Close Range. Complete Story as found in Battle Picture Library 498 Hunt the Traitor

Pirate Nazis

What a bunch of lowlifes. Could there be anything worse than Nazi pirates tooling around in high powered tanks? Surely they have some inkling that they will be the target of every round, every bullet, every shell, every bomb, every missile, every rocket, every grenade, every dagger, every every anything that their enemies could aim, hurl, launch, fire, shoot, lob, target, arrange, unleash, unfurl, throw at them?

Possibly they like that kind of thing. Possibly it's an issue around the lack of boundaries they were set when they were younger. Perhaps it's a needy centre of attention thing that only true bad guys really know about.

Is advice under duress acceptable?

I understand that advice given under duress may not be seen as legally binding.  I trust whoever this fellow is advising has a lawyer (good or bad) handy to see if they should act on this advice. Also it would be worthwhile to understand if proper procedures have been put in place and are being followed. There could be a potential claim given the hasty decision making.

Down came the troopers one, two, three.

We want that jolly jumbuck what you've got in your tuckerbag. Sometimes words just look plain silly when you write them down. Of course a loss of context doesn't really help. But there are three them. And they're like troopers. They are mounted in a sense. And they certainly are after something. There's also no doubt that they would look to employ excessive force to get what they want. Even though it wouldn't be a ram, joyful or not.

See..it all makes sense if you allow it.

No time to panic, I gotta weave.

Stress does strange things to a man. In the dark confines of a hot turret, all chaps pressed together, panic is always a possibility. What does one do? How does one act? Is it time to shout? Or do you stick close to your chums? If you're done for yet there isn't much else you can do.

Tiger Tank Profile Number 2

More Tiger tanks this time from Battle Picture Library 13 Battle Order. Well actually it's really only the one Tiger tank found at the begining of the story.

Another good job of illustrating this large hunk of metal.

There's a small bonus at the end of the sequence when a Cromwell turns up to ruin the party. I guess you don't get to see too many of those in a comic books.

Now only if I can find more of them...

Tiger Tank Profile Number 1

These fine examples of Tiger tanks come from War Picture Library 21 Airborne (published by AP publishing). Sometimes when vehicles turn up in pocket war comics they tend to be more of an idea of what a tank should look like.

However who ever had the task of illustrating this particular issue had the benefit of some good research materials at his disposal or had the opportunity to see a tank first hand.

I'm not an expert in this area but they look pretty good to me. Those who know more could no doubt point out the flaws and I am always happy to learn more about this kind of thing. Even though I think the Tiger in the drawing of the crew rushing to take on der British para-trupen looks a little large.

I intend to publish more pictures of specific vehicles and aircraft as I come across them in my collection of British war comics.

If anybody has anything specific they would like me to profile I am only too happy to oblige.

Cover of the Week War Picture Library 222 Road to Berlin

Same story as the Battle Picture Library version - but does the cover make it any more exciting? Published 6 years apart the War Picture Library cover is possibly more exciting but not as stylised as its younger brother. However this cover is definitely more comic book style in appearance.
I guess because it is brighter it might be more likely to be picked up and purchased. Also the dual action renders, mixing of graphic styles and direct type font makes this cover very exciting. There's no doubt that there's plenty of things that go 'bang' in the following enclosed pages.
Bouncing around in a tank would not have been fun and the three exposed crewman in that Churchill do appear very determined to get on with it. Likewise the three Germans manning that gun also appear to be very determined to stop that tank.
War Picture Library 222 Road to Berlin is bright and exciting and worth picking up. It says all the right things so it gets 10/10.
Just how many perfect 10s are out there?

War Picture Library 222 Road to Berlin

Have you ever been passed over for promotion? Should you be leading and not following? Why have you missed out?  Is the system against you? Is the old boys club not working in your favour? Is the affirmative action programme failing you? Or perhaps...just maybe you're not good enough. Could it be that the job went to the better (sorry ladies) man? That, pretty much, is the story behind War Picture Library 222 Road to Berlin.

This is actually a pretty good story for a number of reasons.
First there's the bonehead at the centre of the Road to Berlin who goes through most of the story needing to drink a cup of cement. Don't worry he comes good in the end.

Also most pocket war comics tend to pay lip service to the real events in World War Two however this one has a reasonable account of the Battle for Arnhem. Also for the tread heads there are some great panels of British armour. I got the feeling that this story may have been completed by at least two artists because the style seems to change from panel to panel. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, or that I'm right, it's just my observation.

So get your orders, get in your tank, harden up and hit the road!

When too many riding pants are not enough.

 He thought a rude word!

 Nice tank.

...and let that be a lesson to you.

Route-Taping! Arrrghh! I've not heard that phrase in many years...

 Anything in war is fair - particularly if you have the biggest pants.

What a great looking panel.

Not to be outdone the Germans had big pants of their own. However their grip of tactics was fatally flawed. Wouldn't it have been better to block the path with the enemy's dead?

Able-One has a tash that means business.

...are you sure that Aaagh! is not coming from inside the Tardis.

Nice panel. Nice detail.

Another nice panel.

Proving yet again that a wrought iron balustrade is no protection against a 95mm howitzer.

Great panel for those who like to swan about.