The Enemy Ace Archives, Vol. 2 (DC Archive Editions) [Hardcover]

Joe Kubert (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Enemy Ace is unique among American war comics in that its star, Rittmeister Hans von Hammer, fought for Germany. The risky concept was made more palatable by the fact that the stories were set during World War I, a half-century before their late 1960s-early 1970s publication, as well as by the antiwar sentiment of the times. The tales were rather formulaic--squadron leader von Hammer flies "the killer skies," battling his foes mercilessly though within a strict code of honor while brooding over the young pilots he sends to their deaths--yet remain compelling thanks to the talent behind them. After more than a decade of writing Sgt. Rock and the like, Kanigher was ready for the challenge of something a bit more ambitious; and premier war comics artist Joe Kubert adeptly portrayed the excitement of aerial dogfights and the poignancy of von Hammer's internal conflicts. If it never transcends its genre as Harvey Kurtzman's early fifties EC Comics war stories did,Enemy Ace is still one of the best comics of its era. Gordon Flagg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 196 pages
• Publisher: DC Comics (September 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401207766
• ISBN-13: 978-1401207762
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 0.7 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #254,542 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enemy Ace flies on!, October 2, 2006

By 

Melvin G. Hobbs Jr. (Chicago, Illinois) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Enemy Ace Archives, Vol. 2 (DC Archive Editions) (Hardcover)

Kubert's graphics and Kanigher's stories continue to be compelling. This second volume is a collection of stories published during the late 60's and early 70's as Vietnam became an ongoing point of contention. Kanigher's story lines manage to be both compelling as to the times and yet maintain their basis in WW1 reality. The Enemy Ace series, as originally produced, wisely refused to politicize and in that alone made a strong humanistic statement. The Hammer of Hell flies on with all his personal demons and in the end, both he and the war itself are interwoven,intriguing protagonists.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enemy Ace Flys Again, April 15, 2008

By 

H. N. Dohe (My Sanctum Sanctorium) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Enemy Ace Archives, Vol. 2 (DC Archive Editions) (Hardcover)

I used to read DC Comics war stories when I was kid. Sgt Rock, Gunner & Sarge, Johnny Cloud, Haunted Tank and an occasional Capt Storm. But my favorite was Enemy Ace, Hans Von Hammer. Now his exploits (not all of them though) are collected in a two volume set. Joe Kubert was THE artist for war comics, showing war to be the gritty business that it was. Resigned to the fact that he is a killer in the skies, and that war is hell, he does what he feels is his duty to his Fatherland. Kubert actually took great care to render the drawings of airplanes as accurately as possible (even if some of the color schemes added to them were sometimes off), which was a big plus. While he doesn't have his own book anymore, Von Hammer does pop up from time to time, showing that he survived the First World War, flew in the Second (in all red Messerschmidts, without a swastika), and retained his Fokker Triplane after the war for some adventures in the Far East. Now if they would collect all of the American World War One pilot Steve Savage's stories in a hardbound trade paperback, I'd be very happy!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hans Von Hammer...World War I Air Combat Unvarnished!, July 17, 2009

By 

Michael OConnor "Wordsmith" (Wausau, WI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Enemy Ace Archives, Vol. 2 (DC Archive Editions) (Hardcover)

Growing up, I was a big comics fan. As far as war comics go, aside from "Nick Fury and His Howling Commandos," all my favorites were DC titles: "Sgt. Rock," "Haunted Tank" and, of course, "Enemy Ace." The combination of Bob Kanigher's gritty stories and Joe Kubert's dramatic, evocative artwork had me hooked from day one. Coming across THE ENEMY ACE ARCHIVES was a delight, enabling me to revisit treasured moments from so long ago.

VOLUME TWO contains Hans Von Hammer stories from 1969 to 1976. Many of those stories ably demonstrate the appeal of the Enemy Ace stories - the conflicted German super-ace who performs his duty even as he realizes the pointless nature of all the death and destruction.

Yet they also show why I drifted away from the Hans Von Hammer material. When he was pitted against normal, flesh-and-blood opponents, the Enemy Aces stories rang true. But when he started fighting French or British pilots that flew into combat wearing a hangman's hood and noose or a skeleton costume, that smacked of gimmickry to me. The ultimate was the RAF nutcase who flew a Sopwith Camel into battle wearing a suit of armor and claiming to be "St. George!" Gimme a break, guys. Dramatic license is one thing but there are limits even in a teenager's mind.

In any case, the "Enemy Ace" stories were entertaining yet also an education to young minds. They showed war wasn't glamorous or grand but pitiless and cruel. Pilots on both sides coped as best they could but did their duty nevertheless. THE ENEMY ACE ARCHIVES, VOLUME TWO offers up a good sampling of the tales of one such pilot. Recommended.