Commando
Commando is a long-running British war and adventure comic magazine published by D. C. Thomson.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Commando is a British comic magazine devoted primarily to war stories, military adventure and historical action. It was launched by Dundee-based publisher D. C. Thomson in July 1961 under the title Commando War Stories in Pictures, joining the company’s established comic portfolio alongside publications such as The Beano, The Dandy and The Victor. The title was renamed Commando For Action and Adventure in 1993, although readers and collectors commonly continue to call it Commando Comics. The publication developed a distinctive physical and editorial identity. Each issue is approximately 7 by 5.5 inches and contains 68 pages, with a compact, highly economical layout that became characteristic of British war comics. Interior art is generally black and white, while the covers are printed in colour and designed to deliver an immediately recognizable action image. Stories traditionally use captions and dialogue extensively, with relatively limited use of sound effects. Most issues tell a complete story in a single installment, making the series accessible to occasional readers as well as collectors. Commando initially concentrated almost entirely on the Second World War. Its stories typically revolve around courage under pressure, loyalty, sacrifice, military ingenuity, reconciliation between former enemies and the moral choices made during combat. Although early stories often emphasized Allied heroism and national stereotypes, later work increasingly portrayed combatants on opposing sides as individuals rather than as simple embodiments of good and evil. Stories have included viewpoints associated with German, Italian and Japanese forces, while distinguishing ordinary soldiers from ideological extremists. The magazine’s historical range expanded over time. In addition to the First and Second World Wars, issues have addressed the Cold War, the Spanish Civil War, Korea, Vietnam, the Falklands conflict, the Napoleonic Wars, medieval and ancient warfare, and fictional conflicts. The series has also experimented with horror, supernatural fiction and science fiction while retaining an action-adventure framework. Annual Halloween stories introduced recurring war-themed encounters with ghosts, vampires, werewolves and zombies. Commando became known for combining accessible storytelling with attention to military equipment, uniforms, aircraft, ships and historical settings. Its creative workforce has included writers and artists from the United Kingdom, Italy, Argentina, Spain and other countries. Notable contributors have included David Motton, Gordon Livingstone, Ken Barr, Ian Kennedy, John Ridgway, Denis McLoughlin, José María Jorge, Keith Page, Carlos Pino, Alan Hebden, Ferg Handley, Brent Towns, Andrew Knighton and Manuel Benet. The title has remained in print for more than six decades. It reached a reported monthly circulation of 750,000 copies at a 1970s peak, according to former editor George Low, and later continued through a mixture of new stories and reprints. Since 2007, approximately half of the issues released have reportedly been reprints, with the remainder consisting of new stories and artwork. The 4,000th issue appeared in 2007, the 5,000th in 2017, and digital editions became available in 2011. D. C. Thomson retained ownership when printing moved to GGP Media in Germany in 2013. Alongside the periodical, Carlton Books and other publishers have issued themed anthology collections.
History
Commando began publication in July 1961 as Commando War Stories in Pictures, a new D. C. Thomson title from Dundee, Scotland. It was created during a period when British comics publishers were expanding their military and adventure offerings. The series initially appeared twice monthly, but demand led to four issues per month during its first year and eventually to a schedule of eight issues per month from 1971. The comic’s compact 68-page format, colour covers and predominantly black-and-white interior art quickly became its defining visual characteristics. Its stories were usually complete within one issue, allowing readers to encounter a full military adventure without following a long serialized narrative. The early editorial approach was shaped by staff with wartime experience, including founding editor Charles Checkley and deputy editor Ian Forbes. Historical and technical accuracy was treated as an important part of the title’s credibility. In 1993, issue 2691 was the first to carry the shortened title Commando For Action and Adventure. The magazine retained its established format and themes while broadening its settings. Although the Second World War remained central, later stories explored other conflicts and historical eras, including the First World War, Korea, Vietnam, the Falklands, the Cold War, the Spanish Civil War, the Napoleonic period, medieval history and antiquity. Some stories also incorporated science-fiction, supernatural and horror elements. The publication relied on a large international network of writers and artists. Contributors worked from the United Kingdom, Italy, Argentina and Spain, among other locations. Artists such as Gordon Livingstone, Ken Barr, Ian Kennedy, John Ridgway, Denis McLoughlin and José María Jorge helped establish the visual language of the series, while writers including David Motton, Alan Hebden, Ferg Handley and later Andrew Knighton supplied its stories. The title also developed occasional recurring characters and multi-issue story cycles, including The Bomb Gang, Ramsey’s Raiders and other generational or ensemble series. Commando’s publishing history includes both original material and reprints. Annuals appeared in 1989 and 1990, while a successful 2005 anthology helped establish a continuing market for collected editions. By the late 2000s, reprints represented a substantial part of the numbered program, although new stories continued to appear. Digital editions were introduced in 2011. In June 2013, D. C. Thomson retained ownership but moved printing to GGP Media in Germany. The title reached issue 4,000 in April 2007 and issue 5,000 in March 2017. In the twenty-first century, it expanded its fictional range further through crossover appearances by characters originating in other D. C. Thomson comics, including Matt Braddock in 2019 and Gerald Cadman from 2023. Commando remains an active British comic brand and a durable example of specialized war-adventure publishing.
- 2017
Issue 5,000 released
[1]Zero Hour marked the publication of the 5,000th issue.
- 2011
Fiftieth anniversary and digital availability
[1]The brand marked fifty years with early-story reprints, a cover-art book and digital editions.
- 2007
Issue 4,000 released
[1]Aces All! became the series’ 4,000th numbered issue.
- 2005
First major modern anthology
[1]Carlton Books released The Dirty Dozen, a large-format collection of selected stories.
- 1993
Title becomes Commando For Action and Adventure
[1]The title changed after issue 2690, beginning with issue 2691.
- 1989
First annuals published
[1]Commando annual editions appeared in 1989 and 1990, each containing new stories.
- 1971
Eight-issues-per-month schedule established
[1]The publication increased its regular output to eight issues per month.
- 1961
Launch as Commando War Stories in Pictures
[1]D. C. Thomson launched the series in July with a twice-monthly schedule.
Products and positioning
Accessible, compact military adventure fiction combining self-contained stories, dramatic colour covers, black-and-white interior artwork and an emphasis on historical and technical detail.
Comic magazine · 1961
Commando For Action and Adventure
The core periodical is a compact 68-page war and adventure comic. Most issues contain a self-contained story, with colour cover art and primarily black-and-white interior illustrations. The title covers military conflicts, historical adventures and selected speculative or supernatural stories.
Annual comic collection · 1989
Commando annuals
Annual editions were published in 1989 and 1990. They presented new stories in full colour and used an illustration style reflecting the period in which they were produced.
Collected edition · 2005
Commando anthology collections
Themed book collections compile selected Commando stories for readers and collectors. The 2005 anthology The Dirty Dozen was followed by further collections such as True Brit and ANZACs At War.
Digital comic · 2011
Commando digital editions
Digital downloads extend the numbered comic line beyond print and make selected new and archival stories available in electronic form.
Brand decisions
2013
Move printing to GermanyStrategyBackground
D. C. Thomson continued to own the title but adjusted its production arrangements.
Action taken
Printing was transferred to GGP Media in Germany.
Aftermath
Ownership and editorial identity remained with D. C. Thomson while physical production took place outside the United Kingdom.
2011
Add digital distributionOtherBackground
The comic was celebrating its fiftieth year while maintaining a substantial archive of earlier issues.
Action taken
New Commando editions were made available through digital download.
Aftermath
The brand gained a non-print distribution format alongside its continuing physical editions and reprints.
1993
Rename the publicationStrategyBackground
The original title had been in use since the series launched in 1961.
Action taken
D. C. Thomson changed the name from Commando War Stories in Pictures to Commando For Action and Adventure beginning with issue 2691.
Aftermath
The revised title remained associated with the established Commando identity and format.
Recent events
- 2019
Annual supernatural and horror stories become a recurring feature[1]
Product generation
Commando began publishing war-themed supernatural or horror stories around Halloween, extending its established military-adventure format into genre fiction.
- 2017
Commando publishes issue 5,000[1]
Other
The series reached its 5,000th issue with Zero Hour.
- 2013
Printing transferred to GGP Media[1]
Other
D. C. Thomson announced that printing would be handled by GGP Media in Germany while ownership remained with D. C. Thomson.
- 2011
Digital editions introduced[1]
Product launch
New editions of Commando became available through digital download as the title marked its fiftieth anniversary.
- 2011
Commando celebrates its fiftieth anniversary[1]
Other
The comic commemorated five decades of publication with reprints of early stories and a book devoted to its cover art.
- 2007
Commando reaches issue 4,000[1]
Other
The numbered comic series published its 4,000th issue, titled Aces All!, marking a major longevity milestone.
Sources1 sources
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