Sunday, March 20, 2011

War Picture Library 391 Old Warrior

A dickey ticker, a bad attitude and a big chin - are they enough to win the war? You bet they are!

Jack Frobisher finds it difficult to live up to his illustrious career when at the commencement of hostilities in WW2 he is considered too unfit - due to that dickey ticker - for active duty. Too proud to accept a desk job the former Commodore is set to spend the rest of his days brooding. The call for small craft to evacuate the troops from Dunkirk gives Frobisher the chance to get back into the action.

However despite affecting a rescue Frobisher's heart gives out jeopardising the life of his recently acquired survivors. Redemption can come in many forms and for Frobisher cold and alone, falling in and out of consciousness, floating around in the dark - his comes in the form of a badly mauled motor launch bereft of leadership - until he takes over.

All, however, is not plain sailing from here. The troops on the motor launch are not keen to go on with the mission- but under Frobisher's encouragement they continue - however when his heart gives out for a second time in 24 hours he realises he cannot go on and the story passes seamlessly over to Roy Collis, the junior and only remaining officer,  to complete the mission.

This is a very elegantly written story that is well supported by some great artwork. Some of the panels and situations are near cinematic in scope. The story telling is quite sophisticated - each panel is there for a reason and there's no need for any gratuitous action.

A great story! And if you like blokes with big chins this is the story for you.




What a great line about being a volunteer does not immune you from anxiety.




Sailors on the assault!



Speech balloons over panels. Also a great drawing of a WW1 cruiser.



Nice touch with that grass chewing German in the foreground.



Eat dirt!



Heinkel in the dark. Superb!




Oh no! Not the captain.




That chin alone will win the war.




What a fantastic drawing.



Nothing to lose!




Donner und Aagh! Didn't even get the chance to mutter Blitzen.




Just doing his job I guess.



You idiot!
 Look at the size of the chins on those two!

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