Lew Stringer
Back in the 1980's, Lew Stringer was freelancing for Marvel UK, producing short, but popular "back up" strips for several of their weeklies. Captain Wally and Snail-Man appeared in Spider-Man, and Robo Capers featured in Transformers.
Lew was commissioned to create a character for the new Marvel Action Force title. This was a weekly comic reprinting GI Joe stories from the US, and new British stories. Not being a fan of the 'gung-ho' mentality of war comics, Lew decided to create a spoof wannabe war hero. Combat Colin however was a military nut, who still lived with his Mum. Initially Colin was to be known as Dimbo, but Richard Starkings, then editor if Marvel UK suggested Combat Colin as he though it wouldn't date so quickly, Lew agreed.
Combat Colin made his debut in issue 5 of Action Force, and soon-after in issue 12 acquired a side-kick, Semi-Automatic Steve (loosely based on Marvel colourist Steve White). Colin started as a half page strip, progressing because of his popularity to a full page strip.
Colin and Steve enjoyed many an adventure with Kung-fu penguins Robot Milkmen, Dr Nasty, and many others.
Colin's adventures continued in Action Force until issue 50 when the comic became a short-lived monthly. However that wasn't the end of Colin - oh no! He was too popular a character to be killed off. Out-surviving the title he was born in, he continued his adventures in the number one Marvel UK title - Transformers. Combat Colin and Semi-Automatic Steve's adventures continued until issue 332 of Transformers when the title folded. This gave Combat Colin a run of nearly five years. Colin and Steve's dramatic demise at the hands of a nuclear warhead, thrown accidentally by Colin himself finished off the strip in cataclysmic proportions. However, that wasn't really the end of Colin and Steve as he is now here with his own website.
Since then Lew has not been idle. Lew has written Yampy tales, a self published venture. As well as a one-off Combat Colin Summer Special. Lew's previous self-published titles include After image, Metamorph/Fantasy Express, and several Brickman titles.
Lew is currently working as a writer on Lego Adventures, CITV Tellytots and some of his material is featuring in Sonic the Comic and , a frequent artist on Viz, and also produces a strip for a Swedish comic Herman Hedning. Lew has drawn strips for the 1999 Beano Summer Special and frequently draws some of the Beano "Fun Books" (digest size monthlies).
To keep up to date with what Lew is doing keep an eye on the forthcoming section.