Air Ace Picture Library 248 The Missing Bombers

The Japanese are so reasonable in this story they could be confused for Germans. When Air Ace Picture Library 248 The Missing Bombers turns to the Japanese they're not getting ready to die for the Emperor, nor are they calling anybody a dog, nor do they get a lot of chances to let out a final AIEEEE! The lack of stereotyping is a little bit disturbing. In fact the Japanese are portrayed as an organised enemy who just happen to make the mistake of fighting against the Allies. The artwork also doesn't have that agro guy looking though his extra thick spectacles as you would expect in one of these comic books.

All the racism is a part of the story and not in the story - if you know what I mean.

At the centre of The Missing Bombers is Kenaka Cooper, a flying chappy, who has a Japanese mother and an English father. His posting to a Wellington squadron raises a few eyebrows as well as a few hackles. Not only are the allies hard up against it now they have to contend with having a traitor in their midst. Kenaka is of course no traitor.

I like seeing Wellington bombers in pocket war comics and I was a little disappointed not to see more of them. However for some reason there a lots and lots of panels with blokes just standing around  - this issue should win a prize for the most small crowd scenes seen in a war comic book. Needless to say the narrative device of getting the Wellingtons to fly through the secret canyon is just silly.

In its own way The Missing Bombers is a sensitive story as the men around Cooper have to come grips with his ethnicity.

Well if you look really closely only 3 of them are really flying. Two of them are sort of crashing and the last one is missing.

Three disjointed panels of action on the same page. I think the artist was standing a bit close to the ink fumes.

That almost sounds reasonable. Are you sure you're the bad guys?

It's a message from your wife. She says don't forget to go past the supermarket on the way home and pick up some bread and milk.

Who else knows about this?

So that's way he's shorter than everyone else!

Well say it out loud man! You're about to get in an aircraft with him.

Nice panel.

Hey! Why go over it when you can go through it.

Interesting perspective.

Why would you have to do that? Also that guy on the radio looks like he's just lost a bet.

Can I move if I surrender?

Check out the cool gun the Japanese marine is holding.



















I don't know if holding hands with another man would be considered manly back in 1963.

Cover of the Week. Air Ace Picture Library 248 The Missing Bombers

Where are my 3D glasses? Now there's a cover worth viewing. A missing flight of Wellingtons weaving their way through a canyon fighting back against an unseen enemy. A very Star Wars esque image if there ever was one.

Now somewhere out there will be many issues of Air Ace Picture Library 248 The Missing Bombers in perfect registration - however my issue is not one of those.
Despite the overall image being a bit hard to swallow the finish of the lead Wellington is sight to behold. I just love green engine cowlings and the red propeller bosses - no doubt whoever is on the receiving end of those twin brownings is feeling considerably worse for the attention.
The fuzzy text in the middle reads 'They were thought to have been lost in action-but they were on a secret mission'.
Another good looking cover for a pocket war comic - but it doesn't have the punch of others. Easily 7/10. Do you agree - what would you give score give this cover? By all means ignore the 3D effect of my issue.

War Picture Library 78 Aces High

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 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 is 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?

A Whitely! Now there's a fine sight!













The split tash.You don't see many of those.

A mean tash for a mean man.

Could this be the 1st thought AAGH!?

How insulting is "pig dog"?
Also could that radio be in any worse position in that open top boat?

I would if I knew where the very top secret base is located.














What's that guy doing with rocket launcer?










Hammer time!

Also don't they teach you not to say those kind of things at bad guy school?

An AAAGH! and a Himmel!

Nice picture.

I like the use of the word home and that it is also cheaper for an overseas subscription.