Commando Collected Editions, Anthologies

In 2005, Carlton Books Ltd released an anthology of twelve Commando stories, selected by George Low, who had edited the series since 1963. This proved a commercial success and further anthology collections followed. Each collection features a specific theme. The 12 and 10 story collections were produced 25 percent larger than the original publications. Later editions were edited by Calum Laird.

To date, these collections are:

The Dirty Dozen (784 pages, November 2005, ISBN 1-84442-307-7) Edited by George Low. Containing 12 issues:

• Inland Navy (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Arthur Fleming)
• Riley’s Rifle (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Galindo, story by Cyril G. Walker)
• Aces Wild (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Jose Maria Jorge, story by Mary Feldwick)
• Trouble Spot (Cover art by Eustaquio Segrelles, interior art by Eustaquio Segrelles)
• Mustang Patrol (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by John Ridgway, story by Gordon Brunt)
• Death Patrol (Cover art by Lopez Espi, interior art by Alfredo Sanchis Cortes, story by Alfred Carney Allan)
• The Ship Busters (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Jose Maria Jorge)
• Battle Wagon (Cover art by Lopez Espi, interior art by Matias Alonso, story by Smith)
• Three…Two…One…Zero! (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Gordon Livingstone, story by Daniel)
• March of the Monsters (Cover art by Gordon Livingstone, interior art by Gordon Livingstone, story by R.A. Montague)
• Man of Iron (Cover art by Ken Barr, interior art by Estaquio Segrelles)
• Glider Ace (Cover art by Ken Barr, interior art by Gordon Livingstone)

This book was also published in two other editions, the first titled ‘The 12 Best Commando Stories ever‘ (with alternate cover art) and the other with the title ‘Call of Battle‘, published by Seven-Oaks in 2009, which had identical cover art to ‘Dirty Dozen’ but contained only 10 of the above 12 stories).

True Brit (784 pages, October 2006, ISBN 1-84442-121-X) Edited by George Low. Containing 12 issues:

• Guns on the Peaks (Cover art by Manuel Benet, interior art by Manuel Benet)
• The Fighting Few (Cover art by Gordon Livingstone, interior art by Gordon Livingstone, story by Maitland)
• Bright Blade of Courage (Cover art by Gordon Livingstone, interior art by Gordon Livingstone, story by Ken Gentry)
• The Haunted Jungle (Cover art by Jordi Penalva, interior art by Luis Collado Coch, story by John Richardson)
• Tiger in the Tail (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Amador, story by Kenneth McOwan)
• The Specialists (Cover art by Ron Brown, interior art by Vicente Ibanez Sanchis)
• VLR-Very Long Range (Cover art by Jeff Bevan, interior art by Denis McLoughlin, story by Alan Hebden)
• The Mighty Midget (Cover art by Jeff Bevan, interior art by Josep Nebot, story by Crowther)
• Flak Fever (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Gordon Livingstone, story by R.A. Montague)
• Fight or Die! (Cover art by Cox, interior art by Arthur Fleming)
• Fearless Freddy (Cover art by Gordon Livingstone, interior art by Gordon Livingstone, story by Alan Hebden)
• Another Tight Spot (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Ricardo Garijo, story by Alan Hemus)

This book has been also published in two other editions – one in 2009 with the same cover art and similar title –True Grit – but with only 10 of the above 12 stories, and the other in 2007 with all 12 stories but with alternate cover art and using the title The 12 Toughest Commando Stories Ever.

ANZACs At War (783 pages, August 2007, ISBN 1-84442-059-0) Edited by George Low. Containing 12 issues:

• Maori Challenge (Cover art by Nicholas Forder, interior art by Luis Olivera)
• The Forgotten Five (Cover art by Carlos Pino, interior art Carlos Pino)
• War in the Wet (Cover art by Carlos Pino, interior art by Carlos Pino)
• Test By Battle (Interior art by Gordon Livingstone)
• Regan’s Raiders (Cover art by Phil Gascoine, interior art by Luis Olivera, story by Ian Clark)
• Killing Zone (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Cecil T. Rigby, story by Cyril G. Walker)
• Outback Army (Cover art by Jeff Bevan, interior art by Luis Olivera)
• Sub-Chaser (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Vicente Ibanez Sanchis)
• Secret in the Sand (Cover art by Tubaro, interior art by Keith Page, story by Ferg Handley)
• Island of Fear (Cover art by Sandy James, interior art by Jose de la Fuente)
• Outlaw from the Outback (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Gordon Livingstone)
• The Warlord (Cover art by Carlos Pino, interior art by Carlos Pino)

This anthology was also published in another edition by Seven-Oaks, which featured the same 12 stories but with alternate cover art and a different title – The Best 12 Aussie and Kiwi War Stories Ever, and also in 2009 as Anzac Heroes but with 10 rather than 12 stories. There is also a cover variation to ANZACs at War with the title printed in either red or white.

All Guns Blazing (784 pages, September 2007, ISBN 1-84442-284-4) Edited by George Low. Containing 12 issues:

• Fire Over England (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Jose Maria Jorge)
• Desert Fox (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Galindo)
• Danger in the Deep (Cover art by Jordi Penalva, interior art by Jose Maria Jorge)
• The Desert of Death (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Luis Collado Coch)
• The Savage Sky (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Luis Martinez Mira)
• The Death or Glory Mob (Interior art by Victor de la Fuente)
• Zero Smasher (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Luis Martinez Mira)
• Island of Death (Cover art by Aldona Puig, interior art by Matias Alonso)
• Sea-Strike (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by D.S. Gomez, story by R.A. Montague)
• Assassin! (Cover art by Jordi Penalva, interior art by Victor de la Fuente)
• They Flew by Night (Cover art by Gordon Livingstone, interior art by Gordon Livingstone)
• Colonel Scarface (Cover art by Ken Barr, interior art by Juan Gonzalez Alacreu, story by Mepham)

Rumble in the Jungle (784 pages, May 2008, ISBN 1-84442-002-7) Edited by George Low. Containing 12 issues:

• Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor (Cover art by Jordi Penalva, interior art by Cam Kennedy)
• Jungle Madness (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Ferreira)
• Mighty Maguire (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Franch)
• Leave Him Behind! (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Felix Carrion)
• Jungle Patrol (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Luis Salmeron)
• Grudge Fight (Cover art by Jordi Penalva, interior art by Leopoldo Ortiz)
• Into the Jungle (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Enriquez)
• Jungle Sniper (Cover art by Ken Barr, interior art by Agustin Navarro)
• The Black Pagoda (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Castro)
• Jungle Express (Cover art by John Ridgway, interior art by John Ridgway)
• Halt-Or Die! (Cover art by Chicharro, interior art by Victor de la Fuente)
• Danger Everywhere! (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Vicente Ibanez Sanchis)

Bandits at 12 O’Clock (784 pages, September 2008, ISBN 1-84732-128-3) Edited by George Low. Containing 12 issues:

• Battle Squadron (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Jose Maria Jorge, story by Gordon Brunt)
• Son of a Traitor (Cover art by Jordi Penalva, interior art by Luis Martinez Mira, story by Eric Hebden)
• Death of a Wimpey (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Cam Kennedy, story by Ken Gentry)
• The Silver Spitfire (Cover art by Ken Barr, interior art by Gordon Livingstone, story by Kenneth McOwan)
• Sailor with Wings (Cover art by Buccheri, interior art by Peter Ford, story by Peter Ford)
• Lone Eagle (Cover art by Ken Barr, interior art by Amador, story by Sydney J. Bounds)
• Sea Blitz, (Cover art by Sanfeliz, interior art by Luis Martinez Mira)
• A Stirling called Satan (Cover art by Keith Walker, interior art by Luis Martinez Mira, story by R.A. Montague)
• Low-Level Lanc (Cover art by Ken Barr, interior art by Peter Ford)
• Black Zero (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Jose Maria Jorge, story by Peter Newark)
• Mosquito Ace (Cover art by Ken Barr, interior art by Gordon Livingstone, story by Peter Newark)
• Jet Blitz (Cover art by Sandy James, interior art by Gordon Livingstone, story Kenneth McOwan)

D-Day – Fight or Die! (May 2009, ISBN 1-84732-372-3) Edited by George Low. Containing 12 issues:

• Ambush at Dawn (Cover art by Gaffron, interior art by Cecil T. Rigby)
• The Strongpoint (Cover art by Alan Philpott, interior art by Blasco, story by David Motton)
• Normandy Drop (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Ricardo Garijo, story by Ferg Handley)
• Wrong Time, Wrong Place (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Vicente Ibanez Sanchis)
• Big Joe (Cover art by Lopez Espi, interior art by Alfredo Sanchis Cortes, story by Chris Fitzsimmons)
• Blood of Heroes (Cover art by Sandy James, interior art by Estaquio Segrelles, story by Eric Hebden)
• D-Day Drop (Interior art by Victor de la Fuente)
• Operation Bulldog (Cover art by Jordi Penalva, interior art by Victor de la Fuente)
• Wolf Pack (Cover art by Jordi Longaron, interior art by Alfredo Sanchis Cortes)
• Man of Iron (Cover art by Ken Barr, interior art by Estaquio Segrelles)
• Big Guy (Cover art by Joaquin Chacopino Fabre, interior art by Castro, story by Eric Hebden)
• The Foot Sloggers (Cover art by Phil Gascoine, interior art by Denis McLoughlin, story by Alan Hebden)

A later reprint (May 2011, ISBN 1-84732-283-2) was produced with some alterations to the cover design, notably the D-Day 65 anniversary badge is absent, and only 10 stories,)

Battle of Britain – Scramble! (656 Pages, October 2009, ISBN 1-84732-421-5) Edited by George Low and Calum Laird. Containing 10 issues:

• The Flying Avengers (Cover art by Carlo Jacono, interior art by Jose Maria Jorge, story by William H. Fear)
• Upside-Down Ace (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by John Ridgway, story by Gordon Brunt)
• Battle of the Boffins (Cover art by Jeff Bevan, interior art by Gordon Livingstone, story by K.P. MacKenzie)
• Winged Wolves (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Jose Maria Jorge, story by Cyril G. Walker)
• Danger Below (Cover art by Carlos Pino, interior art by Carlos Pino, story by Roy Rivett)
• Czech Mate (Cover art by Vicente Ibanez Sanchis, interior art by Vicente Ibanez Sanchis, story by Ian Clark)
• Squadron Scramble (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Jose Maria Jorge, story by K.P. MacKenzie)
• No Mercy (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Gordon Livingstone, story by Ken Gentry)
• Spitfire Spirit (Cover art by F.D. Phillips, interior art by Julio Cesar Medrano, story by Cyril G. Walker)
• Death of the Cobra (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Jose Maria Jorge, story by Gordon W. Brunt)

Rogue Raiders (656 Pages, May 2011, ISBN 1-84732-791-5) Edited by Calum Laird. Containing 10 issues:

• Operation Firebrand! (Cover art by Gordon Livingstone, interior art by Gordon Livingstone)
• Half-Pint Commando (Cover art by Roger Hall, interior art by Estaquio Segrelles, story by Kenneth McOwan)
• Terror Team (Cover art by Jordi Penalva, interior art by Gonzalez, story by Douglas Leach)
• The Iron Sergeant (Cover art by Aldoma Puig, interior art by Victor de la Fuente, story by Parsons)
• Time of Terror (Cover art by Gordon Livingstone, interior art by Gordon Livingstone)
• The Mad Major (Cover art by Ramon de la Fuente, interior art by Aguilar, story by Alfred Carney Allan)
• Spring the Trap (Cover art by Jeff Bevan, interior art by Cecil T. Rigby, story by Malcolm McDevitt)
• A Born Leader (Cover art by Carlo Jacono, interior art by Felix Carrion)
• Marked Man (Cover art by Gonzalez, interior art by Galindo, story by Sydney J. Bounds)
• Ten Tough Paratroopers (Cover art by Keith Walker, interior art by Patrick Wright, story by Bernard Gregg)

Over the Top! (656 Pages, November 2014, ISBN 1-85375-913-9) Edited by Calum Laird. Containing 10 issues:

• The Family Honour (Cover art by Ian Kennedy)
• Tin Can Terrors (Cover art by Keith Page, interior art by Keith Page, story by Ferg Handley)
• Submarine Warriors
• Killer in No-Man’s Land (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Horacio Raul Vila, story by Mac MacDonald (staff pseudonym))
• Mooney’s Monster (Cover art by Keith Page, interior art by Keith Page, story by Stephen Walsh)
• Mongrel Squadron (Cover art by Keith Page, interior art by Keith Page)
• Roar of the Guns (Cover art by Keith Page, interior art by Keith Page, story by Mike Knowles)
• Duel over the Desert (Cover by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Mario Morhain, story by Ferg Handley)
• Battling Bessie (Cover art by Keith Page, interior art by Keith Page)
• Sentenced to Death! (Cover art by Ian Kennedy)

Two box sets have also been published:

Commando: Ammo Box (2420 pages, October 2008, ISBN 1-84732-087-2)
Containing The Dirty Dozen, True Brit, All Guns Blazing and the very first issue of Commando – ‘Walk or Die!’

Commando: High Explosive (2420 pages, October 2010, ISBN 1-84732-703-6 )
Containing Bandits at 12 O’Clock, Rumble in the Jungle, D-Day: Fight or Die! and the second issue of Commando – ‘They Called Him Coward!’

In July 2011, Carlton Books Ltd began releasing smaller, ‘pocket-sized’ collections of Commando Comics edited by Calum Laird, each edition featuring three stories published in the original size, a similar format to the original ‘Holiday Specials’ released by Battle & Air Ace Picture Libraries.

Tally Ho! (July 2011, ISBN 1-84732-820-2) Edited by Calum Laird. Containing 3 issues:

• Whirlwind! (Cover art by Ian Kennedy)
• O for Orange (Cover art by Ian Kennedy)
• Hurri to the Rescue (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Cam Kennedy, story by Kenneth McOwan)

Banzai! (July 2011, ISBN 1-84732-819-9) Edited by Calum Laird. Containing 3 issues:

• Fight to the Finish (Cover art by Jordi Penalva, interior art by Peter Fleming, story by Alfred Carney Allan)
• Where the Action is! (Cover art by Jordi Penalva, interior art by Cam Kennedy, story by Eric Hebden)
• The Curse of Nanga-Jevi (Cover by Jordi Penalva, interior art by Aguilar, story by Bernard Gregg)

Action Stations! (July 2011, ISBN 1-84732-822-9) Edited by Calum Laird. Containing 3 issues:

• Buccaneer Bob RN (Cover art by Gordon Livingstone, interior art by Gordon Livingstone, story by R.A. Montague)
• Identity Unknown (Interior art by Jose Maria Jorge, story by R.A. Montague)
• Rogue Sub.

Achtung! (July 2011, ISBN 1-84732-821-0) Edited by Calum Laird. Containing 3 issues:

• Danger Mountain (Cover art by Jordi Penalva, interior art by Victor de la Fuente, story by Donnelly)
• Destroy by Fire! (Cover art by Ian Kennedy)
• Spearhead.

Bombs Away! (April 2012, ISBN 1-84732-971-3) Edited by Calum Laird. Containing 3 issues:

• Ghost Pilot
• Hoodoo Ace (Cover art by Jordi Penalva)
• Deck-Level Dawson

Dive! Dive! Dive! (April 2012, ISBN 1-84732-969-1) Edited by Calum Laird. Containing 3 issues:

• Java Sea Jinx (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Jose Maria Jorge)
• Dive! Dive! Dive! (Cover art by Jeff Bevan)
• The Silent Service (Cover art by Ian Kennedy)

Who Dares Wins* (April 2012, ISBN 1-84732-970-5)
Containing 3 issues: Sabotage, The Secret Heroes, Ramsey’s Raiders.

Desert Rats (April 2012, ISBN 1-84732-968-3) Edited by Calum Laird. Containing 3 issues:

• Fighting Fool! (Cover art by Jeff Bevan)
• Oasis of Death
• Chariot of War (Cover art by Jordi Penalva)

Tank Attack (Sept 2013, ISBN 1-85375-893-0) Edited by Calum Laird. Containing 3 issues:

• Trail of the Tiger (Cover art by Jordi Penalva, interior art by Peter Fleming, story by Eric Hebden)
• Bring on the Tanks (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Cam Kennedy)
• A Tank called Tessie

Airborne Assault (Sept 2013, ISBN 1-85375-892-2) Edited by Calum Laird. Containing 3 issues:

• Glider Strike (Cover art by Jordi Penalva, interior art by Gordon Livingstone)
• Ten Tough Paratroopers (Cover art by Keith Walker, interior art by Pat Wright, story by Bernard Gregg)
• Strike at Sundown (Cover art by Estaquio Segrelles, interior art by Estaquio Segrelles, story by Roger Clegg)

Behind Enemy Lines (Sept 2013, ISBN 1-85375-891-4) Edited by Calum Laird. Containing 3 issues:

• Into Bandit Country (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Denis McLoughlin)
• One Man’s War (Cover art by Ian Kennedy)
• Spy Trap. (Cover art by Jordi Penalva, interior art by Jose Bielsa, story by Ken Gentry)

Who Dares Wins* (Nov 2013, ISBN 1-84732-970-5) Edited by Calum Laird. Containing 3 issues:

• The Secret Heroes (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Alejandro Martinez Ruiz, story by William H. Fear)
• Sabotage!
• Raiders on the Rampage (Cover art by Ian Kennedy)

Weapons of Vengeance (Nov 2013, ISBN 1-85375-894-9) Edited by Calum Laird. Containing 3 issues:

• Operation Valhalla (Cover art by Ian Kennedy)
• Rocket Strike (Cover art by Jordi Longaron)
• Project “Doomsday” (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Galindo, story by Eric Hebden)

*There are multiple listings online for Who Dares Wins. Some listings state the third story as “Ramsey’s Raiders” while others note it as “Raiders On The Rampage”. While it may be possible that there were two editions the only ones we have seen have all included the latter title. To confuse the issue further, we asked Commando HQ whether this was a listings error and they admitted that they were not certain but it was likely an error – as it is “Ramsey’s Raiders”! If anyone has a copy including Ramsey’s Raiders we would love to hear from you so that we may update this section.

In August 2013, Prion (Carlton) Books released collections of Commandoes that each featured six stories, published in the original size. Please note, these editions feature stories already included in the earlier anthologies.

Marching to Glory (Aug 2013, ISBN 1-85375-896-5) Edited by George Low. Containing 6 issues:

• Riley’s Rifle (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Galindo, story by Cyril G. Walker)
• Death Patrol (Cover art by Lopez Espi, interior art by Alfredo Sanchis Cortes, story by Alfred Carney Allan)
• Guns on the Peaks (Cover art by Manuel Benet, interior art by Manuel Benet)
• Battle Wagon (Cover art by Lopez Espi, interior art by Matias Alonso, story by Smith)
• Man of Iron (Cover art by Ken Barr, interior art by Estaquio Segrelles)
• The Haunted Jungle (Cover art by Jordi Penalva, interior art by Luis Collado Coch, story by John Richardson)

Rampaging Raiders (Aug 2013, ISBN 1-85375-898-1) Edited by George Low. Containing 6 issues:

• Trouble Spot (Cover art by Eustaquio Segrelles, interior art by Eustaquio Segrelles)
• Three-Two-One-Zero! (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Gordon Livingstone, story by Daniel)
• The Specialists (Cover art by Ron Brown, interior art by Vicente Ibanez Sanchis)
• VLR-Very Long Range (Cover art by Jeff Bevan, interior art by Denis McLoughlin, story by Alan Hebden)
• Fight or Die! (Cover art by Cox, interior art by Arthur Fleming)
• Fearless Freddy (Cover art by Gordon Livingstone, interior art by Gordon Livingstone, story by Alan Hebden)

Heroes Fly High (Aug 2013, ISBN 1-85375-899-X) Edited by George Low. Containing 6 issues:

• Aces Wild (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Jose Maria Jorge, story by Mary Feldwick)
• Mustang Patrol (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by John Ridgway, story by Gordon Brunt)
• Glider Ace (Cover art by Ken Barr, interior art by Gordon Livingstone)
• The Fighting Few (Cover art by Gordon Livingstone, interior art by Gordon Livingstone, story by Maitland)
• Tiger in the Tail (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Amador, story by Kenneth McOwan)
• Flak Fever (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Gordon Livingstone, story by R.A. Montague)

Deadly Seas (Aug 2013, ISBN 1-85375-897-3) Edited by George Low. Containing 6 issues:

• Inland Navy (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Arthur Fleming)
• The Ship-Busters (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Jose Maria Jorge)
• March of the Monsters (Cover art by Gordon Livingstone, interior art by Gordon Livingstone, story by R.A. Montague)
• Bright Blade of Courage (Cover art by Gordon Livingstone, interior art by Gordon Livingstone, story by Ken Gentry)
• Mighty Midget (Cover art by Jeff Bevan, interior art by Josep Nebot, story by Crowther)
• Another Tight Spot (Cover art by Ian Kennedy, interior art by Ricardo Garijo, story by Alan Hemus)

The above is accurate and complete to the best of our knowledge. We welcome fact-checking and any information relating to possible errors or omissions is appreciated. Many of the titles shown here will be available for sale in our collected editions/anthologies section.