Whatever happened to the 'Commando' and other War comics?

A couple of things I remember Battler doing is opting to use his Whirlwind for one final sortie to shoot up some staff car rather than using the Beaufighter (I think) that his unit had been re-equiped with.
Then while flying Beaus, being attacked by Fw.190’s and dropping to ground level – shock horror there dead ahead is power pylons! After a suspense-filled week the next Lion issue revealed that Battler manages to fly below the lines while the hapless enemy pilot hits them and crashes..

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh memories!

Ahh…do I remember these!!
Just about everything Jagan has written could have come from myself. I used to read these back in Norway, comparing the different artist…trying to copy the better ones. Then..gone…I even wrote a letter of desperation to the publisher in Norway…never got an answer.

And I remember the story he mentions well…if it is the one were they first meet the german pilot pre-war in some air races..and he carries the germans white scarf all through the war, and drops it on his burning wreckage in the end.
It was great…they were dueling all through the war, so we could see all these different airplanes being put up against eachother!

Ah..the memories!!

I’ve been looking at some sites with Commndo comics. The artwork was often great on the covers.

Looking at this particular cover I conjur up somewhat mixed imagery of two RNZAF VC winners, Jimmy Ward VC (who put out the fire on the wing of his Wellington) and Lloyd Trigg VC (who attacked and sunk a U-boat despite his own aircraft’s serious damage, the VC being posthumous and recommended by the U-boat crew) …

http://www.tomkingcomics.com/cm210.htm

This one is great too (Spitfires)
http://www.tomkingcomics.com/cm238.htm

And this one (Typhoon vs V1)
http://www.tomkingcomics.com/cm287.htm

Here are a few more… great nostalgic old artworks

Note one cover offers a model plane too

I too used to enjoy Commando Comic as a kid. I found one of my old copies recently and enjoyed re-reading it after about 20 years. I was surprised how good it was for a kid’s comic – my Disney comics have not stood the test of time as well.

I recall a Commando from my childhood about a crew who have to fly a mission in a Halifax, which has a chilling curse painted on the door, something to do with “All Ye Who Enter Here…”. Quite scary I remember. I think it also had a skull and crossbones on it.

This is for the oldies who’re reminiscing… anyone recall Hurricane Hawk? He seems to have been quite an aviator comic hero in his time (1940’s)

This was on top of Lion Magazine (c/w Battler Brittain)…Lion came out in NZ every Monday for 6d.

I used to but ‘Lion’ every week and then it merged with ‘Thunder’ to become ‘Lion and Thunder’. ‘Who is this imposter?’, thought I, as a 12 year old!

[QUOTE=SadOleGit]Born 1954 me, and loved Air Ace Picture Libabry – remember “Battler Britton” – the artist Ian Kennedy’s work was exceptional/QUOTE]

1950 vintage myself.
LOVED Air Ace, oh yes… Every time I was given 1/6d off to the shop I went.
This was on top of Lion Magazine (c/w Battler Brittain) with the coloured front cover and those aircraft cut-aways. Funny, the one I remember is the Ju.86 with the dustbin gunners position (shudder). Lion came out in NZ every Monday for 6d.

I have around 500 Battle comics which i might be getting shot of soon. Have a bunch of doubles to go one ebay when i get back from holiday too. I started buying them last year – cracking stuff! Lofty’s One Man Luftwaffe I have in abundance! i ahd around 200 Commando comics, from 4p upwards but my brother stole them and sold them on a car boot sale for peanuts a few years ago, the sod.

I had some warlords too, but flogged them (never really liked it) and have a handful of victors that I want shot of too.

I have some Battle and Victor annuals in the loft, I wonder how much they are worth now?
When did these comics stop being published?
Alan.
Ps I was going to ask my question about Commando comics on a seperate thread but didn’t. I wish I had now! 🙁

Battler was great

He once joined the RAAF over PNG and shot down a S444444d of Zeros and Oscars in a Boomerang – something the RAAF never managed

Regards
John P

Battler was a childhood hero ! In one story he flew a Spitfire back from France after the engine was shot clean off by German 88’s. All true stuff !

From The Publisher…

I picked up a copy today. 4 copies a week still being published, up to I think 3800 now.

For those thinking of subscribing for someone (ie little johnny) this from the publisher (someone must do, or they wouldn’t bother)

“As regards the annual subscription cost you may be interested to know we can offer 6 month or 3 month subscriptions to the Commando at a cost of £48 and £24 respectively. The shorter subscriptions cannot be arranged online but through our freephone number 0800 318846. We can also now offer payment by direct debit. There is a discount if paying by this method and the cost would be £22.20 quarterly which splits the payments up a bit.”

I used to love these comics – grew up with ’em, along with Roy of the Rovers! Suspect the war comics aren’t deemed PC enough in these dark days…

I have around 500 Battle comics which i might be getting shot of soon. Have a bunch of doubles to go one ebay when i get back from holiday too. I started buying them last year – cracking stuff! Lofty’s One Man Luftwaffe I have in abundance! i ahd around 200 Commando comics, from 4p upwards but my brother stole them and sold them on a car boot sale for peanuts a few years ago, the sod.

I had some warlords too, but flogged them (never really liked it) and have a handful of victors that I want shot of too.

Warlord…I was a Warlord special agent! My favourite story was KampGruppe Falcon. Always though it was good that they had some stories telling the German side of things.

As Peter Flint would say ‘Toddle-pip old chap’.

Anne

Brilliant!

Did anyone else colour them in like I did?!
was flicking though one in Smiths only the other day!
great that they are still going!

Anyone remember `Warlord` Union Jack Jackson and all that??

JT

I have a number of the Commando books too (including some with a number just three digits long!) Condition does vary a bit and I do sometimes still read them I love the artwork although some of the later ones are indeed poor. I think some of the early ones are like 6p each IIRC.

You can often see the same person in different books as a different character as obviously the same artist was used and could draw him readily.

I used to get a couple every time I went to Heathrow from my Nan’s with Dad on the bus to read on the way.

I also have some of the War Picture Library books and the Air ones as well as some holiday specials with four stories in one volume. Some are predecimal priced

Feel like getting the big box full down and have a bit of a re-read

Not to mention that ‘Battler’ flew in all the theatres of the war, UK, Europe, N Africa and the far east!

http://www.bookpalace.com/acatalog/Achtung__Commando.html
Andy.

Thanks for that link Andy, if anyone hasn’t checked out this page take a peek – the ‘Walk-Or Die!’ cover gave me a good chuckle 🙂

Born 1954 me, and loved Air Ace Picture Libabry – remember “Battler Britton” – the artist Ian Kennedy’s work was exceptional

The artists came in for a good deal of criticism if the aircraft looked in any way suspect. I remember an edition that featured the YB-17 – which I had never heard of, and was quite disgusted because it looked so totally unlike what I thought a Flying Fortress should look like.

SoG

I remember “Battler Britton” he flew everything from Spitfires to Lancaster’s, with time on Tempests and Mosquito’s amongst others in between. The thing I remember from this series was the variety of aircraft featured, types I was often unable to find anything about, and often didn’t know existed. This created an air of mystery and that definitely kindled my life long interest in these aircraft. My memories of the artwork where that most were very good, with the occasional exceptional story that stood out, and only very occasionally one that didn’t cut the mustard.

Born 1954 me, and loved Air Ace Picture Libabry – remember “Battler Britton” – the artist Ian Kennedy’s work was exceptional

The artists came in for a good deal of criticism if the aircraft looked in any way suspect. I remember an edition that featured the YB-17 – which I had never heard of, and was quite disgusted because it looked so totally unlike what I thought a Flying Fortress should look like.

SoG