Ian Kennedy may be the pre-eminent Commando cover artist over the course of the title’s long history but it had been running for nine years by the time he did his first cover. Before that Ken Barr was the standout cover artist before he moved to America. There he continued to create comic covers including covers for the American format Dan Dare reprint comic Dare The Impossible. His last new cover for Commando was for Evil Ace issue 3047 in 1997, but he has now re-enlisted with Britain’s last war comic and has produced the cover for issue 4138, Blood Red Battle, written by Alan Hebden with internal art by Olivera. More details of Ken Barr’s work can be found at his website.
Sticking with Commando, editor Calum Laird and Gordon Tait from DC Thomson’s syndication (i.e. merchandising) department discuss the choices they made to select the twelve illustrations for the 2009 Art Of Commando calendar at the Commando website. There is also a tease at the end of the piece suggesting that something Warlord related may be in the works from Unique Comic Collectables who published the calendar. In the run up to Christmas could it have anything to do with a certain Royal Marine in a Santa outfit?
On a much less war-like and rather more feminine note, after our mention of Beano products from Boots it looks like DCT’s syndication department having been talking to Marks and Spencer as well. M&S have a 1000 piece jigsaw featuring a selection of covers of DC Thomson girls annuals such as Jackie, Bunty, Judy and Mandy available for Christmas. Anyone hoping for a similar one featuring Warlord, Hotspur and Victor will be disappointed as the closest male alternative is a jigsaw of The Dangerous Book For Boys. 
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 - Current British Publishers, Tube Surfing