Ey up troops! It’s me, Captain Sean Hardgrave, AKA the QM, and I’ve been flicking back through some of the Commando archives and getting a bit misty-eyed!
We really do have some top cover art in our back catalogue, and I for one reckon it’s high time we celebrated it.
Now, I’m not one for picking favourites, but I’ve put together a list of what I think might be the some of the best examples of cover art in our back catalogue from each of the six-plus decades we’ve been in print.
Have a look-see!
1960s
‘Walk or Die!’
‘Walk or Die!’ #0001
Cover Artist: Ken Barr
First Appearance: July 1961
Issue No: 0001
What better place to start than the first ever issue of Commando?
‘Walk or Die!’ appeared in 1961, with this extraordinary cover by artist Ken Barr. I dunno about you lot, but I certainly don’t fancy having to carry that lad across the desert!
1970s
‘Seek and Strike’
‘Seek and Strike’ #0453
Cover Artist: Ian Kennedy
First Appearance: January 1970
Issue No: 0453
This ‘striking’ piece was the first ever Commando cover by the legendary artist Ian Kennedy. Our Ian went on to produce some of the best comic art this humble squaddie has ever seen!
‘Seek and Strike’ by Ian Kennedy
It’ll be no surprise to you all that this ain’t the last you’ll hear of him in this list.
1980s
‘Spaceman in a Spitfire’
‘Spaceman in a Spitfire’ #1855
Cover Artist: Ian Kennedy
First Appearance: December 1984
Issue No: 1855
Told you! I know well how much you lot love a good sci-fi Commando story. This cover by Ian Kennedy really captures the marriage of classic Commando realism with somat a bit more out of this world!
1990s
‘Back From the Dead’
‘Back From the Dead’ #2509
Cover Artist: Alan Burrows
First Appearance: October 1991
Issue No: 2509
Now if Sci-Fi’s not your bag, I’ll bet you’re not opposed to having a bit of a shiver run up your spine!
UFOs and time travel are all well and good, but sometimes all you’re after is a good case of the creeps! This fantastic cover by Alan Burrows captures the moment when a lightning bolt brings a museum’s old Panzer MK IV – and its former crew – back to life! Cripes!
2000s
‘Ramsay’s Raiders’
‘Ramsay’s Raiders’ #3854
Cover Artist: Ian Kennedy
First Appearance: October 2005
Issue No: 3854
We couldn’t do justice to the legacy of Commando without mentioning the debut appearance of one of its most popular heroes.
Captain James Ramsey and the special raiding force first crashed onto shelves in 2005 with yet another action-packed cover by the legendary Ian Kennedy!
Ramsey’s Raiders have gone on to have countless other adventures – and I reckon they’re not done yet!
2010s
‘Zero Hour’
‘Zero Hour’ #5000
Cover Artist: Ian Kennedy
First Appearance: March 2017
Issue No: 5000
The storied year of 2017 saw us celebrating our 5000th issue, if you can believe it – I know I couldn’t!
‘Zero Hour’ by Ian Kennedy
We celebrated this marvellous milestone how we knew best: with yet another incredible cover from Ian Kennedy.
It’s testament to Ian’s skills that he could still crack out such amazing art even after all those years!
2020s
‘Die – or Walk!’
‘Die – or Walk!’ #5448
Cover Artist: Keith Burns
First Appearance: June 2021
Issue No: 5448
Now I know the decade’s not over yet, but I couldn’t resist including one of my favourite covers of the 2020s so far.
As I mentioned already, the first ever Commando cover was for an issue called ‘Walk or Die’. It only seems right, then, to mention the sequel we made in 2021 to celebrate our noble publication’s 60th anniversary: ‘Die – or Walk!’
I do hope you’ve enjoyed this look through some of my favourite covers of the last 60 years of Commando.
Brings a tear to my eye to look back on all these successful missions – here’s to another six decades, eh?
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