Veterans' experiences shared in comic book, Coming Home

"My story is now real. It's not in my head," says contributor and veteran Graham "Stan" Mathews

A comic book has been created with veterans sharing their experiences as a way to deal with mental health issues.

Graham "Stan" Mathews said it had been "amazing" in helping him to come terms with what he witnessed while serving in Northern Ireland in the 1970s.

He said Coming Home had brought to life issues which had been going "round and round in my head" for years.

"Northern Ireland has had a lasting impact on me these last 48 years," he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

The anthology has been created by Cardiff based Re-Live charity which launched an online life story group for veterans during the Covid pandemic.

A young Graham "Stan" Mathews circa 1972

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Mr Mathews from Carmarthenshire joined the forces when he was 15 years old and was posted to Northern Ireland three years later.

He said: "My story is now real. It's not in my head... it's got its own life."

Karin Diamond, artistic director for arts and health group Re-Live and co-editor of the comic, said the idea came about as a client had been a big fan of the Commando Comics series.

"We wanted to connect to veterans and veterans' families and the general public about some of the mental health experiences that veterans are living with every day," she said.

The charity contacted comic artists who agreed to bring veterans' stories to life on the page.

"To work alongside our veterans' group and comic creators to realise this comic has been an extraordinary journey for us over the last 18 months," added Ms Diamond.