mitchmen's war No15 - The Batman No 3 - The Aussie Driver

1. AUSSIE GUNNERS

 This picture of a an Australian gunnery team in action presses an number of buttons for me.

The bare torsos of course, but also the shorts and the chunky legs in rugby-style socks.

The abundance of muscles, hairy chests and even nipples is quite unusual for this genre.

I have added colour to these images to bring out those attractive features 

(and edited out some gratuitous racism from the text).

The blond character in the foreground is a male stereotype of a by-gone age, 

but the two characters behind him seem more contemporary, they are nicely drawn
 with some sexy body grooves dissappearing into their shorts.

I'd say this artist likes men.

(On a historical note, some Brits might be surprised to learn that
the Aussies also suffered aerial attacks on their home soil during WWII)

2.

 The shorts shown in this image are closer to the regulation length and a lot less interesting!

In the story 'Davis' is a Brit who has been assigned to this Australian outfit, thus setting the scene for a classic 'outsider' story. This gains extra spice from the fierce rivalry between Brits and Aussies, which has been nourished by over 100 years of encounters in sports where both lay claim to being 'Top Dog'.

As I write this England and Australia have just shared the spoils in 'The Ashes' cricket series
and are about to contest the Rugby World Cup. 

3.

 The attackers do return and take the Aussie defenders by surprise.

Davis (in the trench) sees a driver caught out in the open.

These two frames have a clever yin-yang interlock at a number of levels. Visually it portrays the looping swoop of the attacking aircraft very well. A modern artist would probably blend the frames together more but this old school method is equally effective. The right hand frame is also a little gem in the way it catches the menace of the attacker and the vulnerability of the fleeing driver. We can see he has been hit in the back, adding a twist of pathos.

The inclusion of Davis in the foreground shows him as a brave man but rather foolhardy in these circumstances. He rises with arms spread for balance but it creates something of a 'rescuing angel' effect. There's a hint of homo-eroticism in the way these two are shown running towards each other, almost like lovers who are being re-united.

4.

 This touchy-feely image does not entirely dispell that impression!
Continuity nerds will find fertile ground for comment in this group of images. 

5.

Here Davis seems to be nestling next to the soldier protectively, 

and his chin appears to be resting on the Aussie's hairy chest
Are his eyes closed or is he peeking?
We can only imagine where his right hand is!

Note an actual nipple and a rivulet of sweat breaking the modesty rules,
an unmistakeably homoerotic image. 

6.

The drawing technique falters in this image and I have slightly altered the soldier's face to make it look better, Davis touches the soldier's head, but he's surprisingly tender. His face is a model of concern for the serviceman, but his eye-line sees to be directed at those generous pecs (properly minus nipples this time).

The bottom half of the soldiers body is constrained by the 'portrait' oriented frame here but the artist has shoe-horned in a sexy upraised left thigh on the far side - and very short shorts.
In the lower foreground that's not his right thigh you can see, but his raised right knee.
It's obscuring the crotch area (and maybe that's just as well).

7.

In the story, Davis is hurt by the Aussie's reminder that he is still an outsider

and the rejection of his genuine concern for the injured man.

Nevertheless, he chucks the man affectionately under the chin like an unrequited lover.  

From the expression on his face, the fallen soldier doesn't seem to mind.

Unfortunately the stretcher bearers interrupt them at this little intimate moment. 

The artist supplies another nice rendering of the Aussie's physique 

with ample muscular definition but a slender build. 

Nice shorts too, with just the tiniest hint of a bulge!

8.

The CO admonishes Davis for his foolhardy behaviour and life/war goes on.

~

As is my wont, I imagined a different outcome to this scene

in which the swirling homoerotic undercurrents gain a fuller expression.

In my version images 1-5 tell the same story with the same suspected gay twist.

There's a new picture 6 (below)

It's love/lust at first sight for the two men 

(and no, for you sceptics, the Aussie isn't concussed!

- but his wounds have miraculously healed.)

Davis is glad that zips haven't been invented yet.

7. New Version

As you might expect, the Aussie is taken by surprise by the offer.

Why would this Officer want him as a servant?

Australian blokes don't do service, especially for Poms.

But on the other hand, he is attracted to the man,

and it might turn out to be a cushy billet, 

safer than driving mobile targets for enemy aircraft anyway!

8. New Version (click to read the smaller, trouser text)

Davis' casual, hands in pocket pose takes on an explicit meaning
You'll gather the Aussie driver said 'yes', well 'maybe' at least.
We wish him a speedy recovery!

These images are taken from War Picture Library No 1696 'The Darkest Hour'
(I also used this cover image in a previous post No 7 Flashing The Flesh)

 I can't say if this is the same artist, but you can see a similar appreciation of men.

As this cover image suggests, Davis ends up in the jungle later on
 and there's more bare flesh action when he comes to the rescue of another man
who is captured and being tortured by the enemy.
(bit of a pattern here!)

Go to No16 War Comics post
For other 'War Comic' inspired posts click on the label below
Other 'batman' posts No 1, No 2