Johnny Cloud's Mission -- Part Two

Johnny Cloud was destined to fight against evil. This was made clear shortly after his birth when his father, a great chief, witnessed an apparition in the sky that depicted a warrior riding a winged stallion. So too, young Cloud saw the same apparition many times while growing up -- he called the Great Warrior his Big Brother in the Sky.

As noted in my last post, the Smoke-maker gave Cloud a glimpse of his destiny -- that is, to lead a flight of warriors into battle ... all this, long before WW2 had been declared, and long before the P-51 had been designed and built.

No other DC Comics war hero can make such a claim. Johnny Cloud was special from the start.

Once he had his wings, Cloud risked his life many times to complete his mission. His complete mission statement was revealed in the closing scenes of AAMOW#84: I fought not for myself alone … but for all men who never had the American chance of battling tyrants who called themselves the “master race” – face to face – man to man. 

Out on patrol, Cloud reminded himself that he was fighting against the foes of freedom. His mission statement is similar to those made by Superman and Batman, only here it is shaped by a melding his Navajo perspective with the ideals of American Freedom.

Consequently, Cloud volunteered for extra missions despite mounting stress that kept him awake at night. And when the medical officer grounded him for combat fatigue, Cloud pleaded: “Not now Doc – not now – when every pilot is needed in the air every hour of the day and night! You can’t ground me now!”

Cloud was particularly concerned about the Nazi terror rockets – V-1 and V-2 bombs that rained down on Britain late in the war. He witnessed the terror directly during a five-day R&R pass to London when a young girl named Lily handed him a flower – “from one ally to another” she said – but moments later she was killed by a V-1 bomb. Cloud abruptly cancelled his pass, and the next day found him leading a patrol called Lily Flight.

Without a doubt, Cloud’s devotion to duty took precedence over his own safety. He sang his Death Song at least 14 times in combat. Take aerial ramming for example: He had little hope of survival, yet he chose to gamble his life with taren on eight different occasions. As previously noted, he once rammed two bandits at once to save a B-17 returning from a reconnaissance mission with information about terror rocket launchers – as such, he risked his life for his bomber buddies and for civilians like Lily.

Another one of Cloud’s priorities was to protect his men, particularly the new pilots with no combat experience. We learn early on that Cloud adopted the credo from his first flight leader Mack. Never lose a man on their first flight.

In his second adventure, Cloud nearly loses Tex who, by his own arrogance, gets shot down after ignoring Cloud’s pleas to hang back. The next day, Cloud risks capture by rescuing Tex in occupied Holland. Tex is incredulous, but he is schooled by his flight leader’s gallantry, and he devotes himself to protecting Cloud from then on.

As these examples show, Johnny Cloud was wholly devoted to the mission. He was born to be a winged warrior. So, what’s the verdict on Mission? Does Cloud’s devotion push him into superhero territory? Again, he squeezes in by a wingtip. Even if he goes home after the war, and never flies again, he will have proven the point.

Image Credit:
AAMOW#84 (April 1961). Story Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher.
Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics

Is Johnny Cloud a Superhero? The Mission

In this posting, we return to our discussion about what makes a superhero and whether or not Johnny Cloud is a superhero.

Remember that a superhero must: 1) possess a super power or a set of extraordinary skills; 2) devote oneself to a mission to help others at all costs; and 3) have a secret identity often marked by a costume.

We have examined the first element a while back, and it is clear that Cloud sure seems to get an edge when he needs it. He is unstoppable. The hand of his Big Brother is on his shoulder, tilting the scales of fortune in his favor. Whatever it takes: This is Cloud’s superpower – he is invincible! But let's go a step farther: Johnny Cloud is the avatar of the Great Warrior Spirit (aka his Big Brother).

So, let’s move on to talk about The Mission. Superheroes are defined by it! With few exceptions, superheroes are the good guys, and they dedicate their lives to this duty.

A young Clark Kent decided he must turn his titanic strength into channels that would benefit mankind. He realized early on that his powers demanded that he act responsibly. He had been given a gift, and within a few years Superman became champion of the helpless and oppressed.

Batman, too, took on the noble mission, but for him, he was motivated by the death of his parents, killed by robbers with him watching helplessly. It was a grieving Bruce Wayne who made the declaration: I swear by the spirits of my parents to avenge their deaths by spending the rest of my life warring on all criminals.

Unlike Superman and Batman, Johnny Cloud was assigned his mission by the Air Force. But he chose to be a fighter pilot. Or did he? Was it preordained that he become the winged warrior? Let’s review …

When he was a newborn, his father looked to the skies for a sign that would suggest a name for his son. That’s when he saw the apparition: A warrior riding a winged stallion. Suddenly the sky darkened with lightning and thunder, but the warrior remained bright. His father observed that the flying cloud does not shrink from combat! This was Cloud’s destiny: He was to become this warrior!

As the years passed, young Cloud would see the Great Warrior Spirit many times, prompting him to question if he was destined to ride a winged horse in the sky. Was this a mission in the making?

Later on, Cloud was shown a glimpse of the future by the Smoke Maker. Cloud saw himself flying a strange iron bird (a P-51) and leading a flight of airborne warriors. Once again, we see that Cloud's destiny was determined.

The first mention of a "mission" occurred when his father bid him farewell (in a flashback): "Johnny Flying Cloud -- you leave to battle the enemies of freedom." 

No other Big Five war hero was born to fight. Johnny Cloud was unique. He was scripted into this special role by Robert Kanigher from the start.

But there is more ... until next time.

Image Credit:

AAMOW#82 (December 1960). Story Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher.

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics

Mission Six: Broken Ace - The Debriefing

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

Mission Six: Broken Ace Part 2

Last time we checked, Johnny Cloud was told by his CO to stop volunteering for extra patrols. He wants to fight, but he is having combat nightmares. He needs rest.

After a night of fitful sleep, Cloud prepares for another patrol. But, he is exhausted. Cloud overshoots the runway on takeoff and folds his P-51 into a tree. The flight surgeon grounds him and orders him to rest. 

Cloud is frustrated. He watches his flight take off without him and bemoans to his Big Brother that he is a Broken Ace.

Moments later, bandits attack the base and blast aircraft parked along the runway. Cloud ducks behind a burning hulk and fires his Colt at the marauders. As the bandits circle back for a second pass, Cloud runs across the tarmac to one of the damaged planes.

He motors down the runway even though the Mustang cannot fly. 

His foil draws in a Me-109, foolishly swooping low on a head-on strafing pass. Cloud’s thumb is on the trigger, and he destroys the bandit. Then he angles his damaged P-51 atop a small mound so as to aim his wings guns upward at a second bandit roaring in higher this time. Another attacker angles in behind Cloud, leveling off just yards from the ground. The Mustang is pinched between them. 

Cloud opens fire without effect, but the Huns break in the same direction and collide in fiery CRAASH!

Cloud climbs out of the grounded Mustang feeling vindicated. The flight surgeon and the CO gasp in disbelief. “Nobody can really ground an ace,” the surgeon remarks. And so, Cloud was cleared to fly.

Image Credit:

AAMOW#87 (October 1961); Story Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher.

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics

Mission Six: Broken Ace

Johnny Cloud's next few missions are non-stop. A good sleep is rare.

This saga starts with a scramble. A division of Tiger tanks has launched an offensive, and Cloud’s flight is called to respond, double quick.

Cloud laments that he is constantly in the air – he looks to his Big Brother and bewails: “We spend as much time up here now – as you do.”

The Happy Braves hit the tanks. The firefight is fierce, and several Mustangs are lost. Cloud nails a Tiger and pulls up to confront a swarm of Me-109s diving out of the sun. Cloud meets them head-on and unloads on the first bandit. The leader blows up causing a chain reaction that collects two more in the fury. CRASH! CRASH! CRASH! Cloud downs another before the dogfight is over, but his Mustang is thrashed, and his flight is badly mauled. They limp back to base, exhausted.

The scrambles continue, day and night. The CO sees that Cloud is exhausted and stops him from volunteering for additional patrols. He threatens to ground the Navajo ace if he does not rest.

In the predawn black, Cloud’s sleep is interrupted. Another scramble! Cloud hastens his men to get ready. Every minute of delay cost lives! This time, the flight intercepts German bombers roaring towards the sleeping cities. The Happy Braves attack, and several bombers are destroyed, but as the Mustangs regroup, a second wave forms overhead and begins raining explosives on them. Cloud is frantic to retake the offensive when suddenly his men shake him awake.

It was all a nightmare!

Afterwards, Cloud drifts in and out of a fitful sleep, when suddenly he hears the alarm again: “scramble, scramble.” He rushes to wake his men, frantic as before, but again they shake him awake.

Another nightmare!

The next day, Cloud overshoots the runway on takeoff and folds his P-51 into a tree. The flight surgeon grounds him and orders him to rest. 

Cloud is demoralized. He watches his flight take off without him and bemoans to his Big Brother that he is a Broken Ace.

Image Credit:

AAMOW#87 (October 1961): Story Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher.

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics

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