Review by Frank Plowright

War Picture Library began its 27 year run in 1958, providing digest sized World War II excitement in black and white, each issue in effect a graphic novel. Unleash Hell supplies a dozen stories from the first six years of publication, and editor Steve Holland ensures they cover all areas of armed service and assorted locations.

For the most part the material is written by men who saw service in their younger days, and whose personal recollections are apparent in passing procedure supplied in the stories. In the opener two soldiers swim across a river, but first pack their clothing and guns in a box they’ve sourced to keep them dry. They’ve previously dropped grenades down a cannon barrel to prevent German use. Such details from the unidentified writer bolster the reliability of the remainder and counter what today reads as very quaint dialogue. However, war films from the the 1940s and 1950s prove that dialogue as authentic.

It’s also noticeable that the earliest stories place far greater emphasis on building personalities than later material, evident in ‘The Crowded Sky’ from 1960, in which a German pilot belatedly realises the Nazis are ruthless, and escapes to command a British bomber. Mistrust, comradeship and the threat of revelation combine in a cinematic thriller written by Willie Patterson with Nevio Zeccara delivering the aerial intensity.

Zeccara provides the sample art by virtue of efficiently drawing four stories, a third of the collection, but much of the art suffers from muddy reproduction obscuring the details. The standout art is on Val Holding’s ‘The Iron Fist’, drawn by Hugo Pratt. Yes, that Hugo Pratt, who spent a few years living in the UK. Pratt’s compositions are sophisticated and very few other artists depart from the formula of a top and bottom panel per page. He’s also less reliant on shadow than most other artists, although Gino D’Antonio’s facility for distinct looking people and dynamic naval action on ‘Crash Call’ is also notable.

The dozen stories are united by realism. Unlike later war stories where improbable heroics are the order of the day, here there’s inspiration in desperation, but little that stretches credulity. Alongside the expected heroism, redemption is high on the agenda, as experienced by Bob Hunter fighting alongside Russian pilots. Everything offers tension, action and thrills, but a couple of other stories stand out. Unfortunately Jorge Moliterni’s art on ‘Lone Commando’ suffers from muddy reproduction, but writer E. Evans ensures suspicions are high concerning a possible infiltrator. Holding and D’Antonio’s ‘Red Devils’ presents Dick Norton’s war experiences, from the Burmese jungles to Arnheim via a prisoner of war camp.

While a nostalgic treasure trove, there’s surprisingly little context provided, just the story titles without dates of publication or credits. Holland’s blog rectifies the omission here providing full artist credits and information about the original publications.