Battle (and war comics) from 70s-80s that hold up? And fun?

[PsychoGoatee]

I've never read any Battle comics, but as a 2000AD fan I'm of course curious to try some. Are there any that might be entertaining and fun to read, and hold up with the least you know racially of the time and uncomfortable with the real issues etc? I know war is a serious subject, but I'm looking at it more for its part in adventure comics history.

I'm curious about Major Eazy of course, for Carlos. John Wagner is my favorite writer, but Darkie's Mob sounds a bit heavy and not on the fun side, which is cool, but I wonder if any of his other war comics might be more my thing as well? And any others in general? Clash of the Guards looks good.

And by fun I mean I still enjoy the drama and intense stuff, but you know in that entertaining 2000AD kind of way, where it does feel safely in the fiction realm etc. Also I heard this kind of comic is an influence on Rogue Trooper. So pretty much looking to take a tourist trip into this era of comics a little, anything that might be a good read for me?

[Colin YNWA]

If you've not read Charley's War you are missing a real treat as well as an important comic.

[WhizzBang]

As Colin has already mentioned, Charley's War by a very big margin. If it was a 2000AD strip it would be in the top 5 of all time.

I was disappointed by Major Eazy. I bought a lovely glossy reprint of a large batch of stories and the Carlos art is lovely and keeps you going. (I think Carlos carried the Tharg The Mighty stories, but Major Eazy isn't as bad as that). My problem with Major Eazy is that he seems to have jedi-like powers. His shots always hit, even if he isn't trying. He always reads the situation correctly and nobody can fool him. He is always effortless great and there really is no challenge for him since whatever happens he will resolve it with minimal effort.

Read Charley's War instead as it might be Pat Mills best ever thing - and he wrote Robusters, ABC Warriors, Nemesis, some big early Dredd stuff, and Slaine.

[PsychoGoatee]

Appreciated!

I read the preview pages on the store for Eazy and Clash, and them being these cheesy perfect shot super antiheroes is probably to me closer to what I'm looking for actually. Granted it could get repetitive, especially with these being 3 or 4 page stories instead of 6 or more serialized ones at times. But I wondered if maybe those went somewhere interesting anyway. And any other ones available.

So for me I'm not so much looking for the best, I'm looking for "the best of the rest" with my own parameters. But Charley is on the list too, do you like any of the more easy read fun ones as well? Seems almost like two different kind of things. And for another more serious one, HMS Nightshade looks kind of cool, but is only in an out of print hardcover from 10 years ago.

And side note, a more recent Carlos one, anyone like Tankies by Ennis? And for Ennis ones I'm actually looking for whichever ones are least horrific. I know, kind of a unique request, the gentlest war comics. 

[Funt Solo]

John Wagner is my favorite writer, but Darkie's Mob sounds a bit heavy and not on the fun side, which is cool, but I wonder if any of his other war comics might be more my thing as well?

If you buy the 2003 COMPLETE JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE COLLECTION (megs 201-213), then you get all of Darkie's Mob (and thirteen episodes of Charley's War). Lots of other stuff in there, of course.

[WhizzBang]

do you like any of the more easy read fun ones as well?

Probably Johnny Red is the next one. As a kid, I did enjoy Major Eazy and at the time I loved the strip. Johnny Red was a great one too but Charley's War is the one that transcends its publishing time and stands up to a re-read.

[Colin YNWA]

And side note, a more recent Carlos one, anyone like Tankies by Ennis? And for Ennis ones I'm actually looking for whichever ones are least horrific. I know, kind of a unique request, the gentlest war comics. 

Love Tankies (and sequel) and indeed all of Ennis' war stuff he just nails the tension and horror perfectly. As for least horrific boy I'm not sure he does that. They all tend to pull at the heart strings a bit. Maybe Happy Valley with our own PJ Holden. Another Carlos one is Adventures in the Rifle Brigade, which is very comedic (I actually didn't like that one so much).

do you like any of the more easy read fun ones as well?

Probably Johnny Red is the next one. As a kid, I did enjoy Major Eazy and at the time I loved the strip. Johnny Red was a great one too but Charley's War is the one that transcends its publishing time and stands up to a re-read.

Yeah Johnny Red is a good call. Love original Johnny Red. Maybe Sarge is worth checking out I didn't enjoy it as much as I remembered in the lastest collection but its on the gentler side.

[lincnash]

When Carlos was in the wilderness after his 'disagreement' with Tharg over Dredd and the earliest Prog's, he did a long run on Rat Pack in Battle weekly.
Usually self contained one off stories, kinda like Battle's version of the Dirty Dozen movie.

[PsychoGoatee]

Very cool, good stuff, thanks!

[Barrington Boots]

I absolutely love Battle.

As others have said Charleys War is a stone classic. Johnny Red is 100% the best one to read outside of that, its great.

If you want Wagner's finest hour on Battle, HMS NIghtshade is fantastic and one of my favourite things ever in Battle. It's a single, lengthy story with a definite ending with humour, action and pathos. A bit bleak, but less so than Darkies Mob.

Rat Pack and Death Squad are both very similar strips about penal squads of ne'r do wells being sent on suicide missions. They're really good, although better read in small chunks as they get very samey. I prefer the characters in Rat Pack personally.

I'd hugely recommend The General Dies at Dawn, which is a lovely twisty epic tale, again with a definite ending. D-Day Dawson is definitely worth a read. I really really like The Sarge - it spends the first half of the tale building the characters up and then the second half killing them off, which as a kid was a thrilling and mortifying read! Finally should mention Fighting Mann, which is a Vietnam / Cambodia war strip and whilst it isn't a favourite of mine - I was never as keen on the US-centric Battle strips and, like Darkies Mob, its got issues with race: Battle was good at the more nuanced portrayal of Germans at time but very rarely of Asian antagonists and thats evident here whilst the Americans are more or less whiter than white - its regarded as a highlight of the comic.

[hellscrape]

Is Darkie's Mob recommended? I personally enjoy bleak tales and can accept racism in a story, given that it is true to the time of the story. Also, that Wagner writer is alright.

[Colin YNWA]

Is Darkie's Mob recommended? I personally enjoy bleak tales and can accept racism in a story, given that it is true to the time of the story. Also, that Wagner writer is alright.

Its really good on the context of a 'boys' adventure war story of the time.

[Barrington Boots]

I really rate Darkies Mob. If you enjoyed Bad Company, it's along similar lines. Some of Mike Western's best ever work imo too.

[Doomlord66]

I was a regular reader of Battle Picture Weekly from issue 1.
As with 2000ad, it had stories that were really great, some neither great or bad, and some awful.
The stories I particularly liked in no particular order were

Charleys War
Johnny Red
Major Eazy
Rat Pack
Darkies Mob*
The Sarge*
D-Day Dawson
Bootneck Boy (often not mentioned but I liked it and it was written by Gerry Finley Day)
HMS Nightshade*
The Team That Went To War*
El Mestizo (set in US civil war, art by Ezquerra, written by Alan Hebden)
Joe Two Beans
Crazy Keller

* All by artist Mike Western, loved his artwork.

[Doomlord66]

There were a few enjoyable strips with Germans as lead

The General Dies at Dawn
Deathsquad
Fighter from the Skies
Hellman of Hammer Force (joined Battle from Action)

Also there was Loftys One Man Luftwaffe about an RAF pilot, escapes a POW camp wearing a German pilot uniform, fluent in German, joins the Luftwaffe to wage war from within.