Comics UK

I'm new to Commando collecting and I wonder if there are particular issues from the sixties which are very sought after? Do people tend to favour particular writers/artists/covers over others?

The ones most sought after are usually the ones that have never been reprinted, but I have not noticed a tailing off of the prices for the earliest dozen despite the fact that they have now been reprinted twice.

I have read Commando for a long time and I am still impressed by the standard of today's issues.

As an aside, my earliest issue is No 8 and I doubt I will get any more of the first ten as I got that one for less than a tenner (which is an awesomely cheap price).

Thanks colcool007! Is there a way to know which issues have or haven't been reprinted?

Go to Vic Whittle's excellent site and you will find that he lists reprint numbers beside the original issue numbers. As to which have been never reprinted, then you just need to go through each listing page.

The first twelve have been reprinted as I said earlier and the original reprint cycle began with issue 72 (Sniper's Island).

Just had a look and it appears that Vic hasn't put the latest bunch of reprint issue numbers up as Duel In The Sun, which was reprinted in 2012 doesn't have it's reprint issue number beside it.

But that aside, this is one of the best Commando listings online. It's only real rival is DCT's offering.

I think somebody on the Commando facebook mentioned that the earliest non-reprinted titles were 15 (called "Jap Killer", mind you!) and one in the 50's.
Back when they were producing the 3-in-one themed compliation books I did suggest a "second chances" book with early, not-yet-reprinted stories. But instead they've gone for bigger books which reprint stories already reprinted in the 12-in-one collections of less than 10 years ago.

Are there particular issues which are popular because of the artist or writer? Am I right to say that issues with covers by Ken Barr are more collectible?

babington wrote:Are there particular issues which are popular because of the artist or writer? Am I right to say that issues with covers by Ken Barr are more collectible?

I would have said that the Ian Kennedy covers were the more collectable. And that the José Maria Jorge internal art is just superb.

To be honest Babington, most Commando collectors will collect them all for the complete run. But I do have a soft spot for any internal art by Victor De La Fuente, José Maria Jorge, John Ridgway and Matias Alonso.

I'm not much of a fan of the Ian Kennedy covers, for some reason. His work on Dan Dare in New Eagle was brilliant, though. Especially his foray into Frank Hampson's 1994, during the "retcon" which made the original Dan Dare a Spitfire pilot.

The Ken Barr ones are amazing, though.