Battle Picture Weekly, later known as Battle Action, was a British war comic published by IPC Magazines from (issues dates) 8 March 1975 to 23 January 1988, when it merged with Eagle. Most stories were set in World War II, with some based on other conflicts. An act of war - the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan during World War II War is a state of widespread conflict between states, organisations, or relatively large groups of people, which is characterised by the use of violent, physical force between combatants or upon civilians. ... Comics (sometimes spelled comix) are combinations of words and images into a medium for telling stories. ... IPC Media is a large British publishing company, mainly producing consumer magazines. ... March 8 is the 67th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (68th in Leap years). ... 1975 was a common year starting on ghjgh Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... January 23 is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1988 is a leap year starting on a Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Eagle was a British weekly comic, which ran in two main volumes over the period of 1950 to 1994 (with accompanying annuals). ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrinations, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons like the atom bomb World War II, also known as the Second World War, was by far the bloodiest, most expensive, and most significant war in...

In 1974, in response to the success of D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd war comic Warlord, IPC hired freelance writers Pat Mills and John Wagner to develop a rival title. Mills and Wagner brought in fellow freelancer Gerry Finley-Day to help develop stories. When the title proved a success, Mills went on to create Action and 2000 AD, while Wagner was asked to revive Valiant. D. C. Thomson & Co. ... Pat Mills, nicknamed the godfather of British comics, is a comics writer and editor who, along with John Wagner, revitalised British boys comics in the 1970s, and has remained a leading light in British comics ever since. ... John Wagner, is a comics writer who has also written under the pseudonyms John Howard, T.B. Grover, Mike Stott, Keef Ripley, Rick Clark and Brian Skuter. ... Gerry Finley-Day was a hugely prolific British comic book writer of the 1970s and 80s, responsible for Rogue Trooper, Harry 20 on the High Rock, Invasion (following on from the first episode by Pat Mills), M.A.C.H.1, Ant Wars, The VCs and Fiends of the Eastern... Action was a controversial British comic published by IPC Magazines from (issues dates) 14 February 1976-12 November 1977, when it merged with Battle Picture Weekly. ... 2000 AD logo 2000 AD is a weekly British science fiction oriented comic. ...

Notable stories included:

• Rat Pack, written by Finley-Day and initially drawn by Spanish artist Carlos Ezquerra, about a group of convicts released from prison to carry out suicide missions, inspired by The Dirty Dozen.
• Major Eazy, by Alan Hebden and Ezquerra, a laid back, cigar-smoking British officer who drove a Bentley, visually based on James Coburn. For a time Major Eazy became the commander of Rat Pack.
• Darkie's Mob, by Wagner and Mike Western, a violent series set in the jungles of Burma, with the renegade Captain Joe Darkie leading a group of lost soldiers in a personal guerrilla war against the Japanese
• Johnny Red, written by Tom Tully and drawn initially by Joe Colquhoun, later by John Cooper, about a British fighter pilot flying for the Russians
• El Mestizo, by Hebden and Ezquerra, about a former slave turned mercenary in the American Civil War
• Hellman of Hammer Force, written by Finley-Day, starring a German tank commander
• Charley's War, by Mills and Colquhoun, a First World War story set in the trenches of the Somme

Garth Ennis has stated that Battle was "one of my favourites as a kid and a big influence on my own work. I used to enjoy Darkie's Mob, Crazy Keller, Hellman, Cooley's Gun, the later Rat Pack stories, Death Squad, The Sarge... the list is endless". Carlos Sanchez Ezquerra, born November 1947 in Zaragoza, Spain, is a comics artist who works mainly in British comics and currently lives in Andorra. ... This article is about the well-known movie; Dirty Dozen may also refer to the rap group D12. ... Bentleys winged B hood ornament For other uses of Bentley, see Bentley (disambiguation). ... James Coburn James Coburn (August 31, 1928 - November 18, 2002) was an American movie actor. ... Distinguish from the type of ape called a gorilla. ... Tom Tully (August 21, 1908 – April 27, 1982) is an actor. ... Joe Colquhoun (1927-1987) was a British comics artist best known for his work on Charleys War in Battle Picture Weekly. ... The American Civil War was fought in the United States from 1861 until 1865 between the United States – forces coming mostly from the 23 northern states of the Union – and the newly-formed Confederate States of America, which consisted of 11 southern states that had declared their secession. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... Somme is a French département named after the Somme River. ... True Faith by Garth Ennis & Warren Pleece Garth Ennis is a Northern Irish comics writer, best known for the DC/Vertigo series Preacher, co-created with artist Steve Dillon. ...

See also

• British comics

British comics is the art form of comics as practiced within the United Kingdom. ...

External Links

• Battle Picture Weekly at Comics UK
• Colonel Marbles' Battle fansite
• Charley's War fansite