Brand new Commando (issues 5163-5166) are on sale later this week from DC Thomson, in all good newsagents and via a variety of digital platforms. There’s action aplenty, as the retreating British army dodges Nazis at Dunkirk, an angry Norwegian harpoons a U-boat in the Antarctic, the Long Range Desert Group attempt to liberate a prince, and a civilian caught in wartime crossfire is forced to impersonate a solider in the British Expeditionary Force…
Commando 5163: Home of Heroes: The Last Men at Dunkirk
Story: Iain McLaughlin Art: Muller Cover: Janek Matysiak
Sergeant Ronnie Malloy stood alone on the French pier looking out towards the sea. The beach was deserted bar the smoking husks of discarded British trucks. The lines of men desperate to clamber aboard the ships bound for Blighty were all gone and the place was silent except for the quiet ebb of the tide.
In the distance, Ronnie watched the armada of little ships, chock-full of men, sail away to Britain, leaving him behind. He had been abandoned… one of the last men in Dunkirk.
Commando 5164: Gold Collection: Death of a U-boat
Story: McOwan Art: Gordon C Livingstone Cover: Ken Barr|
Originally Commando No. 262 (May 1967)
To the tough rowdies of the whaling fleets from Greenland to the South Pole, he was just ‘Big Olaf’. Star harpoon-gunner of them all, the ship that had Olaf aboard broke records for whales caught and bonuses paid. Six feet four inches of blonde Norwegian with eyes as icy green as the seas he roved, and muscles to suit his tough trade.
He sailed along with British skipper, Danny Parker, and here was a fighting twosome to make the Nazi raiders think twice about their takeover bid for the Antarctic – and whalers.
Commando 5165: Action and Adventure: Desert Rescue!
Story: Jim & David Turner Art: Paolo Ongaro Cover: Neil Roberts
Lieutenant Guy Lewis was desperate for action. Fresh out of officer’s training, he was bored of playing squash in Cairo to pass the time.
Then Guy got the news he had been waiting for – a posting in the North African desert with one of the most notorious Allied regiments – the Long Range Desert Group!
Commando 5166: Silver Collection: Fighting Civvy
Story: Mike Knowles Art: Gordon C Livingstone Cover: Ian Kennedy
Originally Commando No. 2873 (July 1995)
Bill Carpenter was a civilian, a top salesman for farming machinery who wanted nothing to do with the war. But no-one had told the Germans that, and he found himself caught up in the retreat to Dunkirk.
Civvy or not, Bill was forced to fight to survive. And if the Nazis had known how good he was going to be, they would have left him alone!
• Commando comics are available from all good UK newsagents
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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
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