There’s a new set of Commando comics from DC Thomson on sale tomorrow, Thursday 30th January 2025, offering not one, two brand new stories with great covers by Marco Bianchini, two archive tales with covers by Ian Kennedy – and more action than you can shake a cursed Bren gun at!
You can always count on Commando to deliver thrilling stories, and “Countdown to Murder”, a murderous tale from Rossa McPhillips, is an enjoyable spy thriller with art from Marc Viure that will keep some guessing right until the dramatic end. It’s a well-paced new story from the team, and an enjoyable yarn, too.
Also new this set is “Unlucky Gun” from writer Ferg Handley, with smashing art by Paolo Ongaro. While the story centres on superstition, there’s the familiar trope of a bullying corporal making one man’s war a misery – on top of battling the SS! Ongaro’s art on the battle sequences in this story is terrific.
The first represented story this time out is “Project ‘Doomsday’” with a fine script from Eric Hebden. First published in the 1970s, this is a rip-roaring adventure in the spirit of war films like The Guns of Navarone – a dangerous mission to foil a Nazi rocket launch, and a well chosen reprint I enjoyed reading.
Complementing “Countdown to Murder” is “Traitor to His Country”, another adventure with a mystery element to it set in Belgium during World War Two, the resistance there battling not just the Nazis, but traitors, too. This yarn from expert war comic writer Bernard Gregg, offers no shortage of twists and turns…
Coming Soon: Kampfgruppe Falken returns
Nestling in the news page for this issue is the announcement of another new “Kampfgruppe Falken” story, a series first published in DC Thomson’s weekly war comic, Warlord, back in 1977, written by Alan Hemus with art by Luis Collado Coch. The series was added to Warlord’s mix after the success of “Panzer G-Man” and “Hellman of Hammer Force” in rival publisher Fleetway’s Battle comic.
Commando Issues 5823 – 5826 are available in all good newsagents, some run by spies, and digitally from services such as Magzter.
Commando 5823: Countdown to Murder
Story: Rossa McPhillips | Art: Marc Viure | Cover: Marco Bianchini
SIX… Special Operation Executive agents went on the mission to destroy a German radio base on the coast of occupied France.
FIVE… of them were French, the final was their British liaison, Captain Mark Bradshaw. FOUR… of the agents were men. Excluding Bradshaw, their names were Ronald, Veran and Yves.
THREE… of the six wanted to kill the German SS officer they had captured, the others wanted him alive for questioning.
TWO… were women, Olivia and Brigitte. Both were trained in deadly combat against the Nazis.
ONE of them was a murderer and they were going to kill until there were none left alive. It was a countdown to murder and time was running out!
Commando 5824: Project “Doomsday”
Story: Eric Hebden | Art: Galindo | Cover: Ian Kennedy
First published in Commando 920 in 1975
In a Nazi Air Ministry building in Berlin, a heavy file of documents and blueprints contained the secrets of a weapon which had been designed to win the war for Hitler. British Intelligence knew it by two words only — two words which could mean death and destruction for every man, woman and child in Britain — Project “Doomsday”.
Commando 5825: Unlucky Gun
Story: Ferg Handley | Art: Paolo Ongaro | Cover: Marco Bianchini
Normandy, 1944. Superstitious young soldier, Sam Draper, has just joined a new unit. Unfortunately, the bullying Corporal Eric Grimes seems to have it in for Sam from the offset! Things only get worse when his unit are sent to Normandy to fight the SS, and Sam’s placed in charge of a Bren light machine gun. The problem is, everyone who handled the gun beforehand has met an unfortunate fate. Could the Bren really be cursed?
Commando 5826: Traitor to His Country
Story: Bernard Gregg | Art: Philpott | Cover: Ian Kennedy
First published in Commando 1639 in 1982
When in Belgium, do as the Belgians do — or die! That was good advice for Ray Verheyen, a young pilot stranded in enemy-occupied territory with Germans everywhere. Luckily, he was in a position to take it, for he’d grown up there and could speak the language fluently.
But Ray knew, with good reason, even that was no real safeguard. After all, hadn’t his own father, born and bred in Belgium, disappeared without trace?
• Commando Comics is online at commandocomics.com | DC Thomson – Subscriptions | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Commando Comics on AmazonUK | Commando Comics on Magzter
• If there’s a past Commando comic you would like to see reprinted, contact the team via generalenquiries@commandomag.com
Commando Issues 5823 – 5826 Cover Gallery
• Commando Comics is online at commandocomics.com | DC Thomson – Subscriptions | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Commando Comics on AmazonUK | Commando Comics on Magzter
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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, Comic Previews, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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