Sirk TV Graphic Novel Review: THE REGIMENT - THE TRUE STORY OF THE SAS - BOOK ONE [Europe Comics]

The aspect of putting a reader in the mindset of a war zone, especially of a time passed has to interrelate in some ways to the people fighting it. In "The Regiment - The True Story Of The SAS - Book One" [Vincent Brugeas/Europe Comics/70pgs], it is the balance (like the recent "Project Blue Book") about the balance of personalities. In this telling of the SAS in the Egyptian desert, it is three men: Sterling, Jock and Paddy from the perspective of a lower munitions specialist that give the narrative life. The progression is the texture of hotheaded bravado versus the idea of strategy. The key to the story here is to take out the Nazi air capabilities by sending small teams into and infiltrating the air bases and blowing up the aircraft with small compacted bombs. The irony of the bombs becomes the fact that while they are made of plastic explosives and thermite, but it is the addition of common motor oil that gives it the ability to burn the aspects around it. While much is made of the set up plus some of the failed times to accomplish a mission, when the victory finally comes to bear, the strategy is one of fanfare but also of great energy. There is also a sense of almost foolhardy patriotism which distinctly feels worthwhile and full of energy with the reckless actions of hothead Paddy. The epilogue elements paint how the SAS was formed and maintained in certain countries but also how its intelligence gathering is comported which was its initial creation point and continues to serve the world today.B

By TIm Wassberg