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Hello and help

Posted: 28 Aug 2012, 12:50
by Anna
Hello,

My name’s Anna and I’m researching war comics as part of a project at the University of Lincoln. I’ve come to this forum to see if anyone would be good enough to give me any advice (I’ve read all the books I can find on the subject, plus blogs & websites, plus the Illustrated Comic Journal at the British Library, which was really useful) and also because I’ve discovered I do quite like war comics, especially Battle, in particular Johnny Red and Charlie’s War, but also Braddock in Victor, Rover etc.

For my research I’m hoping to explore the influences (e.g. profit, cultural and political changes, reader feedback, artists and writers) on publishers of war comics - among other things investigating why and how comic characters changed over time, e.g. becoming more complex and violent in the 1970s. I’m also interested in the use of class e.g. in Braddock and Charley’s War.
I had overoptimistically planned to look at publishers' archives and see how the influences were reflected in, e.g., minutes from editorial meetings, records of readers’ letters etc. However I’ve discovered that there aren’t really any available archives, so now I’m hoping to interview former editors, writers, artists and other people involved in war comics from as early as possible (is there anyone still around from the 1940s and early 1950s comics?) up until the 1980s, who might have an opinion. I was wondering if anyone could give me any tips on who would be good to talk to, also, if anyone has any views on the subject in general I’d be very glad and grateful to hear them.
Many thanks :)

Re: Hello and help

Posted: 28 Aug 2012, 13:32
by Raven
You may find the book 'When the Comics Went to War' by Adam Riches, with Tim Parker and Robert Frankland helpful, though check this forum's search engine for information about errors therein:

http://comicsuk.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.p ... 3228&hilit

Re: Hello and help

Posted: 28 Aug 2012, 13:45
by Anna
Thanks :) Yes, it was. I've read it, but didn't know about the errors, so I'll check those out.

Re: Hello and help

Posted: 28 Aug 2012, 13:52
by Raven
You may not have spotted this: there's an interesting appendix to A Haunt of Fears by Martin Barker (a book about the British Horror Comics Campaign): "The Forgotten Cause For Concern", on the ideology and disturbing racist angle in some Korean War comics in the Fifties, focusing on Battle Stories (US reprints), which had a big British print run.

Many archives have been cast to the winds, and it can be difficult to identify and locate many figures from the secretive old British comics industry, where so few people were ever even publicly credited, unfortunately. But you've probably already finding that out!

Re: Hello and help

Posted: 28 Aug 2012, 14:44
by Anna
Thanks again, yes, actually I read that appendix just a couple of weeks ago, it was very interesting, I'd never heard of them before.
Yes, the comics business is strange. It seemed quite tangible when I started and now it seems I can get only so far and there's a blank.

Re: Hello and help

Posted: 28 Aug 2012, 19:43
by stevezodiac
George Low edited Commando comic from 1963 until a year or so ago perhaps you could contact him through DC Thomson or make a request on the Commando section of this forum. If you google "george low commando comics" there is a BBC news piece celebrating the 4000th issue with comments from readers. Commando also has its own website at http://www.commandocomics.com. It is still published with eight issues a month.

Don't forget Paddy Payne - Warrior of the Skies a long running RAF character in Lion comic.

Re: Hello and help

Posted: 29 Aug 2012, 21:19
by paw broon
Anna, I'm not sure from your question if you are only interested in British war comics but, as American comics have been mentioned by Raven (Battle Stories), you may be interested in these:-
http://comicbookplus.com/?cid=824
Lots of different government pamphlets and American PD comics.
More American war comics:-
http://comicbookplus.com/?cid=1119
http://comicbookplus.com/?cid=893
http://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=16078
http://comicbookplus.com/?cid=1604

If you click this link it'll take you to the main site where there are piles of war comics and you can check the titles for yourself. If you only want to read on-screen, just click the title you want and you can work through the comic with the on screen buttons. You don't have to join - unless you want to, that is - and it's completely free.:-
http://comicbookplus.com/?cid=1507

Hope I'm not sending you on a wild goose chase.

Re: Hello and help

Posted: 03 Sep 2012, 18:08
by Anna
stevezodiac wrote:George Low edited Commando comic from 1963 until a year or so ago perhaps you could contact him [...]
Don't forget Paddy Payne - Warrior of the Skies a long running RAF character in Lion comic.
Thanks, that's a good idea. I had previously given Commando a bit of a wide berth as it seemed just too big, and also I'm keen on Victor and Battle etc, but in terms of interviewing and material available it's probably the way to go.
Will definitely take a look a Paddy Payne.

Re: Hello and help

Posted: 03 Sep 2012, 18:16
by Anna
paw broon wrote:Anna, I'm not sure from your question if you are only interested in British war comics but, as American comics have been mentioned by Raven (Battle Stories), you may be interested in these:-
Thank you :) Yes, I should have said, I'm just looking at British comics, but it's a really interesting site and my colleagues are doing the U.S., so I'll pass on the links to them.