Without a doubt, Top-Gun Ace is Johnny Cloud’s best adventure yet.
His maturity shines, as he balances his combat skills with his promise to protect his pilots (just as he promised Mack, his former Flight Leader). The action is sharp, without pause. Cloud’s early teething phase is over!
The storyline is similar to Tex’s introduction in Fighting Blind, but the writing is tighter, the plot, more plausible. Plus, it reflects how Cloud felt on his first mission when he, too, desperately wanted to make a splash (not in the water, mind you). Hence, Cloud is tolerant and gives Kid Cole leeway, especially in the beginning when Cole asks to open fire early.
To his surprise, Cole is a good shot and notches a kill.
But Cole's luck runs out. And now comes the lesson. Cole’s impulsive attack, diving past Cloud and Tex to take the lead, shows his lack of experience despite his bravado. His P-51 is quickly turned into a target.
Cloud saves him (of course), and the upstart Cole learns a valuable lesson – a lesson that Cloud himself had to learn in Death Dive: Wait for the right moment. Plus, he learns to respect the guidance of those more experienced than he. And most important: An Ace is more than just a combat record filled with kills ... An Ace is a man who looks out for his flight!
Johnny Cloud is all that!
Image Credit:
AAMOW#86 (August 1961): Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher.
Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics
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