Mission Five: Top - Gun Ace - The Debriefing

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

Mission Five: Top - Gun Ace Part 2

We left our hero Johnny Cloud in the middle of a wild dogfight!

To recap: Cloud's flight attacked a gaggle of Fw-190s. Just as Cloud and Tex peel off to engage the Huns, a brash new pilot Kid Cole jumped into the fray.

Cole's exuberance caused him to make a critical mistake, as two Fw-190s dodge his assault and get on his tail. They hammer Cole’s Mustang. Cloud swings in behind the two bandits, but a third one catches his tail. 

In this critical moment, Cloud sees an apparition of Mack reminding him to not lose a man first time out. Here is where we pick up the action ...

Cloud continues his attack and destroys the two Fw-190s on Cole’s six, then he loops his P-51 to blast the third one that was behind him. WHAAM! BLAAM!

But Cole is finished and rapidly losing altitude. Cloud flies to his wing and coaches him. The pair is pounded by flak, as they head for the channel. Barely past the shoreline, Cole bellies into the surf. 

His Mustang begins to sink with Cole trapped inside – his canopy is jammed shut.

Cloud tangles with a fourth Fw-190 as Cole’s plane nearly disappears. Cloud half-loops and downs the bandit, but the fight is not over! 

A German patrol boat zooms towards Cole’s Mustang. Cloud dives at the boat with guns blazing. The boat explodes but not before ripping the wings off Cloud’s P-51 with its flak guns. CRAACK!

Cloud parachutes out and swims to rescue Cole. He is desperate to not lose the newest member of his flight. Mack's words echo in his mind.

Cloud breaks open the canopy with the heel of his pistol, and a delirious Cole exclaims: “An Ace isn’t a pilot that just knocks down five enemy ships!” The newbie is completely won over.

Image Credit:

AAMOW#86 (August 1961): Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher.

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics

Mission Five: Top - Gun Ace

We meet the top gun-ace at the start: He is Kid Cole, a young, brash pilot who claims that he will rise to the top. Big words for a newbie who has not seen action!

Kid Cole's declaration jolts Johnny Cloud and elicits a flashback of a fistfight between an upstart brave named Swift Fang versus an older, and respected, warrior known as Brave Eagle. The older man wins the fight, but he bemoans that there is always “some reckless one that will risk death” to gain status.

This sets the stage for Cole’s bluster.

During their first sortie together, Cloud tells Cole that he will look out for him, as he has never lost a man first time out. Cole is dismissive, but Cloud looks to his Big Brother and muses that the brash young man will have to learn the hard way.

The flight spots a gaggle of Fw-190s in the distance; Cloud orders his Happy Braves to climb and prepare for attack. But Cole requests permission to open fire before the P-51s are staged. Cloud reluctantly allows it, and Cole sprays the sky with bullets.

To Cloud’s surprise, Cole’s early salvo nails one of the bandits.

The remaining Fw-190s quickly form up and close the gap. Cloud realizes that the bandits are experienced and out for blood.

Cloud and Tex peel off to draw fire, but as they are angling for position, Cole zips by at full speed to lead the attack. His exuberance causes him to make a critical mistake, as two Fw-190s dodge his assault and get on his tail. 

They hammer Cole’s Mustang causing smoke to stream from his cowling. Cloud swings in behind the two bandits, but a third one catches his tail. Is Cloud cooked? And how about Cole? In that critical moment, Cloud sees an apparition of Mack reminding him to not lose a man first time out.

Can Johnny Cloud save Kid Cole?

Image Credit:
AAMOW#86 (August 1961): Cover Art: J. Grandenetti; Writer: R. Kanigher.
Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics

Mission Four: Battle Eagle - The Debriefing

Battle Eagle misses its mark as compared with Cloud’s previous adventures. 

The title does not reflect the plot line. And the wonderful cover by Russ Heath is not associated with any of the action in the story. 

And what about the action? The combat is secondary to the machinations that Cloud goes through to please Sandy's son Billy. After hearing about Johnny Cloud's heroics, coupled with his Navajo heritage, Billy expects to see an Indian from the Wild West.

Cloud wants to cheer the boy up, especially after Billy is injured following a bombing raid over London. 

Desperate to cheer the boy, Cloud stains his honor by donning a headdress of a Chief, which he is not. Plus, it is not clear if the costume is Navajo, which again, would be shameful.

But the rude irony is that his father, the Chief, bid him to act honorably at the start of the story. Is dressing up the honorable thing to do? Really?

Part of the problem is that Billy is an insolent brat. His demand to see a cinema-style Indian adorned with feathers deserves a spanking with a paddle, not a show. 

Hell, I'd paddle his ass myself if he were real!

If I may be bold, I can think of several ways to improve the story and add depth to Cloud’s character; for example, why didn’t Cloud intrigue the boy by sharing a proud keepsake that uniquely reflects his Navajo heritage – a warrior’s arrowhead or protective amulet perhaps. Better yet, he could have regaled him with a story about his Great Warrior Spirit emblem – I think Kanigher missed an opportunity here.

Instead, our writer took the simple route. As a result, this story is watered-down. It could have been a pivotal event wherein Cloud shares some of his own insight about his role as an avatar of the Great Warrior Spirit.

On its face, Battle Eagle tries to show Cloud as empathetic and forgiving – but at what expense? 

Yeah, Kanigher should have gone with the Great Warrior Spirit emblem! 

Image Credit:

AAMOW#85 (June 1961); Story Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher.

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics

Mission Four: Battle Eagle

Let's get back to the missions, shall we?

Johnny Cloud’s fourth saga opens with a flashback: His father bids him farewell and implores him to “do honor to the Navajos.” Cloud asserts that in this war he is an American first. Cloud recounts how he endured racial taunts from his crew until he proved his gallantry in combat. We also learn that he was awarded a medal for Conspicuous Valor. At last, Cloud felt vindicated.

The action starts with a mission to intercept German bombers headed for London. The Happy Braves tangle with a swarm of Me-109s, but Cloud urges his pilots to press on and catch the heavies. Four planes get through and we briefly meet three members of his flight: Sid, Hank, and Sandy – not to ignore Tex who is Cloud’s loyal wingman.

Cloud destroys the first bomber, but a bandit finds his tail. Cloud half-loops away, now inverted, and blasts the wing off a second bomber – the hapless Me-109 pilot crashes into the severed wing. SMAASH!

The bombers make a hasty retreat.

Back at base, Sandy introduces Cloud to his son Billy who is staying in London with his mother. Despite the tales that Sandy has told his son about Cloud’s valor and Navajo background, Billy frowns when he meets the man himself. Cloud tries to regale the boy, but Billy sulks because Cloud is not dressed as an Indian warrior.

That night, alone on the tarmac, Cloud laments to his Big Brother that wearing a war bonnet to impress others is what he had been fighting against all his life.

A short while later, Billy is injured during a raid over London. Desperate to cheer the boy, Cloud tries to find an Indian headdress at several costume shops. But the shops are closed.

The next day, Cloud misses his morning flight due to a clogged fuel line. With the line partly fixed, Cloud rushes to intercept a lone bomber reported nearby. He locates the marauder dropping incendiaries on a supply depot located next to an opulent manor. Cloud strafes the bomber when suddenly his fuel line clogs again – now he has to maneuver with a dead stick.

Undeterred, Cloud dives at the bomber. The turret gunners rattle his ship with lead, but Cloud zeroes in and scores hits all along the bomber’s fuselage, detonating its deadly load. WHAAM!

Without power, Cloud is forced to make a hard landing at the doorsteps of the manor. As he climbs out, Lord Leslie greets him and invites him inside. It just so happens that the Leslie collects military uniforms from around the world.

What happens next stretches credibility: Cloud borrows an Indian war bonnet and heads to London to visit Billy much to the boy’s delight. Afterwards, Cloud reflects that wearing the headdress was the medicine needed to help cure the boy.

Image Credit:

AAMOW#85 (June 1961); Cover Art Russ Heath; Writer: R. Kanigher.

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics.

Is Johnny Cloud a Superhero? The Big Grab says it all!

The spectacular feats that I have described in the past few weeks are not surprising in comic book land. Sure enough, Sgt. Rock and Jeb Stuart have similar combat records.

But. I have not yet shared what I consider to be Johnny Cloud’s most amazing combat feat – the one that nudges him to the brink of superhero territory. 

In AAMOW#108: Cloud's mission is to destroy a bridge, as German Panzers are crossing the river to attack Allied infantry. Cloud sets up for his bombing run when a Stuka swoops down and latches on to his tail. Cloud risks being shot down to drop his egg on the target, but he misses! The Stuka blasts him, and his P-51 explodes. Cloud is thrown from the wreckage, but he grabs onto the tail of the Stuka as it dives past the fireball that was his plane.

What? He grabs the tail!

Now this is impossible! There’s nothing close in comic book land unless one has extraordinary strength coupled with invincibility. Superpowers. This is the stuff of Superman, or at least Hawkman, or in this case, the Great Warrior Spirit.

Cloud grips the tail rudder and fires at the nose of the aircraft with his Colt. The engine begins smoking, and the German pilot opens his canopy to return fire as the Stuka careens out of control.

The gas line explodes, and Cloud is thrown free once again. As his parachute opens, he watches the fireball crash into the bridge, blocking the German tank column.

The whole ordeal is squeezed into seven panels (plus a gripping cover shot) – yet for me, this fight has lasted a lifetime.

How incredible! Let’s look at this again. The Stuka was in a steep dive, nearly vertical, at 300 mph (at least!), and yet, Cloud held on with an iron grip and a singular resolve to blow the bridge. He was lucky that the Stuka crashed into the bridge, but luck favors those who put forth the effort.

Is this not the mettle of a superhero?

I ask you: Could Batman have clung to that Stuka? I suppose so, but he would have used his grappling Bat-hook. Cloud just had five fingers. Of all his exploits, the Stuka tail-grab is tops.

So, does Cloud have a superpower or what? When compared to Superman, he does not seem close. But what about Batman? Batman has no superpowers whatsoever; yet he is considered a superhero because of his skill-set and ingenious weaponry.

Is Cloud akin to the man with the pointy ears? Frankly, I think Cloud is more. Much more. Sure, he is modestly appointed with a standard issue P-51, but he brings forth something that mortals do not have. He commands the fates. His powers are less well defined, and even Cloud is unaware of his reach, but his magic comes on precisely when he needs it.

Cloud’s glow is there for all who pay attention. He always completes his mission. And, he always gets exactly what he needs to prevail. His Big Brother is always present, always ready to bend the rules – whether it be the addition of cloud cover, a do-over, or a muscular feat that defies physics. 

Image Credit:

AAMOW#108 (June 1961); Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher.

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics

Is Johnny Cloud a Superhero? Taren Attacks

In the past few weeks, we have examined Johnny Cloud's amazing combat record. Sure enough, he is an ace 30 times over. Is this enough to call him a superhero? 

No. Not yet. But there is more. Much more!

Cloud’s heroics do not stop at the quick draw. He used his P-51 as a battering ram when his guns jammed or ran out of ammo. This is not an easy maneuver, as seasoned fighter pilots are quick to break away. But Cloud was quicker. And here is the most amazing part: Cloud survived the impact and kept on fighting. All told, he rammed eight bandits, plus he stalled his plane in front of a ninth one that was on his tail so as to cause a crash.

Crazy? Maybe. 

Aerial ramming – or taren, as the Soviets called it – was not unheard of, particularly on the Eastern Front where poorly equipped Russian fighters used taren to down vastly superior Me-109s. In fact, nine tarens were reported on the first day of Operation Barbarossa, and over the course of the war, over six hundred taren attacks were reported. 

REAL Soviet pilot, Lt. Boris Kovzan, survived four such attacks. So once again, Cloud is not alone in dishing out medieval terror in the skies.

Aerial ramming was not limited to the Eastern Front – the Brits did it too! During the Battle of Britain in September 1940, REAL pilot Sgt. Ray Holmes discovered his guns jammed, so he flew his Hawker Hurricane into a German Dornier Do-17 bomber, cutting off the rear tail section with his wing; the bomber hit the waves and Holmes returned to base with a dented wingtip.

Another aerial ramming occurred a month later when REAL pilot Lt. Ken Mackenzie attacked a group of four Me-109s. He damaged one of the bandits and chased him as he skimmed across the channel at about 100 feet. Mackenzie used up his ammo, so he flew alongside and motioned the German to ditch his plane – but the stubborn Hun refused. That’s when Mackenzie dipped his right wing and knocked off part of the bandit’s tail, bringing him down – the Hurricane lost a wingtip but was able to return to base.

Cloud’s best ram came while escorting a B-17 carrying vital information about a Nazi terror rocket site. The fort was badly damaged and was being picked apart by a gaggle of Fw-190s. Cloud downed two of them but ran out of ammo. He tried to intimidate the other two, but they called his bluff and regrouped to make a frontal pass on the fort. Cloud inserted his P-51 between the B-17 and the bandits ramming both Fw-190s at once. Cloud was thrown free just as the rest of his flight arrived to escort the battered fort back to base.

And here is another thing to think about: Cloud aways survived unscathed. This is perhaps the most amazing part. Somehow, in the heat of battle when desperation was all he had, Cloud found a way to win the day ... with help from the Great Warrior Spirit (aka Big Brother in the Sky). This was his superpower! But, we are not done.

Image Credit:

AAMOW#96 (April 1963); Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher.

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics