Commando crunches up sales, revamps digital app

The latest issues of Commando are on sale in all good newsagents and includes a tale written by occasional downthetubes contributor Matthew Badham.

Editor Calum Laird tells us the Commando iPad and iPhone app has just been updated and improved thanks to the feedback DC Thomson received from the first to adopt it. "It now works better than ever, he tells us, "and we have doubled the numbers of digi-subscribers in the last month." Although he doesn't tell us exactly how many subscribers that is...

Despite the launch of a digital edition, the print version continues to thrive in the title's 50th year. "Our paper subscription numbers have gone up 30 per cent this year," says Calum. "More details of the offers we have for that service can be found at www.commandocomics.com." And of course we're still offering our DTT Commando discount - see column left for details.

Commando 4383: International Squadron 
Oiginally Commando No 216 (June 1966), re-issued as No 887 (November 1974)
Story: Brunt Art: Gordon Livingstone Cover Art: Ken Barr

South Africans in Catalinas, French in Dewoitine fighters, British in Hurricanes…what a terrific bunch they were!

They fought among themselves, they scrapped with the Japs — and to crown it all they had a German saboteur and spy in their midst creating more havoc!

"This was one story I was sure remembered clearly from 1966 (which was otherwise a pretty unmemorable year)," says Calum Laird, Commando Editor (don't forget, football fans, he's Scottish). So it was with some relish that I opened the dusty copy from the Commando archives.

"There was Commando stalwart Gordon Livingstone’s artwork bringing to life a story of feuding nationalities almost too busy with their personal quarrels to fight the Japanese enemy. And the whole mixture stirred with a spy in the camp. Just as I recalled.

"What I had forgotten, though, was Wally the monkey — the real hero of the story."

Commando 4384: Dressed to Kill...
Originally Commando No 470 (April 1970), re-issued as No 1387 (February 1980)
Story: Nick Allen Art: Ramon de la Fuente Cover art: Penalva

It was quite a sight to see Bert Morris ride to war over the parched desert sands in a battered, bucking jeep… with hundreds of bloodthirsty Arabs thundering along on horseback behind.

Branded a coward by the Foreign Legion but labelled a hero by the British Army, Bert’s story of how he raised this rebel army is now told for the first time. And what a story!

"A great combination here from 1970 with an opening panel that sets the scene," notes George Low, former Commando Editor. “'Dressed as an Arab, dressed as a British soldier, dressed as a French legionnaire… it didn’t matter what this guy wore, he was a fighting fury in any uniform!'

"So it’s desert action galore with sparkling artwork by Ramon de la Fuente to bring the best out of Nick Allen’s script. And the wonderful cover by Penalva has won its place in Commando history as the heaviest illustration to date. The paint on the hut wall is authentically deep and rough, lovingly laid on with a trowel I suspect."

Commando No 4385: Deserter!
Story: Matt Badham Art: Macabich Cover Art: Macabich

Abraham Brown’s older brother Robert went off to serve in the US Army in the American Civil War…and he didn’t come back. Abraham followed in his footsteps grimly determined to avenge his brother’s death.

But when he discovered that it hadn’t been enemy action that ended Robert’s life but a pack of outlaws he saw only one way to settle the score — and that meant deserting the flag he signed up to serve.

Occasional DTT contributor Matt Badham, better known for his great comic creator interviews in Judge Dredd Megazine, tells us he wrote this script in 2008 and was pleasantly surprised when we told him it had been published. "I enjoyed writing Commando, but it was very hard work. More novelistic than most comics; how Ferg Handley manages to write so many and keep the quality up is beyond me!"

Commando 4386: Fire And Water
Story: Mac Macdonald Art: Keith Page Cover Art: Keith Page

John James came from a long line of Royal Navy men. Yet he chose to join the RAF as a pilot. It seemed, though, that his naval heritage didn’t want to let him go. When he ditched his Hurricane in the English Channel he thought it was a one-off incident.

How wrong he was!


• Official Commando web site: http://www.commandocomics.com/ 
• Click here for subscription information or write to: D.C. Thomson & Co Ltd, The Subscribers Department, Commando Library, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL or Freephone (UK only) 0800 318846  
• Commando is also available for iPad and iPhone. The apps are free to download through the Apple iTunes App Store and a digital subscription is priced at £4.99 per month, compared to a £99 annual print subscription. For those not sure there are four free issues to download prior to making a purchase.  
• Commando Comics iPhone App on iTunes  
• Commando Comics iPad App on iTunes

Commandos storm into the the High Street

Four new Commandos hit the decks of all good newsagents this week featuring art by John Ridgway, Vila, Macabich and Carlos Pino...

Commando No 4335: Bad Blood
Story: C G Walker Art: Vila Cover: Gordon Livingstone
First Published: 1993 as No 2649

Ever since one fateful day during the First World War there had been bad blood... very bad blood... between the people of the small French village and the Germans. One German family in particular — and for very good reasons.

Now a Second World War was raging and the blood feud, instead of becoming a thing of the past, had raised its ugly head again. And this time round it looked as if it was going to be a lot worse...

(Unusually for an issue with a Gordon Livingstone cover, he did not supply the inside artwork to this DC Thomson title).

Commando No 4336: Radar Raiders
Story: Alan Hemus Art: Carlos Pino Cover: Ian Kennedy
First Published: 1993 as No 2689

It wasn’t so long since U-Boat commander Elard Wolff and his crew had been welcomed in Japan as heroes. Yet here they were being force-marched at bayonet-point by Japanese soldiers.

Germany and Japan were supposed to be allies, fighting on the same side — but the Japanese suspected these German sailors of spying. Obviously it was a ridiculous idea... or was it?

Commando No 4337: Hammond’s War
Story: Ferg Handley Art: Macabich Cover: Macabich

Ed Hammond wanted to be a newspaperman just like his father. It was not to be, though, for Ed ended up in the army. Here he turned out to be a useless solider. Fearless but useless.
His CO, anxious to keep him away from anywhere he could do any damage, put him in charge of the regimental newspaper. Ed was in seventh heaven. But, as it was him, disaster was never far away...

(Sharp-eyed comic fans may know that Ed Hammond is one of writer Ferg Handley's editors over at Panini UK...)

Commando No 4338: Sea Clash
Story: Alan Hebden Art: John Ridgway Cover: John Ridgway

The Baltic Sea, 1917. Royal Navy Lieutenant Henry Morgan and his submarine crew regularly battled with German Imperial vessels. Battle-hardened, they could deal with anything the enemy threw at them.

But even Henry, experienced commander though he was, couldn’t hide his concern at the prospect of locking horns with a new class of enemy ship — one that could only be described as a monstrous leviathan...

• Official Commando web site: http://www.commandomag.com/

• Click here for subscription information or write to: D.C. Thomson & Co Ltd, The Subscribers Department, Commando Library, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL or Freephone (UK only) 0800 318846

• You can read interviews with former Commando editor George Low, current editor Calum Laird and writer Ferg Handley on the downthetubes main site.

VE Day Marked in Latest Commandos

The latest issues of DC Thomoson's Commando, on sale now, features another cover from Janek Matysiak using his new direct-to-screen way of working. (You can see the first he did in this way here). The releases also feature the work of Ferg Handley, Macabich and

Commando 4299: Target: Tiger!
Story: Ferg Handley Art: Morahin Cover: Janek Matysiak

D-Day, Normandy, June 1944 — and tank commander Joe Gibson is raring to go. Then a Tiger destroys his Cromwell killing his crewmates. He blames himself for their deaths.
Joe soon returns to duty but soon in an inferior, in his mind, M4 Sherman. To his new crew it looks like Joe has lost his nerve.
Was that the truth? Even Joe is beginning to wonder — especially when he has a Tiger in his sights…

Commando No 4300: "Fire!"
Story: Ferg Handley Art: Macabich Cover Art: Macabich

They were simply supposed to showcase some new nine-pounder field pieces. But in 1861, Austrian artillery Lieutenant Stefan Kircher and his battalion of gunners found themselves caught in the thick of the American Civil War. And fighting on the side of the Confederate South against the Union.
Stefan didn’t like it. And worse, some the Confederates weren’t keen on the Austrians’ involvement either...

Commando 4301: Wings of War
Story: Ian Clark Art: José Maria Jorge Cover Art: Ian Kennedy
Originally no 2855 from 1995

From the first day of war in 1939, the soldiers, sailors and airmen of the countries opposed to Hitler’s Germany knew that it would be a long, bloody struggle before the Nazis were toppled to defeat.

They couldn’t know then that the day of victory would come in May, 1945, but they did know that only the lucky ones would survive the war. Brothers Rory and Hamish McLean, fighter pilots, would push their luck to the limit... and beyond!

This is Part five of Commando's seven-part series celebrating the end of the war in Europe in 1945. This time an air story with illustrations by two experts in the field.

Commando 4302: Code of Honour
Story: Ian Clark Art: Carlos Pino Cover Art: Ian Kennedy
Originally No 2856 from 1995

VE Day, May, 1945. For Wehrmacht Major Franz Thomas, a day that hadn’t come soon enough to save many lives... and he was sure it was his fault!

Part six of the seven-part VE-Day series. The story is seen from the point of view of a German — something Commando has done many times over the years.

• Official Commando web site: www.commandomag.com


• Click here for subscription information or write to: D.C. Thomson & Co Ltd, The Subscribers Department, Commando Library, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL or Freephone (UK only) 0800 318846

Attention! New Commandos on Sale

Four new Commandos are now on sale in all good newsagents in the UK from publishers DC Thomson...

Commando No 4275: The Camouflage Kings
Story: Alan Hebden Inside Art: Vila Cover: Ian Kennedy

During World War II, Randolf King, a civilian film set designer, was employed by British Military Intelligence. His specialty was still the creation of illusions — but not for the movies this time. His talents were to put to use fooling the Germans with fake airfields, bases — even ships!

However, Randolf had a nemesis — a mysterious enemy with skills the equal of his own and, it seemed, the ability to anticipate his every move...

Commando No 4276: Deadly Feud
Story: Mike Knowles Inside Art: Macabich Cover: Macabich

August von Wurtburg, disgraced military cadet, had escaped from pre-First World War Germany, and his enemies, by joining the French Foreign Legion. There, to his surprise, he had been moulded into a skilled and dangerous fighting man.

When he returned to Germany after World War 1 he found it, and his family, in the grip of armed militias — a land on the brink of civil war. August would need all his considerable skills just to stay alive, never mind help his family.

Commando 4277: Combat Zone
Story: Ian Clark Inside Art: Ricardo Garijo Cover: Ian Kennedy
Previously No 2606 from 1992

The news team had known that filming a documentary in the middle of a combat zone was bound to be dangerous work. But nothing could have prepared them for a life-or-death chase by a gang of cut-throat bandits out for blood... or a direct attack by Hind helicopter gunships, each armed with a terrifying arsenal of machine guns, rockets and anti-tank missiles!

Commando 4278: Warriors of the Wilderness
Story: Alan Hemus Inside Art: Vila Cover: Alan Burrows
Previously No 2559 from 1992

A plane crash in an icy wilderness sets off a rescue operation with a difference because a Russian general in the plane carries vital secrets in his head. It means he must be rescued — or killed.

This desperate mission will make comrades of a strange assortment of fighting men...

• For more information, check out the official Commando site at: www.commandomag.com, which alos includes features on popular Commando characters such as Ramsey's Raiders and an ongoing day-by-day diary of World War 2...


• Click here for subscription information or write to: D.C. Thomson & Co Ltd, The Subscribers Department, Commando Library, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL or Freephone (UK only) 0800 318846