Writers – Garth Ennis, Torunn Grønbekk
Artists – Mike Dorey, Patrick Goddard
Colours – Jason Wordie
Letters – Rob Steen

The final issue of Battle Action from 2023 concludes with another two tales, the first starring Hellman of the Condor Legion by Garth Ennis and original co-creator Mike Dorey. Hellman and his men are about to take control of a village and in this instance at least, there should be little in the way of resistance. They are joined by a man named Fausto Doglio, a man that Hellman thinks little of at first but quickly learns that he knows a thing or two of war which will come in handy should things go sideways. As it turns out, sideways is exactly what happens and Hellman is forced to kill a large group of men. War costs those who take part in many ways and it causes Hellman to take a beat, his conscience getting the better of him. As he tries to lose himself for a moment, something pulls him back and it potentially saves him though it causes him to kill again, though for a very different reason. Ennis and Dorey craft a very fine story to open this final issue and it is one of the better stories to appear in this particular magazine. One thing it also does like many of the features that have appeared before it is leave the reader wanting more, wanting to see more Hellman with or without the Condor Legion doing what he does best. As for the second story in this book, it stars Nina Petrova and the Angels of Death, more commonly known as the Night Witches. Torunn Grønbekk and Patrick Goddard take the reins with this one and much like the first tale in this book, they do the same and make readers demand more even though it is not meant to be. They begin the book with Nina Petrova welcoming their new Commissar, in her own cold and aloof manner. She cares not who the higher-ups send her way, as long as they do not interfere with what she must accomplish on a daily basis during this ages-long war. As night begins to fall, Commissar Ryabovana is to join Nina in her plane as they make their runs and during the flight, it seems the Commissar has a bit of an agenda herself. There is a small farm and a village that the Commissar wishes to see, one where a caravan they are supposed to bomb is supposed to pass near and when they get close enough, Nina and Ryabovana find that there is nothing there. It is at this point that things take a turn for the pair as they make the near-fatal mistake of landing the plane in enemy territory. Suffice it to say, they make it out alive and the Commissar learns about the cost of war up front and personal. Two great stories by two great creative teams filled with action and personal demons make this final issue of Battle Action one not to be missed.

4 out of 5