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.

War Picture Library 126 Fires of Hate

Sergeant Larson learns the hard way that using hate to fight is not the way to win a war. However it doesn’t stop him from killing a lot of Germans. Also despite his best efforts to get himself killed he manages to survive the battle.

Even though the premise for the story is reasonable, the story telling is far fetched and the animation and drama are a bit wooden. Underneath it all, trying it’s hardest to get out, is a stylistic approach that gets smothered by the stupidity of the storyline.

British commandos are tasked with the mission of destroying an arctic airfield so the convoys can get through to a beleaguered Russia. The mission starts off with a frontal seaborne assault on a harbour garrison. After they meet up with the local Norwegian partisans they are forced into ambushing an armoured column. From there they proceed with stealth to the airfield. However the mission is thrown into jeopardy when Sergeant Larson decides to embark on a personal vendetta. Hang on! Larson screws up the mission? The mission to destroy the airfield was in trouble when they hit the harbour with all guns blazing.

Despite the illustrator being allowed to show glimpses of an individual style the writing makes this story unconvincing.

The major with the mean tash.

Style trying to get out.

He looks bad. He must be bad.

It's hammer time!

Try this at home kids. Take a waste paper bin and place it on top of your car. Now race towards the car toss an apple into the bin. Be careful you only get one go at it.

Try this one as well. Take an empty baked bean can and lay it down on the top of a kitchen cabinet. Now run past it and throw an apple into the can. Again you only get one chance at it.

I just want to...I just want to...sing!

Air Ace Picture Library 188 - Secret Mission

Mosquitoes should always make for a good story. I guess it has to do with the expectation that the flying action will be up close and personal. Even though the story centres on the older and experienced Commanding Officer, Wing Commander Brewster, the story really belongs to the younger and inexperienced guy who doesn't make it – Flight Officer Garry Merrion.

This is a great story; it combines recklessness, redemption and regret. Also Brewster and Merrion are not carbon copy opposites of each others characters. However there are holes in this story big enough to fly a Lancaster bomber through. And it’s exactly this kind of chaotic story telling that I find enthralling.

First the great part…Garry Merrion is reckless (heard that used before?) and he screws up. The good point of the story is that he doesn't learn from his mistakes and continues to be reckless. I suppose a fighter pilot would need to be self assured and a more than reasonable level of audacity.

Due to Merrion’s stupidity Brewster is forced into a hazardous situation taking Merrion’s place on a mission. Brewster gets shot down, escapes capture and returns home to a hero’s welcome. During Brewster’s adventures Merrion is quietly reassigned to another squadron.

In the end Merrion redeems himself with some old fashioned self sacrifice – but not in the standard two dimensional “the bombers will get through” or even “at least he put on a good show and died like a man”

Merrion stays true to character and remains careless. He isn't driven by any revelations as he comes to the rescue of the Brewster. But he doesn't anticipate that the price of his bravado will be a lonely death in the sea. Brewster regrets Merrion’s end.

Now the holes…If the CO was such a stickler for following orders – why does he take on an additional target? Why didn't he target the U-boat pens? And why is one anti aircraft gun so much trouble when only moments before the squadron was determined to fly through a veritable flak valley of death to get to the target? Also why doesn't the rest of the Mosquito flight escort Merrion back across the Channel?

Merrion’s flawed character and tragic ending really make this story.

Boy is he mad. He you can almost smell the moustache wax melting.

Nice Me109. Even nicer AAAGH!

Brewster delivering some manly instructions to the chaps.

A lonely end for Garry Merrion.