The Heavenly Trio

These men are winners even though they are all dead. They gave the Hun a good licking even though it may have been misguided at times. The chap in the centre managed to outlive the other two. Even though he was driven by blind rage at time to avenge his friends' deaths it appears that inappropriate use of raw emotion is no barrier to become part of the trio eternal.
 

This is a wonderful version of the afterlife where, despite what ravages of mortal existence may be visited upon your temporary person, your life eternal will continue in perfection immortal. Does this also mean the 'inseperables' are stuck with each other for ever? Like in forever forever? No doubt if they are the best of chums then everything will be OK. Are they allowed to swap positions. Can they swap outfits? Or are they compelled to stride through the clouds , with the light at their backs, for always. Having said that, they do appear to be very happy to do that.

Oh the joy of a job well done!

War Picture Library 490 Strange Allies

Now here's a principle to carry with you for the rest of your life - don't trust anyone who is half Italian and half Yugoslav.

It's 1945 in northern Italy. The British and Germans are unable to get the better of each other in the mountainous terrain. Both rely on using local partisans for information. But can these locals be trusted? A series of deadly coincidences makes each side suspect that they are being played by a double agent.

It's established pretty early in the story that the Germans are not really a bad bunch of guys. They know they can't win the war but they know they could win better surrender terms.

The Germans and British commanding generals from both sides seriously wounded at around the same time and are in dire need of medical attention. The only medical specialist surgeon left in Nazi Germany capable of saving the German general is kidnapped by the partisans before he can reach the general. The partisans intend on using the seriously injured and much loved general to get what they really want - a Nazi convoy of stolen art treasures. The partisans really aren't freedom fighters at all - they're bandits!!

All seems to be going well for the thieving locals and their get rich quick scheme. But things get complicated when Germany surrenders and the Germans gladly turn themselves over to their former antagonists.  However the subsequent actions of the partisans are their undoing. The Germans and British come together to rescue their respected and loved wounded leaders from their former informants and now treacherous enemy. Proving that people of mixed and dubious heritage who rely on subterfuge and treachery are unable to stand up in a fair fight.

Surprisingly, perhaps because this is a later published war picture library, there are a number of dead guys lying around. The Germans have a sense of morality about them and the British are less concerned about beating the Hun but are instead are more focused on "getting the job done".

The artist for this story doesn't appear to have a lot of time for detail. All the action is in the foreground and anything beyond that is either blank or a few quick lines. This really works well. Everything you need to visually know about the story is up front. Allowing a relatively detailed story to be nicely supported by the artwork.




...and if our first born is a male child we shall call him Chudley.

Fowler cops an AAAAH! in the back seat.

This German general needs a haircut.

Double anguish for the bad guys, an AAAAAH! and an AAAAAAAARGH!  Also isn't a bit late in the war for a P-40 to be swanning around northern Italy?

Dresoner reminds me a bit of  Christoph Waltz or should that be Landa? Also his assertion sounds pretty right.

No American artist could ever depict a British officer sending a delivery to off stump like this.

It's more fun when you put your hands up in the air. Seeeee I mean Aieeeeee!

War Picture Library 45 The Price of Freedom

Heroic Italians? In a comic about World War 2? Well you better believe it!!

Except for a few stereotypical clunkers involving uncomplimentary attitudes towards spaghetti and narrative concerns over the “incessant chatter” of Italians and their inability to annunciate simple English phrases the Italians come out looking pretty good in The Price of Freedom.

Even though the focus of the story is on the adventures of Kiwi Captain Pug Meyburgh and English Sergeant Tom Decker from the retreat in North Africa to their capture, internment and escape and then their bid for freedom it is the host of heroic Italians that truly make the story strong. These include the well meaning Private Bruzzi, the private citizen Babbino, the silent but shrewd scout Truffi and brave Sergeant Ruffini (who was responsible for the capture of Meyburgh and Decker).

Furthermore the story is enhanced by a see-sawing tactical situation in the 2nd half of the book.

The artist for The Price of Freedom provides some exceptional ink work and appears to revel in the use of black. And not just for night settings or for dramatic punctuation. Copious amounts of blank ink are used throughout giving this War Picture Library comic a wonderful quality.

Also it is very well written with the story being revealed, with right amount of information being provided as the story progresses.

The Price of Freedom would lend itself very well to some back story creation. There's more to know about the characters. What made Decker drive through the desert picking up wounded men? What of the soldiers who gave up their places so the wounded could get aid? How did Truffi become silent and shrewd. And what was Ruffini doing all that time while Meyburgh and Decker were in prison?

Another smug Nazi officer. Where do they find so many of them?

I can't figure out if this is more Allo Allo or Blackadder.

Did he spend time in Brooklyn?

Why can't they all have stiff upper lips?

Great picture!

More ink. We need more ink.

There's lot going on in this one.

Cravat, tash, bandage and stiff upper lip! All man!!

Evil looking lot. Nice panel though.

Nice Aaagh! with a little Uh! thrown in for counterpoint.

No it's not.It's all about being gallant and sacrifice and being noble!

War Picture Library 299 Long Odds

Long Odds really stinks. All the right bits and pieces are there for a good story but they just don’t come together. Likewise the illustration at times has good composition but suffers from being a bit stiff.

It starts off OK enough. There’s an introduction to brewing class tension as Sam Clark is involved in commando officer cadet training and fails to pass. His friend Peter Hyde suspects it is because Sam Clark is the son of an engine driver. A watch goes missing under mysterious circumstances, the mission to take the airfield almost goes wrong, trust is lost and then regained, heroic self sacrifice is offered, a deathbed confession is rendered and the troubled are laid to rest.

Sounds good? Except that the class tension doesn’t develop, no suspicion is laid around the missing watch, the airfield mission is an overwhelming success and apart from Clark’s final confession there’s no hint in the story that Clark is a troubled soul.

And this is the trouble with Long Odds there’s ample opportunity for consequential angst but it never gets a chance to develop.

It has an excellent cover though. Also when the commandos get into trouble they really take a beating.

Oh yes…there’s not an arrrrghhh to be seen.

This party would be a lot better with girls. When are the girls turning up?

Instant death? Is that the same as instant coffee?

 

Caution. Commandos at work.

When, suddenly, I spied them. I saw a pair of pale green pants with nobody inside them!

.

I'm not happy! My short ink and paper life is about to be snuffed out by a poor story line.

Bad guys! They don't like showing their faces.

 

Poor blighter. He didn't even get the chance to say Arrgghhh!

Battle Picture Library 456 - Killed in Action

The trouble starts for number 7 platoon when their troop ship gets damaged off the coast from Salerno as they prepare for invasion. They appear trapped below decks and are ready for the worst before they are rescued and sent into battle. If this experience is not morale shaking enough, first their trusted lieutenant and then their leading Sergeant are killed. Colonel Gordon unaware of their ordeal is outraged by their lack of morale fibre and grudgingly consents to the Medical Officer's advice to send them to a quiet sector of the front. Of course it only gets worse from there...for everybody.

I must admit I picked this one for the cover and the fact that there were an 8 extra pages highlighted by the white flash in the bottom right hand corner.

However this story has a lot more depth to it than the usual picture library serving.

A mysterious Canadian officer comes to the trapped platoons rescue making Colonel Gordon exclaim that the Canadian was the "bravest man he had ever seen". Then in a twist for a Battle Picture Comic the heroic Canadian manages to get himself killed.

The colonel's statement of course puts him at odds with the survivors of 7 platoon. The colonel is even more dumbfounded when he learns the Canadian was really an American deserter.

I was expecting the same old same old stereotypes when I started reading this story - and I must admit I was pleasantly surprised. Potential lead characters are killed off, the hero doesn't make it to the end of the story to be bathed in the approaching sunrise, there are depictions of dead allied soldiers and the main character turns out to be the initially unforgiving colonel.

Killed in Action is certainly a step up from "we'll beat the Hun, chaps".