Commando
(D.C. Thomson, 1961-2024)
©1968 D.C. Thomson & Co., Ltd.
Beginning in 1961, Britain’s D.C. Thomson published Commando, a digest-sized, twice-weekly anthology of war stories. Over the years, Commando has had a remarkable run, amassing over four thousand issues over its decades-long run.
Commando For Action and Adventure — which used to go by the much more old‑school name Commando War Stories in Pictures — is basically the classic British war comic. Most people just call them Commando Comics. They’ve been around since 1961, still going strong, and they’ve kept that instantly recognisable little 7 × 5½‑inch, 68‑page format that feels like something you’d find tucked in a rucksack on the way to the front.
What’s kept Commando alive while loads of other war comics faded away is the vibe: proper character‑driven stories, loads of detailed black‑and‑white artwork, and those dramatic colour covers that always look like someone’s about to shout “Take cover!”. Some fans even reckon it’s one of the best war comic series ever made.
The stories lean into all the classic themes — bravery, fear, loyalty, sacrifice, and that very British habit of making a cuppa in the middle of absolute chaos. You also get the usual wartime stereotypes: heroic Allied troops, gruff enemies who sometimes turn out to be decent blokes, and the odd moment where sworn enemies end up saving each other when things get rough.
Most issues tell a complete, self‑contained story, although in more recent years a few characters have popped up again in later adventures.
Jump to issue:
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Apr 1997
Cover: $0.55
A: Jill Jorge
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Jan 1999
Cover: $0.65
Includes 1998 series index
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