Before I dive into reviewing the individual latest releases in Book Palace Books ongoing Fleetway Picture Library Classics line, produced under licence from 2000AD publisher Rebellion, let’s just give a shout out of praise in general to the team behind these titles, and their separate Fleetway Comics Archives Stories line, too.
As a member of various social media platform-based specialist British comic groups, I often see “wish lists” for collections of comic strips remembered by fans, some of them unable to appreciate the commercial realities of republication. As time marches on, older material falls increasingly into obscurity, a fate that applies to even the most well known of comic characters, including the likes of Dan Dare and Roy of the Rovers. Similarly, it becomes harder to sell collections of older, classic adventure, humour, war strips – and girls comics strips, unfortunately, are an even harder challenge to market, despite the quality of the work published in many British weekly titles, over many decades.
Sadly, the audience that remembers these past comics grows smaller each year, nostalgia a key driver in any potential sales, alongside appreciation of the comic form. Given that situation, balancing the cost of producing collections against potential sales becomes a precarious business, so it is to the credit of publishers like Book Place Books, Hibernia, and Rebellion, too, that they are delving into the Fleetway archives to bring us collections at all. I for one am glad they are more than rising to the challenge.
Having worked on numerous classic British comic collections myself, I know how much behind the scenes work goes into putting these books together, not only in terms of gathering often rare strips for potential collection in the first place, but engaging in often quite painstaking work restoring often quite badly printed material for a new publication; hidden costs that have tripped up even the most dedicated of companies in the past.
Taking such challenges into account Book Palace Books have hit on a perfect format with their Fleetway Picture Library Classics line, offering a growing series of 272-page hardcover compilations, each reprinting four vintage stories from a huge archive. The work that must go on restoring some of this material – in the case of its war stories, for one, even reinserting deleted aspects of their original presentation – shows a quite remarkable dedication to the task from a talented editorial team.
These collections admittedly aren’t cheap, but the price point reflects the high production values put into bringing fans what was, after all, originally sold as cheap, throwaway or shared entertainment.
As comic archivist Paul Gravett recently remarked, “Book Palace goes to great lengths to restore the often shoddily printed artwork to sharpest quality and even re-typesets all the sometimes copious text.” As usual, on these new releases, Captain Blood, Larrigan Rides Again and Frontline War Stories, offering representations of classic pirate, war and western tales, the editorial team have done a standout job. In my view, they deserve as much credit for their work as the creators whose tales have been reprinted.
All that said, for my own “wish list”, I’ve been hoping the team might consider bringing their considerable skills to bear on other aspects of vintage British comics, particularly some classic humour strips, perhaps working hand in hand with overseas publishers who have previously published collections of such material. Many girls comics stories, too, away from Rebellion’s not unappreciated focus on Misty, might also be worthy of republication in this “Classic” format. So it’s good to see, for example, that they’re dipping their toes into an expansion of their reprint titles with a collection of vintage “Billy Bunter” stories, as part of their Fleetway Comics Archives Stories series, as well as more western tales. I hope it’s a success.
(I’m still wanting someone to license “Mowser”, the feline-inspired strip pretty much drawn entirely by the genius cartoonist Reg Parlett, I believe, just in case anyone’s interested…)
Check out the whole Fleetway Picture Library Classics Book Palace line here and here
Preamble waffling over, the three new releases calling for your attention are all welcome additions to the Fleetway Picture Library Classics line, so let’s take a closer look…
Fleetway Picture Library Classics: Captain Blood by Raphael Sabatini (Limited Edition) – available direct from Book Palace Books here
Offering four swashbuckling pirate tales from the hugely successful author Raphael Sabatini (1875-1950), adapted by various capable hands, the Captain Blood stories featured here were first published in Thriller Picture Library, and are seeing publication for the first time in 70 years.
As with all these collections, the artwork has been re-scanned and cleaned so the reproduction is even better than their first appearance, and, as mentioned above, this is not an inconsiderable task.
Featuring art by Edmund Drury, Robert Forrest and Guido Buzzelli, we’re also provided with a fascinating background feature by Norman Wright on the origin of these adaptations, and insight into the contribution to the tales from Joan Whitford, a prolific comics writer who adapted two of the stories featured, under her pen-name ‘Barry Ford’. Given the male-dominated comics industry of the time, in terms of creator voices at least, her role in this series success is significant.
Pirate comics were once hugely popular, and when you’re treated to art as good as that featured in this collection, it’s easy to see why fans of big screen high seas brigands eagerly bought Thriller Picture Library for more adventure than their local fleapit could provide. That said, modern readers, myself included, might find the high word count of the art’s accompanying text hard going.
Published at a time when more text based comics entertainment was giving way to more visually driven storytelling, the style of these classic tales seems dated even by 1950s standards, but don’t dismiss them because of this. There’s some great skullduggery to enjoy here, thanks to great source material and careful adaptation, the thinking man’s pirate, Captain Blood, often besting foes by use of brain as well as brawn.
Fleetway Picture Library Classics: Captain Blood by Raphael Sabatini (Limited Edition)
Introduction by Norman Wright
Writers: Various, some unknown, but including Joan Whitford, as “Barry Ford”, adaptation of work by Raphael Sabatini
Artists: Edmund Drury, Robert Forrest, Guido Buzzelli
Publisher: Book Palace Books, March 2023
Number of pages: 264
Format: Hard Cover; Black & White illustrations
Size: 6″ x 9″ (165mm x 220mm)
ISBN: 9781913548421
Reprinting Thriller Picture Library #50 “Captain Blood”, art by Edmund Drury, Thriller Picture Library #61 “The Black Swan”, art by Robert Forrest, Thriller Picture Library #84 “The Chronicles of Captain Blood”, art by Robert Forrest and Thriller Picture Library #168 “Captain Blood Rides Again” art by Guido Buzzelli
Fleetway Picture Library Classics: Larrigan Rides Again (Limited Edition) – available direct from Book Palace Books here
There were a total of eight Larrigan stories published in Fleetway Picture Libraries between 1961 and 1962. Book Palace Books first volume, released in 2019, reprinted the first four Larrigan stories illustrated by Arturo del Castillo. This second volume completes the lone gunslinger Larrigan’s adventures with the four remaining tales with artwork by Emilio Frejo (1931-2013) and Carlos Roume (1923-2009).
Larrigan would ride off into the sunset in Cowboy Picture Library #467 in September 1962, although some of his adventures were re-used in Wild West Picture Library later in the 1960s, although for some unknown reason he was no longer Larrigan, but Sheridan.
These atmospheric western thrillers are reprinted here for the first time since their original publication in 1962 and, again, artwork has been re-scanned and cleaned so the reproduction is even better than their first appearance. The production quality of this collection is top notch, and the stories, some not dissimilar in theme to later “spaghetti westerns”, but with one foot still firmly in the mould of the big screen cowboy dramas made legendary by director John Ford, are well scripted and enjoyable.
It should be noted that some thankfully minor aspects of these tales may sit uncomfortably with modern sensibility, specifically with regard to how some women are treated. Despite some welcome heroism by some of the female cast, others are now unwelcome stereotypes, reflecting prevalent attitudes at the time of publication. Some potential modern readers might feel such portrayals unwelcome, but I’d argue they should be taken in the context of archive material and definitely should not prevent enjoyment of, overall, four well-paced, absorbing western adventures.
Fleetway Picture Library Classics: Larrigan Rides Again (Limited Edition)
Authors: Various
Artists: Emilio Frejo, Carlos Roume
Publisher: Book Palace Books, March 2023
Number of pages: 264
Format: Hard Cover; Black & White illustrations
Size: 6″ x 9″ (165mm x 220mm)
ISBN: 9781913548414
Reprinting Lone Rider #14 “Rough Justice” by Emilio Frejo, Cowboy Picture Library #455 “Hate Town” by Emilio Frejo, Cowboy Picture Library #459 “The Devil’s Posse” by Carlos Roume and Cowboy Picture Library #467 by Emilio Frejo
Fleetway Picture Library Classics: Frontline War Stories (Limited Edition) – available direct from Book Palace Books here
Originally published in War Picture Library this collection of four superb war stories showcases the spectacular art of one of the most gifted artists to work in European comics, Gino D’Antonio. Not only has the the art been rescanned on these strips; a long censored element, of soldiers smoking, has been restored, all such visuals removed from any reprint of these comics in the past.
Born in Milan in 1927, he made his comics debut at the age of 20 with the series Jesse James. It was his work with Fleetway Publications that brought his art to an international audience through the pages of publications such as War and Battle Picture Library, as well as the short-lived War at Sea Picture Library.
His work on these comics seemed perfectly suited to the scripts, the writers, unfortunately, unknown, but the attention to characterisation and detail suggests more than one was, perhaps, a veteran of real combat.
These terrific, tautly written scripts are more than complemented by Gino D’Antonio’s attention to accurate detail of uniforms and weaponry that the stories required, that in no way compromise the dynamism of his art.
Frontline War Stories proved a thoroughly enjoyable read, for me, the best of these three new collections, art and powerful stories making for a memorable whole. It’s a great shame we don’t know who wrote these stories, but I’m glad they’ve gotten to see the light of day once more. I’m sure there will be more than one fan of the highly regarded Battle comic who will enjoy these tales of World War Two-set conflict.
D’Antonio subsequently collaborated on the highly successful series Storia Del West with Renzo Calegari, and became known for his own scripting as well as art skills. But for his fans, it is his war story art which remains his strongest work, and I have agree with the Book Palace team – when you read these stories we think you will see why. Definitely recommended!
Fleetway Picture Library Classics: Frontline War Stories (Limited Edition)
Authors: Various
Artist: Gino D’Antonio
Publisher: Book Palace Books, March 2023
Number of pages: 264
Format: Hard Cover; Black & White illustrations
Size: 6″ x 9″ (165mm x 220mm)
ISBN: 9781913548346
Reprinting War Picture Library #67 “Battle Drop”, #83 “McMain’s Marauders”, #168 The Will to Fight and #281 “Shellfire”
• Check out the whole Fleetway Picture Library Classics Book Palace line here and here
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: British Comics, British Comics - Collections, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Features, Reviews
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