Four brand-new Commando comics (Issues 5563 – 5666) hit shelves this Thursday 20th July, 2023, offering teething problems in Crete, gold thieves in Greece, partisans in Italy – and the return of the notorious The Victor character ‘Cadman’ to comics – for the first time in 30 years!
Last seen in 1993, Cadman is back, the classic Victor ‘hero’ rebooted for Commando – and in further good news, the character’s original artist Mike Dorey has drawn the strip, recreating more daring and dastardly Cadman adventures.
The team at Commando are delighted to bring The Victor character Cadman back, and tease that this is only the beginning – because Cadman returns to Commando very soon… so keep your eyes peeled!
Commando 5663: Home of Heroes – Tooth and Nail
Story: Ferg Handley | Art and Cover: Manuel Benet
You might think life isn’t very exciting for an army dentist, but Lieutenant Keith Hooper certainly didn’t have a boring life during the Battle of Crete! As invading German paratroopers fell from the skies, Keith gritted his teeth and jumped into the action!
Surviving by the skin of his teeth, Keith was captured and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp. But Keith was champing at the bit to escape, sick to his back teeth with how they were being treated by the Nazi guards.
In spite of some teething problems, Keith fought tooth and nail for his survival!
It’s a brush with death in Ferg Handley’s prisoner of war yarn, brought to life by the masterful Manuel Benet’s art on the cover and interiors!
Commando 5664: Gold Collection – Traitor’s Gold
Story: Gerry Finley-Day | Art: Bellalta | Cover: Porto
Originally Commando No. 484 (1970)
Stolen gold always spells trouble. But in war, when every man is armed, and desperate characters are everywhere, the mere whisper of the word gold can set the trigger fingers itching and start a burning fever in the mind of every soldier. When such a fever strikes can any man be trusted?
Nothing says classic Commando like a double cross, and this Commando, written by British comics legend Gerry Finley-Day, has backstabbers abounds!
Commando 5665: Action and Adventure: Cadman – The Fighting Coward
Story: Andrew Knighton | Art: Mike Dorey | Cover: Mike Dorey & Neil Roberts
In the autumn of 1914, the Anglo-French and German armies launched a series of flanking manoeuvres towards the Channel, as cowardly cavalry Lieutenant Gerald Cadman tries to trick his captain into leading them away from the fighting.
But every attempt to flee takes them into fresh action, while Cadman’s batman, Tom Smith, looks for ways to expose his deceptive master…
“The Coward of the Fighting 43rd” first appeared in The Victor cover dated 10th February 1973, the writer uncredited but drawn from the get go by Mike Dorey, most recently seen drawing revival pages for Battle-Action. The strip was one of several new strips this “boost” issue of the weekly comic, offered with a “stars on Stick-Pix” gift, the new stories being “Killer Kennedy’s Commandos”, set in World War Two, and the police adventure, “Sergeant Samson’s Scrapbook”.
The early adventures of Cadman were set in World War One, initially on the Western Front, the strip featuring stories set through that war and, later, through to the 1930s, and the rise of Hitler and the Nazi Party.
Cadman was based on George Macdonald Fraser’s Flashman, a cowardly army officer of the Victorian period, and just like Flashman, his cowardice did not stop him from winning many medals, including the Victoria Cross, the DSO, MC and various foreign decorations, none of which he deserved
To give you a taste of the character, we first meet Cadman in the summer of 1914 in The Victor, when he is a Lieutenant in the Prince Rupert’s Horse Regiment, better known as the Fighting 43rd. In the course of the first series, Cadman, with Smith’s assistance, kills a German spy, and defends a vital bridge by reversing a car across it – and, accidentally, into a squad of German soldiers.
Another early notable ‘heroic’ act on the money-grabbing Cadman’s part included trying to scare a French lady out of her chateau – and then making arrangements to sell her wine to a London club!
Cadman was a breakout character for artist and illustrator Mike Dorey, and established a precedent for creating anti-heroes and anti-establishment figures. He’s known for his work on the ground-breaking Action – surely the only comic to be debated in Parliament – for which he co-created “Hellman of Hammer Force”, the first German military hero in the history of post- war British comics. Mike went on to draw the iconic Rogue Trooper, for 2000AD.
Mike is noted for his dark, textured artwork, with an emphasis on line and form influenced by a study of Impressionist and Surrealist art. His strong draftsmanship is characterised by a bold and high-contrast style that makes his work instantaneously recognisable.
Commando 5666: Silver Collection: Guerrilla!
Story: McDevitt | Art: Ibanez | Cover: Ian Kennedy
Originally Commando No. 1450 (1980)
The small band of freedom fighters were a very mixed bunch —Italian partisans, escaped prisoners-of-war, and Italian army deserters. Now they waited tensely for the signal to open fire on their target below.
That target was a convoy of German lorries, led by one of the most cruel and ruthless officers in the SS —a man hunted by both British and Italian alike. And they had sworn to make him pay dearly for all his crimes…
The enemy of my enemy is my friend, so the saying goes, and nothing brings together a group like a McDevitt’s murdering SS Commander! And with Ibanez and Ian Kennedy on art, this is one you don’t want to miss!
• Commando Comics is online at commandocomics.com | DC Thomson – Subscriptions | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Commando Comics on AmazonUK
• If there’s a past Commando comic you would like to see reprinted, contact the team via generalenquiries@commandomag.com
Please note, as of June 2023, the Heritage Comics and Commando Presents digital releases project is on hiatus, as DC Thomson examine new ways to publish classics from their archive – check out the Commando Presents Series Page on AmazonUK for all the digital titles released under these banners
• Mike Dorey is online at mikedorey.co.uk
• There’s a background feature on Cadman here on the Victor and Hornet comic fan site
Commando 5663 – 5666 Cover Gallery
• Commando Comics is online at commandocomics.com | DC Thomson – Subscriptions | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Commando Comics on AmazonUK
Thank you to Colin Maxwell for the use of his “Cadman” commission by Mike Dorey – check out his work at maximized.co.uk
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.
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