2011/04/13

Commando (comics)

Commando Comics

Commando
Publication information
Publisher D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd
Schedule Weekly
Format Ongoing series
Genre War
Publication date July 1961 – present
Number of issues 4,202 (as of May 2009)
Collected editions
The Dirty Dozen ISBN 1-84442-307-7
True Brit ISBN 1-84442-121-X
ANZACs At War ISBN 1-84442-059-0
All Guns Blazing ISBN 1-84442-284-4
Rumble in the Jungle ISBN 1-84442-002-7
Bandits at 12 O'Clock ISBN 1-84732-128-3
D-Day - Fight or Die! ISBN 1-84732-372-3
Battle of Britain - Scramble! ISBN 1-84732-421-5

Commando For Action and Adventure, formerly known as Commando War Stories in Pictures, and colloquially known as Commando Comics, are a series of British comic books that primarily draw their themes and backdrops from the various incidents of the World Wars I and II. The comic, still in print today, is noted for its distinctive 7 × 5½ inch, 68 page format that became a standard for these kinds of stories. It has remained more popular than many other British war comics, and some would say British comics in general, despite its simplistic stories and simply sketched black and white artwork, with only the covers in colour.

The stories contain certain characteristic motifs; to mention a few - courage, cowardice, patriotism, dying for the sake of one's country, noble actions, and making a cup of refreshing tea while in the face of danger, enmity turning into friendship when the going gets tough, and so on. Apart from portraying these universal qualities, Commando Comics also show soldiers in national stereotypes, glorifying Allied soldiers, but showing soldiers as a mixture of good and evil. There was usually no continuity between books; each book was a complete story with start and finish, though recently series (2 or 3 stories) of books following the same character have been published.

Publication history

The comic series, then going by the title Commando War Stories in Pictures, was launched by D.C. Thomson of Dundee, Scotland, in July 1961. It was an addition to the company's already high profile comics, such as The Beano and The Dandy. During its launch year two issues were published per month, but due to the comic's increasing popularity this rose to four a month. Since 1981 there have been eight issues published per month. As of issue 539, certain stories have been reprinted. In September 1993 the comic title changed to Commando For Action and Adventure. The last issue to feature the former title was issue 2690, Password to Freedom, published in August. The first comic to feature the new title was issue 2691, A Race Against Time, published the following month.

As well as the comics, annuals were also produced in 1989 and 1990, each containing seven new stories. The annuals were in full colour and illustrated in the style of the time, not in the original style of the comics.

Appearance and format

The Commando comic differs from more widely known in that it is published in a 7 × 5½ inch, 68 page format, with some 135 panels per story, which is roughly similar to a standard 22 page US comic. Most panels have both captions and dialogue to further the plot. Sound effects are rarely if ever used. The intention is to make a Commando story easy to read and follow.

The artwork is in black and white except for the covers, with the lettering done in typewriter font. Until recently writers and artists went uncredited as usual for D.C Thomson comics, though now a small grenade icon appears on the first panel, crediting individuals with story, art and cover.

Collected editions

In 2005, Carlton Books Ltd released an anthology of twelve Commando stories selected by George Low, who has edited the series since 1963. So far these collections are:

In other languages

The comics are popular in Finland, where they are known by the name "Korkeajännitys", meaning "high tension". Special issues of Korkeajännitys based on Finnish themes have been published by Egmont Publishing since 1998. These themes include Finnish Civil War, Finnish War as well as Winter War and Continuation War.

These comics have also been published in India in Hindi, under the title Commando - Sachitra Yudh Kathayein by Gowarsons Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

See also

References

External links






Retrieved from : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commando_Comics
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