Written by Pat MillsArt by Joe Colquhoun
I have been wanting to dive into Charley's War, which ran in four-page instalments in British weeklies starting in 1979, for a while now. I've always been interested in the First World War, and had always heard good things about this comic. I've had a number of the hardcovers for a while now, but didn't have the first one, and wanted to wait and read them in order.
Charley Bourne is a sixteen year old boy who lies about his age to be able to go off and fight in the Great War, arriving at the Western Front in June 1916. He's not the brightest of lads, which he knows, but he makes up for it in heart and courage.
He is stationed near the Somme, and his unit becomes involved in that great slaughter. Pat Mills researched this title meticulously, and has Charley exposed to many of the depravities of war, including chemical gas attacks. He does not spare any time in making the war feel patriotic or justified - it's a terrible thing, and while Charley knows it, he does his best to make it through with the help of his friend Ginger and various other soldiers we get to know through the course of the book.
Mills uses Charley's letters home, and his family's letters to him, to help provide a lot of the exposition, which is a very effective way to get to know the characters better. He also shows the effects that the war has on the morale and mental well being of the soldiers. As well, we see the last cavalry charge, probably of all time, and recognize how slow the people in charge of the war were to adapt to new technology and circumstances.
Joe Colquhoun's art in this book is frequently stunning, while remaining rather cramped. He conveys a lot of information on each page, and gives a realistic portrayal of life in the trenches.
This is a very good book, although owing to the episodic nature of the original strip, it leaves the reader hanging, which is a problem as I don't own the next volume yet. It's time to start hunting that down...
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