Infantry Squad vs. Aliens / Zombies / Robots

Photo by U.S. Marine Cpl. Reece Lodder

Some quick musings generated while conducting research on genres of military writing ...

Just as the infantry squad is the basic building-block of U.S. ground forces, it can also serve as the basic building-block of fictional narrative. Throw a couple of military characters into a stressful environment, arm them with some weapons and strong personalities, and issue them a mission. You'll have a good war story in no time.

Parachuting a squad-sized, modern-day military unit into nearly any situation seems likely to pay off in fictional fireworks. Take these nearly out-of-this-world examples:

• Squad plus instantaneous intergalactic travel equals "Stargate SG-1."

• Squad plus zombies equals Image Comics' "Graveyard of Empires."

• Squad plus robots equals "Transformers" (2008).

• Squad plus dinosaurs equals DC Comics' "The War That Time Forgot."

• Squad plus cartoonish terrorist organization equals "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" (2009).

• Squad plus team member who is secretly a superhero, alien, and/or mutant equals Sgt. Rock storyline in DC Comics' "Men at War" (2011-2012).

• Squad plus paranormal activity in Area 51 equals "Nightstalkers (Area 51 series)."

• Squad plus caper to steal Nazi gold equals "Kelly's Heroes" (1970).

• Squad plus alien hunter equals "Predator" (1987).

• Squad plus full-blown alien invasion equals "Battle: Los Angeles" (2011).