War Is Hell (And So Is The Price Of Concessions At The Movies)
When I hit my local comic shop this week I was pleased to see that War Is Hell had shipped. It’s been awhile since we’ve had a Garth Ennis war comic, and even longer since we’ve had a comic, Ennis or not, dealing with the Great War.
War Is Hell is a five part mini-series published by Marvel under their Max imprint (there was also another series in the early ‘70s under the same name), written by Garth Ennis and illustrated by Howard Chaykin. Ennis has become the go-to guy for war tales in the industry, and for the most part he’s written some really good stuff. Note “for the most part”. He does have his fair share of misses too, and unfortunately so far War Is Hell is a whiff.
Take the title, which screams preachy, cliché, or both. With the original published in 1973, and the general dissatisfaction of the Vietnam War at that time, I’m sure Marvel was going for both. As far as today’s version it’s early so it hasn’t gone all “War is bad, mmm’kay” just yet, but the clichés are present right from the beginning.
Karl Kaufman is an American flier who has just been assigned (or has he?) to an American volunteer squadron flying under British command in 1917 (the story actually takes place during Bloody April). It should also be noted that like the series itself Kaufman has also appeared before, debuting as The Phantom Eagle in 1968. The comic opens with Kaufman being so thrilled to be a fighter pilot that he’s completely oblivious to the world around him. Flying along, singing to himself, he doesn’t even notice a German plane behind him, nor does he even notice it being shot down by a couple of Brits.
When he lands at the field it turns out not only is he an idiot, but surprise, he’s an arrogant chump who can’t wait to get up and fight. The officer he’s reporting to though is a little confused, as the squadron is full up and he wasn’t aware of any replacements. Worse, Kaufman is flying a Spad while the squadron flies Sowipth Pups, making maintenance an issue. Nevertheless he tells Kaufman to report to the squadron adjutant to sort out the mess.
The adjutant is a drunk, and just in case you can’t pick up on that since he’s drinking early in the morning, he offers Kaufman a drink in every single panel. Dialogue always makes or breaks a piece, whether it’s a novel, movie, or comic. The entire section with Kaufman and the adjutant is stiff, especially with the constant, “Do you want a drink?” Even soused though he’s suspicious of Kaufman’s appearance and begins to scrutinize the assignment orders. Kaufman’s reaction as he leaves to join his squadron mates implies that everyone has a right to be suspicious.
There’s a small flight being organized for new pilots to familiarize themselves with the area and Kaufman whines his way into taking part. As he’s starting his aircraft the drunken adjutant comes running out of HQ, bellowing that after phoning the higher powers that he knows for a fact that Kaufman’s papers are a forgery. Luckily for Kaufman no one can hear him over the roar of the engines. And then he runs into a propeller. Choppity-chop-chop.
Kaufman’s reaction upon seeing this? He’s safe now that the fake orders got whacked too. Apparently the sight of a man getting chopped up into hamburger doesn’t phase him.
In the air he gets lost from his flight and comes across a lone German. The German doesn’t see him, Kaufman riddles the plane with bullets and in the process decapitates the pilot. The plane continues along its merry way. Kaufman’s reaction to this incident? “Oh God, it’s horrible! It’s horrible! You were supposed to fight! You weren’t meant to just—just–! Oh, Christ…!”
Wait a sec…a guy walks into a propeller (one of his commanding officers no less) and he has absolutely no reaction other than, “Whew!” but when he kills an enemy pilot he freaks out? He even pukes! Again, guy twenty feet away being butchered, no reaction.
Guess what? Gone is the arrogant, oblivious, singing Yank. He’s replaced by a sullen, humble pilot who realizes that aerial combat is dangerous!
Gah. How many times have we seen the carefree soldier who joined up seeking glory only to be taught the brutal reality of combat? Consider also it’s 1917, not 1914. By then everyone, even the folks at home, had come to realize that the war wasn’t the proverbial picnic. And the whole false papers thing? I’m curious as how that plays out since it’s not like someone just forging a birth certificate to join up when they’re underage. I mean, where did the guy get his plane from if he’s not really a pilot?
The art is also disappointing. The aircraft have a computer clip-art quality about them; very often the shading doesn’t match with the rest of the panel. Character art is somewhat better, although everyone has a lantern jaw.
All in all I was hoping for much more out of War Is Hell. At only five issues I’ll continue to read it, and hopefully it will get better, but so far it seems like Ennis wasn’t even trying when he scripted this.
On a somewhat related note here is a cool trailer for some World War One flying action. All trailers should use power metal!