issue involves the Unknown Soldier essentially undergoing past-life regression via "MK-Ultra" techniques. The combat situations he finds himself through history (Vietnam, the Revolutionary War, etc.) seem to suggest that he is indeed some sort of "spiritual avatar" of the Soldier-as-Archetype, an "Eternal Warrior" (if I might borrow another publisher's character for a second).

Which all sounds peachy-keen, except for one sickening possibility: what if this man is actually experiencing is false memories purposely implanted by A.M.M.O.?

One of the Unknown Soldier's many "past lives"

In such a scenario, the "eternal warrior" story is just an embellished tale to cover up more sinister -- and if not entirely sinister, then certainly shadowy -- motives/operations by the organization. The "Unknown Soldier" legend sounds rather heroic -- whereas "being the zombie operative puppet of a pseudo-governmental agency" sounds rather like a crap deal. Oh, did I mention the part where the character had "died" and was brought back to life?

Of course, another possibility in the story is that Unknown Soldier is both being manipulated AND has tapped into some sort of "eternal warrior" scenario. That's the one I buy, personally.

"G.I. Combat" #0 references a bunch of topics that are currently hitting America's zeitgeist. Seemingly forgotten and forsaken, the faceless Unknown Soldier could stand for our army veterans who are getting inadequate health (physical and especially mental) care. As I've mentioned before, the "programmed" soldier/assassin is a much-used trope all over our popular culture (the Jason Bourne movies, "Dollhouse," even Hawkeye during the first half of "The Avengers").

From a completely different "Unknown Soldier" comic -- but a great and relevant image

I like War-themed comic books, but, given the vagaries of the comics market, I realize that this Unknown Soldier storyline could be ended/abandoned/greatly altered at any time. Still, I'd like to see how it plays out. I appreciate when writers go the extra mile and try to inject a bit more real-world relevancy and/or edgy conspiracy theories into their comics. This is exactly the stuff I want to cover on this blog, because I feel so much of this content goes unnoticed under the radar -- especially by people who are not familiar with current comics, but would really enjoy the stories. (if you want to read a really great breakdown of MK-Ultra in comic book form, check out David Gallaher & Steve Ellis's "Box 13"!)