WAR STORIES Vol 2. Vertigo (DC) Comics, 2006

War Stories Vol 2. collects four issues of writer Garth Ennis’s tough-as-leather war comic book. A quasi-anthology, War Stories featured a different artist illustrating an Ennis script.

Ennis, best known for writing the acclaimed series Preacher and his work on Marvel’s Punisher and The Boys, is no stranger to glib humor paired with brutal violence. I find some of Ennis’s stuff a little off-putting – he takes the “violence is funny” maxim to an extreme – but I think most of his work has a sentimental core and a devotion to individualism, qualities that War Stories possesses. Garth Ennis war comics are like Aaron Copland music drifting across a bloody, stinking battlefield. No, not Copland’s “Rodeo.” That would be funny, but inappropriate.

Most of the four tales collected in the thick War Stories trade paperback take place during WWII, and all of them feature brutal violence, heartfelt profanity, and the evocative snarky dialogue the writer is known for.

“J for Jenny” is the grim story of a British bomber crew flying missions over Germany in 1943. Each crew member takes a turn in the caption boxes, narrating the story from their point of view. David “V for Vendetta” Lloyd’s noir art has deep shadows and grainy textures – the night bombing scenes are particularly well executed. The veteran Lloyd’s art is a perfect match to Ennis’s stark script.

Check it out:

“I know what human fat smells like.” I love that shit! The dialogue, not the smell of human fat.

Next up is "The Rievers," a story set at the dawn of modern special forces about the daredevil commandos of the Long Range Desert Group. They tear around North Africa blowing up German air bases and just generally having a good time. This story explores the fine line between an adventurous spirit and the ultimately self-destructive lust of those “lovers of war.” An officer’s ambitious warrior spirit pulls him and his men into a deadly situation where daring may not be enough. Things don’t end well.

I can’t think of a better person to illustrate this than Cam Kennedy, who draws stylized figures that feel heavy and real. Kennedy’s commandos are slightly exaggerated but completely convincing and utterly bad-ass.

The coloring really makes this book. From the headlight glare of the commando jeeps to the pale desert sky, the coloring job on this story really enhances the mood and compliments the line art.

"The Condors," with art by Spanish artist Carlos Ezquerra, is a merciless story set during The Spanish Civil War with two fascist and two rebel soldiers sharing the same foxhole during a night of hellish bombing. Each soldier tells their story, and they are not happy stories. This story was well-crafted and relentlessly grim.

The book ends with "Archangel," the story of a British fighter pilot who swears a lot.

As you can see by studying the full-page panel above, this is a POV shot from our main character’s plane during a wicked dogfight. He’s just managed to stitch a line of bullet holes across the wing of his commanding officer’s plane. This mistake does not endear himself to his CO, who banishes him to the camship program. It may as well be a death sentence.

The program was designed to provide aerial protection for Allied convoys from long-range German bombers. A modified fighter plane is launched via rocket-rail from the back of a merchant ship to fend off the enemy planes. The pilots were expected to ditch in the freezing North Atlantic or fly to land – if they had enough fuel. It was a crazy-ass idea.

Our hero thinks so, too.

"Archangel" strikes a decidedly lighter tone than the other three stories, but it is no less effective. The aerial sequences are beautifully rendered by Gary Erskine. The sequence where the RAF pilot defends the convoy from attack while his gas tank empties is brilliant and stirring.

Plus, there is a lot of swearing and explosions and planes blowing up.

If you ever enjoyed a Sgt. Rock or G.I. Combat or Haunted Tank story, do yourself a favor and check out both volumes of Garth Ennis’s War Stories. 9 times out of 10 he strikes a perfect tone, balanced somewhere between awe and cynicism, blood and glory. Go check that shit out and thank me later.