Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Non-Wargaming Discussion => Chat & News => Topic started by: Sunray on 26 May 2014, 12:56:34 PM

Title: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: Sunray on 26 May 2014, 12:56:34 PM
The clearance of Sunray's study and attic continues-  discoveries constantly being made.   A shed full of memories and nostalgia.  Last up was a box of 1960s/70s war comics - Commando published by D C Thompson, and two Fleetway Library collections of Valient and Battle.

I have to say I find the historical accuracy of the artwork to be generally amazing.  As a boy, I clearly did not appreciate the research into the detail of the tanks, uniforms and the aircraft.   In 1969 they retailed for 1/- , and must have been aimed at an "older than me" target audience as the standard ad. on the back page was inevitably for budget engagement rings !

The narrative is  generally  about square jawed working class heroes, who overcame adversity, and quite often won a gallantry medal - posthumously.  When I think of the same menu that was fed to us by the Hotspur, Hornet, Victorand Valient I can understand why so many of my generation gravitated towards the military as a career.

Does anyone else on the forum share these memories?  Did they shape us towards wargames?


Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: fsn on 26 May 2014, 01:24:08 PM
Och aye!

Have you read "Achtung Schweinhund!" by Harry Pearson? Tickle the memory bones of everyone "of that age".
Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: Ithoriel on 26 May 2014, 01:25:03 PM
Ah, yes, I remember it well!
Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: Techno on 26 May 2014, 04:08:52 PM
I can vaguely remember comics of a similar ilk from the early 60's.....
Cheers - Phil
Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: Fenton on 26 May 2014, 04:36:46 PM
Quote from: Techno on 26 May 2014, 04:08:52 PM
I can vaguely remember comics of a similar ilk from the early 60's.....
Cheers - Phil

Sure your not thinking of Hogarth Phil  :D
Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: OldenBUA on 26 May 2014, 06:08:36 PM
Quote from: Techno on 26 May 2014, 04:08:52 PM
I can vaguely remember comics of a similar ilk from the early 60's.....

I think you'll find the Bayeux tapestry is from the late sixties.
Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: civvycivvy on 26 May 2014, 06:45:03 PM
Yep, The Victor, The Valiant and of course the Commando booklets. Led me into Parnells History of WW2.
Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: Techno on 26 May 2014, 06:51:47 PM
Quote from: Fenton on 26 May 2014, 04:36:46 PM
Sure your not thinking of Hogarth Phil  :D

Thank you, Steve. :P ;)

Quote from: OldenBUA on 26 May 2014, 06:08:36 PM
I think you'll find the Bayeux tapestry is from the late sixties.

And thank you, as well, 'O' :P ;)

Cheers - Phil
Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: Russell Phillips on 26 May 2014, 08:44:49 PM
Quote from: Sunray on 26 May 2014, 12:56:34 PM
The clearance of Sunray's study and attic continues-  discoveries constantly being made.   A shed full of memories and nostalgia.  Last up was a box of 1960s/70s war comics - Commando published by D C Thompson, and two Fleetway Library collections of Valient and Battle.

I have to say I find the historical accuracy of the artwork to be generally amazing.  As a boy, I clearly did not appreciate the research into the detail of the tanks, uniforms and the aircraft.   In 1969 they retailed for 1/- , and must have been aimed at an "older than me" target audience as the standard ad. on the back page was inevitably for budget engagement rings !

The narrative is  generally  about square jawed working class heroes, who overcame adversity, and quite often won a gallantry medal - posthumously.  When I think of the same menu that was fed to us by the Hotspur, Hornet, Victorand Valient I can understand why so many of my generation gravitated towards the military as a career.

Does anyone else on the forum share these memories?  Did they shape us towards wargames?

I well remember Commando, Victor and Warlord. I read Hotspur, but only occasionally. A while back I bought "True Brit", a compilation of 12 Commando comics, to wallow in some nostalgia. More recently, I bought some Commando comics second-hand at the market.

Quote from: fsn on 26 May 2014, 01:24:08 PM
Have you read "Achtung Schweinhund!" by Harry Pearson? Tickle the memory bones of everyone "of that age".
I haven't, but I've just bought a copy :)
Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: Hertsblue on 27 May 2014, 09:21:59 AM
Yes, indeed. The highlight of going to the barbers on a Saturday morning and having to wait was the big pile of Hotspurs and Victors he kept by the waiting chairs.

And the Commando booklets were an especial treat - 1/- was a lot of money when I was small.
Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: Sunray on 27 May 2014, 11:28:14 AM
Ahhh...the 1960s Hotspur.  Zigimar the master spy, blowing up WW1 Germans,   Bill Samson, the Wolf of Kabul, and Nawab's Click Ba cracking Afghan sculls on the Nortb West Frontier, Grass Hopper Green in his plane and Dozy Danny Lorimer, ...living with his bullying stepfather by the Railway Arch without a social worker..   Not just comic art, there was always a good 1,000 + word narrative read in the Hotspur.

My Commando comics were swaps - but I was a hoarder, hence why I still have them.

Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: Ithoriel on 27 May 2014, 11:37:30 AM
Who else remembers this ... and wished it was real when younger?

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ydk64C5PoJs/UEtGjw6XFGI/AAAAAAAADmk/G9s-3TKktI0/s1600/Beano+1069.jpg)
Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: Russell Phillips on 27 May 2014, 11:39:46 AM
Quote from: Ithoriel on 27 May 2014, 11:37:30 AM
Who else remembers this ... and wished it was real when younger?

I remember it. I so wanted it to be real. :)
Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: Fenton on 27 May 2014, 11:57:23 AM
I did like General Jumbo...Wasnt it in the Dandy as well?...could be misremembering there though

Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: Sunray on 27 May 2014, 02:59:41 PM
Yeah, I do believe it was in the 3d Dandy, back in the days when 3d was three old pennies and not three dimensional - and yes, we all yearned for an army like General Jumbo's.    Eventually we settled for H0&00 Airfix and dice......

Do you get the feeling that we on this forum are all of "a certain age" ?  Be good sometime to get a profile of the war gaming demographic.
Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 27 May 2014, 03:30:45 PM
See the Blitzkrieg Commander forum.

IanS
Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: Hertsblue on 28 May 2014, 09:25:53 AM
Quote from: Ithoriel on 27 May 2014, 11:37:30 AM
Who else remembers this ... and wished it was real when younger?

Absolutely. But I could never understand how he could control all those little soldiers from just that small panel on his arm.
Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: Nirnman on 28 May 2014, 01:04:56 PM
Likewise
Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: Techno on 28 May 2014, 02:40:12 PM
General Jumbo looks like a forerunner of 'Q-Bikes (?)'.....Gotta  be the same artist.

A certain age ?.....Yep !.....Just depends on which childhood.
I guess I'm on my fourth (At least !)

Cheers - Phil
Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: Orcs on 02 June 2014, 09:41:26 PM
Quote from: Sunray on 27 May 2014, 02:59:41 PM
Do you get the feeling that we on this forum are all of "a certain age" ?  Be good sometime to get a profile of the war gaming demographic.

We did this a couple of months back - 70% are in the 41-60 bracket so would have grown up with those comics.  I certainly did- still have a Victor annual or two in the loft/


Below 20           0 (0%)
21-30                2 (2.4%)
31-40                14 (16.5%)
41-50                31 (36.5%)
51-60                29 (34.1%)
61-70                9 (10.6%)
71-80                0 (0%)

Total Voters: 83
Title: Re: Old war comics- pure nostalgia
Post by: Leman on 03 June 2014, 09:35:10 AM
I did have a good laugh, even in those days, at the non-PC speech bubbles with their constant references to sausage eaters, Fritz, Huns, square heads and yellow fiends. Did anyone notice that shot Germans always went 'Arrrrgh!' whereas shot Japanese went out with an 'Aieee!'. There were also a few set in WWI in which the Germans often came across as more imbued with human feeling than their WWII counterparts presumably because WWI had nothing to do with the Nazis.