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War Stories (Collected Editions) #1
War Story: D-Day Dodgers
Presents a collection of tales, set during World War II, in comic book form.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
11 people are currently reading
385 people want to read
About the author
Garth Ennis
2,624 books3,170 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 - 30 of 58 reviews
August 15, 2011
These WW2 war stories are a series of one-shot comics Garth Ennis did with a plethora of the best comics artists around at the moment including Chris Weston, John Higgins, Dave Gibbons and David Lloyd.
The stories in this volume include: the story of a Nazi tank commander as he and his crew evade their own troops in order to surrender to the Allies in the final months of the war; a group of soldiers tasked with taking Italy from the south upwards but being labelled "D-Day Dodgers" as if what they were doing was somehow worth less than what their comrades were doing in France; a group of jaded soldiers who decide to take advantage of a reconnaissance mission and hole up in a luxurious German castle for a few days; and the story of the HMS Nightingale, a battleship accompanying merchant ships as they battle unseen U-Boats across the Atlantic.
Simply put, I think this is Garth Ennis' best work and if you've read Ennis you'll know he's a tremendous writer with an enormous amount of talent and a list of brilliant books to his name. "War Stories" trumps them all. His signature black humour is missing and all of the focus is on paying tribute to the heroes who lived and died in the most brutal war in humanity to date.
The "D-Day Dodgers" was perhaps the most poignant as these thousands of men who fought their way to Berlin via Italy (my grandfather among them) were somehow seen as better off than those taking part in D-Day up in France. I'd never heard the term but was disgusted to learn that this label was indeed applied to these men as if their contribution was less than those in France. Ennis does justice to these men who died heroes despite being told they weren't appreciated.
I could go on about each of the four stories here as there are so many elements in each that are noteworthy and fascinating but I'll stop before the review goes on forever. Suffice it to say, if you're a fan of war stories, of history, of great writing, of fantastic artwork, and of brilliant comic books in general, this is a must read. That it's out of print is criminal given the fact that Ennis is not just one of the best comics writers living today but that this series is his best work. Hugely recommended, this is an amazing book.
The stories in this volume include: the story of a Nazi tank commander as he and his crew evade their own troops in order to surrender to the Allies in the final months of the war; a group of soldiers tasked with taking Italy from the south upwards but being labelled "D-Day Dodgers" as if what they were doing was somehow worth less than what their comrades were doing in France; a group of jaded soldiers who decide to take advantage of a reconnaissance mission and hole up in a luxurious German castle for a few days; and the story of the HMS Nightingale, a battleship accompanying merchant ships as they battle unseen U-Boats across the Atlantic.
Simply put, I think this is Garth Ennis' best work and if you've read Ennis you'll know he's a tremendous writer with an enormous amount of talent and a list of brilliant books to his name. "War Stories" trumps them all. His signature black humour is missing and all of the focus is on paying tribute to the heroes who lived and died in the most brutal war in humanity to date.
The "D-Day Dodgers" was perhaps the most poignant as these thousands of men who fought their way to Berlin via Italy (my grandfather among them) were somehow seen as better off than those taking part in D-Day up in France. I'd never heard the term but was disgusted to learn that this label was indeed applied to these men as if their contribution was less than those in France. Ennis does justice to these men who died heroes despite being told they weren't appreciated.
I could go on about each of the four stories here as there are so many elements in each that are noteworthy and fascinating but I'll stop before the review goes on forever. Suffice it to say, if you're a fan of war stories, of history, of great writing, of fantastic artwork, and of brilliant comic books in general, this is a must read. That it's out of print is criminal given the fact that Ennis is not just one of the best comics writers living today but that this series is his best work. Hugely recommended, this is an amazing book.
February 9, 2019
I just couldn't get into this at all. The stories are well written but the coloring on these stories is all washy. I can't really get behind the style for the art. Garth Ennis really does write his heart out, and it shows, the research, and the maturity of these stories compared to a lot of his other stories. However, I didn't really connect to any stories. It may be because Military stories usually don't do much for me. So I believe this isn't bad at all, just not for me. A 2.5 out of 5 for me. But I think most people would either enjoy it or love it, especially if like Military stuff.
May 31, 2024
Excellent story telling and very nice art. Very nice read. Very recommended
October 9, 2012
Brutal. Can't say I *enjoyed* it. Not for the faint of heart, not for children. Lots of bad language, bad behavior, and of course brutal violence. Painful. Probably a very accurate portrayal of war, and therefore, very ugly and excruciating. Well-done, in that respect. But not for everyone. I certainly cringed throughout. These are stories from real men, who cannot escape what they went through or had to do, and I do not take them lightly. These stories, however horrifying, need to be told.
May 26, 2025
Ennis' stunning commentary on humanity during war.
February 28, 2019
Johahn Kleist is the commander of a Tiger tank squad. He and his crew have been with the tank for over 2 years. The end of the war finds them fatigued and on the retreat from the swarming Russians. The massacre they have to face and the lost cause of the war has determined Johann to seek out the Americans and defect.
Second Lieutenant Ross is the newest member of captain Lovatt's regiment in Italy. The captain is depressed about the responsibility of sending men to their deaths. The reinforcements are from a dozen different countries, so it's a challenge to unite the men and promote teamwork. Their next push will be in broad daylight against heavy German defeses, though Lovatt considers the plan foolish.
Near the end of the war sergeant Brewer and three of his men are ordered to scout a villa for a future HQ. A part of the German army is still fighting, so he wants to be ready for it. Unfortunately his commanding officer, the communications and supply guys, even the cook, all get on his nerves with their dismissive attitude. The war is not won yet. He reminds himself of the men he lost in the senseless fighting.
The destroyer Nightingale of the Royal Navy is one of the ships in a supply convoy headed for Russia through the Arctic Ocean. They deal with battleships, fighters and U-Boats. On top of it all, there's the arctic cold that is just as deadly.
Second Lieutenant Ross is the newest member of captain Lovatt's regiment in Italy. The captain is depressed about the responsibility of sending men to their deaths. The reinforcements are from a dozen different countries, so it's a challenge to unite the men and promote teamwork. Their next push will be in broad daylight against heavy German defeses, though Lovatt considers the plan foolish.
Near the end of the war sergeant Brewer and three of his men are ordered to scout a villa for a future HQ. A part of the German army is still fighting, so he wants to be ready for it. Unfortunately his commanding officer, the communications and supply guys, even the cook, all get on his nerves with their dismissive attitude. The war is not won yet. He reminds himself of the men he lost in the senseless fighting.
The destroyer Nightingale of the Royal Navy is one of the ships in a supply convoy headed for Russia through the Arctic Ocean. They deal with battleships, fighters and U-Boats. On top of it all, there's the arctic cold that is just as deadly.
June 13, 2024
Although I read a lot of histories and biographies now, as I did in my childhood, I also read comic books as a child. My favorites were war comics such as The Unknown Soldier, The Losers, Fightin Marines, G.I. Combat, Weird War, and Sgt Rock. Because of this, I decided to read my first graphic novel, War Stories, Volume 1.
Garth Ennis, famous for the Punisher comic, wrote the four stories in this volume, with illustrations by other well-known comic book artists. Although the characters are fictional, the stories are based on similar situations that occurred in World War 2.
The stories are:
Johann’s Tiger-about a German Tiger tank crew toward the end of the war.
D-Day Dodgers-about British, Irish, and Scottish soldiers clawing their way up the boot of Italy.
Screaming Eagles-about 101st Airborne soldiers rebelling against authority at the end of the war.
Nightingale-about a British destroyer on convoy duty in the Arctic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
The book is well done, with realistic stories. Ennis is attempting to tell fictional stories that honor those who served in World War 2. If you like military history or military fiction and you like comics and graphic novels, I recommend this.
Garth Ennis, famous for the Punisher comic, wrote the four stories in this volume, with illustrations by other well-known comic book artists. Although the characters are fictional, the stories are based on similar situations that occurred in World War 2.
The stories are:
Johann’s Tiger-about a German Tiger tank crew toward the end of the war.
D-Day Dodgers-about British, Irish, and Scottish soldiers clawing their way up the boot of Italy.
Screaming Eagles-about 101st Airborne soldiers rebelling against authority at the end of the war.
Nightingale-about a British destroyer on convoy duty in the Arctic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
The book is well done, with realistic stories. Ennis is attempting to tell fictional stories that honor those who served in World War 2. If you like military history or military fiction and you like comics and graphic novels, I recommend this.
February 18, 2016
Exceptional.
March 20, 2019
This isn't a sanitized, cleaned up version of war. This is blood, guts and shellshock. A collection of four tales, each illustrated by different artists and featuring different aspects of World War Two. There are few happy endings here.
Johann's Tiger tells the story from a German tank commander's perspective. His crew have faced the worst of the war and now all the commander wants is for his crew to survive and for himself to be punished for his own war crimes.
D-Day Dodgers tells the tale of those fighting in Italy and their largely ignored story as Western Europe grabs the headlines.
Screaming Eagles - a group of Marines have been through hell and keep getting sent on new, increasingly difficult missions with less equipment and resources. They've had it with the war, and when they see an opportunity for some rest and recuperation, they take it.
Nightingale is a cursed ship of the British Navy. Losing the ships it's escorting, the Nightingale is given a deadly mission that could easily end in disaster.
Johann's Tiger tells the story from a German tank commander's perspective. His crew have faced the worst of the war and now all the commander wants is for his crew to survive and for himself to be punished for his own war crimes.
D-Day Dodgers tells the tale of those fighting in Italy and their largely ignored story as Western Europe grabs the headlines.
Screaming Eagles - a group of Marines have been through hell and keep getting sent on new, increasingly difficult missions with less equipment and resources. They've had it with the war, and when they see an opportunity for some rest and recuperation, they take it.
Nightingale is a cursed ship of the British Navy. Losing the ships it's escorting, the Nightingale is given a deadly mission that could easily end in disaster.
December 22, 2019
War Stories is a good tribute to WWII soldiers.
First story is about an Wehrmacht tank squad trying to find American soldiers so they can surrender to them while fighting communists.
The main character was remembering war crimes and was full of regrets.
I liked this story, the ending was ironic.
Second story "D-day dodgers" about British soldiers fighting in Italy.
They were called "D-day dodgers" because they didn't participate in D-day but instead they were in Italy and that was seen by some as "taking an vacation" not doing "the real fighting"
It wasn't anything close to a vacation, a good tribute for the soldiers that fought there.
(The soldiers fighting in Italy wasn't just British something the comic does acknowledge but the story is mainly about British soldiers)
The third story is about American paratroopers getting sent on an errand to secure a country house for a Lieutenant who wants to impress a general.
"I don't mind the war. But i hate the fucking army"
Funny story.
First story is about an Wehrmacht tank squad trying to find American soldiers so they can surrender to them while fighting communists.
The main character was remembering war crimes and was full of regrets.
I liked this story, the ending was ironic.
Second story "D-day dodgers" about British soldiers fighting in Italy.
They were called "D-day dodgers" because they didn't participate in D-day but instead they were in Italy and that was seen by some as "taking an vacation" not doing "the real fighting"
It wasn't anything close to a vacation, a good tribute for the soldiers that fought there.
(The soldiers fighting in Italy wasn't just British something the comic does acknowledge but the story is mainly about British soldiers)
The third story is about American paratroopers getting sent on an errand to secure a country house for a Lieutenant who wants to impress a general.
"I don't mind the war. But i hate the fucking army"
Funny story.
January 5, 2021
I began this more than a little skeptical, having just read - and deeply disliked - Garth Ennis's The Boys. but War Stories is a very different kind of project, with Ennis showing a deep reverence for those who sacrificed everything during WWII and a deep appreciation for the horror, cost and ultimate futility of war. In this volume, we get a series of stories about a German tank crew without a tank, a unit of British soldiers fighting a war everyone back home seems to have forgotten, a unit of Americans who enjoy a little plunder for themselves, and a British naval convoy unit that finds glory and redemption on the coldest front of the war. The art is uneven, with each story illustrated by somebody else. But the stories are all top notch, deftly drawing characters we believe in, invest in and worry about. War is hell. War Stories proves it...again and again and again. And yet, it leaves us wanting to know more.
April 6, 2019
A collection of war stories inspired by true WWII events. Garth Ennis writes the scripts, while numerous artists and colorists do the art. While the writing is consistently engaging and mature, the art is more a matter of personal preferences. Not all artists did it for me, and I'd be lying that it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the comic. Nevertheless, this is a very good collection worth having on your shelves.
January 11, 2021
I do enjoy War Stories before this edition was released. Originally published in 2001 under DC Vertigo imprint, War Stories was written in one-shot series by Garth Ennis featuring artwork by Gary Erskine, John Higgins, Dave Gibbons and David Lloyd. These stories is brings life of what war was before and the experiences these characters go through. Its not really a bad read, given how dated it does feel but its one of those stories that's worth picking up and read.
February 7, 2021
Good Solid Graphic Movel
Mr. Ennis has a very good selection here. The art and story telling are both engaging. The stories all tie to real life incidents. I will read this more than once.
Mr. Ennis has a very good selection here. The art and story telling are both engaging. The stories all tie to real life incidents. I will read this more than once.
November 26, 2023
A great read some amazing stories that are always based on a kernel of truth. Garth Ennis, manages to take real facts from WW2 and then create a interesting story around those facts.
IMO Garth can do very little wrong.
IMO Garth can do very little wrong.
July 8, 2017
4 stories...some better than others, but all pretty good.
September 9, 2017
Certainly an Ennis-esque look at war, and three of the stories certainly had the grip his earlier works bring with them.
August 16, 2018
Brilliant illustrations!
October 20, 2018
Historias ambientadas en la segunda guerra mundial, bastante sólidas.
November 10, 2018
4.5 really
August 23, 2019
I really enjoyed this! Short but sweet.
July 4, 2021
4 war stories showing the true horror and anguish of war. I didnt like the style of artwork for the final story. Too washed out.
October 12, 2021
War is brutal, as are these stories. I especially enjoyed D-Day Dodgers and Screaming Eagles.
November 5, 2021
D-Day Dodgers and Nightingale were good
August 31, 2022
All of the Garth Ennis’ ww2 publishings I’ve read have been made with the utmost respect, passion and care deserved of the those who and died for us. This volume is no exception.
February 20, 2023
-Johann's Tiger:4/5
-D-Day Dodgers:3/5
-Screaming Eagles:4/5
-Nightingale:3/5
-D-Day Dodgers:3/5
-Screaming Eagles:4/5
-Nightingale:3/5
May 4, 2024
These are the types of books I like from Garth Ennis.
May 15, 2025
Ennis doing his thing. Think Inglorious Basterds, Where Eagles Dare, Commando comic book.
Educational too.
Educational too.
September 21, 2025
Johann’s Tiger 4/5
D-Day Dodgers 5/5
Screaming Eagles 4/5
Nightingale 4/5
D-Day Dodgers 5/5
Screaming Eagles 4/5
Nightingale 4/5
Read
July 19, 2021I’ve heard great things about Garth Ennis' war comics, and have wanted to give them a go for a while now. I know he’s passionate about the subject of war and the people who fight in it. So I picked up this, the first volume of Ennis’ War Stories series from the early 2000s. And I’m glad I did, because this is an extraordinary book.
I’m honestly at a loss for words at how good this is. There’s a deep humanity and poignancy to these stories that I rarely find in comics, let alone books of any kind. The four issues collected in this volume take place during World War II, focusing on various groups of soldiers: a weary German tanker crew, British troops in Italy, the small remains of an American company, and a destroyer crew escorting convoys through the Arctic Circle and Mediterranean. The writing is outstanding. These characters and situations feel so real and powerful; Ennis treats the ghastly realities of war and its participants with earnestness, never once flinching at the effects war has on soldiers. There's heroism here, too - it's amazing when you realize these events actually happened, out on the edge of the human experience. Throw in some top tier art (my god, the art), and you’ve got amazing comics.
If you like great writing and great artwork – even if you're not interested in war - I can’t recommend War Stories highly enough. These are without question some of the best comics I've ever read.
I’m honestly at a loss for words at how good this is. There’s a deep humanity and poignancy to these stories that I rarely find in comics, let alone books of any kind. The four issues collected in this volume take place during World War II, focusing on various groups of soldiers: a weary German tanker crew, British troops in Italy, the small remains of an American company, and a destroyer crew escorting convoys through the Arctic Circle and Mediterranean. The writing is outstanding. These characters and situations feel so real and powerful; Ennis treats the ghastly realities of war and its participants with earnestness, never once flinching at the effects war has on soldiers. There's heroism here, too - it's amazing when you realize these events actually happened, out on the edge of the human experience. Throw in some top tier art (my god, the art), and you’ve got amazing comics.
If you like great writing and great artwork – even if you're not interested in war - I can’t recommend War Stories highly enough. These are without question some of the best comics I've ever read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews