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Another landmark issue for Commando, as Issue 5200 released

By John Freeman on February 6, 2019

The longest-running British war comic reaches its 5200th issue as Commando releases brand new issues 5199 – 5202, on sale this Thursday in all good newsagents and via various digital platforms from DC Thomson.

Check out the mysteries of Pyu city ruins in Burma, monuments to a minotaur in Crete, Aussie redemption in the jungle, and a prankster in the British Army!

This set of Commando issues brings with them an artist new to the downthetubes team – Dalger, cover artist on Issue 5202. Rightly trailed and praised on the Commando social media streams, we’d love to know more about this artist – can anyone help?

Commando 5199: Home of Heroes – Labyrinth
Story: Dominic Teague | Art: Morhain & Defeo | Cover: Janek Matysiak

Move over, Indiana jones! Writer Dominic Teague’s Lieutenant Ned Morris is here to discover ancient artefacts and save the day from the Japanese! But something slithers in the dark in Burma! Defeo and Morhain’s art will make you cry – “Snakes! Why did it have to be snakes?!”

Commando 5200: Gold Collection – Sky Blitz
Story: Eric Hebden | Art: Sostres | Cover: Scholler
Originally Commando No. 152 (February 1965)

“Sky Blitz” is Commando‘s 5200th issue – and what an issue it is! Don’t be fooled by the dramatic cover by Scholler, because inside lies a zany Eric Hebden plot! Based in the real Palace of Minos at Knossos, Captain Colbert fends off the relentless attacks from German paratroopers during the Battle of Crete.

But the palace holds a secret – and it isn’t just Greek partisans…

Commando 5201: Action and Adventure – Jungle Redemption
Story: Brent Towns | Art: Khato | Cover: Neil Roberts

From the writer of 2018’s best-selling Commando issue “Flak Run”, comes another ripper of a comic! In this issue, Brent Towns’ Sergeant Ted Jones is deep down in the jungle of a remote Indian Ocean island! But when his mission to destroy a Japanese airstrip goes pear-shaped, Ted has to leave his cobbers behind! Strewth! Now he’s determined to go back for them at any cost!

Commando 5202: Silver Collection – The Joker
Story: Burden | Art: Gordon C Livingstone | Cover: Dalger
Originally Commando No. 2775 (July 1994)

What a cover! And what a Commando! Private Bob Dyson isn’t called “The Joker” for nothing! But Dyson and his by the book Company Sergeant Major, Alec Collins, get off to a bad start when the private’s mischievous streak strikes! Highlights includes changing the CSM’s cap badge to a sheriff’s badge and a dummy grenade!

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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as 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.