Once Upon a Time in France tells the, so unbelievably it must be true, story of Romanian Jew Joseph Joanovici. After immigrating to France in the 1920s, scrap metal makes him rich. When World War II begins, he slowly starts supplying the Nazis with metal after they occupy France. He uses his money and connections to… Read more

SAN DIEGO –In the view of the Gestapo stationed in Paris, Joseph Joanovici was a “useful Jew,” because as a scrap metal dealer he could obtain and sell to the Nazis materials needed for the war effort. At the same time, the French Resistance also thought he was useful because with the money he made… Read more

When people start getting into hypothetical debates, it’s often fun to throw out “Kobiyashi Maru” (no win scenario) style questions. One example might be: “If you could go back in time and stand before Hitler as an infant (knowing all he would do), Would you kill him?” In Once Upon a Time in France, we… Read more

“Trench Dogs,” is an original graphic novel that came out last year from newer publisher, Dead Reckoning. Dead Reckoning itself is owned by the Naval Institute Press, which is, “The publishing arm of the U.S. Naval Institute, an independent, non-partisan, non-profit, professional military membership association. Through Dead Reckoning, the Naval Institute seeks to broaden the… Read more

Outside of Leatherneck circles, the name Smedley Butler (1881–1940) may not ring many bells, but this spirited graphic biography aims to bring broader acclaim to the gung-ho Marine general whose service stretched over several wars and took a late turn into political advocacy. McComsey (Son of Hitler) uses the framing device of Butler arriving to… Read more

It’s sad how mediocre so many graphic novels are when it’s a great storytelling medium. This, however, is not the case with the excellent ‘Katusha’, which tells the story of a young Ukrainian woman in the Great Patriotic War. Often a historical story suffers from either being overwhelmed by the author’s research or else the research… Read more

Riff Reb’s is a truly remarkable storyteller; his artwork is timeless and evocative and his skills at writing easily match it. As a man who has always loved the sea, I have always been aware of the element of the unknown it embodies. It looks beautiful but it can be dangerous, and this fine graphic… Read more

Garth Ennis and I have three things in common. We’re both Irish. We’ve both written war stories (in my case for the Eisner-nominated To End All Wars published by Soaring Penguin Press, and we both appreciate the legacy of the classic war comic Battle. Battle was the brainchild of writer and editor Pat Mills (Pat… Read more

Joseph Joanovici can feel the war approaching. He’s a Romanian Jewish immigrant in France who has made a fortune in the scrap metal business prior to World War II. Joseph is the hero of the epic graphic novel, “Once Upon A Time In France” (Dead Reckoning). Originally published in six volumes, “Il Etait Une Fois… Read more

Yes, Major General “War is a Racket” Smedley Butler has his own graphic novel and it’s a fascinating, informative and a fun read. The U.S. Naval Institute through Naval Institute Press and Dead Reckoning publishing is looking for new approaches to reach new audiences interested in military history. They achieve their goal with flying colors…. Read more