Cloud's Catalog: 38 Adventures

So, Who is Johnny Cloud?

Let’s examine his combat record in excruciating detail. He had 38 adventures across four comic book titles. It was a relatively short run, one that has often been over-looked by war comic geeks.

Cloud was introduced in AAMOW #82 (December 1960), and he appeared in all subsequent issues through #117 (October 1966) except for four books. Cloud held the cover spot for six consecutive issues (#82 to #87), but #88 depicted another story. After that, Cloud shared the cover in a tripartite fashion – known as the Three-War covers – off and on for the next ten issues (#89 to #98). During this time, Cloud grabbed full cover spots for #94, #96, and #99. He shared half the cover for issue #100 and resumed the cover spot for the next ten issues (#101 to #110). After one more Three-War cover on #111, Cloud was completely replaced by the Balloon Buster series for #112 to #114, and #116 – for the first time, there were no Cloud stories in AAMOW. His last two cover stories appeared in #115 and #117. All told, Cloud appeared in AAMOW 32 times, with 21 full-cover shots, and 10 shared-cover shots.

Johnny Cloud made a few appearances outside of AAMOW. Most important was Cloud’s appearance in The Brave and The Bold (TBATB #52) in March 1964 when he joined up with Sgt. Rock, Jeb Stuart, and Mademoiselle Marie. This full-book adventure tells how Cloud was promoted from Lieutenant to Captain and inserts neatly between AAMOW #100 and #101.

Cloud also appeared in GIC (#115 and #116) in January and March 1966 – note that this was when the Balloon Buster was having a run in AAMOW. Finally, after AAMOW folded, Cloud appeared in GIC #120 in November 1966 and again in GIC #124 in July 1967. His last mission came eight months later in Our Army at War (OAAW) #191 in March 1968 wherein he fought alongside Sgt. Rock and Easy Company.

It is apparent that Cloud was slated to continue as a feature in GIC, playing runner-up to Jeb Stuart and the Haunted Tank. An announcement in GIC #124 urged readers: “Watch for Johnny Cloud, the Navajo Ace, in future issues of G.I. Combat magazine!” But alas, he never returned as flight leader.

Cloud had a few cameos near the end of his run that do not significantly add to his catalog. For example, he had one-panel cameos in GIC #105, #112, and #118. 

The final intermingling of Johnny Cloud with other war heroes occurred with the advent of The Losers series when Gunner and Sarge, Captain Storm, and Johnny Cloud formed a ragtag unit of underdogs. And yes, the foursome was popular enough to last a decade. But Cloud was maligned (along with the others) in this otherwise exciting series.

Image Credit:
A peek at AAMOW covers from 1960 to 1966.
Johnny Cloud TM DC Comics.

Blind Eagle -- Hungry Hawk Part 3

Well, if you liked the Blind Eagle -- Hungry Hawk segment, then you may be in the right place. 

But be prepared, we are going in deep ... wait for it ... this will be a long journey!

Only true Big Five geeks will appreciate what unfolds on this blog.

Johnny Cloud is certainly one of the most overlooked DC Comics war heroes. Yet, he is one of the most nuanced characters to flow from Kanigher's lobes. And, he is perhaps the most misunderstood.

Few readers have caught on that Johnny Cloud is an Avatar of the Great Warrior Spirit, also known has his Big Brother in the Sky. This blog examines each of his sagas and tabulates everything there is to know about him -- from his extraordinary powers to his tortured psyche to his combat record.

Cloud was invincible, yet he never quite appreciated his destiny -- that is to serve the Great Warrior Spirit. Even his creator, the prolific and irascible Robert Kanigher, did not fully appreciate the character he developed for his friend, and favored artist, Irv Novick.

Read on my friend ... and join Old Wood in Geektown!  

 

    

       

    Blind Eagle – Hungry Hawk!

    AAMOW #102 (April 1964)

    Story Art: I. Novick; Writer: R. Kanigher

    Johnny Cloud TM © DC Comics

Blind Eagle -- Hungry Hawk Part 2

And now, for part 2 ...

Our hero has blacked-out. His P-51 Mustang is in a death dive with a bandit on his tail ... 

This is where we pick up the story.

How long have I been in a black out? How near is the ground?

 

Cloud yanked the stick into his gut. The Mustang nosed up as if nudged by an unseen hand. Now vertical, the bandit once again latched onto his tail. Lead zipped through the cockpit. BWEE! VIP! BEEOW! 

 

Cloud screamed. I’m a blind eagle being torn apart by a hungry hawk! The Smoke-maker had predicted as much when he was a young brave on the Navajo reservation. And now, the words echoed in his head: Beware of the hungry hawk who will strike at you with claws of death!

 

Cloud pulled back harder, inverting just enough to allow his body to drop from the cockpit. Now he was caught in a swirling wind. Free-falling. Blind. Helpless. 

 

I could be falling right into my burning ship – or into the blades of the enemy’s propeller!

 

He fell as long as he dared. Two hundred feet per second. Finally, Cloud pulled the ripcord. The chute popped with a loud CRAAACK! He stopped mid-air as if dangling from a hangman’s noose.

 

The bandit circled back and opened fire. Cloud swung to and fro, violently twisting to avoid the bullet streams. The propeller got louder – nearer, nearer, nearer! Cloud drew his Colt.

 

In desperation – I emptied all the slugs … straight into the heart of the raging fury in front of me!

 

A lucky shot hit a fuel line! The Fw-190 exploded. WHROOOM!

 

Cloud was kicked away from the inferno. He came down hard, crashing through tree limbs, his head hitting a stone outcrop. His vision flickered. Cloud rubbed his eyes, and slowly, he could see … as if I were awakening from a nightmare.

 

The French Resistance gathered around him. Then he saw her. 

 

Looks like I landed right in your lap!

 

Mademoiselle Marie held his head and smiled. Now you have given me the chance to repay you for saving my life!

 

The secret terror weapon was destroyed. Debts for lives saved were paid up. And, Captain Johnny Cloud survived the claws of death to fight again.

Blind Eagle -- Hungry Hawk Part 1

Let's start with one of my favorite JC missions from All American Men of War (AAMOW) #102:

Captain Johnny Cloud hugged the carpet, shaving hedgerows with his propeller as he hunted for the tracks in the predawn light. Flak erupted behind him as his P-51 Mustang zipped past before the gunners could zero in. Surprise was his.

 

Cloud recounted how he snatched this flight away from his wing-mate. It was a suicide mission, and he owed Tex for saving his life weeks before. It would be shameful not to step up and take this one. 

 

Then came the tracks.

 

He followed the rails, hopping over several trains until his target appeared – a locomotive bringing a secret terror weapon to the front. Cloud pulled up to find the boxcar. His goggles were fitted with special lenses to see the luminous mark painted atop the target by the French Resistance – and there it was, a blood-red swastika!

 

But Cloud was spotted. The sky thickened like a barbed wire fence of explosives. Undeterred, he dove through the flak and laid his 500-pound eggs on the marked boxcar. WHRAM!

 

Mission Accomplished!

 

Just then a bandit opened fire from above. BWEE! VIP! BEEOW! Cloud was grazed by a bullet and knocked unconscious. His P-51 spiraled out of control and plunged towards earth. The bandit gave chase, guns blazing.

 

But it wasn’t over – not yet. Cloud awoke. His ship was falling like a stone. He had to act fast.

 

Cloud tore off his goggles and rubbed his eyes. But. He could not see. He was blind! 

 

How long have I been in a black out? How near is the ground?