Charley's War overview.

[Colin YNWA]

Had a nosey at the new edition 'Charley's War: A Boy Soldier in the Great War' and while the improvement in a lot of the art is very tempting the fact that I'm not sure if they are going to complete the series in this new format makes me wonder. Shame as otherwise I'd defo go for this. The smaller size is more than made up for with the cleaner art. BUT I don't want to have the series in two different formats.

So for the time being I'll stick with me lovely original hardbacks.

[vark]

I double my post here for better visibility.

The exhibition will be held at the Musée de la Grande Guerre de Meaux (50-60 km from Paris), starting tomorow at 7 pm in the presence of Pat Mills.
http://www.museedelagrandeguerre.eu/expositions-charley_s_war_une_representation_anglaise_de_la_grande_guerre

A detailed list of what will be exposed can be access through the "Télécharger le dossier de presse" link on the same page. It's in french but still.

Also, and I have already talk about this here, a limited print portfolio (500 copies, 60 €, out since yesterday) have been produced for the occasion by Delirium, the label responsible for the French adaptation of Titan Books collection. It features 10 reproductions from the original art in A3 size.

[vark]

Here is the detailed description of the portfolio (in French but it's really not difficult to get an idea).
http://myabsolutecollection.blogspot.fr/2014/10/la-grande-guerre-de-charliecharleys-war.html

[Proudhuff]

If anyone is near Kendal I fully recommend this: http://www.abbothall.org.uk/exhibitions/great-war-comics

Seeing Joe Colquhoun artwork up close is an amazing and inspiring thing espically the trenches and the exploding airship. All well worth a trip to Kendal, or if you're anwhere in the area a detour.

Rumours abound of many many more pages located this year, so hopefully there will be more of these coming out over the next wee while and Joe getting the recongition he deserves. There was talk at The Lakes comic con that given the orginal artwork has been found, there will be a new 'version' of all Charlie's War, taken from the cleaned up orginal art not from repros.

The Great War in Comics
28 September - 6 December 2014
Marking the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, Abbot Hall Art Gallery and the Lakes International Comic Art Festival are bringing together for the first time the work of three internationally-acclaimed artists who have shed new light on this conflict through the medium of comic art. This September the art of Joe Colquhoun, Charlie Adlard and Ivan Petrus will provide an alternative perspective on the reality of war.
Charley's War has been described as 'the greatest comic strip ever created'and from 1979 until 1987 formed a unique collaboration between pioneering writer Pat Mills and acclaimed war artist Joe Colquhoun. The comic strip rarely flinched from providing a frank portrayal of the horrors of war, with Colquhoun willing to subvert traditional techniques of comics' illustration by opting for heavy inks, messy backgrounds and stark facial expressions to depict an exceptionally dark atmosphere.

[Colin YNWA]

I've just finished a re-read of all 10 of Titan's Charley's War reprint volumes and while I'm not sure I have anything new to add to the chorus of praise this strip has recieved that's never stopped me before, so here I go.

This is definiately the greatest UK kids comic strip. This possibly my favourite comic strip of all time. It is simply brilliant. It makes a mockery of those that would mock adults for reading comics aimed at children or teens. It blasts a healthly broadside at those that try to ridicule people's choices by using the term nostalgia as if its simply a bad thing. Its a child's comic that should be read by adults to appreciate the astonishing level of craft and skill that made it. Reading it evokes so much nostaglia which makes the experience of revisiting it now as an adult all the more powerful.

As a strip in its own right the fact that its 6 year run (as captured in these volumes, which do have the perfect ending), as completed to the standard it was by only two creators, who happen to be at the very top of their game, is its greatest strenght. That Pat Mills and Joe Colquhoun maintain this standard of work with such consistancy over its entire course is quite breath-taking. The strips format, a kids comic told in 3 page episodes really helps it as a body of work. Its high octane, none stop, boys own stuff and that really fortifies its subverse anti-war message. Its dropped in, out of context and thus works its way into you so much more deeply. Especially when you compare it to some of Pat Mills later work when he can rather smash you over the head with his anti-establishment stance. The fact that Charley himself is never anything other than the loyal, brave solider really makes this work as well. Its a reflection of the status quo that he was born into, both as a character and a creation. Sure he complains and raises his concerns but Pat Mills stays true to him throughout and he  always accepts his place and does his duty.

In other ways its not at all subtle, its an entertaining, thrilling explosion of a strip and the contrast between the two, the child's format and the strong message surplanted in that, makes it work so well. In every three pages Pat Mills throws so much in, information, action, message that it puts so many other writers to shame.

Joe Colquhourn makes all this possible with some of the most glorious art you will ever see. He combines a brilliant sense of place and time, you feel the dirt on you, you walk in the mud, the heat of the explosions blasts your face, with unparalleled charactisation and humanity. His mindblowing level of detail never compromises the movement and action he makes so visceral. There has never been more human, and because of that, horrific art in comics. That he's starting to get more credit these days does not get close to that fact that he should be marked as one of the true legends of the medium. Amongst the absolute best of the best.

To this heady mix pour in a little nostaglia. You see I remember this strip from back in the day. My brother and I go Battle for however long, not the entire run, but a good chunk of it and I remember the experience of reading it. Not the specifics but the thrill and excitment, the thoughts it provoked. As I read it now as a adult I can reflect upon how it dug into me, its message became entrenched into forming who I am. I can put it into the context and the world it was created in. The grim landscape of the early 80s, shiny cartoons on Saturday morning, Blue Peter in the evening, school. I see all that as I read Charley's War and it amplifies its power and magnificence all the more. Simply because I can be nostaglic about what it meant in its context, because my nostaglia for it then adds to my depth if appreciate for it now.

That is not to say that Charley's War or indeed myself are trapped in that time, are stuck in some past glory, we've  both moved on, the strip is still revelent and powerful in its own right now. I've grown and developed as a person (quiet at the back), but each of us has that context of where we came from, what we grow from. Nostaglia is a powerful and useful allie of reassessing entertainment, for both the good and the bad and there is no better example of this for me that re-reading the simply wonderful Charley's War.

[Colin YNWA]

Have just finished reading H.M.S. Nightshade in 'Garth Ennis' Battle Classics' and was about to pop over to 'What I've Read' Thread, but then remembered this thread and felt my thoughts might sit better here.

Why I imagine you all crying.

Well 'cos there's very few comics, I'd compare with Charley's War and this is one of those (the only one?).The reason being is it has so many similarities. Certainly in its tone. It feels grounded and real, while still being a high octane boys own work. And while its anti-war message might not be quite as strong as Mills and Colquhoun's it certainly lays the horrors of war honestly and horribly out with little holding back. Its almost as brilliant. Its only draw back are the Mike Weston's work isn't his best, well I say that, but its more to do with the inking being done my Ron Tiner on a couple of pages per episode that brings it down. Otherwise the art is almost up to Colquhoun's astonishing high standard.

Each character is both written and rendered so individually and brilliantly. The atmosphere and tone so perfect and tight. Its really a work of wonder and any fan of Charley's War really should be reading this simply fantastic strip. I'm so glad these gems are becoming available again.

[Hawkmumbler]

Nice one, Colin, got this piled up with a bunch of none CW Battle material from Titan and saving for a good marathon read. This'll be the first thing I read, i'm sure.