This one may seem unorthodox, but this had a lasting affect on me as a lad growing up.

Have a look at the link below, the art work I especially think is special and was penned by a guy called Joe Colquhoun.

http://charleyswar.tripod.com/

It told the tale of a young boy who lied about his age and joined the British Army in time for the horrors of the Somme. It pulled no punches in its gritty storyline and you can now buy the original story from the above site.

You can also purchase back copies from a comic called Megazine, which has been printing the story since around December 2003.

Just look at the artwork to see what I mean.

Steve Smith

Steve,

As you can see from the previous thread listed below (and many others), Charley Bourne is a great favourite with a few of us here:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...arley's+war

Derek,

Thanks for that!

Steve

You can pre-order the 2nd Volume with amazon for 10-49p
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1...8424948-1929449
Don't forget to use the amazon link on this forum - earn Chris a few bob.
Can't wait - think I'll read Volume 1 tonight
Glyn

Glyn,

Thanks for the "heads up" on the new volume - I can't wait.

Megazine has just finished with the story involving the Zeppelin Raids on Silver Town. If I'm right Charley goes back to the front after this and the story of Blue and the Bullring at Etaples will be next.

I just wish I'd kept my old copies of Battle Action!

Steve

As a result of posts on this forum I got hold of a copy of this recently, it not being the sort of thing I would have been interested in as a teenager. I must say it is a superb piece of work, both in terms of the artwork and the writing. Having also read Her Privates We recently I was amused to note the nod to Manning that Pat Mills gives in the naming of some characters.

Cas

Once again I give you the original and the best .. the whole series in my possession .. come on CHRIS!!!

Next page

end of this strip

Des.

You must be as sad a case as I am!!!

I've still got the whole Charley's War story (covering 1916 - 1940) cut out and preserved from when I was a kid! (I think you already knew that? )

Dave.

Des of course has posted a story of the 1960's precursor to Charley-Bob Miller, whose adventures right through the war were chronicled in The Victor. I'm still hoping someone will remember the sequence which appeared after the main series where Miller went to Gallipoli.

Ah yes, the British pig-dogs. Long time no see. Donner und Blitzen before they became reindeer.

2nd Volume arrived today.
I will be off forum for a few hours tonight - got some reading to do.
Glyn

Received my copy of volume two this week. I've been waiting for ages. I write about Charley's War in my thesis, and have been in touch with Pat Mills. He's a really nice guy and has been extremely helpful.

Dave

Just got my copy of vol 2 today. Great stuff, and superb artwork.

I've not read any of Charley's War beyond a quick scan in a bookshop but I've noticed the large amount of favourable comment on this forum.

Having read the material attributed to the author Pat Mills on the web site referred to earlier on this thread, it's clear that it was written with the intention of promoting a particular and rather one-sided view, e.g. futility, stupid generals, coercion, working-class cannon fodder, etc., etc. This quote seems to sum it up: "The theme on Charley's War, for instance, is clearly that the British government and its ruling class were responsible for the murder of a generation; everything in the story should reflect the theme."

Now, I understand that some people might hold that view but what puzzles me is that I'm pretty sure that many of the people here who've expressed their liking of Charley's War don't hold that view. I'm interested in how people see that apparent conflict. Is it perhaps like Blackadder, where you can admire and enjoy the humour even if you think it's a simplistic and misleading view of the Great War.

I'm not trying to prove any point or criticise anyone, I'm just genuinely interested.

Regards

Anthony

Anthony,

I was around 10 years old when I was introduced to Charley - he was my first experience of the Great War. And it was a defining moment in my life.

30 years later I can see the stereotypical characters for just that but I don't criticise the writer for that - he had a job to do and had to sell comics for a living.

And now my son is reading the reprinted books so the cycle is repeating. Hopefully he will now want to go and read other books on the subject and develop his own views on the subject.

As a starting place for kids to learn about the Great War "Charley's War" is excellent - it is worth purchasing the books for the quality of its artwork alone.

Anthony,

I think it's important to remember that Charley's War was originally published within the pages of Battle, a comic containing gung-ho war stories. I don't think children of the time would necessarily have viewed it as something radically different to other stories such as Darkie's Mob and Johnny Red. It's only really as adults aware of the different responses to the war on the Western Front that we can say we agree or disagree with Mills' sentiments. Similarly, there has been a lot of fuss recently about the Christian allegory in C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. While it is clear to me now, it wasn't apparent at all when I read it as an 8 year old. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that the intentions of the author and the interpretation of the reader are not necessarily one and the same. What do others think?

Best,

Dave

Like Des and Dave (and plenty of others no doubt!), I still have the whole series cut out and preserved.

It certainly had a great influence on me and I can't think of another comic strip to compare with it. However, I must admit to being disappointed recently to hear Pat Mills quoted as saying it was an anti-war story or something similar. To me the best thing about Charley's War was that it represented all those who had served in The Great War and did not appear judgemental at all. I wonder if that was the feeling when the story was being written or something he decided later. If it was written as a subtle tirade against 'butchers and bunglers' I'm glad I didn't read it that way.

Dave Budgen is right that it was originally intended for schoolboys but it is certainly worth re-reading - if only to see how neatly Mills drew his reference from so many published memoirs and tied them all together into a cohesive story. Joe's illustrations are still superb all these years later too - and, apart from anything else, it's still a great story. Mind you Dave - it always was a cut above Johnny Red!

Taff