Battlefields, Volume 3: The Tankies

Battlefields #3

by Garth Ennis, Carlos Esquerra (Illustrator), John Cassaday (Illustrator)

After D-Day came the battle for Normandy, when largely untried Allied soldiers met the seasoned veterans of the German army. As Panzer units and SS troops turn the French countryside into a killing ground, a lone British tank crew struggle to rejoin their squadron. Cut off behind enemy lines, their only hope lies in their fearsome commander, Corporal Stiles- but no one in the crew can stand him, and Stiles isn't too fond of them either. And there are Tigers lurking in the undergrowth...Garth Ennis teams up with Judge Dredd co-creator Carlos Ezquerra for his third installment of the DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT's Battlefields series. Featuring issues 1-3!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, War, History, World War II, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book

88 pages, Paperback

First published October 13, 2009

About the author

Ennis 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

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little snippet into the British's foray into Normandy and France. It follows a green tank outfit as the Brits get their arses kicked. Definitely displays the horrific side of war. This book is very graphic. Some of the accented dialog is hard to pick up. I found it's easier to understand if you speak it out loud so you can hear it too. Once I started with that I didn't have any issues. Of course, you probably want to do that when you're alone so you don't look like a child learning to read.

[Javier Muñoz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Típica historia de guerra un poco intrascendente en la que Ennis demuestra su conocimiento sobre muchos aspectos de la segunda guerra mundial: armamento, vehículos, hechos históricos, anécdotas variadas de distintas batallas... no es una gran historia pero son los detalles que salpican aquí y allí lo que hacen de este cómic una lectura entretenida.

[Albert Yates · Rating 3 out of 5]

I get what they were trying to do with the story. the team battles during the European stage of the war were important, especially astound dday.

but the language, holy cripes, I couldn't figure out what the were trying to say most of the time.

4/5 for art
2/5 for dialog

[Timo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Closest Garth Ennis has ever got to his youth of Commando-stories. There were climpses of brutality of war, but mainly, this was an adventure.
With Esquerra art. Nothing can beat that.

[Luana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid military adventure the type of which Ennis can write in his sleep by now.

[47Time · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Reet! Let's see if we can find the war then!'

The death of a tank squad commander sees the introduction of some hilarious dialogue from a character with a Geordie accent. I have to read it out loud to understand it, but it's the funniest war story I've read in a while.

The British tanks were always inferior to the German ones, though the dedication of their crews is just as high. They have to work harder for a kill, but they never back down. The Geordie character has escaped the several tanks destroyed under his command, so his new crew is obviously concerned with his losing streak. He does have luck on his side this time though which seems to extend to his crew as well.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is not a book for younger kids, but it did not appear to be meant for them. It was brutal. Then again, war is brutal. This book was not a glorification of war, but a much more realistic look at it. Instead of trying to explain what it might have been like to be in a tank, Ennis brought us into one. The readers rode along with the crew of a tank and got to experience, vicariously, the fear and uncertainty felt by those men. He took a historical event and brought it to life. And did a dang good job of it.

I received an eARC of this book through Netgalley in return for an honest review.

[Kai Charles(Fiction State Of Mind) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Coyer Summer Bash

This is a brutal bloody look at the life of tank drivers during WW2. It's tense and stressful but a rivetiing read

[Colin Oaten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typically humorous tale from the team of Garth Ennis and the sadly missed Carlos Ezquerra following a tank regiment on the front line.

[Jonathan Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in one sitting. I really enjoyed it and learned a bit about the Normandy Breakout. Very well done

[Adrian Bloxham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nasty and violent war comic

[Mayank Agarwal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Volume 3 of the series is not as good as the earlier stories. Like the previous volume it’s based during WW 2 only the theater this time around is Europe. It’s about a novice British tank crew facing the Germans who are against the walls after the Normandy landing. Loved how the author shows the real conditions of the troops, the actual fighting strength and weakness on both sides & the tactics used. The book didn’t have much going on for itself on the plot front; it’s more about the characterization which makes for solid officers, would have loved more insight on any of those characters. Some of the dialogues and incidents are a gem.

This volume again has a new artist and his work is good, the gore art with lots of destruction is done up well.

If i were not comparing it to the previous volumes the comic would have been a solid 4 star.

[Elizabeth]

ok, character is not ALWAYS plot. there could have been a bit more plot to this but it OOZED character!

I was especially impressed by the SS tank officer who had about 3 frames onstage and didn't actually SAY anything, yet made me yell aloud spontaneously, "YOU F***ING NAZI BASTARD" (almost the identical words of the guy who spoke in the next frame--he chose an even balder epithet--but I didn't know that yet)

I didn't enjoy this anywhere near as much as the first in the series, Night Witches, but I'm persevering.

[Mati · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tank..men in Tank...more Tanks...got trashed by lesser German force...Tanks exploding. People shouting. Emotions were oozing. It was not as good as Night Witches or Dear Billy.

[Kenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ennis is really up there with his war stories.Men vs machines. Gawd ! I love tank battles and the heart behind the machine.

[William Fuentes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting WW2 Tank battles graphic novel.

[Ted Henkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story telling and far more realistic than the war comics I read in my youth.