Charlie’s War. The Boy Soldier is a classic in war comics, created by two legends of The Nine Arts: Pat Mills for script and Joe Colquhoun for art, which is published by cARTEm Comics in general.

Generic CARTEm Comics, Charlie’s War. Soldier Boy, a compilation of the stories of World War I hero Charlie Bourne, was first published in Battle Picture Weekly from January 1979 to October 1986.

The creators of the story, Pat Mills, script and Joe Colquhoun, the picture, are wonderful British artists with many masterpieces. Colquhoun is also a veteran of World War II, who before starting his Fine Arts studies was battle fatigue and fear of never seeing a new dawn. Mills, for his part, has been well-documented about the Great War, despite unfounded criticism of his use of fantasy elements in history.

The Great War was the first war to be classified as a world war, because the combatants came from all over the planet. They fought against Europeans, Australians and New Zealanders, Americans, as well as colonial troops from Senegal, Namibians, Libyans, Hindus…

The beginning of the war led to a great advance by the German and Austrian troops, but the opening of the Eastern Front in 1915, the fronts were very limited, which led to the creation of the trench war (something that had happened before between the Japanese and the Russians). The War (1904-1905). The standoff continued until America entered the fray and looked like a tank.

Although the Russian Revolution allowed the Germans to close that front and occupy Poland, reaching within 65 kilometers of Paris in May, it meant the defeat of the Central Powers in 1918. A United Nations counteroffensive in August prompted Germany to sue for peace, and the armistice was signed on November 11.

Conspiracy

A total of eighty-six episodes collected in Charlie’s War. The boy soldier, enrolled in the British Royal Army at the age of only 16, sees the evolution of Charlie Bourne through the willful blindness of his employer and realizes that the depictions and ideals of war are not the same on paper. In fact, its strength makes it grow beyond biological expectations.

Charlie’s recruitment precedes the Somme campaign, one of the most carnage of the Great War. All stories are supported by historical support, the main character is seen not only in wastes and battles, but also in secondary lines and at home.

Brutal characters do not only in German lines, but in turn, in British. The victims of these heartless characters are often senior officers, soldiers and subordinates under them. A clear example is seen with Lieutenant Snell, who does not hesitate to use his position as cannon fodder as Charlie commands.

The plot is not about good and evil, but much darker, closer to a real war. This darkness is brightened by the typical spark of conflict, where friendship, bravery and heroism shine. But the action is intense and exciting, does not allow the reader a little rest.

The authors

In the year And the plot shows more meanings to the actions than the war.

In this sense, Mills shows in his work that the current rules stop at the moment of crisis. Illegal recruitment itself is used ironically by Mills to prevent minors from enlisting – undermining legality – but readers can understand this from the first reading of the work.

The total volume of Charlie’s War is the stories presented in the various episodes. The boy soldier who is with the real cruelty of the war, with the precision of the brutality that the reader does not escape, wants to come to help, bringing the human element that shares the tragedy of the incident in front. Charlie and his companions in labor.

Joe Colquhoun knows how to use Mills’ script and draws it with painstaking detail and realism, which, being a black and white comic, allows him to appreciate his work clearly and accurately. The writing of the script with irregular winglets, some rectangular, frameless, circular… makes the action clear and continuous, so that there is no waiting, the reader can hardly take his eyes off the paper.

The characters, the equipment and the settings perfectly recreate the atmosphere of the Great War, accurately referencing the early documents made for the work, in addition to the experience in the war, which makes him participate in the paintings. Experiences of suffering in the Second World War.

This Colquhoun’s life experience means that the picture does not diminish in the slightest, because it conveys power and emotion to the reader, who can identify without a doubt the emotions conveyed by the characters, which makes the action seem to have really taken place. Reading the whole volume of Charlie’s War. The soldier’s son.

Edition

The great classics deserve the best finish, which is why cARTEm Comics has not done the publisher’s character and has produced a product with a unique and appropriate finish for the content it has recaptured. From the bookshelf.

In this collection of classics, without a doubt, the cornerstone of cARTEm Comics: Drácula by Fernando Fernandez, in its 40th anniversary edition, as Hijos de la Alhambra by Paco Roca.

Charlie’s War is bound in cardboard and has a large format of 21 x 27.6 cm and 320 pages long, translated by Victor García de Esusi. In addition, the section includes brief biographies of the authors, detailed explanations of the various sections by Pat Mills, as well as ten covers in full color, taken from Battle Picture Weekly.

Charlie’s War. Soldier Boy is a great work that bravely tackles themes of class exploitation, though it would be better if it were enjoyed without irony. In short, it is a war classic, at the same time anti-war, a gem in the library of good comics.

The most important war comedy of all time

Considered by many to be a milestone in the war comedy genre, “Charlie’s War” transcends its pages to capture the grim reality and human drama of World War I, one of the most devastating conflicts in history.

The story centers on Charlie Bourne, a young patriot whose humble origins lead him to enthusiastically enlist in the army and embark on his journey to the Western Front in 1916.

Deep penetration into the horrors of the pits

At first glance, Charlie’s decision to join the army may appear to be a sentimental and romantic response to the call of his country, with a sense of nationalism. However, as the plot develops, it gives us a much deeper and more moving picture of the main character.

Charlie emerges as an idealistic 16-year-old boy, full of dreams and hopes to make a difference in the world, a representation of the innocence that war is about to take.

The story takes a drastic and heartbreaking turn when Charlie is caught up in the terrible trench conflict on the Western Front. The trenches, once a symbol of protection and protection, have become a claustrophobic nightmare where death lurks in every direction and reality is distorted until it loses its meaning.

The reader witnesses through Charlie’s eyes that the young man is turned into a soldier by the brutality of war.

It is a desperate struggle to survive in the garbage every day. Constant rain, shortage of food and medical supplies, constant threat of enemy attack and loss of comrades make for a bad story.

The story is not just about action and violent scenes, but also delves into the emotions and moral dilemmas Charlie faces as he tries to hold on to his humanity in the midst of chaos.

Beyond the war

Throughout the narrative, “Charlie’s War” depicts the psychological and emotional effects of war on the lives of those who fought in the conflict. Charlie’s moments of introspection and internal dialogue allow the reader to glimpse the struggle between the need to survive and the search for meaning in destruction. His relationships with other soldiers and his losses become catalysts for personal evolution.

Ultimately, “Charlie’s War” is not just an account of battles and military tactics, but a deep examination of human nature in times of conflict. The story highlights the fragility of youth, the brutality of war and the constant struggle to protect humanity in dire circumstances.

Through its stunning graphic narrative, the comic invites readers to think about the human cost of war and never forget the horrors that can occur when ideology and conflict collide on the battlefield.