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Battlefields #4-6
The Complete Battlefields, Volume Two
Introducing all three acclaimed Garth Ennis Battlefields books from Volume Two of the series in one massive, hardcover collected edition Battlefields: Happy Valley - England, January 1942: young Australian Ken Harding arrives at his first operational squadron, keen to play his part in the aerial attack on Germany as the commander of a bomber crew. Losses have been high and life expectancy is low, but Ken remains undaunted - until he meets his crew, a foulmouthed, battle-hardened bunch with no time for new boys who can't stand the pace. Together, they must take the war to the enemy over the most heavily-defended region of the Third Reich- the industrial heartland of the Ruhr, known to the men who face the flak and nightfighters as Happy Valley. Battlefields: Firefly & His Majesty - The Tankies' Sergeant Stiles returns, recently promoted and angrier than ever He's got a new crew and a new tank - a Sherman Firefly with a high-velocity gun capable of taking out even the fearsome German Tiger. Too bad the enemy have a new tank of their own - the mighty King Tiger, with twice the armor and firepower of the original Battlefields: Motherland - Lieutenant Anna Kharkova is posted to single-seat fighter aircraft and sent straight into action. Hardened and embittered by the loss of her comrades, Anna is only too keen to get her teeth into the enemy- but with Russian and German armies about to collide in the titanic battle of Kursk, her first flight with her new squadron may well be her last
200 pages, Hardcover
First published May 10, 2011
31 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Garth Ennis
2,625 books3,172 followersEnnis began his comic-writing career in 1989 with the series Troubled Souls. Appearing in the short-lived but critically-acclaimed British anthology Crisis and illustrated by McCrea, it told the story of a young, apolitical Protestant man caught up by fate in the violence of the Irish 'Troubles'. It spawned a sequel, For a Few Troubles More, a broad Belfast-based comedy featuring two supporting characters from Troubled Souls, Dougie and Ivor, who would later get their own American comics series, Dicks, from Caliber in 1997, and several follow-ups from Avatar.
Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.
Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.
Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.
While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.
Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.
After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.
In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.
Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.
In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.
In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garth_Ennis
Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.
Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.
Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.
While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.
Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.
After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.
In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.
Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.
In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.
In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garth_Ennis
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 16, 2017
Another great Volume.
There is some great information at the end of the book from Ennis giving thanks to the researchers and advising that all the stories and characters are based on real life stories. It's very interesting the effort they've gone to and it shows in the stories.
My favourite story in this deluxe Volume is when they introduce the Ozzies! The amount of swearing is hilarious and the stereotypes of the English are hilarious.
Great book.
There is some great information at the end of the book from Ennis giving thanks to the researchers and advising that all the stories and characters are based on real life stories. It's very interesting the effort they've gone to and it shows in the stories.
My favourite story in this deluxe Volume is when they introduce the Ozzies! The amount of swearing is hilarious and the stereotypes of the English are hilarious.
Great book.
March 23, 2018
Reading a book of Garth Ennis World War II stories is one of my great pleasures, and this volume may feature his peak work in the genre.
July 7, 2021
Garth Ennis cares deeply about his subject, and it shows. It's not as flashy (or obnoxious) as his more well-known work on Preacher or The Boys, but this is some of the best writing of his career.
September 12, 2013
Garth Ennis, who grew up reading not only DC's war comics, but the fantastic British weekly Battle Action, is one of the very few writers still producing war comics today. Ennis brings a deep knowledge of the Second World War to his work in Dynamite's Battlefields series, each volume collecting three, 3-book mini-series. Though Ennis had me in Vol. 1 with his creation of the "Night Witch" Anna Kharkova, based upon the real life female Soviet fliers who demonstrated seemingly insane bravery against the German invaders, I decided to review, and rate higher, Vol. 2 because of the story "Happy Valley," about an Australian pilot and crew of a Vickers Wellington bomber engaged in nighttime bombing over the German industrial heartland in the Rhur Valley, nicknamed "Happy Valley," by the bomber crews who had to fly into the hellish mix of flack and night-fighters night after night. Ennis crafts an edge-of-your-seat tense story, that is almost a little too real, and in so doing reveals the power and promise of war comics as a genre and art form.
March 26, 2016
Ennis and war equals classic storytelling
October 11, 2019
An interesting collection of WWII comics. The first tale dealt with Russian female fighter pilots, the second had an Australian in British bomber unit over Germany while the third had Sgt. Stiles leading a Sherman Firefly on the hunt for a King Tiger. Interesting stores with sources listed in the back. Not a bad read.
March 20, 2020
Possibly a better volume than the first, partially due to the bear complete absence of Ennis' more puerile sense of humour and occasional misogyny.
The three tales are exciting and inviting and Ennis plainly has a deep respect for the men and women whose stories he profiles.
The art for each book is rich, and allows for enough for the eye to pull out it's own details without being overly stylized or crowded.
A genuinely great read, and well worth the time and money.
The three tales are exciting and inviting and Ennis plainly has a deep respect for the men and women whose stories he profiles.
The art for each book is rich, and allows for enough for the eye to pull out it's own details without being overly stylized or crowded.
A genuinely great read, and well worth the time and money.
July 20, 2022
Incredible illustrations, heart-wrenching stories! Garth Ennis can do no wrong with these WWII comics. Funny enough, Stiles from “Tankies” in the first volume of Battlefields (which was my least favorite story) returns and becomes my favorite story in this volume.
June 9, 2019
Love these books. Not because they are happy stories but because the connect the stories I have read with pictures and a mood that makes it more real! Recommended
January 4, 2024
One of the better war books out there. Great stories great art that matches the story. The 2 nd story even got me choked up a little.
November 28, 2024
Lo senti como un compilado de hechos curisosos de la guerra, creo falto dearrollr y concluir en mayor detalle las historias.
November 3, 2024
Gritty and human focused. Really appreciate Ennis' break down of how and why he wrote the series the way he did.
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June 6, 2019More excellence from Ennis and company. Two of the three stories here follow two stories from the first volume, about Russian aviator Anna Kharkova and British tank commander Sergeant Stiles, respectively. The former is my favorite in this collection. It’s much less brutal than the first outing, but an excellent character piece as Anna, weary from her Night Witches days, must decide whether to go it alone or fight alongside her comrades. The Sergeant Stiles story pits the tank crew against Nazi Tigers just as the war is ending. I loved learning more about why Stiles is the way he is. The tank engagements are tense and exciting, especially that last one. Russ Bruan and Carlos Ezquerra continue strong on art duties.
“Happy Valley” rounds out the book. Here, we witness a novice pilot struggle to survive and make himself at home in an Australian bomber crew. There’s some great dialogue and drama in this story, and the ending is very powerful. Unfortunately, it's brought down by shoddy inking and coloring. All in all, though, another stellar volume.
“Happy Valley” rounds out the book. Here, we witness a novice pilot struggle to survive and make himself at home in an Australian bomber crew. There’s some great dialogue and drama in this story, and the ending is very powerful. Unfortunately, it's brought down by shoddy inking and coloring. All in all, though, another stellar volume.
September 9, 2013
The second collection volume of Ennis' brilliant and deeply researched look at World War II and the pain, heroism, madness, camaraderie, and violence of the people fighting the last "good" war. Story arcs include a sequel to "The Night Witches," about female Soviet pilots; life as an RAF bomber pilot; and another Tankies story where Sergeant Stiles must use his new Sherman Firefly against one of the last of the King Tigers.
Like anything by Ennis it's foul-mouthed and bloody, but it has a verisimilitude that's both damning and inspiring.
Like anything by Ennis it's foul-mouthed and bloody, but it has a verisimilitude that's both damning and inspiring.
January 15, 2012
Just short of 5 star, but definitely among the best comics I have read. I haven't read any war comics before (other than 2000AD SF/horror sub-genre stuff) so can't really compare it properly. The gritty realism in all of the stories stopped me from getting caught up in the heroes - while not being history, the tales aren't fantasy either.
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October 20, 2012cool.
May 4, 2014
Love Anna Kharkova. Good writing, good art, horrifying portrayal of war.
April 18, 2017
Meno interessante del precedente, raccoglie un'altra storia di carristi inglesi, una sull'equipaggio australiano di un bombardiere in servizio in Inghilterra e la prosecuzione delle vicende dell'aviatrice sovietica del primo volume, che è la storia migliore del mucchio.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews