Hurricane Aces and terror on the streets of Georgian Manchester in Commando

Commando No 4843 – Peterloo!

Here’s the intel on the latest issues of DC Thomson’s war comic Commando (Issues 4843-4846) on sale today, 10th September 2015, in all good newsagents and for various mobile devices.

Commando 4843 – Peterloo!
Story: Ferg Handley Art: Carlos Pino Cover: Carlos Pino
Preview: www.commandocomics.com/latest-issues/10th-september-2015-collection?issue=4843

Thomas Hatfield decided that a farmer’s life wasn’t him and decided to join his local regiment, the Lancashire Light Foot.

Soon he was plunged into the tumultuous events of the Napoleonic Wars. He was sickened by the villainy of a crooked sergeant and his cronies, in addition to the threat from the opposing French army at the battle of Waterloo.

After the massacre at St. Peter’s Field, Manchester — which became known as ‘Peterloo’ — the young man wondered if a life in England was what he really wanted…

“200 years ago, the battle that — arguably if you’re French — set the political landscape of Europe for many generations was fought in a previously insignificant area of what was then the Netherlands. Waterloo,” notes Commando’s Deputy Editor Scott Montgomery.

“Waterloo! (Issue no 4823) told a fictional — as we always do — tale of that epic history-defining battle, focussing mainly on the French perspective of the ordinary soldiers embroiled in the heat of the fighting.

“Regular Commando author Ferg Handley wrote that story, wonderfully illustrated by veteran artist Carlos Pino. Now, both creators have produced this follow-up, which turns its attention towards the British. Eagle-eyed readers — that’s all of you, we wouldn’t have it any other way — may even have noticed that this book’s hero, Private Thomas Hatfield, and his nemesis, Sergeant Nathan Wilkes, had brief cameo appearances in Part One.

“Once again, we believe that Ferg and Carlos have done us proud, and hope that you enjoy this adventure.”

Commando 4844 – Hurricane Ace

Commando 4844 – Hurricane Ace
Originally Commando No 166 (June 1965), re-issued as No 791 (November 1973)
Story: Henderson Art: Segrelles Cover: Ken Barr
Preview: www.commandocomics.com/latest-issues/10th-september-2015-collection?issue=4844

The huge stone statue of Buddha smiled…

Beside it on this remote Burmese hillside lay the smoking wreckage of a Japanese transport plane, with an injured general inside, and a complete set of plans for their invasion of India. From every point of the compass Japanese search parties came to hunt for the wreck. And so did Ian Murdoch – a young Hurricane pilot who’d made the biggest mistake of his career in shooting down the Japanese plane instead of forcing it to land at the British base. Now he had only four men and his own luck and courage to make good on his mistake.

“As is common with many of the books from Commando’s earliest years, this tale is pretty hard-hitting,” notes Scott Montgomery of this re-presented tale.

“There’s seems to be something about jungle tales that bring out an extra grittiness to the writing.

“A jungle story, you may well ask?

“Yes. Although Ken Barr’s cover is stunning, it’s perhaps slightly misleading. Apart from the first handful of pages, this adventure takes place firmly on the ground — and in the terrifying heat of the jungle. Hurricane ace is a tough read, yes, but it’s worth it.”

Commando 4845 – Enemies Yesterday…

Commando 4845 – Enemies Yesterday…
Story: Steve Taylor Art: Jaume Forns Cover: Ian Kennedy
Preview: www.commandocomics.com/latest-issues/10th-september-2015-collection?issue=4845

A veteran of the battle to defend Malta in 1942, Flight Lieutenant Jim Newman remembered barely surviving against Italian Macchi 200 aircraft.
A couple of years later, when promoted to Squadron Leader in the Balkan Air Force — a multinational unit based in Yugoslavia and fighting the Luftwaffe — the Englishman was less than pleased when some rebel Italian pilots joined their cause.

Although acknowledging that the Italians were gifted pilots, could Jim truly accept that the enemies of yesterday were now the allies of today?

Commando 4846 – Day Of Shame

Commando 4846 – Day Of Shame
Originally Commando No 2367 (April 1990)
Story: C.G. Walker Art: Terry Patrick Cover: Ian Kennedy
Preview: www.commandocomics.com/latest-issues/10th-september-2015-collection?issue=4846

The other pilots sneered and joked about it…the day of shame when they called Jim Black yellow. But Jim wasn’t laughing, and neither would any other pilot accused of cowardice and kicked out of the squadron.

He’d just have to prove them wrong, even without an aircraft…

“Thanks to a series of unlucky events and the manipulation of an unscrupulous supporting character, our hero, Pilot Officer Jim Black, appears far from heroic in the eyes of his C.O. and fellow Hurricane pilots,” Notes Scott of this story.

“I can only imagine that feeling terrified in the face of constant death and destruction is a completely natural reaction. However, being accused of cowardice must, of course, be one of the worst possible things that could happen to a serviceman during wartime and author C.G Walker’s script certainly highlights this — and since this is Commando, we, as readers, certainly hope our disgraced hero will prove his mettle once and for all.”

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• There are more details of Commando on the official Commando website, the Commando Facebook page

• Commando Collections: Our Checklist

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