Finally up for pre order and I have to say I am gutted. It has been a real pleasure re reading (or in some cases for the first time ) this absolute classic but I do wish that they would reprint the Russian Civil War stuff. Some of the visuals from those stories were amazing. Will now have to track down the originals (with the risk of being tempted into trying to complete the collection!) It would be great if they would reconsider ending here. Perhaps a Downing Street Petition?
Quote from: Tjm86 on 22 February, 2013, 05:49:24 PM
...but I do wish that they would reprint the Russian Civil War stuff.
I didn't know they weren't doing those. Such a shame. I suspect most people know relatively little about our involvement in that war and I was particularly looking forward to that arc.
On the one hand I agree as I'd love to read those post Mills stories, after all its still Colquhoun but on the other hand the point it reaches in volume 10 is the point now believes the story should have ended and it does seem (from what I know) like a very fitting ending.
I think in the recent podcast Pat had a very elegant solution. End this series here with volume 10 and then release the last stories, including the WWII stories as some sort of Joe Colquhoun art book or the like. All parties happy and we get those stories.
By my calculations the Russian campaign is in volume 10. Counting the pages left from the end of volume 9 to the end of the Russian saga would give us around the right amount of pages. Seeing as there's 128 pages in volume 10.
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 22 February, 2013, 06:16:34 PM
On the one hand I agree as I'd love to read those post Mills stories, after all its still Colquhoun but on the other hand the point it reaches in volume 10 is the point now believes the story should have ended and it does seem (from what I know) like a very fitting ending.
I think in the recent podcast Pat had a very elegant solution. End this series here with volume 10 and then release the last stories, including the WWII stories as some sort of Joe Colquhoun art book or the like. All parties happy and we get those stories.
TBH that would be my preference as well. I remember reading some of the WWII storyline and even at that tender age thinking it was milking things a bit. I know from the Eagle reprints that the final episode of WWI has Snell gleefully informing Charley that he is on his way to the Russian front. The DVD reprints I've got cover the first 11 episodes of the White campaign up to the Summer of 1919 as they only go up to issue 500 and I've yet to see anyone doing a DVD of Battle for issues after 500. If I remember my GCE History correctly the Russian Civil War ran on until 1921 but the British and American involvement petered out long before then (sorry, my interest was more in Stalinist Russia).
QuoteBy my calculations the Russian campaign is in volume 10. Counting the pages left from the end of volume 9 to the end of the Russian saga would give us around the right amount of pages. Seeing as there's 128 pages in volume 10.
Looking at the numbers I think this might be correct. Volume 9 ended at issue 473 with the last WWI episode at 489 so that is only 16 episodes at 3 pages each for 48 pages. Allowing for the introduction and the Versailles feature (the commentary and introduction ran to 11 pages in volume 9) that still leaves over 60 pages.
Quote from: Tjm86 on 23 February, 2013, 02:19:12 PM
The DVD reprints I've got cover the first 11 episodes of the White campaign up to the Summer of 1919 as they only go up to issue 500 and I've yet to see anyone doing a DVD of Battle for issues after 500. If I remember my GCE History correctly the Russian Civil War ran on until 1921 but the British and American involvement petered out long before then (sorry, my interest was more in Stalinist Russia).
We were only involved until late 1919 (October/November, I think?) I agree completely about the WWII episodes - no real interest in seeing them - but the Russia campaign wraps up the Snell plotline and gives real closure to Charley's story.
I'm not quite sure of the specifics but I believe Pat Mills has said his storyline ends up with Charley back home and on the dole and that's where this series will end. Is that after the Russian stuff?
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 23 February, 2013, 04:22:08 PM
I'm not quite sure of the specifics but I believe Pat Mills has said his storyline ends up with Charley back home and on the dole and that's where this series will end. Is that after the Russian stuff?
That bodes well, then! Yes, the Russia stuff wrapped up all oustanding plotlines, as I say, and then we fast-forwarded to 1933 and Hitler's election to Chancellor with Charley on the dole - which was the point Pat stopped scripting.*
*I reserve the right to be completely wrong, given that this comic was published before I was born and my knowledge of the end of the strip - which I've never read - is culled from various articles and interviews I've read over the years!
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 23 February, 2013, 04:22:08 PM
I'm not quite sure of the specifics but I believe Pat Mills has said his storyline ends up with Charley back home and on the dole and that's where this series will end.
I barely remember this strip beyond the Meg reprints, but it's great that it's just 10 volumes of fishing for rats and mates in sacks War Is Hell and then the main character goes on the dole in the middle of a depression.
That's how you do a kid's comic.
The WW2 Charley is competently written and excellently drawn, but its in no way comparable to Mills stories. IIRC his son is involved, a case file style might be the way.
I hate when stories are not completly collected, because material is considered inferior. Yet again the Dan Dare stuff from the sixties remails collected.
I would buy the WWII part of Charley's War without hesitation. Joe's artwork is superb and although the story isn't written by Pat it isn't that bad. Joe's work deserves to be collected regardless of writing credits. I'd buy books of every strip that man drew.
I knew Charley's War covered WWII but I didn't realise there was any of it set in the Russian civil war. I'm only on volume 1 though so I've a long way to go yet. :lol:
Then you are in for plenty more treats. I keep running them past our History department in school who use them regularly with the kids since WWI is a regular topic. One subversive way of getting the kids hooked. Plus giving a more varied version than the usual history text books.
The deal Titan have with Pat Mills is that vol10 will be the last book, ending off with his last storywhen Charley returns from Russia & is living on the dole.
The deal says that if they want Titan can publish the rest of the story under another range like their "best of Battle" series, due to Pat wanting to keep his stories seprate from the weaker stories that came afterwards even though still drawn to the same high standards as before by Joe Calquohon so vol10 is going to be the last one.
There is a chance that they may do a special edition next year to coinside with the 100th anniversary of start of the war but the deal has yet to be done.