Mission Seven: Ace of Vengeance - The Debriefing

Every comic book hero needs a rogue’s gallery, and the Hawk of Death is the first for Johnny Cloud. This adventure shows that villains are timeless, and vengeance stretches across generations such that a son can restore honor to the father. 

Not only did Cloud vanquish the evil Hawk, but also, he got an opportunity that his father did not – namely, he was able to save his junior pilots by sending them away while he engaged the enemy. He reversed the narrative.

And what a great nail-biter ending it was: Cloud was cornered. He had no weapon. But a quick flick of this wings insignia saved the day -- quite a shot!

But of course, nothing is certain: Is the Hawk of Death the villainous presence that shamed Cloud’s father? 

Or ...

Did Cloud see what he wanted to see – that is, a black bandit with white stripes became the Hawk! 

Either way, a new Johnny Cloud emerges – he is decisive and bold. He saves his young pilots. And, he wins a challenge that stretches across generations. 

This one is a harbinger, as we shall see, the rogues are lining-up to challenge Cloud.

Despite his shine, Cloud loses the cover shot on this issue for the first time, and he does not regain it completely until six issues later. An outrage! 

Of note, Ace of Vengeance was the only Cloud story written by Bob Haney. Maybe this is why the cover shot shows another story (a story that Kanigher wrote). He is the boss, so he gets to choose. Nonetheless, Haney does a great job! 

We will review Bob Haney's work in more detail later, but for now, well done!

Image Credit:

AAMOW#88 (December 1961): Art: I. Novick; Writer: Robert "Bob" Haney.

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics

Mission Seven: Ace of Vengeance Part 2

Last time, Johnny Cloud was on patrol with two new pilots when they encountered ten bandits at twelve-o-clock high, plus several more below. Cloud sensed a trap, so he ordered the new pilots to duck into the clouds. But it was too late. The high-flying Me-109s were diving fast and the lower group was climbing. 

Cloud's patrol was getting pinched. He feared that he would lose his new pilots.

It was time for desperate measures. Cloud told his new pilots to head for base while he turned towards the enemy. Cloud blasted his way through the line, killing two of the Huns. And he was not finished. Cloud turned to re-engage, when suddenly, a black Me-109 with white stripes engaged him.

These were the marking his father had warned him about. The markings of a killer. The same markings that his father saw in the First World War. Incredible? Yes. Was it the Hawk of Death? Cloud was convinced it was. 

The Hawk seized the advantage and took a kill-shot, sending Johnny Cloud’s P-51 spiraling downward in smoke. This is when he jumped …

Cloud falls. He doesn't open his chute. He wants to be a small target -- just a man, tumbling at terminal velocity. The Hawk sprays the sky with bullets.

Finally, Cloud pulls his ripcord with only seconds to spare and drops in a forest. The Hawk of Death lands nearby and with help from infantry gets a rifle to hunt for Cloud. 

He tracks him to a river’s edge and opens fire. With a lucky shot, he hits Cloud’s pistol, sending him reeling backwards into the river. The pistol is lost.

Cloud lies there, underwater like his father did, hiding as the wily Hun wades into the water. But when the Hawk of Death stands over him and aims his rifle, Cloud leaps up and flicks his wings at him, hitting him squarely in the forehead. WHACK! 

The Hawk is dazed and falls forward into the water. Cloud rolls him over and drowns him before he can recover his wits.

As Cloud walks out of the forest, he sees his Big Brother smiling. Cloud vows to write his father: He no longer needs to wear the white feather of shame. The Hawk of Death is dead!

Image Credit:

AAMOW#88 (December 1961): Story Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher.

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics

Mission Seven: Ace of Vengeance

This week I resume our examination of Johnny Cloud's missions. This mission (the seventh in the series) is special, as it is the only Cloud adventure that is writing by Bob Haney -- but of course, Kanigher edits.

Combat erupts from the first panel: Johnny Cloud’s P-51 is riddled with lead, so he bails out and falls for as long as he can. The Hun sprays his bullets across the sky, but Cloud keeps himself small.

Once I open my chute – this buzzard will have me in his claws.

As he falls, a flashback is triggered. His father bemoans how he was shamed during the Great War, and so he wears a white feather. He recounts that the armistice was near when a German pilot strafed his infantry unit at a river crossing. Cloud’s father was knocked back into the water where he stayed submerged until the marauder finished his run. When he stood, he found his comrades killed. The war ended, but Cloud’s father felt defeated since he could not avenge the deaths of his men.

Just before Cloud left to join the Air Force, his father asked him to be on the lookout for a black fighter with white stripes, the one that killed his troop, the one he called the Hawk of Death. This was his shame. Cloud vowed to settle the score so that his father could remove the white feather from his bonnet, but he agonized how he could seek vengeance in a new war some twenty-five years later.

The flashback ends, and the story shifts to the present day. 

That morning, Cloud had taken two new pilots on a patrol when they spotted ten Me-109s at twelve-o-clock high, plus one lone bandit hugging the carpet below. As they drew close to the lone fighter, Cloud sensed a trap, and with two new pilots, he did not want to lose them on their first sortie.

On his order, the P-51s reached for cumulus cover, but it was too late. The high-flying bandits were diving fast. Plus, four more bandits joined the lone fighter below and climbed in pursuit. 

The Mustangs were pinched. Cloud's new pilots were in danger!

Image Credit:

AAMOW#88 (December 1961): Story Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Haney.

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics

Johnny Cloud IS A SUPERHERO!

After several weeks of exploration ...

Is he? Or, isn't he?

Here is the answer:  Johnny Cloud IS a Superhero – one word. Not a hero that is super. Not a super hero. No, he is a Superhero! Cloud is unique among his peers, as he acts by the hand of the Great Warrior Spirit: Cloud is an Avatar!

Sure, I love Sgt. Rock. And Jeb Stuart. But they are super heroes. Amazing? Yes. But they do not fit the definition laid out previously in the blog: Powers + Mission + Costume/Brand Name. But Cloud, yeah ... he has it all.

A coherent listing of Cloud's superpowers boggles the imagination; yet his needs in the moment marshal the forces of nature. Put another way, he is strong and lucky when he desperately needs it, and only in proportion to what is required to prevail. But he has to fight for it, and he never really understood who he was.

His mission, too, was preordained. He did not have a day of reckoning when he decided to fight for freedom. No, he was born into it. And given his premonitions, he was prefigured to become a fighter pilot in a world war that was years away when he was born.

As for his costume marking his special identity, the winged warrior cloud that his father witnessed says it all. Cloud is that warrior come to earth. His identity is secret only to the extent that no one realizes how special he is. And despite his winged-warrior insignia, he is a superhero in plain view.

        In sum, Johnny Cloud stands tall in the gallery of superheroes. Cloud is every bit as tough as Sgt. Rock whose heroism stems from his relentless courage. Cloud commands more magic than Jeb Stuart ever did – his ghostly guardian rarely, if ever, stepped in to protect him. No disrespect is intended here. His fellow warriors were spectacular in every way – yet, neither of them could summon the guiding hand of the spirit world to their advantage.

Our creator and writer made Johnny Cloud special. But like the character he created, Kanigher did not broadcast who or what Cloud was. Instead, he let the reader (me ... you?) discover the secret on our own. Yeah! Go Johnny Cloud!

Image Credit:

AAMOW#89 (February 1962) Writer: R.Kanigher; Story Art: I.Novick

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics 

Johnny Cloud's Magical Connections - Part 2

As we have seen, Johnny Cloud was destined to be the earthly hand of the Great Warrior Spirit for whom he was named. He was born to fight in WW2. His connection to the Great Warrior Spirit is in the clouds and known to him as his Big Brother in the Sky. But there are elements of this connection to explore in the comics - namely, the smoke-maker and the hawks.

The Smoke-maker shared many prophecies that Cloud not only anticipated, but also experienced, time and again. For example, he was told that a hungry hawk would attack him after he had been blinded – the specter haunted him – and finally, it came in the form of an Fw-190 that continued to attack him as he floated helplessly at the end of a parachute while temporarily blinded.

Was this a prophecy unfolding or was it Cloud’s way of interpreting events? Put another way: Was it Navajo magic or Navajo perspective? As I have mentioned before, Kanigher's writing is so clever that we cannot be sure. But the magic is there: Cloud prevails against the hungry hawk with a head-on pistol shot that defies reality.

The most critical prophecy, of course, is the one that started it all. The Smoke-maker saw Cloud’s trajectory from the start. He was to become a winged warrior who fights (and wins) against evil in the skies. In fact, he once shared this vision to a young Cloud wherein he caught a glimpse of his flight of P-51s before the war and before the P-51 even existed.

Now let's look at the hawks more closely ... In a flashback we learn that when Cloud was a boy, he saved a hawk by shooting a mountain lion that was about to attack the injured bird. The hawk stayed with Cloud – perching on his shoulder – until its wing had healed. The Smoke-maker observed that the feathered ones had adopted him.

But let’s be clear. It was not a just a local kettle of hawks that adopted him. No, hawks the world over had his back. What more needs to be said. 

And so it was that a hawk appeared when Cloud was navigating a treacherous ravine in his P-51 that led to a terror rocket base shrouded by smoke. The hawk landed on his shoulder in mid-flight and squeezed his left talon, then his right, so as to guide Cloud to the German base. The Huns were surprised to see Cloud’s P-51 emerge from the ravine directly over their base – the attack was successful.

In a later episode, a hawk guided Cloud to a formation of German bombers hiding below the cumulus. His flight was able to disperse the enemy before they could press their attack on Allied shipping. Once again, the mission was successful with guidance from the hawk.  

In the end, the hawk helped Cloud find a German destroyer in the Channel. But when a Me-109 latched onto Cloud’s tail during his attack, the hawk hurled itself at the German pilot through his open cockpit causing him to lose control of his plane. The bandit was unable to pull out of his dive and crashed into the destroyer.

These amazing tales suggest a magical link between Cloud and the hawks. Add to this, the powers bestowed by his Big Brother, coupled with the Smoke-maker’s prophecies that showed how all this would unfold, and the idea that Cloud’s access to Navajo magic is certain.

Still not sure ... I will review Johnny Cloud's superhero status, putting it all together next time.

Image Credit:

AAMOW#89 (February 1962); Story Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher.

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics.

Getting Deep into Johnny Cloud's Identity: Magical Connections

The past few posts have examined Johnny Cloud's claim to Superhero status. Now we examine some of his more personal experiences that are associated with his powers (or magic).

In sharp contrast to his officer and gentleman routine, Cloud’s recounting of events shows his Navajo perspective in full color – one that is laced with metaphor and magic. Three signposts tell the story: his Big Brother, the Smoke-maker’s prophecies, and his adoption by the Hawks.

The crux is Cloud’s connection to the Great Warrior Spirit that we know as his Big Brother – a warrior wielding a tomahawk on a winged horse in the form of a cloud. His father saw the apparition and so did the Smoke-maker. Cloud once described the role of his Big Brother as a guardian that warns him whenever the wings of death wait to beat you down. Yet, we have seen that his connection is more than that.

We can debate if Cloud’s Big Brother is magic or just a way of seeing, but I think the answer is clear. Here’s a potent example: during a friendly chat with Jeb Stuart, commander of the Haunted Tank, Cloud stopped and said: “He’s warning me! Listen! Beware of hawks hiding in the sun – with fire in their claws!” Just then two Fw-190s came raging out of the sky. Certainly, this episode suggests that Cloud’s Big Brother directly intervenes and warns him of danger.

So too, Cloud consulted his Big Brother frequently – in fact, his spirit appeared in 23 (out of 34) of his adventures. More specifically, he appeared in the first 20 AAMOW issues. Cloud asked for and received help in tense combat situations; this help included: cloud cover, guidance to his target, keeping up the fight, getting back to base, landing safely while parachuting, taking off in a combat zone while under fire, and jumping from his burning plane (after a full-on taren attack!). Plus, there are fantastic situations when it appears that his Big Brother gave Cloud opportunities to win the day – examples include the second chance to save Tex in Fighting Blind and the opportunity to save his base in Broken Ace.

Of course, it’s not always clear if he actually got the help or if he attributed his good fortune to his Big Brother. So again, we are left with the big question: Was this Navajo magic or just a way of seeing? It was likely both. Cloud was gifted, yet he was mostly unaware. He reached out to his Big Brother not appreciating that he was being guided.

Let that sink in. Cloud was destined to be the earthly hand of the Great Warrior Spirit for whom he was named. He was born to fight in WW2. No other war comic hero sits at this table. Not Sgt. Rock. Not Jeb Stuart.

Image Credit:

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

Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics

Does Johnny Cloud have a Code Name or Special Costume?

The third defining feature of a superhero is the Costume that signals a special identity. All superheroes have a code name or brand. So, let’s see where Johnny Cloud stands on this final criterion. *We have already seen that he has access to super powers and has a mission statement wherein he is willing to risk his life to fight evil.

Some examples ... We start at the top: Superman. He wears red shorts over blue tights with a matching red cape and bright yellow belt. On his chest is a big red S within a shield. What a silly looking costume (if you want my opinion) – but it has been around so long that it has become mainstream. I have to admit that the Smallville Series wisely skipped the tights.

As I have said before, Batman has a better look when it comes to intimidating hoodlums. His black shorts over gray tights with sharply scalloped bat wings extending from his arms are scary. But the mask seals the deal: A thick headpiece covering the eyes with pointy ears gives warning that you’re done! Either way – mask or no mask – the costume marks the superhero.

So, what about Johnny Cloud? 

Cloud does not have a costume; instead, he wears a standard-issue flight suit – a uniform consisting of boots, overalls with heated coils, leather jacket, gloves, and helmet with goggles. But he has a logo and a code name that reflects his heritage. Painted on his P-51 and emblazoned on his jacket sleeves is an Indian warrior in full headdress wielding a tomahawk over his head and riding a winged stallion, all this mojo against a blood red background. Underneath the logo is Cloud’s codename: The Flying Chief. Like Batman’s points, the image is intimidating.

Johnny Cloud Brand showed the Great Warrior Spirit

Most WW2 fighter pilots chose their brand after being assigned their own aircraft, but Cloud did not have a say. Instead, his crew had an Indian-themed motif chosen before his first flight. It was taunting fun, but it annoyed Cloud. He desperately wanted to be accepted as one of the men without being branded. As it turned out, Cloud quickly earned the respect of his crew, and The Flying Chief became a badge of honor.

It is remarkable how prescient his crew was in choosing this logo, as they (presumably) did not know Cloud’s given name of Flying Cloud. More striking, they did not know about the Great Warrior Spirit known only to Cloud as his Big Brother. This underscores Cloud destiny. It is not a misfire. Cloud’s life was scripted from birth and although some readers have criticized these features, that is only because they fail to appreciate Cloud’s origin and trajectory.

Related to costumes is the secret identity. Most superheroes have an alter ego that allows them to blend in at cocktail parties. Superman becomes nerdy Clark Kent, whereas Batman morphs into rich but isolated Bruce Wayne. Secret identities provide a rich counterpoint to these characters. They also tap the readers’ own experience that one’s social façade hides a bigger truth – I am more than what you see!

Although Johnny Cloud does not have a secret identity, his social demeanor masks his complexity as a Navajo and Avatar of the Great Warrior Spirit. As flight leader he was firm and direct; he did not whoop or dance or use Indian-themed metaphors in front of his crew. Instead, he gave precise orders in plain language. The only exception was that he labeled his flight the Happy Braves, but even this ended after he was promoted to Captain, thereby changing it to C for Cloud Flight.

Image Credit:
AAMOW#82 (December 1960): Story Art: I.Novick; Writer: R.Kanigher.
Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics