Himmel...

It takes two days to send an emergency signal?  Why is the Leutnant steeped in shadow? How can an oaf be trustworthy? Is the Leutnant a yes man? Are the high command in Italy the right people to receive an emergency signal? Why not the high command in Germany? Is it really an emergency? Is two days really enough time? How can you say 'himmel' without an exclamation mark?

English Stukas!

I say this war caper is a bit of a doddle. Jerry's quite amusing when his life is under immediate threat. Fancy running around like that. I mean someone's bound to get hurt. Tell you what though, didn't half make his planes go boom. Luckily nobody was hurt in the whole fracas. War's a funny thing isn't. Fancy not being able go spell Skua! Or Stuka for that matter. Fright does that to a man, even a Nazi. Don't worry lads, we'll be back.

Battle Picture Library 99 Battle Royal

There's this truck driver, see? But he's not really a truck driver, well he really is, he's really a king. Yeah! A real king. Except he doesn't have a kingdom - well he does, but it's not a patch of dirt or a castle - well there was one but that's under water now. It got flooded by the king to save his kingdom. Because a kingdom is about people and not crowns and things. That, boys and girls, is the story contained in Battle Picture Library 99 Battle Royal. And that's a Royal with cheese.

The king of the story is a truck driving private by the name of Hazard who is given the kingship, and a tumble down castle in the middle of a swamp (but without huge tracts of land) as a bequest from a dying Dutchman. Not because he was nice guy but because Hazard is made of the right stuff to lead men and fight.

There's much direct reference in this story that you can't be made of the right stuff if you're only a truck driver - after all you're not a fighting man are you? That reminds me, I understand that Benny Hill was a truck driver in Europe after the D-Day landings. However, unlike Hazard he didn't start shooting Germans or become royalty.

The story becomes interesting when Hazard, in full possession of his castle in the swamp, goes feral and starts shooting at British Commandos, who want to destroy his kingdom by opening some sluice gates in order to flood the formidable German defences. However Hazard reminds himself of the big picture and realises that if losing his kingdom also means drowning a lot of Germans then he should do it.

The really stupid part of the story involves the location of seat of the kingdom - a ruined castle on an island swarming with resistance fighters that the Germans somehow missed in their planning for the defence of the area.

However there is a darker side to this pocket war comic. The enemy is not usually shown being refused mercy and there also are a fair few dead people to be seen lying around.
However despite the absurd story, Battle Picture Library 99 Battle Royal is a rolicking good read!

Shark Leader? These guys are full of it!

Sometimes you just have to fight back. Too bad about the Lieutenant and the Sarge.

 What a great expression on that officer's face.

 Squareheads! Why do they get in the way?

The double AAGH! Now there's a first.

 No mercy!

 ...and you'll never guess that's where our secret base is located!

Nice gun!

Just like in Portahouse Blue.

Thank you captain obvious.

 Sometimes the bad guys have a win.

Rare to see dead good guys.

 That oufit is a bit tight Hazard.

 You'd be saying more than himmel!

Is that a grenade in your pocket or are you happy to see me?

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.

Air Ace Picture Library 115 The Reluctant Enemy

There’s a strange melancholy to this story. Before the war two chums, one English the other one German, are the best of friends who enjoy each others company and flying together at the local aero club. Then one day Kurt, the German one, says the wrong thing in the club bar. Following an awkward silence the two friends go home. They are such good friends that they find themselves bunking down together in the same digs - no doubt waiting for Miss Right to come along.

However when they get home to relax Bill, the English one, is disturbed by the book on calculated risk his German friend is reading. With war looming Kurt must suddenly leave for Germany. Even though they part as friends Bill fears that the next time they meet it will be as enemies.

London is bombed, Bill enlists in the RAF and soon enough there’s plenty of action as Hurricanes and ME 109s are duelling over the channel. However all the time Bill can’t understand how his friend Kurt could possibly be the involved or responsible with all the death and destruction.

Bill then learns that the murdering and cruel leader of the crack German squadron they will be facing has the same name as his friend. The prospect that this could be his chum sends Bill into a tailspin of agony. But is it really his Kurt?

The Reluctant Enemy is surprising. It has its fair share of action, war weary veterans, stern COs and ME 109s and Hurricanes hitting the surface of the English Channel at the wrong angle and wrong speed.

Even though there are plenty of heroic incidences in this story the surprise is that there is really no hero to this story.

Bung ho! I trust that is a term of endearment.

How's that for a waxed tash!

Do Germans really say this when they are surprised?

Ah yes...the small German type. I've met their kind before you know...

Ooops!

Is it only me or does that Hurricane look like it's flying backwards?