Battle Action #1 HMS Nightshade / Johnny Red

[Tjm86]

Well the new series has begun and it's a thing of beauty to be sure.  Subscribing to this series was a definite no-brainer in light of the standard of the material that has come out in the last few years.  As always Ennis and Wagner show themselves to be superb writers with these two stand-alone stories.  Burns reprises art duties following on from the mini-series of a few years ago (and if you've not read that, why not????) with Cornwell picking up on Nightshade.  Wagner is right, he's filling big boots taking on from Western and Lloyd (one of the DC one-shots for Ennis' first Battlefields run featured Lloyd's amazing artwork, again something of a crime if you've not picked those up but again I digress).

The two tales are, as mentioned, one-shots.  Wagner opts for the reminiscing vignette approach with a former sailor regaling his grandson with tales of convoy duty.  It's a great intro for anyone not familiar with Nightshade and sets the scene nicely for future stories (or, and here I'm getting down on my knees and begging ... a series or two ...).  As with Holden on Stringbags (not going to say it but you know what I'm thinking ...), Cornwell's artwork fits nicely.  As the tale is a series of snapshots of life on the ship, it moves at a rapid pace.  The focus is on the constant brutality of convoy duty and he captures it well.

As for Johnny Red, Ennis opts for a a fairly standard plot that would have fit nicely in Battle of yore. In some respects the conclusion is fairly predictable as Johnny deals with a German fighter-bomber crew targeting lone fighters on landing.  That is not to sell it short though, Ennis delivers the tale with panache. There are some nice comic touches involving a flock of ducks and a real falcon.  The usual supporting cast are present.  Johnny is as vicious and cunning as ever.

Burns' cover, in this case the HMS Nightshade webshop exclusive, is exceptional.  In honesty his covers are of a higher standard than his strip-work.  Then again there is quite a difference between Burns and some other artists.  Langley for instance (and this is purely personal before I risk excommunication) produces amazing covers but his strip-work can be impenetrable at times.  It is just too dense.  Burns doesn't suffer from that.  There are shades of Henry Flint at times and the only thing that he suffers from is comparison with the original Battle artists.

If this is the standard for the rest of this series then it looks like we are in for a treat.  Perhaps the best thing about this is that the next issue is only a month away.  Then of course there will no doubt be the inevitable torture of the option to double dip with the collected edition.

[JohnW]

In honesty his covers are of a higher standard than his strip-work. 

Not sure if I agree with you there. Burns has fast become one of those artists who I'll gawp at no matter what he's doing, but if forced to choose I'll take his inked strips over his painted covers.
Not sure I can justify buying this issue-by-issue either, given postal charges. I don't see any option for digital.
That means I'll have to sit here sulking, listening to the rest of you praising this to high heaven, while I wait however long for the collected edition.
Grumble, mutter, etc.

[broodblik]

Standard cover for issue 1 by Keith Burns:




Keith Burns' HMS Nightshade 2000AD/Treasury webshop exclusive cover:




John Higgins' comic shop exclusive cover:

[Barrington Boots]

Got to agree that this is of very high standard and has to be one of the best releases this year. Follows on from the hardback special but the standard of writing and art is really, really good.

Garth Ennis's Johnny Red isn't quite Tom Tully's original version, but the dialogue and supporting characters in this, and his Hurricane mini-series, is much better at portraying the camaraderie and gallows humour of the combat unit. His Johnny is suitably ruthless, but human enough to be relatable. The story is a one-shot so the storyline isn't weighty, but it feels like the sort of thing that could have slotted into old school Battle yet remains an enjoyable read now. Really good stuff.

John Wagner's return to HMS Nightshade though is pretty much perfect. As Tjm says it's a good intro to the story (although it does give the end away) and captures the mood of the classic strip perfectly. An element of the ending resonated very strongly for me on a personal level meaning this was an incredibly moving read for me and the end left me more than a little teary-eyed. Lovely work from Dan Cornwell as you'd expect, doesn't try to emulate Western and makes it his own.

The cover is brilliant - John Wagner had it with him this weekend and it's a real thing of beauty, looks like it should be up in a gallery.

I really loved this. If the rest of the series is as good, can't wait to read it.

[Jim_Campbell]

I don't see any option for digital.

Now that it's the official 'on sale' date for #1, there's a digital option available in the webshop (I've just bought one).

[broodblik]

I don't see any option for digital.

Now that it's the official 'on sale' date for #1, there's a digital option available in the webshop (I've just bought one).

I also bought the digital version: https://shop.2000ad.com/catalogue/RCS2353D

[broodblik]

JWare normally the digital version is only available on the day of release you cannot pre-order it.

[Tjm86]

Might also be worth keeping eyes peeled on the high street.  Our branch of Smiths, a pokey little affair by any standard, has generally carried pretty much all of Rebellion's output.  I can understand with the postage issue as well but then I plugged for the subscription based on the strength of the last couple of tomes.

[Dark Jimbo]

And you can still get the 5-issue bundle via the shop.

[Colin YNWA]

I don't think this was a good as the recent special. HMS Nightshade was good and Dan Cornwell's art was amazing. Alas while this was an emotional story it didn't really add anything to the original, or 100 other war is terrible stories. Its done expertly, as you'd expect from John Wagner, just not grasping anything new.

To be fair Johnny Red is similar but the fact its a little breezer and playful in what's its doing strangely makes it stand out moore to modern war tales. Its good, nothing more.

I'm still chuffed that this comic exists and it might be victim of my expectations as this is just good and maybe I was hoping to be as blown away as I was buy the recent special.

[Link Prime]

Very solid first issue, I have pre-ordered the lot based on it.