Commando Abroad
- Published:
- Fri 21 Jan 2011
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A brief look at some Commando action overseas...
Commando has been a hit with readers on the home front since
1961. As well as reaching loyal followers in the UK, the regular
issues also go out to subscribers all across the world. But, in the
5 decades since that first British edition, Commando has
infiltrated other territories in a number of different formats.
Since the early 1970s, many of the original stories have been
appeared, translated into Finnish, in the magazine
Korkeajännitys - the title translates as 'High
Voltage' or 'High Tension' - published by Egmont. The format for
this title has changed over the years, but since 1996 the regular
releases have been 260 page paperback books featuring four
full-length stories.
In addition to the regular editions throughout the year, a
Korkeajännitys edition of the first Carlton Books
Commando collection, 'The Dirty Dozen', has been released,
featuring the same classic strips and former editor George Low's
introduction translated for Finnish readers, but with different
feature pages to the UK original.
In 2007, a selection of classic Commando titles were released in
India, when EuroKids published 24 titles as stand-alone issues.
These appeared in a larger format than the original Commando
magazines, though they reused the original artwork and English
language scripts.
These titles were also made available in 8 compilation editions,
titled Commando - 3 in 1 as each volume featured 3
tales. This wasn't the first time Commando had been seen in India,
as the original magazines had been imported over 20 years before -
while titles translated for the Indian audience, with the original
black and white artwork garishly coloured, had appeared in the
early 1980s - so there was a strong nostalgia value for
Commando in India.
The most recent publication to join the ranks of Commando
overseas editions is Kamp Og Kommando, published
by the Norwegian arm of Egmont, publishers of
Korkeajännitys. Starting in 2009, these volumes
are similar to the Finnish editions - four stories per 260 page
paperback issue - the text translated into Norwegian.
With interest in other language editions coming in frequently
from other publishers, there's no telling where in the world
Commando's brand of action and adventure may strike next!