Air Ace Picture Library 349 Duel Over Malta

Why does Battler Britton brings out the best and worst in pocket war comics?

First the best. Duel Over Malta is really well drawn. This is one of those stories where the sky is full of aircraft. There are Stukas, Hamdens, Blenheims, Spitfires, Junker 88s, Me 109s, Beaufighters, Macchi 202s and Junkers 52 Trimotors. With all those aircraft there's plenty of action. Even the storyline itself is reasonable. Set during the siege of Malta the scene is set for Battler to blast some Jerries out of the sky. Battler and his squadron are assigned to fly in badly needed Spitfires and pilots to defend the embattled island. From the moment they take off from the pitching aircraft carrier to the landing on the bomb crater pocketed airfield Battler is in the thick of it. The moment he lands his aircraft it is immediately seconded by the local fighter hero, Squadron Leader Naylor, who uses the Spitfire for its designed purpose.

A cooperative and friendly rivalry develops between Naylor and Britton as they maintain the good fight against almost overwhelming odds.

So what's the worst? Battler has to go on and do something that's impossible. To most this might appear to be his most enduring quality - but not only does he bend and stretch the very laws of physics his actions are somewhat gratuitous to the plot, robbing an otherwise good story of some extra panels and pages.

There's a point in this story where everything seems to be going OK and then Battler has to pull the "Hang on - while I save the war moment". Again an endearing quality to some but not to me.

Another game of Risk in progress. While the man at the desk is clearly a German and the two guys before him are tram conductors - why does the guy in the background look British?

Rarely mentioned or pictured in pocket war comics here is a unique appearance of these two famous degenerates.

Now that does sound like trouble!

Battler looks a lot like Mr Bean.

Excellent! By that rate we should all be dead in a week and half.

Now that's an understatement.

Good mini Aagh! from the Ace of Spades.

  

What is wrong with these people? They manage to speak English most of the other times.

War Picture Library 58 Up the Marines!

Up the Marines! is simply dreadful from the very beginning. Just what is going on with that cover? The self-vandalising enemy are rightfully cowering as they are being consumed by what looks like a creature from Cuthulu.  The story can only get worse from here - and it does.

Sergeant Swift and Corporal Younger are on a commando canoe raid to disable harbour bouy lights, making a vital German convoy to run aground. In the course of the action Younger gets himself killed and of course Swift blames himself. Swift returns and is awarded a medal for the action. Younger's younger brother is present at the investiture to accept the award. Have a wild guess at what happens next.

The younger Younger idolises Swift from the stories told to him by the older Younger. Younger Younger enlists and manages to get posted to the elite commando unit with Swift. Understandably Swift is keen not to have another Younger (older or younger) killed by his side and accordingly tries to minimise risk taking on missions. Younger Younger is of course distressed and embarassed that he's not seeing enough action and he tries to leave the unit.

Of course it all works out in the end when the two are involved in an assualt on a pillbox.

To be kind if you like things being blown up and people shot up then this story would be just OK. There are glimpses of the artist of trying to make something at least visually interesting - the pipe smoking German Oberleutnant, the sailor's cap ribbons fluttering in the breeze - but it's not enough to save this story.

I really have to dig deep to find to say anything nice about this one.

The cap ribbons fluttering away are a nice touch.

See children...you didn't come up with WTF.

Oberleutnant stop hogging the pipe.

One of the few highlights in the story.

This man is an idiot. How did he ever get to command a ship?

 What an odd shaped scone you have sergeant.

I wish my posture was like that.

Good at drawing things being blown up and destroyed. Good at drawing a hail of bullets - but drawing an office appears to be a bit of a challenge.

Zombies!

Oh the shame...

This is that crazed  look you get when you're in the shadow of death and assualting a pillbox while wearing a tie.