Commando
No 4915 – Nemesis Of The North
Smolenskaya
Ostrov, a small island in the Barents Sea, was feared by the Russians, who had
given it a much more ominous name — the Island of Death. This inhospitable
place was uninhabited, apart from the packs of the ferocious polar bears who
roamed its barren wastes.
Now, “Jelly” Jakes, Titch Mooney
and the rest of the Convict Commandos were tasked with preventing the outbreak
of a deadly virus — if they could survive long enough to complete their
mission.
Story:
Alan Hebden
Art:
Manuel Benet
Cover:
Manuel Benet
Commando
No 4916 – Duel To The Death
It was
like a duel between two knights of old. Each combatant knew the look and
reputation of the other. Only this time, on one side was a giant white
Sunderland flying-boat and on the other, a black-hulled German submarine, the
U-37. Dick Stapleton and an Aussie crew flew the “Flying Porcupine”; the
merciless Nazi, Kapitan von Bloeke, commanded the U-37.
The North Sea convoy routes just
weren’t big enough for both of them…
Introduction
Sanfelix’s
stunning cover image perfectly encapsulates a truly thrilling sequence from
this book (and it’s on pages 10-13, if you wish to skip ahead). Expertly drawn
by veteran interior artist Gordon Livingstone, one of our heroes attempts to
extinguish an engine fire on the wing of his Sunderland Flying Boat…while it is
still in the air.
As far as I’m aware, I’ve never
seen anything quite as daring as that in many years as a Commando reader and,
latterly, as a Commando staffer. Wonderful stuff indeed.
Scott
Montgomery, Deputy Editor
Duel To
The Death, originally Commando No 210 (April 1966)
Story:
Tyson
Art:
Gordon Livingstone
Cover:
Sanfelix
Commando
No 4917 – Death On The Ground
In 1963,
in the skies above a group of remote islands in the South Pacific, many
military aircraft disappeared without trace — so many, if fact, that the area
became known as the “New Guinea Triangle”.
When R.A.F. Flight Lieutenant Jon
Day, and his C.O., Squadron Leader Richard Gibson, became embroiled in the
mystery, they discovered that their dangerous foe was on the ground as well as
in the air.
The Englishmen would have to
improvise and use their wits to survive — even if that meant using captured
weapons to bat away enemy grenades!
Story:
Steve Coombs
Art:
Morahin
Cover:
Janek Matysiak
Commando
No 4918 – Eagle In The Sun
In the air
war over Russia Anton Pozetski found life dangerous and confusing. It was easy
to identify the enemy — they were the Germans and they shot at you. However, it
wasn’t so easy to identify your friends. For a start, the Political Commissar
and the Squadron Commander were apt to stab you in the back and they regarded
the R.A.F. as enemies.
Life was going to prove even more
difficult for Anton when he joined an R.A.F. squadron on active service.
Introduction
All of our
artists are very versatile and capable of drawing any subject. However, even
after five decades, Ian Kennedy is still usually our first port of call
whenever we need an aeronautical cover. So, I imagine that’s what happened back
in 1991 when the then-editorial team wanted an illustration featuring a Russian
Polikarpov 1-16 using its propeller to shred the tail fin of an enemy Heinkel
111 bomber. Featuring Ian’s usual dynamic style and sense of drama, this is yet
another prime example of his legendary work.
Scott
Montgomery, Deputy Editor
Eagle In
The Sun, originally Commando No 2497 (August 1991)
Story: Ian
Clark
Art: Terry
Patrick
Cover: Ian
Kennedy
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