Battle picture weekly - Terror Behind the Bamboo curtain

[Lew Stringer]

Interesting stuff, Geoff. I still haven't found time to start reading my run of Battles yet, and I've just bought a year's run of 1978 issues to add to them. (This now gives me a run from No.1 in 1975 to the end of '78, but with about 20 issues missing at the end of 76/start of 77).

One thing I've noticed from some issues is the poor print quality of the newsprint ones, with finer lines dropping out. (The machine lettering isn't best served there either.) Still, I'm sure I'll enjoy them. Like you said, the line-up of artists is of a very high standard. IPC were on fire with Battle, Action, and 2000AD back then. Originally, I'd only read Battle from 1980 onwards, so (apart from Charley's War) I'd missed the best stuff. Looking forward to getting engrossed in them next year.

[colcool007]

Interesting stuff, Geoff. I still haven't found time to start reading my run of Battles yet, and I've just bought a year's run of 1978 issues to add to them. (This now gives me a run from No.1 in 1975 to the end of '78, but with about 20 issues missing at the end of 76/start of 77).

One thing I've noticed from some issues is the poor print quality of the newsprint ones, with finer lines dropping out. (The machine lettering isn't best served there either.) Still, I'm sure I'll enjoy them. Like you said, the line-up of artists is of a very high standard. IPC were on fire with Battle, Action, and 2000AD back then. Originally, I'd only read Battle from 1980 onwards, so (apart from Charley's War) I'd missed the best stuff. Looking forward to getting engrossed in them next year.

Over a year's worth of Fighting Mann in there drawn by Cam Kennedy. That's one of the highlights you have to look forward to Lew.

[Lew Stringer]

Interesting stuff, Geoff. I still haven't found time to start reading my run of Battles yet, and I've just bought a year's run of 1978 issues to add to them. (This now gives me a run from No.1 in 1975 to the end of '78, but with about 20 issues missing at the end of 76/start of 77).

One thing I've noticed from some issues is the poor print quality of the newsprint ones, with finer lines dropping out. (The machine lettering isn't best served there either.) Still, I'm sure I'll enjoy them. Like you said, the line-up of artists is of a very high standard. IPC were on fire with Battle, Action, and 2000AD back then. Originally, I'd only read Battle from 1980 onwards, so (apart from Charley's War) I'd missed the best stuff. Looking forward to getting engrossed in them next year.

Over a year's worth of Fighting Mann in there drawn by Cam Kennedy. That's one of the highlights you have to look forward to Lew.

I thought Fighting Mann started in 1980, Colin? I remember reading it back then. As I said, it's the 1975 to 78 issues I've bought.

[colcool007]

Over a year's worth of Fighting Mann in there drawn by Cam Kennedy. That's one of the highlights you have to look forward to Lew.

I thought Fighting Mann started in 1980, Colin? I remember reading it back then. As I said, it's the 1975 to 78 issues I've bought.

Oops! My bad! I am suffering from premature publication there! But you still have some goodies in there such as the Pat Wright work, Spinball Wars and most of Joe Colquhoun's run on Johnny Red. And that's not to mention my favourite LRDG officer Major Eazy.

[Lew Stringer]

Over a year's worth of Fighting Mann in there drawn by Cam Kennedy. That's one of the highlights you have to look forward to Lew.

I thought Fighting Mann started in 1980, Colin? I remember reading it back then. As I said, it's the 1975 to 78 issues I've bought.

Oops! My bad! I am suffering from premature publication there! But you still have some goodies in there such as the Pat Wright work, Spinball Wars and most of Joe Colquhoun's run on Johnny Red. And that's not to mention my favourite LRDG officer Major Eazy.

He hee. No worries, Colin. Yes, some great material there. Condition of the comics isn't too bad either. Some are a bit foxed, which is a lower grade than I'd usually buy, but 52 issues for £60 is a good deal.

[geoff42]

Hi, Lew, you will really have to fill that gap as regards those missing 20 issues... that's when Battle really starts to go through the gears and sets the tone for the rest of 1977. I've yet to read the 1978 issues. Ultimately, I believe Battle's decline coincided with Dave Hunt's departure in 1979. Dave definitely took Battle to heights that, I imagine, both Wagner and Mills hadn't foreseen. Of course, he struck oil with the Valiant merger and the blessing of artists such as Bradbury, Colquhoun and Cooper. So, the issues from 1980 onwards, with the exception of Charlie's War, would always be chasing past glories. The thing is... poor Dave was hoodwinked into leaving Battle for a soccer comic that never materialized in the end.

[geoff42]

After 8 issues, the readers came in with their feedback. Spinball Wars suffered the worst and, as expected, fuelled enough disparity to compare with El Mestizo.

[geoff42]

The Sarge was a popular ongoing series by the end of January 1978, 32 episodes and ongoing. Not many serials endured beyond 20 episodes, never mind 30. But Gerry Finley-Day, the writer, missed a vital trick with his popular series: he failed to give the Sarge an ongoing nemesis... but he actually did for a mere six episodes: "Kidd the Killer". Initially, the Sarge trained Kidd to be a sharp shootist, but Kidd got the "killer" instinct too bad and actually started to collect water bottles from his every "kill". The Sarge soon realized he had spawned a merciless killer. Already, by this time, Gerry had established two regular soldiers in the Sarge's company. Gerry could have written a small epic here with his ongoing characters alongside a cold-blooded killer. In the hands of Alan Hebden, I'm pretty confident that a small epic would have endured. Unfortunately, Gerry had the Sarge and Killer Kidd square off too early. Oh... the lost potential for a good series. The Sarge carried on for a good period thereafter but... Gerry! You had something there that was so quickly dismissed!

[Adam Eterno]

Well Geoff

After reading your musings on Battle I've now completed the first 43 issues up to the end of 1975.

If I'd been buying this as a kid, I think I would have moved on by now. Terror and Bootneck boy would have had me very interested in the earlier issues but after Terror's wimpy demise and since Danny Budd joined the SBS, I haven't been anywhere close to being enthralled. I'm still very involved with Danny's character but the plots need more substance and some better secondary characters. I miss his Uncle and cousin!

Lofty's One-Man Luftwaffe was OK as is King of the Yanks. D-Day Dawson and Rat Pack are usually readable although I keep finding myself thinking that it's about time Dawson "bought it"! Merrill's Marauders has only just started and after only 4 or 5 issues I can see the storylines of introducing eccentric characters each week wearing on me in a fairly short time if they continue although I'm enjoying it so far. Mike Nelson has never grabbed me as I find his exploits too unrealistic and his nemesis about as dangerous as Dick Dastardly. Fortrose Falcon, Battle Badge of Bravery, and Coward's Brand on Bradley were all average at best.

After such a negative appraisal, I am still going to persevere with 1976 as I know what/who is coming and by all accounts, things get much better.

[geoff42]

Hi, Adam, I agree with your sentiments. The first year seemed like a slog in parts. And you're spot on with the Bootneck Boy. He went to war too early; should have been grounded for a good few more months and suffered more woe at the hands of his uncle and cousin.

[geoff42]

This letter reminded me of the Terror Behind The Bamboo Curtain story and why the Battle readers failed to engage with it. After applauding Johnny Red, James goes on to disparage the Joe Two Bean's story arc during Jan/Feb 1978 wherein the first three episodes focused mainly on Joe's buddy and blood brother - Sawdust Smith who, after being framed for murder, is holed up in a harsh penitentiary while awaiting trial. In the meantime, Sergeant Shavehead Kane, also of Indian heritage, is hellbent on giving Sawdust a hard time in a bid to make him confess to the murder. The story is quickly wrapped up thereafter when Joe secures Sawdust a temporary release after beating Kane in tribal combat, enough time to find the true killer and clear Sawdust's name.

However, it is the first three episodes that underpins Jame's dissatisfaction (gauging the eight week period in which letters are published). The protagonist, his ally in this case, is forced into a passive mode and bears prolonged torment. This type of storytelling contributed largely to Bamboo's failings on which previous observers have commentated. The typical Battle reader, predominantly young, teenage boys, simply weren't prepared to empathize with any hero's sufferance. They wanted proactive hard men. James stated in his letter that he felt that the original point of Joe Two Beans had been lost - hunting and killing Japs in the jungle, perhaps?

Considering the dissent over a few episodes of a soldier's subjugation, then a whole series based in a POW camp as Bamboo was; it never stood a chance.

[Tammyfan]

Bamboo Curtain is now attracting a lot of interest and discussion for a serial that didn't do well initially. It's amazing what the Internet can do.

[geoff42]

Hi, Tammyfan, along with Adam Eterno , we felt it was one of the best stories going alongside Bootneck Boy (interestingly, he was suffering quite a lot domestically in the early episodes) when Battle launched. It's a shame that they wrapped up Bamboo quite lamely. I'm presently reading the march/april issues of Battle and yes: there's a heckuva machismo tendencies flying around with these issues but there is a softness yielding for one particular series which I will comment on next. It still packs a lot of action but, at the same time, affords affinity for the reader with which to embrace the heroes. Yeah, I know, it's a romantic-kill-em-all-thing... but it works... really!

[geoff42]

After 24 episodes (yes... that is a long time for any series in Battle), The Sarge suddenly shifted gear and would go on to cement an even greater popularity among the readers. The making and breaking of "Killer Kidd" was the pivotal storyline. I've already commented on this story recently and expressed my misgivings over the premature showdown but Gerry Finley-Day (the writer) definitely compensated when he gradually formed an ensemble cast to support the Sarge over the following weeks - no less than nine faces and nicknames to establish a deeper affinity for the reader to embrace.

Up until "Killer Kidd", the Sarge had plodded along, mirroring its protagonist's demeanour - methodically smoking his pipe while appraising the potential danger of imminent conflict. There certainly was no absence of action, but the general theme lacked in substance. From Dunkirk to North Africa, the Sarge was solid and dependable, particularly with Mike Western's art, but its direction was as predictable as the outcome of the battles of Tobruk and El Alamein.

Then, with an ongoing campaign in Italy and a huge cast, the Sarge transcended its dour roots and gained a remarkable richness in character. To strike a parallel with Darkie's Mob is tempting but the unsettling, claustrophobic intensity of Darkie remains unchallenged. Still, the decision to suddenly focus more on character than action deserves an applause, especially for a series that was already popular and could have continued regardless.

Unfortunately, this is Battle wherein heroes are easily dismissed. The odds of this ensemble cast remaining intact by the end of the series are, I suspect, extremely long. And the romance of all this (which I promised in my last post to Tammyfan) is unmistakable despite all the killing. Why? Because the reader literally falls in love with all of the characters on display of which he/she does not want to see die. And that is Gerry's magic ingredient for this series - we love our heroes.

[Phoenix]

Bamboo Curtain is now attracting a lot of interest and discussion for a serial that didn't do well initially. It's amazing what the Internet can do.

Yes it certainly is. However, may I draw your attention again to your very first post on this thread (Aug 30 2015) in which you used the expression dark streaks because on that same day, a mere thirty-five minutes after you had used it, I asked you if it was a legitimate usage or one that you had just coined. Regrettably you didn't reply. As you are online, or you were when I started to compose this post, could you please do so now, or at least within the next few hours.