War Stories 1 Contains the following:
Johann's Tiger (a Chris Weston, Gary Erskine). [From DC Comics: It's regarded as the turning point of the twentieth century - the greatest of all wars, fought by the greatest generation. But there was nothing glamorous about fighting in World War II. It was the most horrific period of the bloodiest century in modern history. And it was fought by young men and women not much different from any others. This fall, VERTIGO unleashes WAR STORY—a new generation of military comics that tell it like it really was, brought to you by acclaimed writer Garth Ennis (PREACHER, ENEMY ACE: WAR IN HEAVEN, Punisher). These four double-sized one-shots, each self-contained and illustrated by different artists with startling photo covers, go beyond the clichés of bravado and bluster to put you right there: in the tank war of the Eastern Front; in the hunt for U-boats on the frozen Arctic Ocean; in the bloody Italian campaign; and in the final push to Berlin. If you think Ennis will let readers escape unscathed, think again. First up in September is JOHANN'S TIGER, the tale of a German Tiger tank commander and his crew—pencilled by Ennis's ENEMY ACE collaborator Chris Weston (Ministry of Space) and inked by Gary Erskine. Retreating from the Russians on the Eastern Front, Johann's only goal is to find the Americans and surrender to them before he and his men get killed. But even if he can escape from the Red Army and the Nazi Secret Police, Johann can never elude his own guilt over the atrocities he's seen…and committed.]
D-Day Dodgers (a John Higgins). [From DC Comics: WAR STORY: D-DAY DODGERS tells the story of the thousands of war-weary, largely forgotten, young Allied soldiers. This action-packed and powerful story stands as a moving tribute to the too-often mistreated men fighting in the trenches of any war.]
Screaming Eagles (a Dave Gibbons). [From DC Comics: So far DC has announced two of four VERTIGO one-shots by writer Garth Ennis that explore the true horrors of World War II. The third of these 64-page Specials, WAR STORY: SCREAMING EAGLES, finds Ennis collaborating with the legendary artist of WATCHMEN, Dave Gibbons, offering a breathtaking look at war you won't soon forget. SCREAMING EAGLES begins with an elderly soldier reminiscing about his days in WWII. His kids and grandkids are always asking him what it was like, how he got through it all, and how he survived. But he only has one answer for them… To learn that answer, they must listen to him as he recounts the waning days of the war in Europe, where a battle-weary sergeant and the remnants of his decimated squad are sent to scout a remote chateau on the German front. What they find is a treasure trove of Nazi plunder and stolen luxuries the likes of which they never imagined in the previous months of bloody fighting. But they quickly find that sometimes having it easy can test a soldier's resolve as much as the worst firefight. And the old soldier's answer? You'll just have to read SCREAMING EAGLES to find out, as both Ennis and Gibbons deliver one of their strongest efforts ever in this instant classic.]
Nightingale (a David Lloyd). [From DC Comics: The fourth and final entry of the VERTIGO one-shots by writer Garth Ennis that explore the true horrors of World War II arrives in December in the form of WAR STORY: NIGHTINGALE—a 64-page Special teaming Ennis (PREACHER) with artist David Lloyd (V FOR VENDETTA), who illustrates this book in the same moody, evocative style that made him famous. It’s Christmas time again as the men of the British Destroyer Nightingale guard a convoy of merchant ships steaming through the icy waters of the Arctic Sea, desperate to reach the ports of Russia and resupply the starving Red Armies. After dodging and repelling German attacks from both above and below the water, word comes from British intelligence that the dreaded U-boat Tirpitz is now stalking the same frigid waters. Knowing the convoy is hopelessly outmatched, the orders come to scatter the convoy and hope for the best. This desperate decision proves tragic as, one by one, the Nightingale's fellow ships are destroyed. Somehow, Nightingale survives the attacks and reaches the safety of a home port. But the crew’s joy is tempered by the superstitious belief that they are now a cursed ship—shunned by the rest of the navy as bad luck and a "ship of the damned." It is this knowledge that drives this book's action as the Nightingale—along with her crew of both baby-faced recruits and battle-tested officers—steams deeper into the hellish jaws of war in a quest for redemption of their lost souls. NIGHTINGALE—while packed with plenty of high-seas action—is ultimately a gut-wrenching tale of how in war, more than anywhere else in life, the icy hand of fate is inescapable and redemption so often comes at the price of human life.]