A list of stories published in the IPC weekly boys' comic Battle Picture Weekly between 1975 and 1988.
Achilles the Avenger Published: 8 April to 3 June 1978 Writer: Gil Page Artist: Luis Lorente A gentle Greek giant becomes a fearsome fighting machine after Germany invades.
Action Force
Published: 4 June 1983 to 29 November 1986 Writers: Gerry Finley-Day, Frank Noble, Ken Noble, Scott Goodall, James Nicholas, P. Rudge, Peter Milligan, Alan McKenzie Artists: Jim Watson, Vanyo, Geoff Campion, Ron Turner, James Bleach, John Cooper, Josep Gual, Tony Coleman, Manuel Carmona, Enrique Badía Romero Baron Ironblood plans to conquer the world with his huge army of brainwashed fanatical Red Shadows. Standing in his way is the multinational Action Force, divided into four branches - infantry unit Z-Force; special operations unit SAS Force; naval unit Q-Force; and space unit Space Force. Based on the Palitoy toyline of the same name, derived from Action Man. Changes in the toyline saw Cobra from G.I. Joe take over as primary villains from 1985. The series ended when the licence was transferred to Marvel UK, who rebooted Action Force with their own series in 1987.
The Black Crow Published: 23 October 1976 to 22 January 1977 Writer: Scott Goodall Artists: Eric Bradbury, Bill Lacey Codenamed The Black Crow, a British secret agent carries out perilous missions in German-held Europe while Gestapo officer Major Klaus von Steutsel attempts to stop him. Continued from Valiant.
The Bootneck Boy
Published: 8 March 1975 to 12 November 1977 Writers: Ian McDonald, Gerry Finley-Day, John Wagner Artist: Juan Giralt Orphan Danny Budd has been reluctantly raised by his unpleasant uncle. He enlists in the Royal Marines where he is picked on because of his small physique, but remains determined to prove himself.
Carver
A British military policeman investigates a murder in 1941 North Africa.
Charley's War
Published: 6 January 1979 to 4 October 1986 Writers: Pat Mills, Scott Goodall Artist: Joe Colquhoun 16-year-old Charley Bourne enlists in the British army during World War I, and soon finds out the truth of brutal trench warfare. Reprinted in Battle 11 October 1986 to 23 January 1988 and Eagle 30 January 1988.
Clash of the Guards
Published: 26 September 1981 to 30 October 1982, 8 January to 23 April 1983 Writer: Alan Hebden Artists: Cam Kennedy, Ron Tiner, Vanyo, Norma During the Allied campaign in Italy in 1943 American Captain Brad Clash - a former Hollywood stuntman and speedway driver - is sent to join a British infantry platoon in order to observe their tactics and methods. Collected by Rebellion Developments in July 2023.
Cold Steele Published: 21 February to 27 March 1976 Writer: Gerry Finley-Day Fighting the German invasion of Norway in 1940, Private Robert Steele is first torched by flamethrowers and then got frostbite. Unable to even pull the trigger of a gun, he fights on against the Nazis with just a bayonet. The story was a late replacement, and Finley-Day would later reflect it "wasn't the greatest strip".
The Commando They Didn't Want Published: 4 April 1981 to 13 February 1982 Writer: Terry Magee (as John Richard) Artist: Carlos Pino After his gun jams on a mission and his unit are massacred, Commando Joe Dixon is drummed out of the regiment and assigned to the non-combatant Pioneers.
Cooley's Gun Published: Writer: Gerry Finley-Day Artist: Geoff Campion
Coward's Brand on Bradley Published: 31 May to 30 August 1975 Writer: Robert Ede New recruit Ben Bradley is framed as a coward in 1942 Burma after an incident that leaves him with a c-shaped scar on his forehead. Condemned to death, he escapes the firing squad and sets out to prove his innocence.
Crazy Keller Published: 15 July to 8 September 1978 Writer: Alan Hebden Artist: Eric Bradbury Captain Kermit Keller of the United States Army Signal Corps doesn't let anything get in the way of his destination, driving his jeep Scoot 3 through any Germans who try to hinder him.
D-Day Dawson
Published: 8 March to 22 May 1975; 14 August 1976 to 22 January 1977 Writers: Gerry Finley-Day, Ron Carpenter, Alan Hebden, Robert Ede, Terry Magee, Eric Hebden Artists: Annibale Casabianca, Geoff Campion, Colin Page, Mike Western, Bill Lacey, Jim Watson British army sergeant Steve Dawson is wounded on the D-Day beaches by a bullet that is lodged near his heart, sealing his eventual doom. However, the doctor that diagnoses the injury is then killed and Dawson re-joins his unit with no one else aware of his terminal condition, having decided to fight with his platoon until the end. The two runs were reprinted in Battle between 18 September 1982 and 22 October 1983 and 7 January to 5 May 1984, respectively.
Darkie's Mob
Published: 14 August 1976 to 18 June 1977 Writer: John Wagner Artist: Mike Western In the jungles of Burma, the renegade Captain Joe Darkie leads a group of lost soldiers in a personal guerrilla war against the Japanese. Reprinted in Battle 21 March and December 1981, and Judge Dredd Megazine #202 to #210. Collected by Titan Comics in 2011.
Death Squad
Published: 12 July 1980 to 4 June 1981 Writer: Alan Hebden (as Mark Andrew) Artist: Eric Bradbury A motley band of German soldiers serve in a penal battalion on the Eastern Front. Reprinted in Battle 31 January 1987 to 23 January 1988.
Destroyer! Published: 15 November 1975 to 27 March 1976 Writer: Ron Carpenter Artist: Jim Watson Commander 'Shiny' Knight is given command of the destroyer HMS Sword. Initially his particular ways and high standards seem set to rub the crew the wrong way but he soon proves to be an inspirational and fearless leader.
Dredger Published: 19 November 1977 to 7 October 1978 Writers: Kelvin Gosnell, Tom Tully, Alan Hebden, Chris Lowder Artist: John Cooper
Continued from Action.
The Eagle Published: 8 March 1975 to 18 June 1977, to 14 March 1981 Writers: Eric Hebden, Robert Ede, Pat Mills, John Wagner, Gerry Finley-Day, Chris Lowder, Ron Carpenter, Kelvin Gosnell Artists: Pat Wright, Barrie Mitchell, Geoff Campion, Vanyo, Francisco Masip, Bill Lacey, Jim Watson Britain's top secret agent - Mike Nelson of the Special Operations Executive, codenamed The Eagle - parachutes into occupied France in 1943. His mission is to kill Adolf Hitler.
Fight for the Falklands
Published: 18 September 1982 to 19 March 1983 Writer: John Wagner Artist: Jim Watson Argentine forces invade the Falkland Islands, and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher dispatches a British taskforce to retake the dependency.
Fighter from the Sky Published: 3 April to 7 August 1976 Writer: Gerry Finley-Day Artist: Geoff Campion In 1939, German paratrooper Paul Fallman is demoted back to private after his father is executed for treason, and becomes determined to restore honour to his family name.
Fighting Mann Published: 12 July 1980 to 19 September 1981 Writer: Alan Hebden Artist: Cam Kennedy A veteran US Marine Colonel embarks on an unauthorised mission in the Vietnam War to locate his son - a Navy pilot who has gone missing and has been accused of desertion. Reprinted in Battle 24 January 1987 to 23 January 1988. Collected by Titan Comics in August 2016 as part of Garth Ennis Presents: Battle Classics Volume Two.
The Fists of Jimmy Chiang Published: 27 February 1982 to 19 March 1983 Writer: Scott Goodall Artist: Eric Bradbury Hong Kong martial arts expert Jimmy Chang battles organised crime and Communist agents using his kung fu skills.
The Flight of the Golden Hinde Published: 8 March to 24 May 1976 Writer: Charles Herring, Pat Mills, John Wagner, Scott Goodall James Finch is captain of a replica of Sir Francis Drake's Golden Hind that sets sail in 1937 aiming to circumnavigate the world to commemorate the 360th anniversary of Drake's 1577 voyage. The ship is still at sea when the war breaks out in 1939. Finch disobeys an order to return to Britain, and instead decides to complete the voyage.
The Fortrose Falcon Published: 31 May to 9 August 1975 Writer: John Wagner, Eric Hebden Artist: Andrea Bresciani, Vanyo, John Stokes The history of the Scottish Fortrose clan and their falcon mascot from 1743 to 1943.
Gaunt Published: 25 June to 12 November 1977 Writer: John Wagner, Pat Mills Artist: John Cooper An unbalanced secret agent is given a superhumanly strong artificial hand to replace one lost during torture. Reprinted in Eagle 27 December 1984 to 30 March 1985
The General Dies at Dawn Published: 14 October to 23 December 1978 Writer: Alan Hebden Artist: John Cooper A Wehrmacht General, due to be executed for treason, spends his final hours describing his wartime experiences to the sympathetic guard outside his cell. The story was collected in Garth Ennis Presents: Battle Classics by Titan Comics in 2014.
Glory Rider Published: 6 January to 8 October 1979 Writer: Gerry Finley-Day Artist: Geoff Campion, Carlos Cruz-Diez Major Jeb Rider is in an American tank unit battling Germans in North Africa, and pins the blame for his rash actions during battle on the group's dead commanding officer. However, Tank-Sergeant Steve Hilts knows the truth of events. Reprinted in Battle 23 August 1986 to 17 January 1987. Finley-Day would later relate that Rider was partly inspired by George Patton.
Hellman of Hammer Force
Published: 19 November 1977 to 8 July 1978 Writers: Gerry Finley-Day, Alan Hebden Artists: Mike Dorey, Jim Watson, Pat Wright Honourable Wehrmacht tank commander Major Kurt Hellman fights for Germany while opposing the brutal attitudes shown by the Nazi regime. Continued from Action.
HMS Nightshade Published: 6 January 1979 to Writer: John Wagner Artist: Mike Western & Ron Tiner At the height of the Battle of the Atlantic, the crew of the British Royal Navy Corvette HMS Nightshade protect Allied supply convoys from German U-Boats. Reprinted in Battle 28 September 1985 to 16 August 1986. Two pages of each episode were inked by Tiner to enable Western to keep to a four-page weekly schedule, though Western was not keen on the approach. The story was collected in Garth Ennis Presents: Battle Classics by Titan Comics in 2014.
Hold Hill 109 Published: 29 May to 10 July 1976 Writers: Steve MacManus, Jim Watson Artist: Jim Watson A ragged group of 13 Eighth Army soldiers have to hold a vital hill against a vastly superior force of Afrika Korps for six days.
The Hunters S.I.6 Published: 27 February 1982 to 12 January 1985 Writer: Terry Magee (as John Richard), Brian Burrell Artists: Carlos Pino, Francisco Masip, Manuel Carmona A pair of secret agents, Ned Hare and Larry Fox, battle threats to national security whilst maintaining their cover as actors in a TV show where they also play secret agents.
Invasion! Published:24 January to 29 August 1987 Writer: Terry Magee Artist: Jim Watson A young boy finds himself caught up in the 1982 Falklands War.
Invasion 1984!
Published: 26 March to 31 December 1983 Writers: John Wagner and Alan Grant (as R. Clark) Artists: Eric Bradbury When a race of skeletal-like aliens invade the world and enslave humanity British special forces unit 'Storm Squad' lead the fightback. Collected by Rebellion Developments in 2019.
Jetblade Published: 1 January to 1 October 1983 Writer/s: Alan Hebden Artist/s: John Vernon The adventures of an advanced prototype jet-assisted helicopter as the crew perform demonstration missions for prospective buyers worldwide.
Joe Two Beans Published: 29 January 1977 to 1 April 1978 Writers: John Wagner, Scott Goodall Artist: Eric Bradbury A Blackfoot Native American serves in the United States Marine Corps in the Pacific War.
Johnny Red
Published: 29 January 1977 to 17 January 1987 Writer: Tom Tully, James Nicholas Artists: Joe Colquhoun, John Cooper, Carlos Pino