How many stories to tell?

Pocket-sized war 'comic' that has been around since 1961 and is still going strong.

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Marionette
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How many stories to tell?

Post by Marionette »

As a non-Commando reader who just bought an issue because of interest in the subject matter of that specific issue, I am left wondering how many stories you can tell about world war 2. I understand that they've now branched out to other conflicts, but world war two is their primary topic, and they've now been fighting that war for ten times the length of the actual conflict.

How do they do it? Do they tell stories based on specific events in the war? Because it seems like they would have exhausted that line in a lot less than fifty years, though it's taken them four thousand five hundred and ninety nine issues to get as far as the Night Witches, so maybe not.

Have they retold particular significant events from more than one point of view? Do they make up events that slot into real events, or are there generic adventures that could not be pinned down to specific dates? I am massively ignorant of WW2 in any detail, but I'm sure a regular reader of these comics would be well informed.
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colcool007
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Re: How many stories to tell?

Post by colcool007 »

Commando originally covered both World Wars and you will find quite a few issues that cover both. Relatively few of the stories can be nailed down to specific events, but they can be considered more as war genre stories. So you get Naval stories, Army stories, Air Force stories, Redemption stories and so on.

A great resource, and for anyone interested in Commando, I can't recommend it highly enough is Vic Whittle's website. They all fit within the framework of the historical narrative, so each story is made to fit around real history. And while I have not read all of them, I can honestly say that I have never found one that I would never read again.
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starscape
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Re: How many stories to tell?

Post by starscape »

Most of the stories are around a subject, i.e. what Seargant Smith did in the run-up to Normandy or how Geoff the war photographer got accidentally stranded on D-Day, rather than an overview. So, instead of being limited by events, its more personal stories. Given that these people are mosly fictional, there are still millions of stories to be told.

I personally prefer the more off beat stories of Romans, Celts, Westerns etc.
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philcom55
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Re: How many stories to tell?

Post by philcom55 »

Also a lot of the more conventional WW2 stories tend to be covered by reprints (many of them receiving their umpteenth outing), while new material is reserved for more unusual topics - like the 'Nachthexen'.

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stevezodiac
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Re: How many stories to tell?

Post by stevezodiac »

Personally I'd like to see some American Civil War stories. Just finished a Robert E Lee biog and now reading Ulysses S. Grant autobiography. It was the 60s Civil War Cards that got me interested but i watched all the western tv shows of the 60s so love that period of US history.

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philcom55
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Re: How many stories to tell?

Post by philcom55 »

While I can't think of any examples off hand I'm sure they must have covered that period. If you haven't already read them, however, I would highly recommend EC's Civil War issues of Frontline Combat and Two Fisted Tales: imho some of the greatest war stories ever to appear in comic strip form.

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stevezodiac
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Re: How many stories to tell?

Post by stevezodiac »

I have a huge pile of the EC reprints but not so many of the War titles. From memory I think Jack Davis may have drawn those Civil War stories?
Last edited by stevezodiac on 31 May 2013, 01:49, edited 1 time in total.

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Digifiend
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Re: How many stories to tell?

Post by Digifiend »

Marionette, you bought that issue because it had a female protagonist, right? Apparently there's a couple of sequels coming up, so keep an eye out.
http://www.commandocomics.com/editorial ... nachthexen

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philcom55
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Re: How many stories to tell?

Post by philcom55 »

stevezodiac wrote:I have a huge pile of the EC reprints but so many of the War titles. From memory I think Jack Davis may have drawn those Civil War stories?
There were three 'Special Civil War Issues' - all written by Harvey Kurtzman, who also drew two of the covers. Each issue contained four stories drawn by EC stalwarts like Wood, Davis, Severin, Crandall and Kurtzman himself:

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stevezodiac
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Re: How many stories to tell?

Post by stevezodiac »

I'll look for those at the comic fair on Sunday. I think there is an ephemera fair as well.

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stevezodiac
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Re: How many stories to tell?

Post by stevezodiac »

Odd but the day I made my Civil War post I went out and got my Weekly News which had this interesting piece on their "You Ask We Answer" page. It would make a good Commando story maybe? The question underneath is of interest too - i'd never heard of those books. Also in this week's Weekly News is my letter. I always get peeved when Elvis is referred to as the King of rock and roll - given his eating habits that should have been the King of rock and chips. (I hope you all know what rock is - I think you only get it in southern chip shops - its Huss also known as Rock Salmon).

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Re: How many stories to tell?

Post by Peter Gray »

I agree what a great story...
King of Rock n Roll how about Little Richard;0)

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stevezodiac
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Re: How many stories to tell?

Post by stevezodiac »

Commando is notorious for its lack of women in its stories even in minor roles. Pauline Cushman was a female spy in the American Civil War. I'm sure there are a few stories with a female slant they could tell. The French resistance comes to mind as well.

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Re: How many stories to tell?

Post by big bad bri »

I have never ever read an issue of commando so i may buy a few this week to see what all the fuss is about & i cant beleive they have outlived regular comics such as buster & dandy.

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philcom55
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Re: How many stories to tell?

Post by philcom55 »

If it's of any interest I just dug up this 2003 issue in which an Irish veteran of the Crimean War finds himself press-ganged into the Union Army and forced to fight in the American Civil War.

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