Battlefields: Dear Billy – Slim in the hand, it’s anything but in terms of an emotionally rich plot delving into the feelings of World War II British nurse Carrie Sutton after the atrocity she survived at the hands of the Japanese. Garth Ennis, Peter Snejbjerg and Dynamite Entertainment.

Blazing Combat – Archie Goodwin’s sorrow at and contempt for war drips into every masterfully crafted story in this anthology written as Americans fought in Vietnam. It’s illustrated by some of the best artists of the 1960s. Archie Goodwin and Fantagraphics Books.

Charley’s War – Death From Above – It’s barely credible that this brilliantly researched, hard-hitting and magnificently drawn World War I story was originally serialised in a gung-ho boys’ adventure comic. This volume sees the introduction of tanks. Pat Mills, Joe Colquhoun and Titan Books.

Fax From Sarajevo – Imagine your country just fragmented into civil war and the outside world didn’t seem to care. The experiences of Bosnian art argent Ervin Rustemagic reached overseas via faxes, which form the basis of this vivid portrayal of emotional desperation. Joe Kubert and Dark Horse Books.

Flight of the Raven – In occupied Paris during World War II Jeanne is denounced as a freedom fighter and must escape and hide. Part wartime thriller, part romance, and all quality, the stunning art pulls you through a masterpiece. Jean-Pierre Gibrat, and Euro Comics.

It was the War of the Trenches – A remorselessly bleak graphic novel as Tardi hammers his exhaustively researched World War I tales home. These are the experiences of the everyday French soldier, killed by the enemy and held in contempt by their commanders. Jacques Tardi and Fantagraphics Books.

The Last American – Not so much about war as the results. Ulysses S. Pilgrim is revived in a devastated USA after years of suspended animation. Is he the last American? Accompanied by robots, he sets off to find out. Unique and breathtaking art. John Wagner, Alan Grant, Mike McMahon, and 2000AD Books.

Jack Kirby’s The Losers – Jack Kirby brings all the verve and energy of his superhero comics to tales of World War II, weaving in his own wartime experiences into a collection of stories that are fantastic, funny and resonant, but most of all human. Jack Kirby and DC.

The Punisher: Born – Just what gave Frank Castle the skills to sustain his one man war on crime? Born takes a look back to his time in service at the end of the Vietnam war. Has the monstrous id always lurked within him? Masterful. Garth Ennis, Darick Robertson and Marvel.

War Stories Volume Two – Another fine selection of Ennis war stories. This has World War II air, desert and sea tales along with a character piece cleverly also exploring the views and conditions leading to World War II. Garth Ennis, Gary Erskine, Carlos Ezquerra, Cam Kennedy, David Lloyd and Vertigo.