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Battle Picture Library 251 Vendetta

5:36 AM | Labels: aaaagh, an inarticulate cry, Battle Picture Library, redemption, smug ss, Tash, Vendetta, WW1

Ever had that feeling that somebody somewhere has got it in for you? Vendetta is good. It starts with that stirring cover (who can resist a wounded officer firing a Thompson gun one handed?) and then jumps straight into the action with a desperate situation with enough AAAGH!s in first couple of pages for several pocket war comics. Young Philip Anstey makes the mistake of being in the same brigade as his father during a battle in World War One. As the younger Anstey is sent to get help, the Germans absolutely, totally and indefatigably blow his father and most of his brigade to kingdom come. Young Anstey (of course) does his best to stop this from happening but is foiled at every opportunity by a rain of German shells and a non bullet-proof horse. Even worse his pleas for help to the Duke of Onslow's Lancers (DOLS) waiting in support falls on deaf ears. Anstey then tries single handily to counter attack the Germans and save his father but is prevented from doing so by a hail of lead.

Fast forward a number of years and Anstey has risen to command his brigade. A position he holds with pride. However when the modern version of the DOLS is brought under his command he is beyond outraged. When he learns that his son holds a commission in that unit he becomes almost murderous. Brigadier Anstey has little time for them even though, despite their continuing losses, they fearlessly engage the enemy. The bravery of the DOLS, while under his command, is never in question

There's action a plenty with a few twists and turns (including the cover) that do a good job of throwing you off track before the big reveal. It's Anstey who is bleeding the DOLS white by repeatedly sending them into action. The Vendetta of the title is his! The reveal is big enough to paper over some of the coincidences (or should that be flaws?) in the story.

Even though some of the vehicle depictions in Vendetta are a little bit suspect it's a different story for the infantry. Most of the British soldiers are drawn like modern day rugby players. They're all very fit and muscular and if they could pack a scrum against the Germans they wouldn't need any weapons at all to win the war.

Vendetta just goes to prove it's not always the guys shooting at you who are out to get you.

Boy is he mad! That's a heart attack waiting to happen.

Sneaky Germans! Having bombs that fall without warning.

What you need is a bullet proof horse.

I like how that guy in the foreground looks really drunk.

Fit. Big jawed. Officers. These are real men! Of course a tash for the man in command.

Anstey spends so much time carrying on like this it's surprising he hasn't had a heart attack by this point in the story.

We've all pulled this face and felt like this at sometime...

The big reveal! Yeah it was ME all along!

Smug Nazis and their satisfied chuckles! Hmmm... I wonder if those victory weapons are going to land anywhere near or on top of those badly drawn and moving Tiger tanks?

The brigadier's son is in need of some very heavy counselling if he can't display more emotion than that.

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War Picture Library 45 The Price of Freedom

6:05 AM | Labels: aaaagh, an inarticulate cry, great story, pocket war comic, price of freedom, smug ss, Tash, War Picture Library, we'll beat the hun

Heroic Italians? In a comic about World War 2? Well you better believe it!!

Except for a few stereotypical clunkers involving uncomplimentary attitudes towards spaghetti and narrative concerns over the “incessant chatter” of Italians and their inability to annunciate simple English phrases the Italians come out looking pretty good in The Price of Freedom.

Even though the focus of the story is on the adventures of Kiwi Captain Pug Meyburgh and English Sergeant Tom Decker from the retreat in North Africa to their capture, internment and escape and then their bid for freedom it is the host of heroic Italians that truly make the story strong. These include the well meaning Private Bruzzi, the private citizen Babbino, the silent but shrewd scout Truffi and brave Sergeant Ruffini (who was responsible for the capture of Meyburgh and Decker).

Furthermore the story is enhanced by a see-sawing tactical situation in the 2nd half of the book.

The artist for The Price of Freedom provides some exceptional ink work and appears to revel in the use of black. And not just for night settings or for dramatic punctuation. Copious amounts of blank ink are used throughout giving this War Picture Library comic a wonderful quality.

Also it is very well written with the story being revealed, with right amount of information being provided as the story progresses.

The Price of Freedom would lend itself very well to some back story creation. There's more to know about the characters. What made Decker drive through the desert picking up wounded men? What of the soldiers who gave up their places so the wounded could get aid? How did Truffi become silent and shrewd. And what was Ruffini doing all that time while Meyburgh and Decker were in prison?

Another smug Nazi officer. Where do they find so many of them?

I can't figure out if this is more Allo Allo or Blackadder.

Did he spend time in Brooklyn?

More ink. We need more ink.

Why can't they have stiff upper lips?

Great picture

There's lot going on in this one.

Cravatt, tash, bandage and stiff upper lip! All man!!

Evil looking lot. Nice panel though.

Nice Aaagh! with a little Uh! thrown in for counterpoint.

No it's not.It's all about being gallant and sacrifice and being noble!

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War Picture Library 78 Aces High

6:45 AM | Labels: aaaagh, Aces High, an inarticulate cry, himmel, me 109, pocket war comic, secret mission, smug ss, Tash, the full treatment, War Picture Library, Wellington, Whitely

This one is so bad it’s good. There’s a lot of story packed into these 64 pages and Aces High just manages to get away with it.

Four men, with outstanding reputations, are hand picked for a special mission to destroy an enemy underground installation. However despite their reputations each one of them has a flaw that could jeopardise the mission and their lives. Despite their personal problems each of the characters has a torturing envy of others who appear to have none.

First there is the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Julian Carpenter DFC, who despite being a superb pilot is also a manic depressive on the verge of a complete meltdown. Next there is the arrogant perfectionist navigator, Flying Officer Kenneth Detling, who is unforgiving to those who make mistakes. Then there is the bomb aimer, Pilot Officer “Cocky” Parker, who never misses his target and is a smug and tactless braggart as a result. Finally rear gunner, Flight Sergeant “Tail End” Charlie Morgan is a hot tempered ace marksman who is hiding the onset of his emerging double vision.

Having a basket case crew on a dangerous mission is one way to propel a story forward and using Flight Sergeant Morgan’s working class chip on his shoulder is one way to give it some welcome depth.

Aircraft wise we are treated to having a brief glance at a Whitely at the start of the story it’s even though most of the action uses a Wellington bomber modified to carry extra fuel and one big bomb. Surprisingly the ME 109’s aren’t really drawn very well. Also in the panel where the Wellington is dropping the big one, you can almost hear the editor saying to the artist “No it’s a big bomb. Go back and draw it bigger!”

Not only are there lots of words in this story boys in the past must have had a wider vocabulary then their modern counterparts to call upon and this evidenced by the use of words such as “consternation”, “meticulous “and “nemesis”.

So in the end the crew complete the mission and manage to overcome their own inner demons. Surprised?