British Update: Steel Commando, Death Wish and the Works of Ken Reid – A Triple Treat
*Collected Editions: Three special items in this week. Ken Reid: The Complete Wham! Smash! and Pow! Strips is a handsome two-volume hardcover collection of the works of Ken Reid, co-creator of Frankie Stein, Jasper the Grasper, The Nervs, Queen of the Seas and Dare-A-Day Davy. In addition to all the Ken Reid-illustrated stories from Power Comics, the volumes features previously-unseen artwork and reproductions of original scripts, a treasure trove for fans and historians alike. The volumes are sold as a set, brand new, for £52. Death Wish Volume 1 by Barrie Tomlinson and artist Vayo, has previously passed through our hands; the tale of a Formula 1 driver who, tragically disfigured in a crash, lost the urge to live and took on ever more outlandish challenges in an attempt to court death, it launched in the short-lived Speed weekly, carrying over into Tiger. New in, however, is a pre-release copy of Vol. 1, accompanied by a limited edition print (also pictured), NM £20. And another release from those fine folks at Rebellion, Steel Commando: Full Metal Warfare, gathers the WWII-set drama/comedy, the exploits of an unstoppable robot warrior – who would only take orders from the laziest man in the Army! Created by Frank Pepper, this ran for half a decade, combining its Thunder and Lion runs, and this semi-digest paperback (bigger than a Picture Library, smaller than an American comic), in black & white with spot colour, collects 160 pages of the Commando’s early adventures – including an historic team-up with Valiant’s Captain Hurricane! Brand new at a bargainaceous £7.