This week’s Commando set from DC Thomson includes a fun and fantastical story set in the Norwegian mountains, and a mystery for former detective Rick Brennan in the foggy Ardennes in 1944.
Issue 5971, Commandos Vs Dragons, features a stunning cover by Scottish artist Graeme Neil Reid, who clearly relished the opportunity to come up with a marvellous take on a classic fantasy style cover: the lone warrior with magical sword standing up against the terrifying beast.
“I hoped to channel some classic paperback fantasy book and rock album covers for this one and had a lot of fun doing it,” he says – and he certainly has!
If you follow Graeme on Patreon, watch out for a proper ‘Making Of’ post next week. You’ll probably recognise him most for his work for books such as The Dangerous Book of Heroes, magazines such as Radio Times, and comics (2000AD, Commando), online and apps, particularly Doctor Who.
Commando Issues 5971-5974 are on sale Thursday 2nd July from all TG Jones not yet closed by private equity parasites, good newsagents still selling things other than beer and vapes – and, more reliably, despite the ravaging of the service by the cost cutting owner of the Royal Mail, on subscription.
You can now also buy individual issues direct from dcthomsonshop.co.uk, with free delivery. Digital editions are also available via AmazonUK and Magzter.
Commando 5971 (Home of Heroes): Commandos Vs Dragons
Story: Andrew Knighton | Internal Art: Juan Ferdandez | Cover Art: Graeme Neil Reid
Sergeant Terry Banks and his colourful team of Commandos were known for getting the job done. But the Commandos might have bitten off more than they could chew when their next mission, to find and dispatch a Nazi Oberfuhrer obsessed with the occult, led them to the beautiful and mysterious fjords of Norway.
Nobody could have guessed what lay slumbering in the mountains…
• Support cover artist Graeme Neil Reid on Patreon and find online at gnreid.co.uk, or follow on Instagram or Facebook – and you can even go watch him painting over on his YouTube channel
Commando 5972 (Gold): Buccaneer Bob, R.N.
Story: RA Montague | Internal & Cover Art: Gordon C Livingstone
First published 1972 as No.618
Thrashing in to attack at forty knots, guns blazing, torpedoes hissing from the tubes…that was how they fought their war in the little ships of the Royal Navy.
To command one of those MTBs, you had to be brave as a lion, quick as lightning, tough as steel. And Lieutenant Bob Stacey was a guy just like that.
Commando 5973 (For Action and Adventure): The Long, Bad Night
Story: Sean Mason | Internal Art: Vicente Alcazar | Cover Art: Simon Pritchard
The Ardennes, 1944. A fog descended on the forest, and former detective Rick Brennan found himself in the thick of it. Separated from his unit, he took shelter in a farmhouse with a disparate crew of American soldiers, a captured German and a disgruntled civilian.
When one of the men was murdered, Rick was convinced the German was innocent, but he’d have a long, bad night ahead of him trying to catch the real killer.
Commando 5974 (Silver): Caught In The Trap
Story: McDevitt | Internal Art: Ibanez | Cover Art: Ron Brown
First published 1985 as No. 1881
For some Burmese tribes, the only way a young lad could prove himself a man was by catching a tiger singlehanded. Even though the occupying Japanese forbade such hunts, Kam-Lee was determined to carry out the age-old ritual. But he wasn’t the only hunter, for the brutal Colonel Samato was stalking a British fighter-pilot through the jungle. Soon, someone was going to be… Caught In The Trap!
• Commando Comics is online at commandocomics.com | DC Thomson – Subscriptions | Buy issues direct from dcthomsonshop.co.uk with free delivery | Commando Comics on AmazonUK | Commando Comics on Magzter | Follow Commando Comics on Facebook | X | YouTube |
• If there’s a past Commando comic you would like to see reprinted, contact the team via generalenquiries@commandomag.com
Commando Issues 5971 – 5974 Cover Gallery
• Commando Comics is online at commandocomics.com | DC Thomson – Subscriptions | Buy issues direct from dcthomsonshop.co.uk with free delivery | Commando Comics on AmazonUK | Commando Comics on Magzter | Follow Commando Comics on Facebook | X | YouTube |
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
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.
Categories: British Comics, British Comics - Current British Publishers, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
Bear Alley Books announces “The Shrinker” collection 
Space Banshee Exorcist comes to Kickstarter 
British creators aplenty among the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers 2026 Nominees 
Rebellion tease Scream Halloween Special 2026
Leave a Reply