ERIC (NOEL) HEBDEN
COMMANDO TITLES
Created: March 24th, 2020
Updated: October 2nd, 2024
Eric Noel Hebden was born in Keighley, Yorkshire, on 25th December 1910.
He won a scholarship to Keighley Grammar School, before the family moved to Clowne,
Derbyshire, during his teens. He joined the Royal Artillery at the age of 18
and was posted to Hong Kong. After five years there in 1937 or '38, the troop
ship taking him, and his regiment home put in at Gibraltar.
It was in Gibraltar he met Mercedes Andrew,
whom he married in 1940. She was evacuated with the rest of the civilian
population, and gave birth to their first child, Susan, in 1941. Eric gained a
commission and was promoted to Captain, commanding a coastal anti-aircraft
battery using radar. He later served in the far east, including India, Burma
and Indonesia, and after the Japanese surrender, by now a Major, he sat on the
War Crimes Commission in Singapore. Mercedes and Susan joined him there in
1947. The family returned to England in 1949, settling in Bristol, where their
second child, Alan, was born in 1950. Eric was to take up a
posting in Japan, but Alan needed an operation on a club foot, so he stayed in
Bristol.
He retired from the army after 25 years'
service. He had long written as a hobby, including poetry and army revues, and
while working for the Civil Service at an army depot in Shropshire he entered a
competition to write a romance comic strip. He didn't win, but he did get work
out of it, writing for various romance titles, including photo-strips. Later he
found a niche in war comics, writing for Commando, Battle Picture Library and
Lion in the 1960s, and Battle Picture Weekly (for which he also acted as technical
adviser), including “Day of the Eagle”, "The Fortrose Falcon" and
"Iron Cross of Courage", in the 1970s.
Eric wrote over 130 scripts for Commando.
His son Alan followed in his footsteps as a writer for Commando and other
publications.
During the 60s he was appointed Executive
Officer at the National Army Museum and when the Museum moved to London in
1971, he took early retirement.
Eric moved into a retirement home for
ex-servicemen in Bexhill. He died there in 1989.
Vic Whittle March 2020
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ERIC
(NOEL) HEBDEN Author for Commando
Comics 1961 -
1976 |
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#3 A GUY NEED GUTS Eric’s title: A Guy Needs Guts July 1961 |
#1032 ESCAPE – OR DIE! Eric’s title: Escape to Die Late May 1976 |
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SOME OF ERIC’S COMMANDO STORY SCRIPTS |
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68 SPEARHEAD Eric’s title: The Line-Shooter Early May 1963 |
152 SKY BLITZ Eric’s title: The Old Glory Early February 1965 |
300 BORN TO FIGHT Eric’s title: The Cracking Point Early December 1967 |
498 Z SQUAD Eric’s title: The Zodiac Squad Early September 1970 |
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622 OPERATION S.O.L.O. Eric’s title: Lost in Limbo Early February 1972 |
702 VALLEY OF THE LOST Eric’s title: The Camel Gunners Early December 1972 |
840 HARD-LUCK HERO Eric’s title: Johnny Jinx Late May 1974 |
1013 FIGHTING LEGIONNAIRE Eric’s title: Fighting Legionnaire Early March 1976 |
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Following is a list of titles attributed to
Eric Hebden. Original titles in blue. Reprinted titles in
yellow. |
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3 A GUY NEEDS GUTS |
842 THUNDER
MOUNTAIN |
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8 RED RUNS THE
RIVER |
848 HONOUR AMONG
HEROES |
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11 CLOSER THAN
BROTHERS |
856 ALWAYS PAY YOUR
DEBTS |
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17 THE KNIFER |
857 THE LUCK OF THE
LOGANS |
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19 THE DEATH
DEALERS |
859 CODEWORD -
"TORCH" |
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23 HILL 13 |
863 SPACE PILOT |
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25 TAKE NO
PRISONERS! |
872 PATROL OF THE
LOST |
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30 ISLAND OF GHOSTS |
884 SECRET MISSION |
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32 GLIDER PILOT |
888 THE FIGHTING
FOOLS |
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39 DIGGERS DIE HARD |
893 FULL FATHOM
FIVE... |
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40 LONE WOLF |
901 A DEBT OF
HONOUR |
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44 KILLER SHIP |
909 U-BOAT HERO |
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45 FOG OF DOOM |
915 BLOOD OF HEROES |
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51 DEATH HUNT |
920 PROJECT
"DOOMSDAY" |
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57 TARGET FOR
TONIGHT |
925 REDCAP RAT |
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58 TATTOOED HERO |
929 ONE MAN'S WAR |
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67 HOUNDS OF WAR |
942 THE
KILLING-GROUND |
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68 SPEARHEAD! |
956 NEVER SURRENDER |
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72 SNIPER'S ISLAND |
959 McGINTY'S MOB |
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84 HERO FROM
HOLLYWOOD |
978 RIDERS OF
TERROR |
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86 SOLO SMITH |
990 ROGUE SUB |
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89 SPY IN
BATTLE-DRESS |
1009 TO FREEDOM |
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92 BIG GUY |
1019 JOHNNY THE JINX |
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97 MOUNTAIN GUN |
1032 ESCAPE - OR
DIE! |
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98 VALLEY OF SECRET
WEAPONS |
1047 CRACKSHOT |
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99 MISSION MOST
SECRET |
1079 HUNT THE KILLER |
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113 FIGHTING BREED |
1131 BLADE OF HONOUR |
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120 PORTRAIT OF
DEATH |
1287 STRIKE SWIFT -
STRIKE SURE |
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121 KILLER GUN |
1403 Z SQUAD |
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126 DUEL IN THE
JUNGLE |
1419 DEAD-EYE
DONOVAN |
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137 SILVER BUGLE |
1459 DESERT FOX |
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139 KILLER CREW |
1476 JUNGLE DUEL |
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143 BLOOD BEACH |
1508 THE KILLING
SKULL |
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152 SKY BLITZ |
1556 THE DEATH OR
GLORY MOB |
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158 ISLAND OF FEAR |
1620 BLACK KNIGHT'S
OF WAR |
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161 BORN BRAVE |
1627 NOOSE FOR A
HERO |
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175 SKY WARRIOR |
1651 THE RIFLEMAN |
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177 THE FIGHTING
McTAGGART |
1676 THE PIRATES
FROM SUB 13 |
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181 RED BERET |
1747 FLASH-POINT! |
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185 THE FOUR SCARS |
1764 LYNCH'S MOB |
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200 DESERT RAT |
1771 OPERATION
S.O.L.O. |
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204 YANKEE BUDDY |
1779 COMPANY OF
HEROES |
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214 ESCAPE TO
DANGER |
1827 WHERE THE
ACTION IS! |
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215 DAWN DROP |
1876 VALLEY OF THE
LOST |
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217 SPACE PILOT |
1900 THE WINNING
STREAK |
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220 CODEWORD -
"TORCH" |
1923 SON OF A
TRAITOR |
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228 TALONS OF WAR |
1931 NO STOPPING
THEM! |
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240 CROOKED CROSS |
1939 THE BIG SNATCH |
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254 MISSION MOST
DANGEROUS |
1948 TRAIL OF THE
TIGER |
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259 BLOOD OF HEROES |
1956 BATTLE FOR
BURMA |
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270 RUNAWAY HERO |
1964 WEEK-END
WARRIORS |
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273 BLACK SCHNEIDER |
2003 THE CIRCUS WENT
TO WAR |
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277 THE TRAP |
2012 PIRATE! |
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279 McGINTY'S MOB |
2020 THE MAN WHO
WOULD NOT KILL |
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300 BORN TO FIGHT |
2035 THE MAN WHO
DIED TWICE |
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301 JOHNNY THE JINX |
2044 BIG GUN |
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306 THE DEADLY MEN |
2051 ROAMING IN THE
GLOAMING |
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310 HAND OF
VENGEANCE |
2099 FROM OUT OF THE
SEA... |
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326 LONE STAND |
2124 SON OF THE
VIKING |
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338 THE WILD ONE |
2163 THE FIGHTING
FOOLS |
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340 CRACKSHOT |
2179 FULL FATHOM
FIVE... |
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341 THE LAST BULLET |
2203 REDCAP RAT |
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356 HUNT THE KILLER |
2211 U-BOAT HERO |
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357 TEST OF COURAGE |
2212 PROJECT
"DOOMSDAY" |
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359 TERROR SQUAD |
2283 THE KILLING GROUND |
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365 BLADE OF HONOUR |
2308 RIDERS OF
TERROR |
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441 STRIKE SWIFT -
STRIKE SURE |
2363 ESCAPE - OR
DIE! |
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481 DEAD-EYE
DONOVAN |
2539 A GUY NEEDS
GUTS! |
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498 Z SQUAD |
2579 RED RUNS THE
RIVER |
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509 RAGS OF GLORY |
4359 JOHNNY THE JINX |
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514 DESERT FOX |
4365
CLOSER THAN BROTHERS |
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515 JUNGLE DUEL |
4389 RED RUNS THE
RIVER |
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532 THE KILLING
SKULL |
4433 BOSS OF THE
BARBARY APES |
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539 SNIPER'S ISLAND |
4434 NEVER GIVE IN! |
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559 HERO FROM
HOLLYWOOD |
4437 A GUY NEEDS
GUTS |
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561 THE DEATH OR GLORY MOB |
4448 THE FOUR SCARS |
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563 SOLO SMITH |
4456 VALLEY OF SECRET WEAPONS |
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566 BLACK KNIGHT'S
OF WAR |
4473 KILLER SHIP |
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568 BOSS OF THE
BARBARY APES |
4481 HILL 13 |
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576 NOOSE FOR A
HERO |
4485 THE DEATH DEALERS |
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583 MOUNTAIN GUN |
4493 GLIDER PILOT |
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591 VALLEY OF SECRET
WEAPONS |
4505 DIGGERS DIE HARD |
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592 THE RIFLEMAN |
4525 ISLAND OF GHOSTS |
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596 THE PIRATES
FROM SUB 13 |
4529 TAKE NO PRISONERS! |
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610 COMPANY OF
HEROES |
4557 FOG OF DOOM |
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622 OPERATION
S.O.L.O. |
4562 FROM OUT OF THE SEA... |
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624 FLASH-POINT |
4581 HERO FROM HOLLYWOOD |
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630 NONE SO BRAVE |
4593 MOUNTAIN GUN |
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636 BIG JAKE |
4605 TARGET FOR TONIGHT |
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645 LYNCH'S MOB |
4609 BIG GUY |
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654 NEVER GIVE IN! |
4613 SPY IN BATTLE-DRESS |
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655 PORTRAIT OF
DEATH |
4620 TATTOOED HERO |
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656 DESERT JOHNNY |
4622 REDCAP RAT |
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659 KILLER GUN |
4644 SPEARHEAD! |
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665 STONE OF BLOOD |
4664 HOUNDS OF WAR |
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666 WHERE THE
ACTION IS |
4680 DUEL IN THE JUNGLE |
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671 DUEL IN THE
JUNGLE |
4700 SILVER BUGLE |
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678 THE BAYONET
FIGHTERS |
4708 KILLER GUN |
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681 BEWARE THE WOLF |
4712 BLOOD BEACH |
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702 VALLEY OF THE
LOST |
4740 PORTRAIT OF DEATH |
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710 BOY HERO |
4888 CODEWORD - "TORCH" |
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711 SILVER BUGLE |
4924 SPACE PILOT |
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716 BATTLE FOR
BURMA |
4960 BLOOD OF HEROES |
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717 THE WINNING
STREAK |
4964 YANKEE BUDDY |
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719 KILLER CREW |
5036 HUNT THE KILLER |
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720 NIGHTMARE
PATROL |
5084 STRIKE SWIFT - STRIKE SURE |
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723 BLOOD BEACH |
5168 BLACK SCHNEIDER |
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730 SON OF A
TRAITOR |
5200 SKY BLITZ |
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733 TRAIL OF THE
TIGER |
5212 NONE SO BRAVE |
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737 THE BIG SNATCH |
5228 BEWARE THE WOLF |
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738 NO STOPPING
THEM! |
5248 BOY HERO |
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748 WEEK-END
WARRIORS |
5256 NIGHTMARE PATROL |
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752 BADGE OF HONOUR |
5272 TEN DAYS TO LIVE |
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757 PIRATE! |
5296 THE BAYONET FIGHTERS |
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760 TEN DAYS TO
LIVE |
5328 THE MAN WHO DIED TWICE |
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766 ROAMING IN THE
GLOAMING |
5336 THE CIRCUS WENT TO WAR |
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774 THE CIRCUS WENT
TO WAR |
5364 BORN BRAVE |
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775 ISLAND OF FEAR |
5372 McGINTY’S MOB |
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779 BORN BRAVE |
5420 CRACKSHOT |
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780 BIG GUN |
5432 BLADE OF HONOUR |
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792 THE MAN WHO
WOULD NOT KILL |
5452 LONE WOLF |
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797 THE MAN WHO
DIED TWICE |
5532 SON OF THE VIKING |
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825 FROM OUT OF THE
SEA... |
5596 DEAD-EYE DONOVAN |
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828 SON OF THE
VIKING |
5632 NEVER SURRENDER |
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831 THE FOUR SCARS |
5735 SNIPER’S ISLAND |
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840 HARD-LUCK HERO |
5736 KILLER CREW |
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© D. C. Thomson & Co Ltd |
Vic Whittle 2020 |
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