The Power Behind the Power Pack

As some of you will have heard, a plot has been hatched to bring back into print the whole of Ken Reid's Odhams output. Reid, one of the most popular and collectable of British comic artists, was active for fifty years as an artist, firstly in newspapers (his "Adventures of Fudge the Elf" running in the Manchester Evening News from 1938-40 and revived post-war in 1946-61, some adventures being reprinted in book form) and then in comics. He arrived in The Beano with a bang, drawing Roger the Dodger and Grandpa before creating the incomparable Jonah (1958-63).

Reid was then tempted by Leo Baxendale to work for what Baxendale described as a Super-Beano. Many of the artists he hoped to attract preferred the safety net of the decades old comics at D C Thomsons; Reid took the plunge, creating Frankie Stein, Jasper the Grasper, Queen of the Seas, Dare-a-Day Davy and The Nerves between 1964-69.

These make up the contents of The Power Pack, a two-volume set to be published shortly. The project is fan-led and fan-financed, the subject of a highly successful IndieGoGo project that just needs a little more of your help to get the printing of the book fully financed.

The brains behind the project is Irmantas Povilaika, a 51-year-old former cartoonist who nowadays works in the tourism sector. Married with two adult children, he lives in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, and has been actively collecting British comics for over a decade, having been introduced to them as a boy. Fans of British humour comics will know his Kazoop!! blog, but may know little about the man behind the blog, or the upcoming books. Well, here's your chance to meet...

Irmantas Povilaika:

The Power Behind the Power Pack

People will be interested to learn more about your early cartooning career -- I'm one of... well, probably everybody, who knows nothing about what Lithuania, so perhaps you could tell us something about the kind of comics or cartoons that were available when you were a boy. Were there any? Were they an influence on your desire to draw cartoons? Were cartoons a regular part of newspapers or magazines as they are (or at least were) here in the UK?

My comics reading era was in the ‘70s, and we had next to nothing in terms of comics as kids – we were part of the Soviet Union, and Russians didn’t like comics. They liked caricatures, but not comics, so that were very scarce. I remember there used to be a comic strip (without speech balloons) about a piglet in the children’s monthly magazine, and an occasional page or short series in the national bi-weekly humour magazine, mostly mocking greedy capitalists and evil army generals, etc., with two smart unemployed chaps as central characters. These were quite good, actually, and had every feature of a comic strip. I recently found out that the artist is still alive and has published a tiny run of a semi-complete collection of his comic work from that period, which I eagerly acquired for my archive.

Cartoon by Herluf Bidstrup

There was also a hard-cover book of strips by the Danish cartoonist Herluf Bidstrup. He was a devout communist, so the Soviets published a collection of his works, and it is still well-remembered by people who used to like cartoons back in the day. I also read some Disney comic books that I borrowed from a friend – he had an Aunt in the US and she’d sometimes send him a copy or two. And finally there was that issue of Whoopee! that I have mentioned in  other interviews. These were my only exposures to comics and cartoons, but they were enough to kindle my desire to try my hand at the genre. I used to draw after school for my own pleasure (mostly humorous cowboy and space adventure stuff) and my mates used to come to our place and read those hand-drawn comic pages quite frequently… I still have many of them.

My first experience with published comics work was rather unfortunate – I drew a page about classroom mayhem that usually took place when our biology teacher showed us educational films. She used a projector and screen, so it had to be dark in the classroom, and we did all sorts of naughty kids stuff when she turned off the lights. The reason why that first experience was unfortunate was because I made two mistakes in the strip: first was that I actually mentioned a biology lesson in one of the speech balloons, second – the drawing of the teacher looked a lot like the lady who taught us biology. When the page was published in the national school-children’s magazine, my name and the name of my school was printed underneath, so the poor lady’s colleagues from all over Lithuania called her to tell her she was now famous… The teacher got very upset and ignored me for few years afterwards. I felt bad about unintentionally offending the teacher who was a really nice lady.

Comic strip by Irmantas from 1991.

This taught me a lesson or two for my future life, but didn’t discourage me from drawing. More than a decade later when I was in university I started freelancing for the national humour magazine. Perestroika thing was in full swing. Lithuania was making noises about independence, and suddenly there was a demand for western things, comics among them, so I approached the magazine and they enthusiastically agreed to publish my work. I did a few series – the first one was about three blunderous wannabee gangsters, written by me.

Then I started working with a Lithuanian writer, transforming his humorous short stories and even a short novel into serialized comics for the magazine. The work was fun, but then other things took priority. I gave up drawing comics, and my interest in the genre evaporated. The humour magazine went out of business a few years later but I know there were some independent publishers releasing their own work or reprinting foreign comics – mostly American and French strips. I don’t know much about the current state of Lithuanian comics – I know there are some young artists who do “artsy” intellectual comics, but they are not my favourite type – I prefer humour.

You have mentioned having a pen-pal who sent you copies of British comics. Firstly, how did you hook up with a pen-pal from the UK? And how much of an eye-opener was it to receive a copy of Whoopee! What were your early favourites among the strips you saw?

Whoopee! Xmas number for 1976

It was quite unusual to have a pen friend in Britain in those days. However, we had a brilliant English teacher and she had a friend in Leeds who taught at Shakespeare Middle School. The two of them got an idea that their pupils could become pen friends. Mine was an Andrew Green, and we exchanged letters for quite a few years. I must have mentioned my interest in comics to Andrew, so he mailed me a few. The issue of Whoopee! was an eye-opener. I was particularly fascinated by the idea of the same characters appearing on a weekly basis. Scream Inn, Frankie Stein (by Robert Nixon), Scared-Stiff Sam, Bumpkin Billionaires, Fun Fear, Spy School, Lolly Pop, World-Wide Weirdies  – I thought they were all hilarious. As a matter of fact, I still do today - Whoopee! had a fantastic team of artists then.

I don’t recall the exact timeline, but it is quite possible that my first ever published work was in the UK! The school in Leeds that I mentioned had their own magazine – it was called “As We Put It” or something along these lines, and contained pupils’ contributions – stories, letters, drawings, short articles, puzzles, quizzes, etc. At some point I wrote a fairy tale and made it into a small colour book with a drawing in the top half of every page and my hand-written text (in English) underneath. I sent it to Andrew with one of my letters. He showed it to his teacher, and she shared it with the editor, who reprinted my whole book in the school magazine! I was thrilled!  I must have been 10 or 11 at that time…

Sweeny Toddler, art by Leo Baxendale

Did you like the work of other Whoopee! artists? Reg Parlett, Terry Bave, Arthur Martin were producing rather more traditional British humour strips, but Whoopee! also the likes of Brian Walker on The Ghost Train and Tom Patterson's Sweeny Toddler.

I did, indeed. Brian Walker, Robert Nixon, Mike Lacey, Reg Parlett and Ken Reid were my favourite artists (I didn’t know their names then, of course). I also liked Terry Bave, and I can see traces of his influence in my comic work, alongside with those of Robert Nixon and Mike Lacey, although the latter two were a lot more difficult to imitate than Terry Bave.

You obviously became a fan of British comics, but when did you start collecting them seriously. What kind of collection have you been able to build and what do your family think of your obsession with what most people (even here in the UK) think of as ephemeral and maybe a little childish?

It all started when the name of Whoopee! comic accidentally popped up in my mind and I looked it up on eBay in the Spring of 2007. My collection is now rather big. Apart from all Power Comics, I also own complete runs of most IPC titles – Whoopee!, Cor!!, Shiver and Shake, Monster Fun, Cheeky Weekly, Krazy, Jackpot, School Fun, Wow!, Jackpot, Smash! (the IPC run), Jet, Jag, Scorcher, Misty, Valiant... My collection of Buster is now just 3 issues short of the complete 40-year run! Although I prefer IPC to DC Thomson, I also have quite a large collection of the Beano and the Dandy from the ‘50s and the ‘60s, and the complete collection of the two titles from 1970 until the last newsprint editions in the late ‘80s which proudly sits on my shelf in the form of bound volumes – with colour covers and dustjackets! I am still looking for just 2 more issues of Sparky to complete the set of my favourite DCT title… My family respect my hobby (I wouldn’t refer to it an obsession :) ) but we don’t discuss it at home.  I keep my collection neatly organized – all comics are bagged and boarded, with two comics per bag (one on each side of the board), all in boxes, so although it is rather big, it doesn’t take up much space or interfere with home life.

Do you have any particular favourite comics - either titles or maybe even individual issues -- in your collection? 

As you can probably see from the list of the titles that I collect, those published by IPC in the 70s and later on are my favourite ones.

Whoopee! celebrates 500 issues with issue 494!

Can you recall your first contact with other comics fans? Was it through the internet? What inspired you to launch Kazoop!! in 2012? Your love of the various comics and their strips comes through very strongly across the whole site, but also a very high level of knowledge. Has contact with other collectors helped build your knowledge about artists and the history of the various comics. Have you had any contact with artists who worked on the comics themselves?

My first contact with other comic fans was through the internet. I follow ComicsUK Forum and occasionally post there too. I found out a lot about British comics by reading various blogs, and they were my inspiration to start Kazoop!! blog in 2012. The original idea was to take one title at a time and cover it in detail in a series of posts – the general overview, yearly overviews, a separate post for every strip and feature, followed by separate posts for every Holiday Special and Annual of the title. I have covered three titles so far, and they are Cor!!, Shiver & Shake and Monster Fun Comic. One day I will get round to starting a similar exercise involving all 11 years of Whoopee! – the comic that I blame for starting it all for me.

As for the source of my knowledge – it all comes from reading things online and in books, and of course the comics themselves :-)

I have indeed had a few brief contacts with some of the artists, including  Trevor Metcalfe (now a follower of my blog) and Tom Patterson. I am in touch with Ken’s son Antony J. Reid, who was very helpful when I was preparing the reprint books – THE POWER PACK OF KEN REID.

That brings us neatly to the Power Pack books. What inspired you to try and put together this collection? What barriers did you find yourself facing as you worked towards putting the books together?

My inspiration was my passion for Ken’s work and the desire to bring it back into the spotlight.  Rebellion have started their Treasury line, the number of smaller publishers of archive material is slowly increasing so the tradition seems to be emerging, and I hope my project will help turn it into a long-standing and good one. British comics have a long history and a rich heritage of first rate material that deserves to be collected, and the interest appears to be there.

The biggest obstacle was tracking down the copyright holder. I was banging on the wrong doors for a while but then thanks to you I got in touch with Time Inc. (UK) Ltd, and things developed smoothly from that point. There were also certain “technical” issues that had to be addressed – the pages that will go into the books have been scanned from original paper comics. Printing quality wasn’t perfect back in the day, so remastering involved quite a bit of time and effort.

What made you think of gathering together Ken Reid's Odhams strips? This could be something of a golden age for Ken Reid collectors as Rebellion have just released a volume of Faceache... are there other Reid strips that you would like to see reprinted?

The reason I thought that gathering all of Ken’s Odhams strips together might be a good idea was because I believe it is one of the most interesting periods of his work. Talking to fans I realized that such an edition was something many people would like to own.

I am glad Rebellion released the Faceache book, and I hope that ‘Vol 1’ on the cover implies we’ll be seeing more of Ricky Rubberneck’s adventures in the future. I hope Rebellion’s next Ken Reid book collecting his Creepy Creations will be successful enough to make them consider releasing the complete edition of Wanted Posters and World-Wide Weirdies. As for his other strips - like many fans, I would definitely like to see Jonah collected together. A collection of Big Bang Benny, Ali-Ha-Ha and Big Head & Thick Head from The Dandy would also be something to look forward to.

This volume will include background material on Reid's days working for Odhams by yourself and by Ken's son, Antony. How important has Antony's support been in putting together the books? Have you been able to access lost or otherwise unknown illustrations by Ken? Are you including the banned Dare-a-Day Davy "Frankenstein" strip in the collection?

Antony has been very helpful. He wrote separate intros for both volumes and gave me access to his dad’s archive material – my ultimate resource when researching and writing the account of Ken’s life during his Odhams period (1964-69) that will be presented in the books. It will cover not just the strips featured in the collection but also many other projects that Ken pitched to his publisher during those years. Some previously unseen sketches and illustrations will be included as well, alongside with the ‘banned’ episode that you mentioned.

Tell us about the crowdfunding campaign that you have running to finance the printing of the book. What made you take this route and how has it been received?

Full details can be found in campaign description, but I will briefly mention that the Power Pack of Ken Reid consists of two hard-cover 200 page books. Volume One features Frankie Stein and Jasper the Grasper, with introductions by yourself and Antony J. Reid, plus Chapter One of The Odhams Years of Ken Reid – illustrated biography, written by me. It has a bonus section with reproductions of Ken’s hand-written scripts of the Frankie Stein episodes in Wham! Annuals 1966 and 1967 and some funny pencil sketches of Frankie and Micky. Volume Two features Queen of the Seas, Dare-A-Day Davy and The Nervs. It has introductions by Nigel Parkinson and Antony, and includes Part Two of the Odhams Years bio. Supporters of the campaign are offered the privilege of the slipcase edition and the free prints of original artwork. The books can be pre-ordered both individually and as a set, and I will post them to anywhere in the World.

Snapshot of the IndieGoGo page on Thursday.

The campaign is on IndieGoGo platform and the idea is to raise funds to cover production costs. The campaign was well received – supporters contributed more than 75 per cent in less than a week, so I am confident the goal will be achieved as there is still a month to go. The good initial response shows that there is a lot of affection for those strips, and looking at the geography of the supporters I can see it extends far beyond the UK – there are backers from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Greece and Germany! I think the crowdfunding model is a good way to reach potential audience. The enthusiastic response has substantiated my faith in the project and I will do my utmost to ensure that the final product is as good as it can be!

Is there any news of the biography you have been working with Antony Reid on a biography of his father's life and career?

The biography is work in progress and full details will be revealed in due course. I can say that it will be a detailed account of Ken’s life and work covering his entire career, with lots of previously unseen illustrations that we are sure fans will be delighted to see. Cartoonists of the yesteryear have been kept away from the spotlight by various publishers and little is known about their lives. The Complete Biography project will surely fill the gap for Ken Reid.

What have you planned for the future?  Any further collections if this one is a success? What would you like to see collected, whether by yourself or from another publisher.

I will take one step at a time. The plan for the immediate future is to make sure the fans of Ken’s work are happy with The Power Pack and the project is a general success. Apart from Ken’s strips that I mentioned previously, I would certainly like to see collections of Leo Baxendale’s strips from the Beano, and I am sure I am not alone here.  Scream Inn by Brian Walker is another big personal favourite of mine, and I hope Rebellion will find it worth their while to release it at some point.

My thanks to Irmantas for taking the time to answer my questions. I hope you'll support the campaign to get these books printed.

Ray Bradbury interview (1971)

From my scrapbook, here's an ancient interview with Ray Bradbury from issue 28 of Rex, the British men's magazine, undated but published around December 1971.

 

 

 

Gerald Scarfe

A Gerald Scarfe interview from the Sunday Times Magazine, 2 November 1986.

 

 

 

Iain M. Banks (Wired, June 1996)

In the June 1996, Wired carried an interview with Iain M. Banks along with an extract from his new novel, Excession. Fiction by Banks rarely appeared in magazines. I believe it only happened twice. [[Update: Not often but not quite as few as twice. Phil Stephensen-Payne sent over the brief list of Banks' magazine appearances, which also include stories for Interzone, The Observer Magazine and The Fiction Magazine, plus another extract, "The Business", in Computing.]]

Here's Wired's coverage along with a couple of examples of Daniel Mackie's illustrations.

 

 

 

The Commando Interviews Part 8: Calum Laird

A brief introduction. 

The following interview with Calum Laird, editor of the British comic book Commando, was conducted by Michael Eriksson in January 2011. This was originally published on Mike's late and much lamented website Where Eagles Dare and is one of a number of interviews that will be appearing here with Mike's permission. I have made a number of very minor visual and editorial changes for clarity but I have otherwise made no alterations; Mike is Swedish – his English is near perfect and I'm sure you'll forgive the occasional verbal stumble.

Landmark year is here - Commando turns 50 in 2011 - interview with editor Calum Laird.

Things are going well for Commando and this year will see another opportunity for the classic title to grab some well deserved attention in the media as 50 years has now passed since the first issue (published in July 1961 - as it happens, I was born then so I will join the celebrations myself!). The time has come to dig up some questions for the Commando headquarters to sort out, and as always it is good fun to see what´s going on with these guys. Where Eagles Dare is glad to support this classic title.

Michael Eriksson: 2011 is coming up, marking the 50th anniversary of Commando. You have had some time to think about this so what can we expect from your headquarters in the next 12 months?

Calum Laird: You can expect our usual selection of high-quality action stories. 48 of them will be brand-new and the other 48 specially-chosen tales from right back to the beginnings of Commando. The first 12 stories (the original Dirty Dozen) will be reprinted with the stories reproduced as close to the way they were in 1961. I’ve asked various people connected with Commando to choose some of their favourite yarns and these too will be re-issued. Some of them haven’t seen the light of day for nearly 50 years so I think even long-serving readers will find something new and exciting there. The Raiders will return for a pair of missions which were previously unknown, the Headline heroes will also return for a one-off story. We’ve a new band of characters called the Convict Commandos dreamt up by Alan Hebden. And Mac Macdonald has written a special anniversary story for the middle of the year. We’re working on two exhibitions, one in London, one in Dundee, but as they’ve not been finalised I’d better not say any more about that for now.

The last year has seen a few nice commemorative bulks of issues, “War in the Ardennes”, “VE Day 65” and “VJ Day 65”, and there was also an “Aces High” series. What can you say about these?

I think your question gives a clue to why we did it. At certain points in history, anniversaries capture the minds and hearts of many people and they want to read more about the events of those times. Commando doesn’t pretend to give formal history lessons but we pride ourselves on producing authentic stories which can give a flavour of the times. Partly we want to inform people, partly we want to salute the people involved at the time and partly we want to entertain. As you must have enjoyed the stories (which I’m pleased to hear) I think we got the balance about right.

Ian Clark scripted a rather unique run of issues in the “VE DAY 65” series, in which soldiers from different nations met and talked about their experiences. I felt that Commando did something very special with these issues.

These were master-minded by my predecessor and mentor George Low. They must have been a difficult series to co-ordinate but the idea of the linked stories was an absolute winner and I take my hat off to him for pulling it off. Will I try something similar? Time will tell.

What has happened in the team since our last interview in September 2009?

The basic team of Scott and myself is the same. Older but probably not wiser. In the wider team sadly we’ve lost two artists, Ricardo Garijo and Josè Maria Jorge. Both had drawn for us for years (almost from the start for Josè Maria) and both had become friends as well as colleagues. The loss has been keenly felt. Commando welcomed back Manuel Benet who has drawn for us on and off for many years. We’ve also had scripts from new writers Mac Macdonald, Steve Coombs and Colin Howard which has worked out very well.

Your homepage has been updated recently and seems to be ready for new things, what is going on with that.

After a number of years working in a blog-style, the site has been re-vamped for a fresh look and to provide a platform for our new online services. Already you will be able to buy posters direct from the site. Books will follow. You can sign up for a paper subscription and, early in 2011, we will be offering a digital subscription to Commando. These are exciting developments which we hope will secure the future of the title for many years to come and provide a place where any future Commando products can be showcased. More to the point we hope it will allow us to regularly update our loyal readers on what’s going on in the Commando world. We’re working on a Facebook page for that too.

Also, in the last 12 months, Commando has resurfaced in Norway as Kamp og Kommando, any more countries showing interest?

At least one other Baltic nation has expressed an interest but it’s early days so we don’t know if it will progress any further.

You have also worked with Airfix in at least two campaigns, who contacted who?

About the time I took over, there was a documentary on the TV about the re-birth of Airfix after many troubled years. Watching it, I was struck by the similarity between Airfix and Commando. It only took a phone call to Darrell at Airfix to start the relationship off as he was in complete agreement. I handed things over to our marketing folks and they did the rest. It’s definitely benefitted us as our subscription rate has soared a massive 25% in the last year. I hope it’s helped them too as their products played a large part in my childhood.

I thought it was a brilliant move, how did it work out for you?

I think it’s been a great success and I hope we’ll be able to keep collaborating for years to come.

How has media interest been lately?

We seem to pick up interest from time to time but we are expecting more this year coming, especially around the middle of the year at our 50th birthday.

It has been said that the Commando books that has been released by Carlton sold rather well, any chance of a few more to come?

We’ve put our heads together with Carlton to select another 10 stories to be released as “Rogue Raiders” in May. They’ll also be producing a new three-issue format to be released in July. There will be four books in the range and the titles are not confirmed as yet.

It would be nice if somebody penned a book about Commando, any signals that something like this is going on?

Can’t say anything definite at the moment but it’s not outwith the bounds of possibility...

I guess issue 5000 is going to be the next reason to celebrate after 2011, that has a nice ring to it does it not, 5000!

That’ll be late August 2015 by my reckoning. We’ll definitely have a party for that!

Do you have a current storyline in the works that you can give us a hint about right now? I know ideas pop up in many different ways.

Mac Macdonald created two new characters for his story "Seeing Double" which were very well received. In particular Carlos Pino the artist who gave the characters form. We had intended that the story would be a one-off as there surely couldn't be more than a single story based on lookalikes of Adolf Hitler and General Bernard Montgomery. Yet Mac has come up with one so Carlos will be illustrating it in the next few months and we'll release it later this year. The setting has changed from the North African Desert and the war is over. The pair have gone their separate ways for the time being but danger is not far away and their "identities" are crucial to the tale. One to look out for. Ferg Handley has set off for the Aleutian Islands for his latest story. This remote outpost was the scene of fierce fighting between the Japanese and the Americans during World War 2 and Ferg has used this as a backdrop to his story as tensions between some of the US soldiers threaten to land them in deep trouble.

Any Roman or Viking stories in the pipeline at the moment?

Nothing on the stocks right now but we never know what’s going to pop through the letterbox.

Would you like to add something to this interview?

I'd very much like everybody who reads this to visit our new website and have a good look round. Then please tell me what you think. Comment direct to the site or e-mail me through the contact form. Tell me if there's anything you think we've missed out and how you rate what we have done so far. It's your site, so tell us how to make it suit you better.

Thank you very much.

The Commando Interviews Part 7: David Whitehead

A brief introduction. 

The following interview with David Whitehead, one of the authors of the British comic book Commando, was conducted by Michael Eriksson in November 2005. This was originally published on Mike's late and much lamented website Where Eagles Dare and is one of a number of interviews that will be appearing here with Mike's permission. I have made a number of very minor visual and editorial changes for clarity but I have otherwise made no alterations; Mike is Swedish – his English is near perfect and I'm sure you'll forgive the occasional verbal stumble.

Michael Eriksson: This is the seventh interview in which we take a good look at the wonderful world of classic war comic Commando, and this time we ask writer David Whitehead about his years with the publication. Once a fan as a lad, he now belongs to that very exclusive club of the inner circle that you could call The Commando Old Boys Club (my words!). Tradition meets fresh enthusiasm and Commando marches on.

To begin with, tell us a little about yourself. Who is David Whitehead?

I was born in London in 1958, and was very fortunate to grow up at a time when there were so many great comics and children’s books to fire the imagination – movies as well, if it comes to that. My father took me to see just about every film it was then possible for a boy of eight years old and upwards to see – war movies, westerns, science fiction, action movies, everything. And when I wasn’t reading, or sitting in “a shilling’s-worth of darkness” at the cinema, I was re-enacting everything I’d read or seen with my like-minded friends. Today I live in Suffolk with my wife Janet, just a little north of the most easterly point in Britain.

Can you recall your first interest in the written word and what it was that triggered it?

I’m not entirely sure, because I was always a voracious reader, but it was probably the Famous Five books of Enid Blyton. I also loved the humorous misadventures of H E Todd’s “Bobby Brewster”; the “Billy Bunter” school stories of Frank Richards; the “Jennings” books by Anthony Buckeridge; the mysteries solved by Malcolm Saville’s “Lone Pine Club”; Geoffrey Bond’s Luck of the Legion” yarns; the science fiction thrillers of Hugh Walters; Herge’s adventures of “Tintin”; Willard Price’s always-fascinating “Adventure” books; and - naturally - W E Johns’ “Biggles” stories. All these books made me want to become a writer myself, an ambition I never grew out of

What favourite comics did you have as a boy?

Too many to list, really. But my favourite – aside from Commando, of course – was Valiant. Valiant offered a fabulous mixture of humorous strips and atmospheric mysteries and thrillers every week.

Do you still collect comics today? And if so, what gems are there in your collection?

I’ve built up and disposed of a number of collections over the years – full runs of Valiant and Buddy, as well as a lot of American comics. These days I’ve pared everything down so that all I’m left with now is a complete run of Commando, a more or less complete run of Action Picture Library, about eighty issues of Wild West Picture Library, and some old DC Comics which made a big impact on me when I first discovered them, and which I really couldn’t bear to part with at this late stage.

I’m sure I speak for the hundreds of fans who will read this when I say that you are one of the luckiest men on earth to own a complete run of Commando. How long did it take you to build your collection, and do you have any idea how much it has cost you?

Curiously enough, it didn’t take me that long to build the collection, once I decided to do so. And just to go back to what I was saying earlier, I had already built up and disposed of at least two big collections of Commando before I really decided to collect them all over again, this time for keeps.

What made you start collecting them again, then?

Two things, really. When we remembered the 50th anniversary of V.E. Day in 1995, I watched some of the celebrations on television and saw all these old soldiers marching down the Mall, heads held high, and I suddenly realised that here was everything that was really great about my country – everything that was really great about people in general; their courage, their determination, their loyalty, their pride in themselves and their comrades. That rekindled my interest in the Second World War. And around the same time, Book and Magazine Collector, a monthly magazine we have here in Britain, published an article on Commando (issue 127). From that moment on, I decided to collect them all again. This was long before the internet made collecting that much easier, of course, but even so I managed to buy little batches here and there. I must have bought several hundred direct from Commando H.Q. I also remember buying about 400 issues from a fellow who had decided to dispose of his own collection. Almost as an afterthought he suddenly said, “I’ve got Commando number one here as well, but I’m afraid I’d have to charge you £15 for that.” I nearly choked. I would have happily paid him ten times that amount to get my sticky little fingers on such a rarity! And what a bargain it turned out to be. It was in at least Fine if not better condition. I have no idea how much the collection cost me, in total, or indeed what it’s worth now. I do remember that the hardest issue to find was number two. It was actually the last issue I needed to complete my set, and I managed to buy a spare copy from Peter Richardson.

It’s interesting to hear how fellow collectors stash their beloved comic books. Would a visitor to your place discover your passion with a glance around the living room, or have you stashed them away in the attic, or something like that?

I keep my Commandos shelved in numerical order up my office. They take up one entire wall. But when you climb the stairs, they’re the first thing you see when you reach the top, and even if you’re not a Commando fan, it’s still a pretty awe-inspiring sight – 22 shelves packed with thousands of colourful spines.

Counting other titles, like War Picture Library and all the rest, do you have any idea how many war comics that you own on top of the Commando collection?

As I said earlier, I actually trimmed my collection down some years ago. Today, all that’s left are my Commandos, Wild West Picture Library, Action Picture Library, a few odds and ends.

It seems that your way into the business as a writer started with a series of novels that you tried to get published, and that you finally succeeded one day. Can you tell us what happened and what kind of books you primarily concentrated on?

Well, before you can be a western writer, a horror writer, a war writer or whatever, you’ve got to be a writer, full stop. Luckily, I was always a natural writer, but I wasn’t always sure what I wanted to write about. I wrote my first “real” book - by which I mean typed and double-spaced, all ready for publication - when I was sixteen. It was a horror story. It didn’t get published of course, because it was no good. But hopefully I learned from my mistakes. I made plenty along the way – nineteen unpublished manuscripts’ worth – before I got my first acceptance, and somewhere along the line I fell in love with the western genre and started writing westerns.

You’ve used different names as a writer, is that because the subject matters have been different or has there been other reasons?

I never had a burning desire to see my own name in print, and right from the outset, I quite liked the idea of masquerading behind one or more pen-names. Besides which, on a purely practical level, a western by “Ben Bridges” or “Matt Logan” is always going to appeal to readers far more than one written by the rather ordinary-sounding David Whitehead.

Can you mention a couple of titles that you are extra happy with and what are you doing at the moment in that field?

At the moment I have no less than three westerns in various stages of completion. Greased Lightning, as by “Ben Bridges”, is the fourteenth book to feature my regular continuing character Carter O’Brien, a freelance fighting man who makes his living by taking on the jobs other men say can’t be done. I’m about halfway through Kane's Quest, which is the third book in my “Apacheria” series as by “Carter West”. These are written in collaboration with my friend, Link Hullar, and follow the exploits of a band of Galvanized Yankees – that is, Confederate prisoners-of-war who were granted their freedom on condition that they went west and helped to restore law and order. And I’m still plotting Send for Morgan Starr, a stand-alone western to be issued under the name “Glenn Lockwood”. As for the westerns I’m most proud of? They would have to be Squaw Man, Cold Steel, Tanner's Guns, Hang 'Em All, Ride the High Lines and Back with a Vengeance.

You approached Commando in 1996 and got your first script published. What issue was that and how do you recall that period now?

Well, it wasn’t quite as straightforward as that. I had originally approached Commando several years earlier, with three potential storylines. That would be, roughly, about 1977 or ‘78. All three storylines were rejected because they were either too sketchy or frankly, no good. However, I did eventually revise one of them, and it was published as Hidden Helpers (number 3006), in 1996. When I decided to have another stab at it, I researched my story thoroughly and tried to give it something extra, something special that would increase its chances of acceptance. And fortunately enough, it paid off that time. I was subsequently asked to write up the first twenty pictures in script form, and when George Low saw that I knew what I was doing, he told me to go ahead and finish it, and that was that. The first story was called Warrior Marines (number 2966).

As an old fan of Commando, how did it feel to have that first comic in your hand? It must have been a good day!

It was. I remember taking my dogs for their morning walk deliberately so that I could hijack the postman and get my hands on it that much sooner. We exchanged greetings and then he said, “Would you like your post while you’re here?” I hesitated a moment, as if nothing had been further from my mind, then said, oh-so-casually, “Okay. Thanks.” That day’s post was thrust into my hand - there was a manilla envelope from D C Thomson. I tore it open and … well, all I can say is that it was most certainly worth the wait!

Can you please list the issues that you have been involved with as a writer?

No problem. So far I’ve written # 2966: Warrior Marines … 2985: Duel in the Deep … 2994: Fighting Mountie … 3006: Hidden Helpers … 3030: The Getaway Gang …3061: Behind American Lines … 3125: Face Up to Fear! … 3145: Blazing Frontier … 3167: Storm Island … 3178: Battle Boats … 3248: Powder Monkey … 3250: Rebel Raiders … 3346: Outlaw! … 3385: Home-Front Hero … 3402: Camel Cavalry … 3429: Dragons of War … 3456: Sabotage Team … 3526: The Fighting Furies … 3535: Phantoms' Vengeance … 3552: Fight to Win! … 3666: Jungle Cop … 3679: Frontier Fury … 3717: Rescue in the Jungle … and 3789: The Bamboo Vipers. These are all the ones which have been published to date (November 2005). I’ve just completed a new one, entitled Coward and Killer and am currently researching another, tentatively called Air Ace, Ground Ace.

Looking back on these, do you have some favourites?

I think Fighting Mountie came out well. Behind American Lines was a good story, but improved immeasurably by George Low’s perceptive suggestions. I was especially happy with Powder Monkey, The Fighting Furies and Jungle Cop.

Describe the working-process. How does a script emerge and under what circumstances? I assume you work from home?

At this late stage, there’s no such thing as a completely new or original idea, so I try to settle for something that is simply “different” – perhaps an obscure aspect of war, or an unusual spin on an old theme. Then comes the research, which for me is a pretty intense week or so of hitting the books and making notes. Next comes the business of writing a story that incorporates some if not all of the ideas I’ve come up with. If George accepts the synopsis, then I start writing the script. I usually draw each picture myself - very roughly, I hasten to add, using stick-figures or sketches of specific incidents I will have to describe when it comes to the actual typing-up of the script. Into each of these rough pictures I write the panels and dialogue, although this is always open to change. After that, I use my little sketches as a guide to writing the script itself.

Have you ever been commissioned to write a story from an already existing cover, which we know happens occasionally, or have all the scripts been original ideas that you have pitched to George Low?

I would assume that, if an idea occurs to George Low, he approaches a writer who has already proven himself in a particular field - for example, aerial war stories, historicals, science fiction etc., My own particular sphere would be, say, the American West, so if George suddenly had a great idea for a story set during the Indian Wars, the Mexican War, the Spanish-American War, the American War of Independence or whatever, I would hope he might consider me to be the best person to expand it into a script. So far, all of my Commandos have been based on my own ideas, but it is impossible to ignore George Low’s input into each and every story. This man is Commando.

Inspiration for ideas can obviously come from just about anywhere. Do you have a couple of examples that you would like to share?

Inspiration certainly does come from every source. The idea that the Navaho Indians fought in World War II, which I discovered quite by chance whilst researching one of my westerns, more or less gave me the entire story for Warrior Marines. One single throw-away sentence in a western I was reading gave me the entire plot for my “Ben Bridges” book Squaw Man. A television programme about adoption gave me the idea for my new western, Greased Lightning … although I have to say that it is nothing whatsoever to do with adoption! I even dreamt a complete Commando story one night, including the title, and I still think it was a good idea, but George didn’t agree, so that one never made it past the synopsis stage!

As a fan of war comics, are there certain elements in a story that you grew up with that you strive to include in your work or are there some general guidelines that kind of takes care of that? Surely, the publisher would want a certain formula to continue so that the reader can feel at home.

In that respect, Commando is no different to, say, your favourite brand of Cola. You buy it because you know exactly what you’re going to get, and you’re going to get exactly what you want. Speaking for myself, I always strive to re-create the feel of the Commandos I read as a child. And the one scene I always enjoy writing, and which always gives me that special little tingle, is the one where the two protagonists finally bury the hatchet and shake hands. The idea that two men can forget their differences and see each other in a more favourable light, or that two friends who have been separated by circumstances or alienated by some quirky chain of events can eventually be reunited … well, call me sentimental, but it’s the highlight of any Commando for me.

How do you feel about the fact that the writers and the artists don’t get a name check in the comics? As a fan, I always missed that myself.

It’s not something that bothers me a great deal. It would be nice to see your name on the opening page, but it’s enough for me just to know that I wrote it.

What’s the best feedback that you’ve ever had in your work with Commando?

The very fact that George Low considers the story to be publishable in the first place is the greatest compliment.

If we compare the old with the new, is there anything now that you can’t do as a writer that was considered OK 30 years ago in the field? Are there phrases that wouldn’t be politically correct these days?

I think a lot of it comes down to good, old-fashioned common sense, really. You don’t often see Commando characters smoking these days, for example, and rightly so. Now that we understand the dangers of smoking so much better than we did thirty years ago, it would be irresponsible to encourage it. And I seem to remember that in one issue, published around 1978, a Japanese character was referred to as a git - a British slang term for someone who isn’t especially nice. I can’t imagine we’ll ever see that expression used again. I don’t really know how it slipped through then.

When I was a kid and read these comics, a British soldier could gun an Italian soldier down and say something like "Take this you darn spaghetti-eater", but I would assume that this is not OK these days.

Well, you still get the odd reference to “sausage-guzzling” Germans, and “macaroni-munching” Italians. Japs are still occasionally referred to as “Tojo”. My own view is that most if not all readers of this kind of book find the racial stereotype more amusing than offensive. I know I do, whenever I see the archetypal upper-class British ass with a name like Bertie Blenkinson-Smythe. But have you ever noticed that German characters can say, “Mein Gott!” but British characters never say, “My God!”?

War comics thrived in Italy as well, I believe. So it probably never was a real issue in any case. Do you think that the general public (or the critics) understands that Commando is a publication that has moved with the times or could there be a misconception that this is some kind of relic from the past that is not politically correct to include in a conversation about good comics or art in general?

I’m not even sure the vast majority of the British public even knows that Commando still exists. Distribution here – at least in my neck of the woods – is patchy, at best. And when Commando celebrated its fortieth anniversary back in June 2002, there was little if any media coverage. And yet that was a milestone by any standards.

To me, some of these comics are little masterpieces, great art, entertaining stories. Will they ever get the credit that they so richly deserve? After all, we are talking about a scene that has survived for nearly half a decade now. There should be respect in that.

I completely agree. But I think the general perception of publications like Commando has and always will be that it’s “just” a comic, in the same way that it’s “just“ a western. The ordinary man in the street have no real understanding of the work that goes into Commando. That work isn’t always immediately apparent, but I can assure you that it’s there – commitment, attention to detail, an absolute determination to get it right.

As a writer and a fan, have you ever considered writing a book on the subject?

I did toy with the idea some years ago, but I don’t think it will happen.

If the new Commando-book "The Dirty Dozen" sells, one could probably assume that there is a market for a book on the art form in question.

My own hope for "The Dirty Dozen" is that wives and girlfriends in search of Christmas presents will spot it and buy it for their husbands and boyfriends, maybe as a “joke” gift. But when those same husbands and boyfriends actually open it on Christmas Day, they’ll remember the fun they had reading these wonderful stories first time round, and some of them, at least, will begin to search out the comic itself. "The Dirty Dozen" will, I hope, remind potential readers that Commando is still out there.

Have you met any of the people who work on the comics with you, or are you scattered all over the world and limited to e-mail contact?

I believe that Commando’s contributors are scattered far and wide. I myself am not in contact with anyone other than George Low.

Do you have any favourite artists, old and current ones?

Gordon Livingstone is an absolute must. A wonderful artist whose work has been sadly missed, not least by me, since he retired. And the great Denis McLoughlin, of course, whose eye for detail and use of light and shade was exceptional. Jose Jorge is another personal favourite – absolutely stunning.

Do you have a homepage or have you thought about having one?

I’m in the process of starting my own website at the moment, but don’t hold your breath – I don’t think it’s coming any time soon!

As a writer, are you worried that the younger generation seem to read less these days and what could this mean for the business in the next five to 10 years? Where is the comics-industry going?

Well, aside from Commando, we no longer have a comics industry here in Britain. We have a number of comics for pre-school children and some odd superhero titles from Marvel, but that’s it. But yes, it does worry me that the younger generation seem to have abandoned reading altogether – unless of course it has something to do with a certain wizard named Potter. Some years ago, I wrote a booklet about the Old West, which became the basis of a project at the school where my wife worked. The children there had never even heard of westerns, or the Old West, before, but they quickly became fascinated by it. The excitement that ran through the school after that was tremendous. But how do we get the message out to the next generation of readers and potential contributors that such a genre exists in the first place? They need to know that a comic such as Commando is out there, and then they need to see for themselves that it’s well worth reading. There’s also an educational element to it. Read a Commando and you might just learn something about friendship, loyalty and history along the way.

Everything in this world is getting smaller, phones, albums are now CD’s, DVD’s takes up less space than the old VHS tapes. Maybe the Commando sized comics will have a resurge in the future? That’s one of my theories, or dreams maybe... I truly love the format. And smaller sized comic books are cheaper for the consumer as well. Any thoughts on that?

I personally have always found the digest-sized format attractive, but unless these comics are displayed carefully or prominently, it’s all too easy for them to get lost behind regular-size magazines.

To me, the people that are in charge of publishing houses should realise that the top priority now is to get the young to read. If they don’t read comics, they’re not going to read books later on. I think that a publication like Commando is a very positive feature in the cultural landscape in that sense. I can see dads all over the place trying to get their sons to get a taste for reading via Commando books.

I completely agree. Teach a child to read, give him or her something genuinely good and exciting to read, and you’ve got a reader for life. But getting them started is the hardest part.

Would you like to add anything to this interview?

Just that it has been a real privilege to be part of Commando’s long and distinguished history, and that I feel pretty much the same way to have been interviewed for your marvellous site. Thank you, Mike – and please keep up the great work!

Thank you for supporting the scene David.

The Commando Interviews Part 6: Calum Laird

A brief introduction. 

The following interview with Calum Laird, editor of the British comic book Commando, was conducted by Michael Eriksson on 30 September 2009. This was originally published on Mike's late and much lamented website Where Eagles Dare and is one of a number of interviews that will be appearing here with Mike's permission. I have made a number of very minor visual and editorial changes for clarity but I have otherwise made no alterations; Mike is Swedish – his English is near perfect and I'm sure you'll forgive the occasional verbal stumble.

Where Eagles Dare presents another interview with the editor in chief of Commando, Calum Laird. Calum has been top dog at Commando headquarters for two years now so we thought it would be interesting to check in and see how things are going. As always, it´s an absolute pleasure to interview these guys and I hope you enjoy this conversation. One thing that creeps up is the fact that Commando will celebrate 50 years in 2011 – now there´s something to look forward to!

You have been commander in chief for two years now (September 2009), how would you say that it has been so far?

Busy! To throw some statistics at you, we produce 96 Commandos a year, that’s 6258 pages with around 625,000 words on them. There are only two of us in the office to make sure those issues get to our readers in time and in good order. It’s full-on, all day every day. And we run the Commando website too.

When we did our first interview with you last year you had been in the position for six months but the product that was coming out then had been initially started by your predecessor George Low. So looking back now, what issue of Commando was really your first to reach the readers?

That’s a difficult question. It’s hard to say which ones were completely new because so many were in the pipeline and our pipeline is so long. I guess that the special issues for November 2008 were the first to have my fingerprints on them, though there may have been others before that.

Writers and artists are credited now, was that your idea?

Not really, it was something that had been talked about on and off over the years. It was just that when I took over it seemed a good point to start.

How did people react to the change?

To be honest, it was mixed. Someone said that it was the most important thing I’d done since I took over. Others barely noticed. It depends on your outlook on the comic. If you are into Commando for the stories and the artwork, the credits possibly don’t matter; it’s just entertainment. If, though, you have an interest beyond that, it will be much more significant.

You are involved in the Commando books from Carlton now alongside George, how successful is it and can we assume that this series is here to stay?

Actually I was involved in the project from the start as the department I worked in then was responsible for retrieving the books from archive for reproduction. The books have been wildly successful. As to them being here to stay, I don’t know, to be honest. It depends on our continuing relationship with Carlton and the economics of doing the collections. I love the books and would gladly do more but I leave those sorts of financial decisions to the people who are qualified to make them.

Have there been reviews in that world, the world of books?

Yes, they were even considered at some length by the Financial Times. I never thought I’d see Commando in that newspaper.

There was a bit of a media blitz in the UK when Commando reached issue 4000, has there been more interest since then?

We’ve had a lot of coverage for our special editions and the Collections reflect interest back on to us. Then of course there are the comic websites like your own that are a great way of keeping in touch with fans.

Is it true that Commando is the title with the highest number of back issues in the UK?

I believe that’s the case, but you’d need a comic historian to give a definitive answer.

Have any new writers or artists been introduced since you took over?

We’ve started working with a number of new writers and their stories have been published over the last two years. We haven’t added to our existing group of artists as we’re perfectly happy with our arrangements with them and they would all do more work for us if it was available!

Are you contacted all the time by hopefuls and what advice would you give to somebody that is interested in committing work for Commando some day?

Yes, barely a week goes by without someone brand new getting in touch. What advice would I give? Go and read loads of Commandos. Try to pick apart all the strands that are in those stories before you build your own. Don’t rely on what you think a Commando is, find out. Remember our stories are driven by text, not artwork. And bear in mind that a finished script will contain about 10,000 words including the picture descriptions. It’s hard work.

I understand that you wouldn’t want to comment on sales but how do things stand compared to, say, the 90s?

Commando doesn’t sell as well as it did, that’s for sure, but we are still viable. Obviously we’d like to sell more so we are actively promoting the title wherever we can. No one in publishing is feeling too secure at the moment, but Commando hasn’t lost any sales in the recent downturn and we hope to grow our sales on the far side of the recession. Anybody reading this is welcome to help by buying a copy or ten.

Can you mention a story that is in the pipeline that you found particularly interesting?

All the stories are interesting; we wouldn’t use them otherwise!. No two are the same and no two writers handle a theme in the same way. The great thing about working here is that the material is never the same two days in a row.

I recall that George said that he used to meet artist Ian Kennedy down at the pub once a week, is this still going on? It would be comforting if it was!

Sorry, Mike, that doesn’t happen these days. Ian comes into the office about three times a month. We talk about work – and other things - but the pub is out. He still meets up with George occasionally for a drink. Scott and I meet George on a regular basis for a lunch-time “refreshment”. We try NOT to talk about work! We also see Gordon Livingstone from time to time – another face from the early days looking well in retirement.

You recently commemorated D-Day with eight issues and it was also the focus in the Carlton edition “D-Day – Fight or Die!” at around the same time. Is “The Battle of Britain” next, considering the new Carlton book “Battle of Britain – Scramble!”?

Carlton have used that idea away before us and I certainly wouldn’t want to copy what they’ve done so look out for a twist on that theme in September next year. In the meantime, we’ve a pair of Battle of the Bulge stories in the pipeline and a group of six for release around V-E Day 2010.

I guess you have had two holidays by now as editor, but can you really let go or does your head spin with story arcs and ideas no matter what?

I never switch off completely. It might not be story arcs I’m thinking of but there’s always a part of my mind running over things Commando. (If my boss is reading this – “Hello, Mike!” – I hope he’ll be impressed enough to give me a raise.)

Can you give us a recent example of how an idea popped up into your mind and how it happened?

Last November I was in Glasgow. I’d gone to the Transport Museum while my kids were at Auchinawa – a manga cosplay convention. In the gallery devoted to Glasgow’s shipbuilding past I saw a model of a shallow draught, broad beamed ship from the early 1900s that had been used as a hospital ship in the Middle East. I decided that Ferg Handley could mould a story round that. And so he has; the script came in last month.

Do you think that what goes on in the world of cinema has an impact on the interest for Commando? Can a movie like “Inglorious Basterds” by Tarantino draw interest? Do you know if it ever did in the past?

I’d like to think that Commando has had an impact on cinema, not the other way round. After all we’ve been producing war stories for a lot longer than Tarantino has been doing movies. Maybe we’ve influenced him! Like all types of film, the war movie comes and goes. I’m sure there is an effect on us but it would be hard to find concrete data to back that up.

Incredibly, “Inglorious Basterds” is a hit in Germany, does that mean that the Germans may be ready for Commando now?

Our company goes to book fairs in Europe very regularly and Commando copies are happily accepted at the Frankfurt event. I think those people who look beyond what Commando is perceived to be to what it really is have seen that we have no axe to grind with any nation.

I will end this interview here before I get you into trouble, is there anything that you would like to add to this interview?

Commando will be 50 years old in 2011. Amongst other things we plan to re-issue some stories from the very early days and I’d invite any readers to email me with titles or numbers at  editor@commandomag.com if they have any that they’d really like to see again. We don’t have time to look for “a story that came out in the late 70s which had a safecracker turned Commando who saved Tobruk with a banana sandwich…” so names or numbers only please. Check Vic Whittle’s excellent website for help with cover images.

Mike Eriksson (September 30 2009)

The Commando Interviews Part 5: George Low

A brief introduction. 

The following interview with George Low, one time editor of the British comic book Commando, was conducted by Michael Eriksson on 19 September 2007. This was originally published on Mike's late and much lamented website Where Eagles Dare and is one of a number of interviews that will be appearing here with Mike's permission. I have made a number of very minor visual and editorial changes for clarity but I have otherwise made no alterations; Mike is Swedish – his English is near perfect and I'm sure you'll forgive the occasional verbal stumble.George Low talks about his final days as editor of Commando

This interview with Commando editor George Low was conducted by e-mail just two days before his last day in the office.

I understand that this will be your last week at Commando, and that you've decided to retire. How does it feel, how long have you known?

I have known for a month or so, and it's a very strange feeling. As you know, I like my job a lot and it's great to co-operate with writers and artists to bring out Commando books . and equally as much fun to see the enthusiasm generated by our loyal fans.

To get the history right, do you recall what issue it was that you started with as chief editor and which will be the last?

Um, I can't remember to be honest, but it was back about issue 2200. The last will be out early next year.

You seem to quit when things are going very well, it seems to me that the profile of Commando is higher than what it has been in years, with both the official site and an excellent unofficial site operating, and add to that books and calendars coming out and press outlets like the BBC taking note when the title reached issue 4000 and so on. Could you have seen this just five years ago looking back?

There were always keen followers like your good self with fanzines and websites who were ready to talk about Commando. We appreciated that and we knew we had something that was worth publishing and our readers proved that.


You granted me an interview in 2004 and at that time it was hard to come by information about Commando. Now I see interviews pop up all over the place, both online and recently in an issue of Judge Dredd Megazine. Looking back, how many interviews do you think you have done over the years?

Quite a few, from the ones you mention to the likes of radio link-ups to New Zealand to promote the Carlton Anzac collection. Comics Britannia on BBC4 last night also carried a mention of Commando.

Did you celebrate the 4000th issue in any way (at the office) when that came out?

We had a quiet little celebration with two cups of coffee instead of one in the morning. I can't remember much after that.

You have been around a while and seen the industry from the inside, have you thought about writing a book about your experience or anything like that?

I would quite like too to record my experiences in some way, but quite what I don't know. You make it easy when you ask questions; it's not so easy to sit down and look at a blank piece of paper.

You have been in a position where a certain ongoing creativity has been the norm, do you think you will ever be able to watch a WWII movie or documentary without having part of you go "That could be a good setting for a story" again? In fact, did you ever manage to get away from that mindset on your annual holidays?

Probably never .it's just the way my minds works. On holiday, too, the slightest piece of information is stored away and often crops up at a later date.

I recall that you mentioned casual Friday meetings at a local pub with Ian Kennedy where the two of you discussed ideas for covers. For some reason that stuck, it was just nice to know that the two of you did that and that it was happening no matter what was going on in this world of ours.

Ian was in the office again yesterday and the process is just the same. He, like many other of our artists and writers, listen to what we want and then, as often as not, improve on the original idea. It's great that after so long they still have that spark.

About that BBC interview, did you lobby for coverage like that (I do recall the press release about issue 4000) or was it a very pleasant surprise to hear from them?

It was an ongoing situation and it all came together well.

Is it correct that issue 4000 got the title more press than any previous similar event? What went on when the title reached 1000-2000-3000 issues?

Yes, there was more press mention than any of the earlier milestones, but it was a more significant achievement, especially nowadays when there is so much competition.

Do you want to say a few final words to the visitors of Where Eagles Dare?

Thanks very much for your interest and enthusiasm. We can think and plan as much as we like, but unless all you fans out there buy Commando and talk and help promote it, we wouldn't get very far at all. So thank you – it's been great fun "talking" to you!

Thank you for your many years working for Commando. I think I speak for a lot of people when I say it has meant something special to a lot of us to have had the title for so many years.

The Commando Interviews Part 4 - Calum Laird

A brief introduction. 

The following interview with Calum Laird, editor-in-chief of Commando, was conducted by Michael Eriksson in March 2008. This was originally published on Mike's late and much lamented website Where Eagles Dare and is one of a number of interviews that will be appearing here with Mike's permission. I have made a number of very minor visual and editorial changes for clarity but I have otherwise made no alterations; Mike is Swedish – his English is near perfect and I'm sure you'll forgive the occasional verbal stumble. 


When George Low left his job as editor in chief of Commando back in September 2007, he made sure that the next guy in line and Where Eagles Dare got in touch. At that point we decided that a first interview would be appropriate after a six month period, and true to his word, Calum got in touch and offered us his time. So we sent him a batch of questions, and a few days later (on march 21) we got the answers in our mailbox. Enjoy - Michael Eriksson.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how long you have been involved in Commando?

Just over 50, married, three children. Worked in DCT since I left university, starting on Jackie magazine and ending up here on Commando. I've done three stints on Commando before now, the first one starting in 1981 when the title was just 20 years old and Ian Forbes was the editor. I started reading Commando in the 60s and 70s, worked on the title in the 80s and 90s, now in the 00s I'm trying to keep it up to the standard it's already set.

At what point did you realise that it would be you that would take over as editor maestro after George Low one day?

Not that long before it happened. maybe a few months. At the time I was working on The Dandy and the suggestion came slightly out of the blue. As you've no doubt guessed, the suggestion was warmly received.

George left in September and you have had your first six months or so at the job now, how has it been?

Very, very busy. I know everybody would expect me to say that but I really do mean it. Commando produces eight 63-page books per month plus their covers and inside cover features. That's a lot of sub-editing, proof-reading and organisation every week. Especially when there's only myself and my colleague Scott Montgomery to do it all. (Scott and I have worked together before when he was a scriptwriter on The Dandy). In addition to that there was learning the job that George has done so well for the last 19 years with all its ins and outs. Let's just say that my admiration for George has doubled (at least) now that I fully realise what he had to do.

I have noted that George is still involved in the 700 page Commando specials, will that continue as it has so far?

George was fully involved with the newest volume which is out in May, Rumble In The Jungle. For the next one (hush-hush for now) we collaborated on the initial selection for Carlton. It's up to them who they'd like to write the introduction. I'm happy to do it but they may feel they'd like to stick with George. As it's their project, and one they've done very well, I'll leave it up to them.

Looking back to your first period, what issues were the first that you nursed into action in 2007?

I'm still working on the stories that George set in motion before he left. Because the Commando production process is very long, I don't think there's anything out yet that I can claim responsibility for. My aim would be that no-one will notice any change because we're striving to keep things up to the mark.

Can you mention a couple of stories that are in the pipeline as we speak and how they have evolved?

There's a story about a Spitfire operating in the Aegean theatre which was prompted by a few lines in a new Haynes book on Spitfires. I passed it on to one of our regulars, Ferg Handley, as just those few lines. He had pretty swiftly woven a narrative around it and, with a few nudges and tweaks, we've come up with a good story. Illustration will be starting shortly and it'll be issued later this year. I'll be interested to know what readers make of it. Sorry, can't tell you the title yet as I haven't made up my mind yet - Editor's perk. By the way, I'd like to say thank you to all the Commando contributors who have welcomed me aboard and continued the same friendly relationship they had with George. And in some cases beyond that.

How would you describe the current interest in Commando? I keep hearing from people that say that they have just discovered it and that they are going to start up a collection or take out a subscription.

There is a great deal of interest in Commando at the moment which is very heartening for us. As we approach our 50th birthday in 2011 we're hoping this will increase still further. At the moment we're in the middle of our biggest-ever reader survey. When the results come through we think we may be able to make our books even more appealing to our audience. We have a very high percentage of readers who buy by subscription and they are scattered throughout the world. We're always happy to sign up more though!

The title has had quite a bit of press in the last few months, and what I have seen has been very positive. Have you had any bad press as well from somebody that does not appreciate war comics the way we do?

One of the stories which was included in one of the recent Carlton collections did generate a little bit of bad feeling. I always regret when this happens because it is never our intention to cause any offence. In general it's only if our stories are read with a pre-conceived notion in mind, or parts are taken out of context, that this happens. We try to make sure that it's plain that, although our characters may hold unacceptable views, we don't agree with those views; these are simply the character's traits. Sometimes "experts" are asked to comment on our stories and we have the distinct feeling that they've never read a Commando in their lives, they simply report what they think we're like.

We noted recently that a title in India was being launched over there and that it was inspired by Commando. Were they in touch with you or can we view this as just another example of the impact that Commando has had over the years?

Our Licensing department set all this up with the publishers Eurokids in India. (If you're reading this in India and want more details get on to them, they'll help you out.) Commando, being readily identifiable, continues to attract interest from publishers around the world. Long may it continue.

Has Commando been for sale in India at some point of its long history?

I'm not 100% certain when but, yes it has. The new product is of high quality and we hope it will be a big success.  

How many of the adventures are brand new at this point and how many are re-runs?

We're doing four of each in every eight at the moment. The reprints are currently from 1991 and are as popular as the non-reprint generally. We have thought about going further back into the archive but that would mean we might reprint something that had already been run twice so I'm not sure how well that would go down. Also, the condition of some of the early original artwork would mean that much extra work would be involved to get the stories ready to print so it might not be worth it.

Could the readership get involved in actually deciding which ones that should be up for a re-print, maybe through your homepage or something?

As I said above (and should have waited until now), if anyone has a strong view, I'm happy for them to let me know, although I can't promise anything for various practical reasons. The results of the reader survey will also inform any decisions in that area too. By the way, requests that begin, "I remember a story about ..." and end with, "...I don't know the title or the number of it but it was about twenty years ago..." will be put to the bottom of the pile!

Has any new writers or artists joined up in the last six months and how often are you contacted by people that want to work for Commando?

We have plenty of artists working for us at the moment – who would all like more work! – so we haven't recruited anyone new. Two new writers have had scripts accepted. Once their stories have been through the production process we'll see if the readers share my opinion that they are valuable members of the Commando team. I'll come back to you with their names then.

Have you considered having a MySpace Commando Appreciation Society type page going?

I'm not sure that that is something we should organise; it might be seen as bragging about how great we are! If anyone else wanted to start one to say how great we are, however...

Every now and then we see an adventure that is set in Roman times or back when the Vikings roamed the waterfronts of Europe, how does these fare compared to the WWII adventures?

We get a lot of mail about them (99% positive) but there doesn't seem to be a significant change in the sales figures for them compared with the rest. Commando readers just like good stories, I guess. I  compliment them on their excellent taste.

I think compilations of your Roman/Viking adventures could be a nice idea, if you think it could work. Speaking as a swede, I think that especially a Viking title could find a Scandinavian audience on export.

That's something I'll definitely keep in mind. The last thing I want is a horde of disappointed Vikings sailing across the North Sea to keep me in line!

Do you want to add something to this interview?

Most people will know that we have a website with updates on the stories coming up, feature material with illustrations, downloadable desktops and a hundred and one other things. It's a new venture for us and experimental too. I'd like to know what people think of it, particularly our serialised story "Wall of Death" which is only available there. Please e-mail me with any comments. And what about our merchandise? Do you like it? Is there anything you'd like to see? In general, if you'd like to talk Commando, send me a mail.

Thank you for your time and all the best.

It's me who should be thanking you, Michael, for running this website and keeping titles like Commando in the public eye. All fans of Commando (and I include myself in that group) should be very grateful to you.