5083: Home of Heroes: Terror on
the Tundra
With German Alpine troops and
Finnish Sami soldiers prowling the Russian Tundra, the Eastern Front was a hard
place to fight – but that didn’t stop British Navy Engineer Gavin Wright and
Royal Artillery Corporal Jim Nolan from joining in. Marooned in the Kola
Peninsular, their search for engine parts to fix their ship was held up by a
new terror on the tundra – a German Landwasserschlepper equipped with a sPzB 41,
that certainly packs a punch. Now, working with the Russians to defend their
line, Gavin and Jim may have uncovered a secret weapon of their own…
With stylish interior artwork by
Castro and Morhain complimenting George Low’s hyperborean story, the bleak
snowscapes and thunderous blizzards of the Russian tundra come alive. Meanwhile,
David Alexander’s cool cover shows these awesome winter terrain vehicles in
action, their guns at the ready!
|Story | George Low | Art | Castro
& Morhain | Cover | David Alexander |
5084: Gold Collection: Strike
Swift Surge Sure
They called Archibald Bull an
assassin. It wasn’t the first time an officer had died on one of his missions.
But Bull didn’t have time for these men. He was an explosives expert Commando and
he didn’t let anyone tell him what to do. But with a lifestyle like that, it
wasn’t long before Bull made enemies in high places. Now, tongue lashed Bull is
told that some Royal Engineer Sergeant has come to take his place as explosives
expert… but we’ll see who the real boss is!
With Penalva’s gritty barbed wire
cover, the tone is immediately set for Eric Hebden’s story of one headstrong
Commando with a knack for demolition. This is only solidified in Bellalta’s detailed
interior art – you can almost feel the heat of the explosions!
|Story | E. Hebden | Art | Bellalta
| Cover | Penalva |
Originally Commando No. 441 (November
1969) Reprinted No. 1287 (January 1979)
5085: Action and Adventure: Devil
Dogs
The Germans called them “Teufel
Hunde” or “Devil Dogs”. It was thanks to their fearless tenacity that the U.S.
Marine Corps earned this iconic nickname, as they marched straight into German
machine gun fire in their battle to reclaim Belleau Wood in the First World
War. And leading one such squadron was Johnny Diamond, a professional riverboat
gambler from New Orleans, but one way or another, he would have to learn to
trust his fellow Marines and take charge if they are to survive.
Janek Matysiak’s dynamic cover
showcases the gritty action of the issue, which really hits hard in Richard
Davis’ story, portraying the battle as relentless from the moment the Marines
reach France, never stopping until victory – or death take the men. And,
completing the triad is debut illustrator for Commando, Paolo Ongaro, whose
interiors are incredibly stylistic, combining halftone shading and unique
compositions – one standout panel showing the silhouetted Marines viewed
through the long grass, the moon acting as the only source of light.
|Story | Richard Davis | Art | Paolo
Ongaro | Cover | Janek Matysiak |
5086: Silver Collection: Blood
Hostage
Trapped on a German-occupied
Channel Island, three unlikely allies must work together if they are to rescue
an imprisoned British Officer who may have key Intelligence regarding something
called “Operation Torch”. One man is a Russian prisoner of war, whose hulking
appearance makes him a formidable foe for the Germans; another is a wheelchair
bound local, mistakenly underestimated by the Nazis; and the final member is
just a young boy, who happens to possess an ace shot with a catapult…
Taking on the Commando writer
mantle, like his father before him, Alan Hebden’s ‘Blood Hostage’ may feature
tongue-in-cheek wit, but remains grounded as the threat always feels real.
Likewise, interior artist Garijo’s faces are charmingly expressionistic, while
the quintessentially English villages on the Channel Islands are incredibly
detailed and lifelike.
|Story | Alan Hebden | Art |Garijo
| Cover | Ian Kennedy |
Originally Commando No. 2721 (December
1993)
