The final Commando issues of the year are out this week from DC Thomson Media. Issues 5395 – 5398 have everything from patrol boats to glider pilots, from the Cardiff Blitz to telepathic links with eagles!

Commando 5395: Home of Heroes: HMAS Expendable
Story: Brent Towns | Art::Morhain & Defeo | Cover: Keith Burns
• Buy the digital edition from AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)

There’s something fishy going on in the Coral Sea — and it’s not the fish! A new kind of terror is lurking there and reports coming out of the area are shocking to say the least. According to the survivors, American Patrols Boats are attacking their own allies!

Well, leave it to the crews of the HMAS Wombat and HMAS Tiger to get to the bottom of it!

Commando 5396: Gold Collection: War Eagle
Story: Skentleberry | Art: V. Fuente | Cover: Penalva
Originally Commando No. 371 (1968)
• Buy the digital edition from AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)

A Commando whose pre-published title was “Spy in the Sky”, Issue 5396 “War Eagle” is a yarn you won’t want to fly by! When Sergeant Bill Drake takes a whack to the noggin, he soon finds that he is connected to an injured eagle he helped. The bird of prey seems to listen to his very will — his will to prey on the nasty Nazis on a mountain!

Skentleberry’s penchant for oddball Commandos is marvellously brought to life by Victor de la Fuente’s interior artwork with a Penalva cover perched on top!

Commando 5397: Action and Adventure: Cardiff Blitz
Story: Gary Dobbs | Art: Khato | Cover: Neil Roberts
• Buy the digital edition from AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)

For the people of Cardiff, the evening of the 2nd of January, 1941, was just another night and another raid from the German Luftwaffe. Except this night, Nazi bombers were determined to blitz the Welsh capital to ruins.

On the ground, the Martin family was determined to do their bit, Charlie Martin as a firefighter in the AFS and his daughter, Freda, as an Air Raid Warden. Their paths didn’t often cross while they were at work, but fate had plans for the pair — whether they knew it or not!

Commando 5398: Silver Collection: On Silent Wings
Story: RA Montague | Art: Gordon C Livingstone | Cover: Cox
Originally Commando No. 1624 (1982)
• Buy the digital edition from AmazonUK (Affiliate Link)

Being a glider pilot was a tough gig in World War Two but imagine having the guts to do a loop the loop with a glider packed to the brim with troops while under attack by German fighters! Yet that’s exactly what Sergeant Hugh Miller, co-pilot of the glider in question, was about to do.

He had little other choice — what with his pilot injured and the men in the back depending on him — he had to do something!

• Commando Comics is online at www.commandocomics.com | DC Thomson – Subscriptions | Facebook| Twitter | Commando Comics on AmazonUK

Commando Calendar 2021

From its very first cover in 1961, Commando has been well regarded for its stunning artwork with subjects spanning land, sea, and air! 

This collection, celebrating the first 60 years of the title, covers features a mixture of pieces curated by Commando readers themselves, combined with some of the editorial team’s own favourites. 

Included are 16 covers by some of the world’s greatest ever comic artists as well as a special double-spread of Commando’s first ever joint cover!

• Buy one calendar from the DC Thomson web shop for £7.99, two for £13.50, four for £23.50 or six for £30.00

• The Art of Ian Kennedy is available to order here on Amazon (Using this Affiliate Link helps support 

The book showcases Ian’s fantastic array of work for not only DC Thomson Media but also his own personal collection. The high spec 160-page art book includes both never before seen and classic covers, as well as illustrations from the DC Thomson archives, featuring titles as diverse as Lucky Charm and Buddy. Set out chronologically, the book showcases Ian’s career at the famous Scottish publishing house, from his early days working on ‘Red-Skull Branson’ and ‘Commando Jim’ to his most recent covers and commissions for Commando

• The Art of Ian Kennedy is also available to order from DC Thomson direct

COMMANDO ISSUES ISSUES 5395 – 5398 – FULL COVER GALLERY

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.

Categories: British Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News

Tags: Brent Towns, Christmas, Commando, Commando, Cox, DC Thomson, DC Thomson Media, downthetubes News, Gary Dobbs, Gordon C. Livingstone, Keith Roberts, Khato, Morhain & Defeo, Neil Roberts, Penalva, RA Montague, Skentleberry Victor Fuente, War Comics