As part of it continuing bid to beef up its "strategic communications" capabilities, the U.S. government has tried many things in Iraq, including, it turns out, distributing comic books. The military recently put out a solicitation for "twelve (12) issues of 6th Brigade Comic Book series" which is designed "to highlight the professionalism of the Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF) and to enhance the public perception of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) as a capable, well-trained, and professional fighting force IAW Information Operations Objectives..."

This apparently isn't a new thing. Last year, a published announcement said a sole source contract for 6th Brigade Comic Book went to the Lincoln Group, the private contractor that gained notoriety for paying to place favorable press coverage in Iraqi newspapers.

According to the website psywarrior.com:

The first comic books were created as collaborative effort with the US Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, which did the initial character and plot development. They are based on the security forces, both military and police, in the Middle East. The initiative for the comic-book project came from the US Department of Defense's Central Command, which is responsible for US security interests in 25 Middle Eastern and Arab nations. It is hoped that the comics will help engender respect among children for the national police force and the new Iraqi Army.

A special DANGER ROOM prize goes to the first reader who can get me a copy of one.

UPDATE: Noah here. I don't have the prize-winning comic in hand, just yet. Nor am I sure what prize Sharon has in mind. But I would like to note that the U.S. is trying this same comic book trick in the Philippines. And that our buddies at IraqSlogger have screen grabs of two different issues in the Lincoln Group comic book series.