TO mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, three internationally-acclaimed artists are joining forces for a unique exhibition.

This September, the work of Joe Colquhoun, Charlie Adlard and Ivan Petrus will provide an alternative perspective on the reality of war in ‘Great War in Comics’ which will run at the Abbot Hall Art Gallery in Kendal.

In collaboration with Lakes International Comic Art Festival, the work of the three artists will shed a new light on this conflict through the medium of comic art.

Charley’s War, by acclaimed war artist Joe Colquhoun, has been described as ‘the greatest comic strip ever created’ and from 1979 until 1987 formed a unique collaboration with writer Pat Mills.

The comic strip provides a frank portrayal of the horrors of war, with Colquhoun opting for heavy inks, messy backgrounds and stark facial expressions to depict an exceptionally dark atmosphere.

Charlie Adlard’s work, White Death, a powerful story of conflict, is set in the Alpine trench war of 1914-1918. Best-known as the artist on TV series The Walking Dead, this early collaboration with writer Robbie Morrison is arguably one is his finest works. Using just charcoal and chalk on gray paper, his drawings convey the fear, horror and desolation of war.

Ghosts of Passchendaele, launched in 2014, is the third book of a graphic novel trilogy by Ivan Petrus featuring Belgian, British and French soldiers and their true stories from the First World War. Painted in bold, dark, muddy colours, his art powerfully invokes the iconic post-war Passchendaele landscape.

Beth Hughes, Lakeland Arts curator, said: “Comic art provides the opportunity to understand a situation from a variety of perspectives as you are able to view the scene whilst reading the minds of the characters depicted. The comic artists in this exhibition offer a view of war which is informative, challenging and will capture the imagination and emotions of the viewer.”

“This exhibition showcases the work of some of its pioneers, both past and present, taking the poignant and often harrowing personal stories of the Great War and where better to do this than in one of the UK's foremost independent galleries. It is a real honour to be working with Abbot Hall Art Gallery as a partner and we hope to build on this as the festival develops in the future,” said Julie Tait, director of the Lakes International Comic Art Festival.

The exhibition will run at Abbot Hall from September 28 until December 6.