New Commando/Battle Large paperbacks

AztecComics · Post by **AztecComics** » 16 May 2007, 20:07

I have just discovered the Commando Large paperback Annual from last year in WH Smiths its a real treat. I can't find any mention on this site of these books. There was also one in 2005 & a new one out in Sept this Year. They aren't even advertised by DC Thomson. All fans on these books should pick one up over 700 pages.

2005 Commando - The Dirty Dozen
2006 Commando - Tru Brit
2007 Commando - All Guns Blazing

Battle No:1 - Unleash Hell
Battle No:2 - Death or Glory

Now looking on Amazon the same format is being done for Battle libraries again no mention on here. Spread the word

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 16 May 2007, 20:57

AztecComics wrote:
Now looking on Amazon the same format is being done for Battle libraries again no mention on here. Spread the word

They have been mentioned here quite a few times.

Once again, I really must recommend John Freeman's Down the Tubes website for British comics news.

http://www.downthetubes.net/

Also, Steve Holland's Bear Alley blog.

http://bearalley.blogspot.com/

Lew

chrissmillie · Post by **chrissmillie** » 16 May 2007, 22:04

Great links!

colcool007 · Post by **colcool007** » 17 May 2007, 05:17

There is a 4th Commando book out there. It's called Anzacs At War.

chrissmillie · Post by **chrissmillie** » 17 May 2007, 06:53

I've just started writing for Silver Bullet Comics (different to Silver Bullet Comic Books) and here's my review of Commando http://www.silverbulletcomics.com/news/story.php?a=4689

Chris

felneymike · Post by **felneymike** » 05 Oct 2007, 18:30

There seems to be confusion in some quarters over which books there are, the Amazon listing for ANZACS vanished at one stage XD. So far there is...

Commando: The Dirty Dozen (also known as "The 12 best Commando comic books ever!", this edition appeared in cheap shops and had a different cover and was almost ?10 cheaper, though exactly the same otherwise)
Commando: True Brit
Commando: ANZACs at war (i beleive it was released in the Australian/New Zealand market several months before Britain)
Commando: All Guns Blazing!

There is also one Battle Picture Library one and one War Picture Library one. "Unleash Hell" (i think it's the Battle one) is out now, though the quality of the art is fuzzy... probably because the original artwork is degraded or missing, and it's had to have been scanned and blown up from the original comics. Still the stories look pretty exciting, and they have chapters too! I think they should have erased the old smudgy text and re-typed it though, to make it a little clearer, i couldnt imagine reading more than one of those stories in one go (unlike the Commando ones where i open it to refer to a drawing for one of my own strips and find myself, hours later, having read all the way to the end from whatever page i opened XD)

Sergeant Jock · Post by **Sergeant Jock** » 26 Mar 2008, 23:21

The latest book comes out in May. It's called "Rumble in the Jungle" according to the Commando website.

No story listing last time I looked.

And apparently there's another one to come after that.

They're on me Christmas list.

Wonder if you get a free one with a year's subscription?

felneymike · Post by **felneymike** » 26 Mar 2008, 23:56

Also it should be said that they are not "annuals", as several seem to come out a year. And not always at the same time of year. There has now also been a "Valentine Picture Library" book for the girls, all based on 50's/early 60's love songs from famous "dishes" like Cliff Richard. This one is not blown up, though, it's the same size as it would have been originally published in.

I read somewhere that another Battle Picture Library* one is coming out sometime this year, but i can't remember where, or what it will be called.

*-Battle Picture Library came before Battle, the comic with Charleys War etc in. Though i beleive after this was started Battle Picture Library came back, but with a similar title to the weekly comic though it was mainly re-prints of the old stories... but don't quote me on that. Loads of info here: http://www.britishcomics.20m.com/pocket.htm

Captain Storm · Post by **Captain Storm** » 05 May 2008, 20:51

Just to clear things up vis a vis the Commando/War books.They are not Annuals in the true sense of the word,but rather Anthologies,which Steve Holland is very heavily involved with for the most part.I also understand that erstwhile Commando Editor George Low has written one or two intros to accompany the books,

The Cap!

Kashgar · Post by **Kashgar** » 06 May 2008, 09:27

I don't think Steve Holland has any involvement with the Commando collections, only the Fleetway titles for which he did the intros etc.
Speaking of Commando 'annuals' Thomsons did try to produce a regular, oversized colour supplement to the monthly titles some years ago but it failed after two editions.

Captain Storm · Post by **Captain Storm** » 06 May 2008, 20:09

Yup right again,Kashgar.I was mixing two topics up in my head.I do believe though that he may have been involved either in the scanning or selection of stories for the |Fleetway anthologies,then again...

Post by Al » 07 May 2008, 18:50

Chaps, I've just received an E-Mail from D.C. Thomson, which clears up some of the things that you've been discussing. Here it is:-

I keep an eye on the Commando forum and wondered if you'd be able to post something for me to set the record straight about the Commando Collections as there seems some confusion about them.

First, full details of the first four are on our website http://www.commandomag.com, including titles and credits. Second, George Low wrote all the intros for all the volumes. He also chose the possibles for the first five books (I did the ones for the Collection due out in September this year), the final choice being made by the editor at Carlton. Carlton also selected the covers.

Full credits for number 5 will go up this month.

The titles are:
The Dirty Dozen,
True Brit,
Anzacs at War,
All Guns Blazing,
Rumble in the Jungle and
Bandits at 12 O'clock

Steve Holland hasn't been involved in the Commando Collections, I don't know about the Fleetway selections.

The Commando Annuals of the early 90s were sunk by circumstances outside our control. Check out the interview with Warlord editor Bill Graham on Down the Tubes for more info on that.

I hope this clarifies a few points.

Al

stevezodiac · Post by **stevezodiac** » 08 May 2008, 20:14

The latest batch of Commando libraries all have adverts for these books on the inside back cover. I think it says get them from Amazon.

felneymike · Post by **felneymike** » 09 May 2008, 09:23

I also had a quick look in the newest one, "Rumble in the Jungle" and there's an advert for the commando comics in the front of it that looks exactly like the kind of adverts in place in my own comic (which are of course based on the ads in old adventure comics). Basically a recycled panel with some "exciting" headline XD.

colcool007 · Post by **colcool007** » 10 May 2008, 10:48

felneymike wrote:I also had a quick look in the newest one, "Rumble in the Jungle" and there's an advert for the commando comics in the front of it that looks exactly like the kind of adverts in place in my own comic (which are of course based on the ads in old adventure comics). Basically a recycled panel with some "exciting" headline XD.

As were most of the best Commando adverts in Victor, Hotspur, Hornet, Warlord and Wizard. Used to have fun trying to figure out which issue they came from.

Comics UK