Combat Colin and Tom Thug art offered on eBay

By John Freeman on September 26, 2021

Comic artist and writer Lew Stringer is selling a couple of his unique comic artworks, featuring two of his best-known creations, Combat Colin and Tom Thug, on eBay, alongside copies of some of his comics.

Published in the 1980s, on offer is a “Tom Thug” page from Oink! (1988) and a “Combat Colin” half pager from Marvel UK’s Action Force (1987).

Lew has been freelancing professionally in comics as an artist and writer since 1983, inspired by a lifelong love of the medium. Over the years he has worked for titles such as the BEANO, The Dandy, Oink!, VIZ, Doctor Who Magazine, Sonic the Comic and many more.

He also self publishes his own creator owned Combat Colin, Derek The Troll and Brickman comics, which have a loyal cult following across the UK and beyond.

Lew first created Tom Thug for Oink!, and he appeared from the preview issue in 1986, and throughout most of the 68 issue run of the comic, plus annuals and specials.

*The complete, original full page art for a “Tom Thug” story that appeared in OINK! comic No. 49 in February 1988. Art by Lew Stringer*

“When Oink! merged into Buster in 1988, Tom Thug was one of the fortunate few characters to hop over,” recalled last year. “He became a very popular character in Buster, proving that showing bullies getting their comeuppance every week is always something kids like to see.”

The final originated Tom Thug strip appeared in Buster, cover dated 9th July 1996, meaning that the character had a 10 year run. This wasn’t quite the end though, as (due to dreaded cuts in the comic’s budget) reprints of Tom’s earlier stories began to appear from the following issue, and continued until the very last issue of Buster at the end of 1999.

*A complete ”Combat Colin” story that appeared in Action Force comic No. 21 in 1987. Art by Lew Stringer*

Combat Colin, another great creation of Lew’s, is one of the UK’s longest-running independently created and owned humour characters, and has appeared in several comics, including several volumes of the digital anthology Aces Weekly, since he debuted in Marvel UK’s Action Force back in 1987.

Marvel UK acknowledged Lew’s rights to the character back in the early 1990s, ensuring the clumsy would-be commando, come aspiring hapless secret agent, has continued to cause mayhem long after his original home disappeared!

• Check out both artworks here on eBay | Lew Stringer is online at lewstringercomics.blogspot.com

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.