Sgt Mike Battle

Sgt. Mike Battle is a fictional British small press comics action hero published by Pier-C Comics and currently appears in the bi-annual anthology title Sgt Mike Battle: The Greatest American Hero!

Created by Graham Pearce (comics creator) in 2000, Battle first appeared in "Sgt. Mike Battle: Nazi Stomper!", a 6-page comic strip that inaccurately retells World War II in 6 pages starting at D-Day and ending with Adolf Hitler's death in Berlin. Initially inspired by Hollywood's obsession with rewriting history in films like U-571, Pearce continued this theme with several sequel strips. In 2001 the first 5 strips were collected into "Sgt Mike Battle: The Greatest American Hero! #1" in August 2001. Since then he has continued to write, draw, letter and publish many more adventures of Sgt Mike Battle and recently released SMB:GAH #11 in May 2008.

Fictional Publication History

Within Pier-C's world, the character of Sgt Mike Battle has appeared in his own monthly title by fictional publisher Patriot Comics since 1916. Originally he was one of several characters that featured in "Patriot Comics Monthly Adventure Western Sci-Fi Crime Romance Horror Comedy Fantasy". When the United States joined World War I, the publishers decided to take advantage of current affairs and feature Mike Battle in the WWI story "Sgt. Mike Battle: Boche Stomper! #16". From that point on, Battle became the star of the book and although the book's "... Stomper" suffix is constantly being changed, it has continued with its numbering to the present day.

Over the years Battle has fought many real-life adversaries such as the Nazis, the Soviet Union, the Viet Cong, Saddam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda. Amongst his fictional nemesis are Kaptain Soviet, Kommander Deutschland, The Iron Skull, Fritz Kreig, Klash Nikof, PANDA, Grit Liefline and the Axis of Evil.

With the War on Terror, Battle has recently captured Saddam Hussein and continues to pursue Osama Bin Laden, Al-Qaeda and the Axis of Evil.

Political Comment and Critical Praise

Sgt. Mike Battle has become known among British independent comics for its biting use of satire, and the use of a deliberately clichéd comic book format to comment on some of the more important political and societal issues found in the news at the time of it going to print. It has also regularly taken issue with the portrayal of these issues by the mass media, and their tendency to make jingoistic statements and propaganda thinly disguised as entertainment and patriotism. While generally difficult to identify the exact political position of the author, it has nonetheless raised a number of valid questions unusual in the world of comics.Fact|date=October 2007

The run of comics has also been known, so far, for its use of intertextuality and tendency to comment directly, or indirectly, on the form, structure, and history of the comic medium. Whether self-conscious or otherwise, Sgt Mike Battle is both a product of postmodernism and its recent impact on the comic book industry, and a comment upon it.Fact|date=October 2007

Timeline

A list of the stories published so far (organized in chronological order):
* "Sgt. Mike Battle: Boche Stomper! #16" (Dec 1917) -Battle joins the trenches of World War I and fights the Red Baron "(SMB:GAH #3)"
* "Det. Mike Battle: Gangster Stomper! #150" ( Feb 1929) -Battle meets Al Capone in Prohibition Chicago
* "Sgt. Mike Battle: Nazi Stomper! #314" (Oct 1942) -Battle makes Adolf Hitler really mad
* "Sgt. Mike Battle: Axis Stomper! #319" (Mar 1943) -Battle goes on a mission to rescue some World War II superheroes
*"Sgt. Mike Battle: Axis Stomper! #320" (Apr 1943) --Battle goes on a mission to rescue some World War II superheroes
* "Sgt. Mike Battle: Nazi Stomper! #334" (Jun 1944) -Battle fights through the D-Day landings and kills Adolf Hitler
* "Sgt. Mike Battle: Nazi Stomper! #344" (Apr 1945) -Battle infiltrates Hitler’s Berlin Bunker
* "Sgt. Mike Battle: Nazi Stomper! #345" (May 1945) -Battle fights and kills Hitler again
* "Sgt. Mike Battle: Kamikaze Stomper! 348" (Aug 1945) -Battle fights ninjas at Hiroshima
* "Sgt. Mike Battle: Cosmonaut Stomper! 494" (Oct 1957) -Battle takes on Sputnik
* "Sgt. Mike Battle: Cosmonaut Stomper! #543" (Nov 1961) (parody of Fantastic Four) -Battle tries to stop a prototype Soviet rocket ship from attacking America
* "Sgt. Mike Battle: Cosmonaut Stomper! #544" (Dec 1961) (parody of Fantastic Four) -Battle fights the Communist Quartet
* "Sgt. Mike Battle, Agent of S.T.A.R.S A.N.D S.T.R.I.P.E.: Commie Stomper! #551" (Jul 1962) -(parody of Nick Fury, Agent of Shield) Battle stops the Cuban Missile Crisis
* "Sgt. Mike Battle, War Diary: Charlie Stomper! #706" (Jun 1975) -Battle tries to cleanse Vietnam of Communism
* "Sgt. Mike Battle's BATTLE FORCE: Koala Stomper! #847" (Mar 1987) (parody of Action Force comics) - Battle fights KOALA
* "Sgt. Mike Battle's BATTLE FORCE: Panda Stomper! #848" (Apr 1987) (parody of Action Force comics) - Battle fights PANDA
* "Sgt. Mike Battle's BATTLE FORCE: Panda Stomper! #849" (May 1987) (parody of Action Force comics) - Battle fights PANDA
* "Sgt. Mike Battle's BATTLE FORCE: Panda Stomper! #850" (Jun 1987) (parody of Action Force comics) - Battle fights PANDA
* "Sgt. Mike Battle's BATTLE FORCE: Panda Stomper! #871" (Mar 1989) (parody of Action Force comics) - Battle discovers that PANDA have reformed
* "Sgt. Mike Battle's BATTLE FORCE: Panda Stomper! #872" (Apr 1989) (parody of Action Force comics) - Battle fights PANDA again
* "Sgt. Mike Battle's BATTLE FORCE: Panda Stomper! #873" (May 1989) (parody of Action Force comics) - Battle fights PANDA again
* "Sgt. Mike Battle's BATTLE FORCE: Panda Stomper! #874" (Jun 1989) (parody of Action Force comics) - Battle fights PANDA again
* "Sgt. Mike Battle's BATTLE FORCE: Panda Stomper! #875" (Jul 1989) (parody of Action Force comics) - Battle fights PANDA again
* "Sgt. Mike Battle: Iraqi Stomper! #894" (Feb 1991) -Battle fights the Elite Republican Guard] and Saddam Hussein
* "Sgt. Mike Battle's BATTLEBLOOD! #922" (Jun 1993) (parody of Youngblood and Image Comics) - Battle is brought in to lead BATTLEBLOOD and meets Grit Liefline
* "Sgt. Mike Battle's BATTLEBLOOD! #923" (Jul 1993) (parody of Youngblood and Image Comics) - Battle investigates those who could be trying to kill Grit Liefline.
* "Sgt. Mike Battle's BATTLEBLOOD! #924" (Aug 1993) (parody of Youngblood and Image Comics) - Battle watches as Grit Liefline fights his rival Flex Olympus
* "Sgt. Mike Battle: Mercenary Stomper! #969" (May 1997) -Battle protects the President from some deadly cheerleaders
* "Sgt. Mike Battle: Taleban Stomper #1024" (Dec 2001) – Sgt Mike Battle attacks Osama Bin Laden’s subterranean mountain fortress in Tora Bora, Afghanistan.
* "Sgt Mike Battle: Saddam Stomper #1048" (Dec 2003) -Battle hunts down and captures Saddam Hussein
* "Sgt. Mike Battle presents LAST ADMIN HERO! #1" (Early Feb 2003) (parody of Hollywood action movies - When the Terrorist group A.C.R.O.N.Y.M takeover of top-secret weapons facility, the fate of the world is in the hands of a humble office worker.
* "Sgt. Mike Battle presents LAST ADMIN HERO! #2" (Mid Feb 2003) (parody of Hollywood action movies – The Military try to stop the Terrorists... but fail
* "Sgt. Mike Battle presents LAST ADMIN HERO! #3" (Mid Feb 2003) (parody of Hollywood action movies - Office Worker John Trojan is hunted down and 'killed' by A.C.R.O.N.Y.M
* "Sgt. Mike Battle presents LAST ADMIN HERO! #4" (Late Feb 2003) (parody of Hollywood action movies - Having miraculously survived, Sgt Mike Battle makes contact with John Trojan and convinces him to try and stop the terrorists.
* "Sgt. Mike Battle presents LAST ADMIN HERO! #5" (Early Mar 2003) (parody of Hollywood action movies - Office Worker John Trojan returns from the grave and takes the fight to A.C.R.O.N.Y.M
* "Sgt. Mike Battle presents LAST ADMIN HERO! #6" (Mid Mar 2003) (parody of Hollywood action movies – Sgt. Mike Battle races to save America’s Military secrets from falling into the wrong hands whilst John Trojan tries to disable the TORCH OF LIBERTY.

Future Issues

At present, the only confirmed storyline is for issue #12, and even then the details are vague. The back cover to #11 seems to hint that the story will involve a British Secret Agent but as to whether he works with or against Sgt Mike Battle is unknown.

Whilst he has not expressly confirmed future storylines, Pearce has admitted that he will focus on the Invasion of Iraq, the BEF's Evacuation of Dunkirk and The Assassination of JFK.Fact|date=October 2007

Pearce also hopes to collect issues #8-10 into a trade paperback.and plans to collect other back issues into similar collections with extensive sketchbook sections and notes.Fact|date=October 2007

Unpublished Material

Prior to the release of SMB:GAH #7, Pearce was planning to release a free 6-page mini comic that would have lead right into the BATTLEBLOOD storyline. #6 1/2 would have shown a retired Mike Battle on a shopping with Shapely Charms who then leaps into action to apprehend a shop lifter. The story has been written, sketched and lettered, but the final artwork was never completed.

Pearce has also written, sketched and lettered 2 versions of "Sgt. Mike Battle: Nazi Stomper #291" which covers the BEF's Evacuation of Dunkirk. As yet he hasn’t mentioned any plans to print this storyline either.

References

"Graham Pearce Interview" - feature article, 2000AD Online [http://www.2000adreview.co.uk/smallpress/2006/pearce/graham.shtml]

External links

* [http://www.sgtmikebattle.co.uk/ The Official Sgt. Mike Battle Website]
* [http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/121286233766578.htm/ Review of SMB:GAH #11]
* [http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/120070221081259.htm/ Review of SMB:GAH #10]