EXTRACTS: British War Comics Illustrators Special © 2018 The Book Palace (144 PAGES in Full edition)

8 All Images © IPC Media was upped to four per month. The success of War Picture Library inspired further series, with Air Ace Picture Library, Battle Picture Library , and War At Sea Picture Library all following in January 1960, January 1961 and February 1962 respectively. Rival publishers witnessed the trend and soon the spinner racks, and news-stands were filled with a slew of war-themed pocket libraries, not least of which was DC Thomson’s Commando , a comic series that is still being published to this day. To all intents and purposes, war comics were a hit and were destined to be around for the foreseeable future. The purpose of this particular issue of illustrators is to delve into the story behind the artists who helped shape the look and tone of these pocket- sized tales of conflict and derring-do. We hope you enjoy the journey! ● A gallery of early covers by Giorgio De Gaspari reveals how compelling these pocket-sized comics were when they arrived each month at news sellers up and down the length and breadth of the U.K.