We have had a few Battle Picture Library comics come through the store and we've just added a whole lot of Battle AND War Picture Library comics. We thought you might be interested to learn a little more about these unusual pocket sized comics.

Both comics are British 64-page pocket library war comics published by Amalgamated Press/Fleetway.

Launched in September, 1958 War Picture Library was one of the earliest (arguably the earliest) “pocket library” titles. Battle Picture Library was started later in 1961.

War Picture Library was one of the first pocket library comics to feature stories set during World War II.  In the early years the books were written and illustrated by creators who had lived through the war themselves. These comics were able to show young readers what their fathers and older generation had experienced in combat during the second World War.

Each issue featured a complete story meaning you could buy a single pocket book and not worry about when the you could pick-up the next one. The first story was Fight Back to Dunkirk released 1 September 1958, with the final story Wings of the Fleet released 26 years later on 3 December 1984.

The war stories did not always feature a heroic journey, were not limited to stories of combat and sometimes had sympathy for the enemy.

The vast majority of comic books written and drawn in the 1950s and early 1960s were unaccredited and War Picture Library was no different. Over time some creators have been documented through their familiar styles and through documentation.

Contributors to War Picture Library included artists such as Giorgio Trevisan, Harry Farrugia, George Heath, G. R. Parvin, Nevio Zeccara, Annibale Casabianca, F. Solano López, Juan Gonzalez Alacreu, Jose Ortiz, Ramon de la Fuente, Jorge Moliterni, Renzo Calegari, Luis Ramos, Gino D’Antonio and Hugo Pratt.

Writers are often harder to identify, but among those identified are Donne Avenell, Ian Kellie, Douglas Leach, Willie Patterson, Alf Wallace, David Satherley, Roger P. Clegg, A. Carney Allen and S & J Thomas., also Gordon Brunt, author of 40 Air Ace Picture Library issues between 1961 and 1969.