Charley's War goes FreakyFenton

[FreakyFenton]

Hey LAF Hivemind,

ever since a trip to England a few Summers back, I managed to get ahold of the series "Charley's War" by Pat Mills and Joe Colquhoun.
It details the adventures of Charley Bourne, a young Brit who enlists and witnesses the Great War in quite a dramatic fashion in short issues, that at times interconnect to form larger story arcs. The setting of course is the Great War, and while our main protagonist is Charley, we do get the odd glimpse at for instance french soldiers or even across the trench at the lives of the Germans.

One such story quite inspired me and visually struck me and gave me inspiration. I will include a few photographs thereof, who knows, perhaps someone else might find it interesting, while it also serves as my documentation in this thread.

Add to that the recent release of Wargames Atlantic's Great War Germans and some kits from other manufacturers for bits and pieces, and I am set to start off! 

My sculpting, which is now done with grey stuff or procreate (which I now prefer) rather than greenstuff is helped by documentation and sources from the internet and other media, and might at times be a bit liberal, so it is not exactly historical !

[FreakyFenton]

Here are the first few examples. For a starter I used some of the Wargames Atlantic Germans without any bits added from other manufacturers. The plan is to bulk out the force with these ones. Seeing as you get quite a few extra heads with each sprue, as there is a set each of Pickelhaube, Feldmütze, Stahlhelm and Stahlhelm with Gasmask, the sprues provide for conversions.

I already have ideas of using spades and the geballte Ladung grenades for my World War 2 figures, while using some of the extra grenades and such to clutter bases or liven up dioramas.

Either way, the three figures in greatcoats are Warlord Games German Winter Infantry, with some sculpting and shaving work on them and Wargames Atlantic heads. Arms will follow on these as soon as I drilled and pinned them! 

[Mad Gadgeteer]

Cool... which volume is that from?   I have the 1st 3 volumes, but don't remember seeing that.

If your interested in WWI graphic novels you might want to look at 'Goddamn this war!' and 'It Was the War of the Trenches'.

[FreakyFenton]

Hrm, I do have the newer collected editions. It's on the first one of that which is called " Charley's War- Boy Soldier". The story I am referring to starts on page 64 there and continuing to page 67.

I might have to check these two graphic novels out!

[Mad Gadgeteer]

Interesting....  I have Vol. 1 - 4 but each volume is listed by year; example, Vol. 1 is '2 June 1916 - 1 August 1916'.  It's been years since I looked through them so I dug them out.  The portion you mention is indeed in it!!  It's presented as a flashback.  No page numbers either.

Guess they print these things in various ways!

Thanks for pointing me towards it.

Great idea and minis too!!!

[Plynkes]

As a child in the 80s I was a reader of Battle, and Charley's War was my favourite story in that comic. I still have quite a few original copies gathering dust somewhere. For a while on LAF my avatar was Old Bill from that comic. Glad to see you keeping it alive.

[FreakyFenton]

Interesting....  I have Vol. 1 - 4 but each volume is listed by year; example, Vol. 1 is '2 June 1916 - 1 August 1916'.  It's been years since I looked through them so I dug them out.  The portion you mention is indeed in it!!  It's presented as a flashback.  No page numbers either.

Guess they print these things in various ways!

Thanks for pointing me towards it.

Great idea and minis too!!!

No worries! Yeah i suppose I have a modern reprint from 2018, which is a quite good collection on nice paper and makes three handy books. And thank you! 

As a child in the 80s I was a reader of Battle, and Charley's War was my favourite story in that comic. I still have quite a few original copies gathering dust somewhere. For a while on LAF my avatar was Old Bill from that comic. Glad to see you keeping it alive.

Bill Tozer is quite good, probably a figure for conversion should I come to the British side of it. Albeit his 'stache might be tricky. Suppose his tattoos would be something for the aspiring detail painter.    Thank you! 

[Metternich]

A few years ago my son and daughter gave me the collected volumes as a Xmas present.  Very cool indeed.  I look forward to seeing how your project progresses (as I have a bunch of Great War miniatures, supplemented by Brigade Games and soon to be joined by a few Tsuba Freikorps, I probably won't be getting Atlantic also).

[FreakyFenton]

A few years ago my son and daughter gave me the collected volumes as a Xmas present.  Very cool indeed.  I look forward to seeing how your project progresses (as I have a bunch of Great War miniatures, supplemented by Brigade Games and soon to be joined by a few Tsuba Freikorps, I probably won't be getting Atlantic also).

Thank you Metternich! And they're worth it if you get the chance, quite a lot of bits.

[Ash]

Looking forward to seeing this progress.
I remember reading Charlie's War back in the 80's, don't know what happened to all the old comics.
Bought the three vol reprint set from Rebellion via Amazon at the start of lock down, money well spent...

[FreakyFenton]

Looking forward to seeing this progress.
I remember reading Charlie's War back in the 80's, don't know what happened to all the old comics.
Bought the three vol reprint set from Rebellion via Amazon at the start of lock down, money well spent...

Thank you Ash! And indeed, the books are well worth it.