Broken Ace is another tour de force with fast action in the wake of overwhelming stress.
We learn that Johnny Cloud is volunteering for more combat missions than anyone else, not because of gallantry, but because he takes the war personally. He is frantic to stop the destruction wrought by the German offensive. But even heroes have their limits, and the nightmares show a man desperate to reach beyond his capabilities.
He can’t fly every mission! And, trying to do so crushes him. Not only is he frustrated by the grounding order, but also, he is racked with shame. Is there a life lesson for the reader here?
Maybe. Perhaps the lesson is this: One man cannot do it all, all the time – or something like that. Even Superman had to grapple with this reality.
But then comes the twist: Cloud is given an opportunity to save his base. In fact, the situation demands as much.
Did his Big Brother answer his early lament that he is in the air all the time? And More: Did he give Cloud the job of defending the base?
Perhaps the Great Warrior Spirit is more subtle that we think. He forced Cloud to take a break to recharge, but in doing so, he called on him to fight when the battle came to him. We can only guess how the calculus works. Either way, Kanigher’s writing is keen and leaves us pondering!
And so it goes, when the enemy strafes his field, Cloud leaps into action and wins the day.
Go Johnny Cloud!
Next Up: We will continue our exploration of whether or not Johnny Cloud is a superhero or just a hero that is super ...
Image Credit:
AAMOW#87 (October 1961); Story Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher
Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics
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