The Stringbags

As if taking the piss out of the number of different publishers for whom he's done much the same sort of war comic, Garth Ennis' latest comes from the Naval Institute Press – not a name one generally expects to see listed alongside Marvel and DC. But, as always (well, bar some iffy art on the Avatar run of War Stories), it's a belter. The subject this time is the Fairey Swordfish, a plane out of time – one thinks of biplanes as quintessentially First World War, but this one was a torpedo bomber flown by the Royal Navy's aviators in the Second. It was fragile, its armament was a joke...and still they managed to do remarkable things. The book is divided into three sections, each of which combines passages of what's pretty much an illustrated history lesson with narrative sections following the (mis)adventures of one particular Swordfish crew – though of course it does help that, in mission briefings, there's a perfect excuse to drop in more exposition and maps than fiction can normally accommodate without creaking. The first follows the crippling of the Italian navy at Taranto, about which I didn't know at all; apart from changing the balance of power in the Mediterranean war, there's an implication that it may also have influenced the Japanese tactics at Pearl Harbor. The second rejoins the protagonists while they're flying recon missions from Twatt (and yes, I checked – because Ennis knows his history, but does also have a weakness for puerile humour. This was indeed a real airbase, though he's tweaked the location), then follows them to the sinking of the Nazis' own Death Star, the Bismarck.

Each time, the very factors which should render the Swordfish a liability prove its salvation – it flies so low, or so slow, as to completely fox the adversary's expectations. Still, a plane is nothing without people, and as ever, catching the fighting men is where Ennis really excels. Where most war comics tend either to follow the gung-ho Commando line, or the illustrated Wilfred Owen mode of Charley's War, Ennis always has the sense and the decency to know that neither is true, and both are. War is a horrible, ugly business, a terrible waste – in which glorious deeds are done; a thing that shouldn't ever happen, but sometimes the alternative is even worse. Accordingly, our protagonist aircrew are three somewhat hapless regular types, more or less accidental heroes as much out of wounded pride as anything, but still good men. Significantly, their role is always somehow to assist, rather than striking the magnificent killing blow; an afterword confirms that this is done out of respect, to avoid stealing the glory from real fliers; it's also a great way to show the importance of collective effort as against Hollywood bullshit. This also makes PJ Holden the perfect choice of collaborator; his faces always teeter on the edge of comedy, with British types straight out of an Ealing film, but then he can also handle the sudden flips into heroism or horror, the harrowing scenes of burning and drowning or the collective grief after the loss of the Hood.

And then there's the third story. Perhaps just because Netgalley has the ARC of this months ahead of the release, it's presented uncoloured, but that also serves to lend a sense of foreboding, an idea that this history is ready to catch up with this plane out of time. And where the first two stories follow brilliantly-executed and successful British ops, the last covers the Channel Dash, which was neither. I'm not sure if this counts as a spoiler when one is addressing historical fact, but good heavens, heroism is no less heroic when it's doomed, and this one really got me. Even without that, though, it would have been a powerful read. Despite it turning up, unheralded, in a week when I feel the least patriotic I have in my life, I loved this to bits.

A surprisingly good read! I really did not expect this book to be an adult comic, it was quite a shock when I opened it up. However....the stories, poignant illustrations and colourising were very professional and reminiscent of my amazing childhood comics like The Eagle and Hotspur. The author's description of the storyline, at the back of the book, really helped explain the events of the time and the lead-up to the various battles that the fictitious aircrew took part in.
I have always admired the incredibly brave aircrews who flew the 'Stringbag' on extremely dangerous, potentially ‘one-way’ missions. Having seen Fairey Swordfish flying displays on a number of occasions, I am always astounded at how exposed the crew members are in the open cockpit, the slowness of the aircraft and the obvious flimsiness of the airframe.
I really liked the unassuming three main characters and their interaction with the other characters in the book.
Well done to the team who made the book possible and who have helped keep alive the memories of the courageous Fleet Air Arm aircrews.

This graphic novel will appeal to fans of Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales. Engaging and informative, young readers who enjoy historical fiction will certain enjoy this title.

File was corrupted so I could only see partial content. Looks very good considering the parts I was able to read.

Updated review - the publisher was kind enough to send me an advance reader copy in the mail. Thanks!

I've read other titles in this series of graphic novels covering a wide range of topics. Stringbags is the best so far. It centers around there story of an antiquated biplane torpedo bomber that had several significant successes in World War 2, even though it was obsolete. In particular these aircraft were used to torpedo the Italian fleet in Taranto, Italy. The lessons from this attack were leveraged by the Japanese in their attack on Pearl Harbor. I've read a lot of World War 2 history, and this book is very accurate. While the characters are not based on real individuals, the entire story surrounding them is accurate and solidly based on actual events. This title serves as an excellent introduction to an interesting but not well known part of World War 2. The author does a good ob in providing background and context in each of the three sections so the reader understands the larger picture.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this graphic novel. 'Stringbags' is a wonderful combination of fiction and history in a colorful and detailed book. This is the story of the Fairley Swordfish torpedo plane, an obsolete bi-plane, and its effective use by the British Navy. Three actions are shown, the sinking of the German battleship Bismark, the attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto, and the Channel Dash by the German fleet. This book follows the fictional exploits of the three man crew of one Stringbag.

Garth Ennis and company have done it again! Using a fictional crew of a Stringbag (officially the Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber), Ennis takes the reader on a tour of three pivotal moments where the Stringbags shone. The first was the strike on the Italian fleet at Taranto that kept the Mediterranean Sea from being an Axis lake. The second was the strike on the Bismark that crippled the ship and allowed the British fleet to catch it short of France and safety. The third moment was the last ride of the Stringbags during the Channel Dash of the German battlecruisers when they attacked in broad daylight without adequate air cover. These are important tales told and illustrated well. Read, enjoy and reflect on what has been done in the past so that the future exists.

Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

'The Stringbags' by Garth Ennis with art by P.J. Holden is a series of 3 stories about World War II and the men who flew Faerie Swordfish planes.

The three linked stories in this volume follow three fictitious characters as they fly the slow, biplanes to drop torpedoes to hit ships. In the first story, the raid on Taranto is the focus. The second is about an attack on the Bismarck, a huge German ship, and the third is about the German fleet running up the coast of England and getting attacked.

The stories alternate between lighthearted and nail biting. The three main characters are wholly made up and this is explained in an excellent afterword by the author. The art is really great. I learned a lot about these planes and the men who flew into the face of danger.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Dead Reckoning and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

I have tried repeatedly to open this book on multiple devices with no luck. I’m very sad that it isn’t working because I love using graphic novels in my class for students new to the country and students who are English language learners. It looks great though!

A team of skilled and experienced comics makers have put together a fine work of artistry and tribute to a little-know group of British WW2 pilots, those who flew the Fairey Swordfish. I began this one knowing absolutely nothing about this aspect of combat, and by the end, I felt like I’ve had a significant history lesson as well as the opportunity to experience some gorgeous artwork. For readers a across age-range and genre-preference, this is one that I highly recommend without reservation.