CRIVENS! COMICS & STUFF!: STEEL COMMANDO

Saturday, 15 February 2020

STEEL COMMANDO - FULL METAL WARFARE...

Life is full of surprises. I put off purchasing REBELLION's softcover collected edition of STEEL COMMANDO - FULL METAL WARFARE when I learned it was a digest-sized publication. However, I eventually decided to take the plunge, and was pleasantly pleased to find on its arrival today that its reduced dimensions don't make it difficult to read in the slightest.

Containing strips from THUNDER, LION & Thunder (including 5 combined CAPTAIN HURRICANE & Steel Commando episodes), VALIANT & LION, plus a trio of tales (one in full colour) from Thunder Annuals 1972, '73 & '74, there's 37 stories in all for discerning collectors to add to their treasure-trove of comic strip classics. Also reproduced are three covers from different publications which cover-starred ol' 'Ironsides' back in the '70s.

One thing that slightly irked me was the following message inside the book: 'This edition faithfully reproduces the original publication. It therefore may deal with race, class or gender in ways uncomfortable to contemporary readers. (Okay so far, I suppose - but then...) We apologise in advance for any offence given.' Do you ever see or hear such 'apologies' attached to old movies about World War II - or any other topic? Most sensible people usually know instinctively to regard such things in the context of their time and don't need to be patronised in this way.

If they had to have something, why not the following? 'These stories reflect the attitudes and language from the period in which they are set, and perhaps also the time in which they were written. They do not necessarily reflect modern-day attitudes or opinion. We therefore trust that no offence will be taken.' Don't you think that's just a good bit less toadying to those determined to take offence at anything and everything? Even if they kept their own version, but changed the last line to 'We regret in advance any offence which might be taken', that would be an improvement.

Anyway, that niggle aside, this is an excellent publication that will be sure to delight those who thrilled to the exploits of the Steel Commando back when they were kids or teenagers. Priced at £6.99, it's a little beauty. Get your copy now!

2 comments:

rob diablo said...: Thunder seems to be getting a few re-prints at the moment,Adam Eterno must surely be Next, and as you said 'gauntlet of fate'..I'm still trying to complete my run of the original 22 issues..jet as well.; 17 February 2020 at 15:55
Kid said...: I think I've got around 15 issues of Thunder, not so many with Jet, but I haven't been chasing them lately. Must get back on track.; 17 February 2020 at 15:59

About the artist:

From 1985 to 2000 A.D. (little joke there), I contributed to a variety of high profile comics and magazines for various companies.

For IPC/FLEETWAY/EGMONT, I freelanced as a lettering and logo artist on various weekly comics and monthly magazines, and also as a resize comic artist and spot illustrator on pocket books, summer specials and annuals.

For MARVEL U.K., BLACK LIBRARY, REDAN and USBORNE BOOKS, I again freelanced as a lettering artist, also working as a restoration artist for MARVEL U.S., restoring and re-creating certain pages of JACK KIRBY art for their MARVEL MASTERWORKS editions.

I also lettered the MARVELMAN sample pages submitted to MARVEL U.S. when they were considering acquiring the character, which - as we all now know - they DID.

Supplied comic strips, cartoons and illustrated advertisements for local business campaigns and newspaper publication on a professional basis since the age of 16. Did my first paid art job for publication at 14 or 15 for Lanarkshire Education Board.

Have also made TV appearances as a collector of memorabilia.

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Just some of the titles I worked on are:

2000 A.D. * JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE * DICEMAN * SONIC The COMIC * JUDGE DREDD, LAWMAN Of The FUTURE * CRISIS * REVOLVER * EAGLE * TIGER * BATTLE ACTION-FORCE * BUSTER * WHIZZER & CHIPS * WHOOPEE * NIPPER * SCHOOL FUN * ACE VENTURA, PET DETECTIVE * The REAL GHOSTBUSTERS * DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE * COUNT DUCKULA * RUGRATS * The TRANSFORMERS * DEATH'S HEAD * THUNDERCATS * GALAXY RANGERS * DRAGON'S CLAWS * SINDY * MARVEL MASTERWORKS * The TROLLS * LOADED * INFERNO * WARHAMMER * ROSE BLACK.

Copyright Notice:

Images remain the property of their respective copyright owners and are used here only for the purpose of review, promotion, and nostalgia.

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In the case of images culled from my own collection where copyright of an item isn't mine, I impose no copying restrictions on fellow bloggers.

(Although, if you don't allow copying on your own site, then you really shouldn't be copying from others, should you?)

And while you can credit this blog if you like, it's not mandatory. Who has time to make notes of every casually visited site during an idle browse of the internet?

In the case of anyone copying images of my own artwork and calligraphy, I affirm my right to be identified as the creator, and any such copying should not be for the purpose of monetary or material gain. (Unless it's mine.)

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Please also note that this blog is not sponsored by, affiliated with, or connected to, any organisation, business, or group, and is wholly independent.