Coming Home comic
“Important stories from voices we hear too little of” - Garth Ennis (writer - The Boys/Punisher)
Coming Home is an anthology comic sharing true stories of UK military veterans’ mental health.
Veterans work online with Re-Live to explore and adapt their often traumatic stories into comics in a co-created and therapeutic process. The work invites each veteran to develop their own narrative, and work with a professional cartoonist to realise it as a finished story.
The result is a powerful comic that helps enlighten readers about some of the hidden stories and issues faced by members of our Armed Forces.
COMING HOME ISSUE 2 - jANUARY 2025
Issue 2 of Coming Home shares stories from LGBTQ+ veterans, who experienced life in the Armed Forces before the lifting of the ‘gay ban’ in 2000.
Under the ban, thousands of LGBTQ+ service personnel were subjected to surveillance and interrogation, and suffered Court Martials, dismissals for conduct unbecoming, and even imprisonment. Many were left with a mental health legacy from the shame and punishments inflicted.
Issue 2 has been made in partnership with Fighting With Pride, the LGBTQ+ military veterans charity.
The release of the comic on 8th January 2025 coincides with the 25th anniversary of the lifting of the ‘gay ban’ in the Armed Forces on 12th January.
Issue 2 will be released through comic shops internationally on January 8th 2025.
To ensure your local comic shop stocks Coming Home issue 2, please ask them to pre-order your copy during December 2024, quoting Diamond Previews code: DEC241815
Coming Home issue 2 features our veterans working alongside some of the leading LGBTQ+ and allied comic artists in the UK.
The beautiful spread cover for this issue is by Ed Firth (artist in residence at the Tom of Finland house).
Ed also brings to life the story of Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander Craig Jones MBE. Craig came out on the day that the Gay Ban was lifted in January 2000 and spent his career fighting for cultural change for his LGBTQ+ colleagues in the Royal Navy.
Cartoonist and illustrator Ria Grix is the artist for ‘The Navigator’ - the story of Flight Lieutenant Caroline Paige MBE who after a career navigating fast jets and supervising helicopter tactics became the first openly serving transgender officer in the British Armed Forces in 1999.
Corporal Ruth Birch and Private Julia Currey met while serving with the British Army in 1980s. After instantly falling in love at first sight they began a secret relationship with its own coded messages until they were eventually discovered by the Army, forcing them to split up following interrogation by the Special Investigation Branch. Their love story is humorous, harrowing and ultimately a triumph of romance. Their artist, Anna Readman (winner of the Observer/Faber graphic short story prize 2023) illustrates Ruth & Ju’s dual story.
Irish LGBTQ+ freelance illustrator, graphic artist and choreographer, AJ O’Neill brings to life the story of Flight Lieutenant Steve Purves. Steve joined the RAF in 1972 as an electrical engineer, and in 1985 was sentenced to six months in prison for a consensual relationship with another man, even though homosexuality had been legalised for civilians in 1967.
COMING HOME ISSUE 2 AT COMIC CONVENTIONS
Coming Home issue 2 premiered at Thought Bubble the UK’s largest comic convention in November 2024.
Four of our veteran storytellers were able to attend, alongside their artists, to begin sharing their stories with readers.
(Left) Veteran storytellers Caroline Paige MBE, Ruth Birch, Julia Currey, Steve Purves.
(Above left) Veterans from issue 2 along with Re-Live’s creative team (Karin Diamond & Steve Sullivan) and artists Anna Readman and AJ O’Neill, and Josh Hicks.
(Above middle) Veteran Steve Purves with his artist, AJ O’Neill.
(Above right) Veterans Julia Currey and Ruth Birch with their artist, Anna Readman
COMING HOME ISSUE 2 IS KINDLY SPONSORED BY:
COMING HOME ISSUE 1
Coming Home issue 1 was released in November 2022.
It shares mental health stories from veterans Robbie, Stan, Claire and Dave, and covers topics including Moral Injury, Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and depression during the transition from the military back to civilian life.
The comic featured artwork from Mike Donaldson (The Broons/The Dandy), Emma Vieceli (Breaks/Life is Strange), Keith Page (Commando), Clark Bint (Killtopia/Heavy Metal), and Casey Raymond (zine artist).
The painted front cover was created by legendary comics artist Ian Kennedy. Ian painted over 1300+ covers for Commando comic. Our front cover was the last work Ian created, at the age of 89, after a career that spanned 60 years in comics.
Coming Home issue 1 can be purchased directly from Re-Live’s shop, or ordered through your local comic shop internationally quoting Diamond/Previews code: DEC241816
ARTWORK FROM COMING HOME ISSUE 1
‘A Healthy Fighting Force’ - art by Emma Vieceli
‘Stretcher-Bearer Stan’ - art by Mike Donaldson
‘Safe Haven’ - art by Keith Page
‘Hard Shoulder’ - art by Clark Bint
ian kennedy’s Coming Home Issue 1 Cover
With the kind permission of Ian Kennedy’s family, Re-Live have commissioned 50 limited edition giclée archival prints of Ian’s cover painting for Coming Home issue 1.
Ian worked with Re-Live’s veterans’ comic group to ensure his cover depicted veterans’ mental health scenes that the group felt reflected their experiences and those of other veterans. Poignantly, our cover was the final artwork Ian completed shortly before his death in February 2022, aged 89.
Each print measures 297mm x 370mm. They are printed on Platinum Etching archival paper, using UV stable pigment based archival inks by Good Art Studio, Cardiff. This limited edition of 50 archival prints are registered with ArtSure, and each print comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
All proceeds raised through the sale of these prints will support Re-Live’s charitable work with veterans living with complex mental health issues.
PLEASE NOTE. These limited edition prints are available for postage in the UK only. Please email comics@re-live.org.uk if you are outside UK to discuss postage prices.
COMING HOME ISSUE 1 ARTWORK EXHIBITIONS
To celebrate the launch of Coming Home there was an exhibition of the original artwork from the comic at Panel Gallery, Northampton, November-December 2022.
This was followed by exhibitions of the artwork in Dublin for Creative Brain Week at Trinity College in 2023, and an exhibition at St. Fagans National Museum of History, Cardiff as part of the Being Human Festival.
COMING HOME ISSUE 1 AT COMIC CONVENTIONS
Coming Home issue 1 previewed at The Lakes International Comic Art Festival (Bowness-On-Windermere, 15th/16th October 2022). The veterans, artists and creative team behind Coming Home took part in a panel discussion about the process of making the comic, hosted by Chris Thompson.
Coming Home issue 1 also previewed at Thought Bubble Yorkshire Comic Art Festival (12th/13th November 2022).
COMING HOME ISSUE 1 WAS KINDLY SUPPORTED BY:
The Coming Home logo was created by Richard Starkings (Comicraft).
PLEASE EMAIL ANY QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK aBOUT COMING HOME tO:
COMICS@RE-LIVE.ORG.UK
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