Image from coverbrowser.com

TITLE: DC Comics Presents #92 (“A Question of Justice”)
AUTHOR: Paul Kupperberg
PENCILLER: Curt Swan
PUBLISHER: DC Comics
ORIGINAL PRICE: 75 cents
RELEASED: April 1986

By Mike Bessler
Contributor, Commisar of Comic Book History

Okay, let’s get this out of the way: I am not trying to be obscure, here. I actually love this book. Sure, it’s not going to make it into my dozen or so “Wall of Fame” comics (more on that batch another day) but it’s a great little read. To be fair, I’ll grant that it’s a sentimental pick in some ways. When DC Comics Presents #92 rolled off the press in early 1986, the ink had barely dried on the continuity-altering miniseries Crisis on Infinite Earths and, in some ways, this very simple standalone tale seems like a parting glance at the simpler days of comic storytelling.

DC Comics Presents was a team-up book. Much like The Brave and the Bold, Marvel Two-In-One, and the like, this monthly mag paired heroes and heroines with an “anchor” hero and in the case of DCCP, the ballast in question was none other than The Man of Steel. Because DCCP stories were largely self-contained, writers found the format to be an opportunity to cook up all sorts of bizarre pairings and stories, most of which had no impact on the canons of the comicdom. DCCP #4 paired Supes with the Metal Men; #10 featured Sgt. Rock; #24 featured a team-up with Deadman; heck, even Santa Claus made it into the book in issue #67! And then there was DCCP #92, which teamed Superman with the maverick antihero, Vigilante.

Vigilante. Image from acomicbookblog.com.

The alliance of Vigilante – a merciless, street-wise tough guy – with the unfaltering moral compass of Superman is unorthodox one, for sure. Somehow, though, it works. In this particular yarn, both heroes first encounter the story’s villain as their respective alter egos; Superman – as Clark Kent – foils an attempted shooting in Times Square on new year’s Eve and Vigilante – as court bailiff Dave Winston – comes across the shooter at an arraignment hearing a short time later (For posterity’s sake, it’s worth noting that the arraigning judge is actually Adrian Chase, who served as the original Vigilante before retiring from costumed crime fighting and heading for the greener pasture of the judiciary). The perpetrator beats the rap on account of some shaky eyewitness testimony from complaining witness Clark Kent, but Winston, a keen observer and crime fighter by night, recognizes the offender as a perpetrator of a cold case and determines further investigation is warranted.

Superman, who is somewhat annoyed with Judge Chase’s dismissal of the charges in the Times Square case, mounts an investigation of his own. In time, both Supes and Vig cross paths, uncovering a massive scheme to blackmail the city with the threat of a devastating nerve gas attack. The plot is thwarted by way of some good old-fashioned detective work, a bit of fisticuffs and some well-timed super-breath. Of course, in the course of the battle, Superman and Vigilante learn that despite their differences, their objectives and their philosophies are quite the same.

Maybe that all sounds a little formulaic but the tale has a fast pace and some great action, most of which is hand-to-hand combat courtesy of the entertainingly glib Vigilante. Hey, it’s always nice when the cat with all the super powers doesn’t upstage the earthbound, non-bulletproof dude. Writer Paul Kupperberg handles the interaction between these strange bedfellows quite well, using wit and levity to develop their relationship into an unexpectedly enjoyable camaraderie.

DCCP #92 a hidden gem in many respects. It’s a pleasant bit of writing, for sure, complimented with artwork by quintessential Superman artist Curt Swan. It’s not an earth-shattering work of social importance or a highly influential piece of popular culture in and of itself, but it’s definitely the kind of tale that provides even the most seasoned of readers with the sense that his or her time is well spent by the turn of the final page.

Front page image from DC Comics Presents #92.
Mike Bessler is a contributing writer for Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Pick up the latest issue for his first installment of “Before The Bell,” and his feature on Jeff Hardy.

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TITLE: Captain America and The Falcon #155 & 156
AUTHOR: Steve Englehart
PENCILLER: Sal Buscema
PUBLISHER: Marvel Comics
ORIGINAL PRICE: 20 cents
RELEASED: November and December 1972

By Mike Bessler
Contributor, Commisar of Comic Book History

It was one of those great, serendipitous days that young comic book collectors dream about. I was 14 and on summer break. I didn’t have much of a social life back then and one of my favorite spots was a used bookshop that was not far from my house. About once a month, I’d visit the shop to load up on cheap paperback books and pick up a few random comics from the rusty old spin rack in the back corner of the store.

On the particular day in question, I checked the rack but didn’t find anything exciting. I wandered over to the Horror paperbacks and picked up a book or two before noticing a stray stack of comics sitting atop a pile of books. It was a collection of Captain America and Falcon issues from 1971-1973. I asked the store owner how much she wanted for them, figuring she’d charge a mint…after all, these things were old – older than me, even! I think I walked out of there with the whole lot under $2.00. ‘Twas a real bargain back in those days. There was some great stuff in those comics, including a throwdown or two with the forces of Hydra as well as some other appearances from classic Cap villains.

But the standout in the batch was Captain America #155 which featured a story entitled “The Incredible Origin of the Other Captain America!”  This issue was actually part three of a four issue plot scripted by Steve Englehart. I was fortunate to pick up on the yarn right as the action kicked in.

Image from stlcomics.com

This issue pits the original Captain America, Steve Rogers, against his little-known replacement William Burnside. Courtesy of a flashback from Young Men Comics #24 (December 1953), it is revealed that Burnside donned ol’ Winghead’s outfit while Rogers was out of commission in the years following World War II. In his heyday, he was billed as “America’s Savior” as he carried forth the mantle of 1950’s America. He was joined by a young protégé who would ultimately become the 1950’s incarnation of Bucky. Together, these resurrected and reinvented heroes fought the “good fight” against a rogues’ gallery of foreign and ideological foes.

This story is a retcon before retconning was cool. The jingoism and paranoia of the Red Scare, coupled with an apparently unstable variation of the Super Soldier serum would ultimately wreak destruction on the psyches and souls of the 1950’s “Sentinels of Liberty.” Burnside – believing that the “real” Captain America perished in a battle with Baron Zemo at the end of World War Two – regards the “1970’s” Cap as a hippie imposer and communist sympathizer and swears to eradicate Rogers and his comrades-in-arms, SHIELD operative Sharon Carter and winged warrior The Falcon.

Image from coverbrowser.com

The ensuing battles between past and (then) present Captains America spills over into issue #156 which – in the pre eBay world – took me some years to find. The Falcon and Sharon Carter tackle a battle-crazed and rabid Bucky as the Captains stage their showdown at the site of the “Torch of Friendship” in Miami, Florida. It’s a slugfest, for sure.  But in the end, the real McCoy wins the day.

Following the battle, Steve Rogers is less than jubilant as he contemplates his victory.  Thinking aloud, he wonders his defeated doppelganger – a shell of a man consumed with racism, xenophobia and ultra-nationalist fervor – doesn’t really represent a small part of him as well. Moreover, Cap is left to ponder what he himself may have become had the events in his life unfolded much differently.

Captain America #155 and 156 are a terrific example of how popular culture can accurately capture and subsequently reflect the zeitgeist. By late 1972, America had endured the hysteria of McCarthyism, the horrors of Vietnam, the omnipresent possibility of Mutually Assured Destruction, and the evolution of a revolutionary counterculture. Moreover, the tumultuous scandal of Watergate was in its early stages and before long, Americans would begin to see matters regarding leadership and power in a completely new light. These books depict Captain America – and America itself – at a true crossroads in history. It’s the atypical poignancy of the underlying story which makes these issues hidden gems.

Front page image from ch999.blogspot.com.

TITLE:  Firestorm: The Nuclear Man, Annual #5
AUTHOR:  John Ostrander
ARTISTS:   Joe Brozowski, pencils;  Alfred Alcala, inks
PUBLISHER: DC Comics
ORIGINAL PRICE:   $1.25
RELEASE DATE:  1987

By Mike Bessler
Contributor, Commisar of Comic Book History

If I lived in the Marvel Universe, my uncanny ability to recall the exact location where I purchased each and every comic book in my collection might well be classified as a “mutant power.” With respect to Firestorm: The Nuclear Man, Annual #5, I scored my copy right off the rack…er, shelf…of the local Circle K next to my mom’s favorite sewing shop.  The year was 1987.

The mid 1980’s was something of a personal “Golden Age” of comics for me.  I started reading comics in the late 1970’s after my folks purchased a couple of big batches of comics for me from an uncle. For several years, I read and re-read the same pile of comics picking up an occasional new issue here and there on random errands around town. My collecting really picked up in 1983 or 1984, just in time for groundbreaking comics events like Marvel’s Secret Wars and DC’s Crisis on Infinite Earths. Indeed, those series’ (and a handful of others like them) ultimately raised my expectations and standards regarding plot lines and story telling. Firestorm: The Nuclear Man, Annual #5 – published just two years after the conclusion of Crisis– bore many of the hallmarks of the big, bombastic miniseries events from years prior, featuring a large and diverse ensemble of heroes and villains cast in a strong and compelling story with earth-shattering ramifications.

I had been a fan of Firestorm prior to ’87 as he had proven to be one of DC’s most decidedly offbeat heroes. In his original (and most recognizable) incarnation, his secret identity was actually two individuals: high school football prodigy Ronnie Raymond and renowned physicist Martin Stein. I won’t re-hash the entire origin here but it’s sufficient to simply note that this “dual identity” formula made Firestorm a uniquely entertaining comic series.

By 1987, DC had decided that Firestorm’s character – although unusual and unorthodox by many standards – was in need of an overhaul. The Cold War was still in full swing thanks to an amped up arms fostered largely through the policies of two-term U.S. President Ronald Reagan and, moreover, the prevailing political mentalities of the day made nuclear war seem like a very real possibility to pretty much everyone on the face of the planet. Trust me; I was there…

This omnipresent real-world crisis provided the premise for the storyline launched by writer John Ostrander in Firestorm #62. In this tale, an ailing Professor Stein convinces Ronnie to use the power and influence of Firestorm to compel the world’s leaders to adopt a policy of total nuclear disarmament. The campaign was Stein’s attempt to save the world from annihilation before he succumbs to a growing brain tumor. Sure, it sounds something like the plot from Superman IV: the Quest for Peace, but I am relatively confident in asserting that the Firestorm team pulled it off a little better than the late Christopher Reeve and company.

Firestorm issues 63 and 64 led into Annual #5, providing a suitable amount of time for the plot to gather momentum. President Regan is cast in a supporting role along with “Major Zastrow,” a fictional character shaped in the tradition of Stalin-era NKVD Chief Lavrentiy Beria. As the story unfolds, the USA and the USSR find themselves in reluctant collaboration as they resist Firestorm’s anti-nuke agenda. The Annual becomes “Ground Zero” for the showdown between the super hero and the super powers.

As mentioned above, some of the power in this issue comes from the sheer volume of guest stars. The issue opens with Firestorm and his friend Firehawk in Times Square duking it out with the post-Legends incarnations of the Justice League (including Batman, Mister Miracle, Martian Manhunter and Guy Gardener, et al) and the Suicide Squad (featuring Killer Frost, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, Parasite and others). The super-teams are acting on a Presidential Order to apprehend Firestorm and, while one might think it should be relatively easy for somewhere ‘round a dozen super-types to take down just one of their own, the end comes neither quickly nor neatly. In fact, the Suicide Squad –being composed of super-villains, — can hardly stay focused on their quarry when presented with the option to mix it up with their old foes of the Justice League. So the resulting melee is actually a three-way battle with heroes fighting heroes and heroes fighting villains. It’s a well-orchestrated conflagration with an impressive series of skirmishes, including:  Firehawk v. Killer Frost; Guy Gardener v. Multplex; Deadshot v. Blue Beetle; Batman v. Captain Boomerang; Black Canary v. Killer Frost v. Martain Manhunter v. Firehawk; Slipknot v. Mister Miracle…and a butt-load of other fights. All of this transpires while Parasite runs amok terrorizing super-humans and bystanders alike. Lest anyone forget this is a Firestorm mag, our protagonist musters his faltering strength to deliver a knockout blow to Parasite before departing the chaos of downtown New York and retreating to the Nevada desert.

As Professor Stein and Ronnie convalesce in an “ice dome” created by Firestorm, the governments of the Unites States and the Soviet Union have decided on a course to eliminate ol’ flame-top once and for all. The Soviet hero Pozhar (“Fire”) is dispatched on behalf of both nations to do final battle with the nuclear man. A grueling battle follows during which Pozhar confesses to his counterpart that he is also unpopular with his own government and harbors suspicions that the USA and USSR seek their mutual destruction by forcing them to fight to the end. Nevertheless, their battle rages on, both on land and in the air above the Nevada desert. Indeed, in the midst of their clash, the American and Soviet governments execute the final step in their plan to rid the world of both super-beings by initiating a nuclear strike that will ostensibly destroy Firestom and Pozhar.

The critical moment in this tale comes as Firestorm defeats Pozhar by rupturing the Russian’s containment suit, reducing him to little more than a talking, flaming skeleton. Firestorm then splits involuntarily into his two alter egos after Dr. Stein suffers a seizure due to his deteriorating health. As Stein and Raymond try in vain to once again form Firestorm to stave off the imminent nuclear impact, Pozhar offers his own energy to try and facilitate their fusion. As the three men join hands, the warhead detonates and the heroes are consumed in the ensuing blast.

The world's first look at the "new" Firestorm. Image from FirestormFan.com.

Now if I’ve held your attention thus far while failing to convey that this indeed a hidden gem , I must sincerely apologize. The important thing here (as the Dead Milkmen say in the intro to “Bitchin’ Camaro”) is that the final panels of Firestorm Annual #5 are what make this book so important to the DC Universe’s historical canon. As the smoke clears from the nuclear blast, a gallery of onlookers including representatives of the USA, USSR and the international media gaze in shock at the lone survivor of the explosion. It’s one guy…Firestorm.  Not the old Firestorm, mind you. He’s different. How he’s different is not yet clear.  But it will be soon enough…

In Firestorm #65, we learn that Firestorm still has a “dual identity” but with two notable exceptions:  (1) Dr. Martin Stein is curiously missing in action (more on that another day)  and (2)  Pozhar’s secret identity Mikhail Arkadin is now Firestorm’s other half, having joined the Firestorm matrix by fusion during the nuclear blast. The addition of  Arkadin to the Firestorm matrix would ultimately provide new layers and dimensions to the Firestorm character and, although Firestorm and his alter egos would undergo further changes in the months to follow, the plots and stories which evolved following the events in Annual #5 made for terrific reading.

The Cold War allegedly ended in 1989, somewhere around four years after the release of Firestorm Annual #5. The sweeping changes to the geopolitical landscape brought about new paradigms, new concerns and new crises. When read today, the characters and story of Annual #5 almost play out as a sort of pop culture time capsule. Nevertheless, the underlying themes of this book have some enduring appeal. Folks still worry about the future of our planet as the world seems to get smaller and smaller with every new and exciting advance in technology. Wars are still fought and boundaries are drawn and re-drawn. We struggle sometimes to see our role in such a mass of competition and confusion but in the end, we’re all in it together…

So why not try and make the world a better place while we’re still here to enjoy it?

TITLE: Superman #245
AUTHORS: Edmond Hamilton, Gardner Fox, et al.
ARTISTS: Curt Swan, Carmine Infanito, Al Plastino, Gil Kane, et al.
COLLECTS: Superman #167 (Feb. 1964), Kid Eternity #3 (Autumn, 1946), The Atom #3 (Oct.-Nov., 1962), All-Star Western #117 (Feb.-Mar. 1961), Detective Comics #66 (Aug., 1942), Mystery in Space #88  (Feb. 1964), Superman #87 (Feb. 1954)
PUBLISHER: DC Comics
ORIGINAL PRICE: 50 cents
RELEASE DATE: December 1971-January 1972

By Mike Bessler
Contributor, Commisar of Comic Book History

Superman #245 is one of those books that you might easily overlook as you thumb through the dollar box of your local comic shop. It’s basically a collection of reprints issued as a “DC 100 Page Super Spectacular,” a format that was moderately popular in the early 1970’s. We all know that reprints rarely accrue much in the way of value even after several decades. But what makes this particular issue a  true “hidden gem” is the sheer volume of reading material and classic comic art in this inexpensive volume.

Please bear with me as I provide a self-indulgent flashback of what this book means to me:  When I was much younger (say 12 or 13 years old) there weren’t many comic shops near my home. My best bet of landing back issues back then was the few times a year when the local shopping mall would host an “antique show” in which various and sundry dealers would set up kiosks full of their wares throughout the building. The collectibles booths were always my favorite places to visit and I could always count on one or two comic dealers showing up.

I distinctly remember buying my copy of Superman #245 as part of a “five for a dollar” deal from one of these “antique show” comic book sellers. I don’t remember any of the other books I got that day but I do remember walking away from the booth with my mom feeling like she had just given me a bag full of treasures. Never mind that my new-found Superman #245 had a huge strip missing from the cover, (looking as if someone had stuck a piece of masking tape across it and then slowly and painfully peeled it off);  Never mind the fact that it was well-read, dinged up and generally falling apart;  Never mind it was a collection of reprints; Superman #245 was a special find on a special day and, yeah, it’s got a lot of sentimental value in that respect. On top of all that, though, it was absolutely crammed full of Golden Age and Silver Age material and I have appreciated the vintage material from an early age.

The linchpin of this collection is the three-part “novel” entitled “The Team of Luthor and Brainiac,” which is reprinted from Superman #167 (Feb. 1964). This is a multifaceted tale featuring a team-up of Superman’s most diabolical foes.  Although Luthor and Brainiac eventually get the jump on Supes, their partnership starts to unravel as a result of the mutual mistrust that super-villain types tend to experience when working together. The Man of Tomorrow tips the scales back in his favor when he garners an assist from Kandor’s “army of Supermen.”  Later in the tale, the Kandorians themselves ultimately capture Brainiac and put him on trial for high crimes against the Kryptonian people…with Lex Luthor acting as as defense counsel for the accused!

Yes, folks…This one’s got it all. Everything that one should expect in a pre-Crisis Superman yarn is contained in this three-chapter page-turner, including a trip to the Fortress of Solitude, a visit to the miniature Kryptonian city of Kandor, journeys to fantastic far-off worlds, amazing secret weapons and astounding feats of super-strength. Along the way, readers learn the secret origins of Brainiac as well as Brainiac 5 (of the Legion of Super Heroes).

As if all that wasn’t enough, this collection includes some fabulous tales featuring some relatively obscure heroes of the 1940’s. Kid Eternity #3 (Autumn 1946) pits Kid Eternity and his sidekick Keep against a gang of art thieves who have heisted Rembrandt’s celebrated painting, “The Night Watch.” Our hero gets a helping hand against the thugs from the likes of Nostradamus, Socrates, Jevert Dusty and a number of other historical figures and fictional characters, all of whom are conjured when Kid exclaims the magic word, “Eternity!” The creepy and almost ethereal artwork of artist Mac Raboy (who did some of his best work in Fawcett-era Captain Marvel Jr. stories) gives this story an uncommon feel, transcending the “campiness” that’s often associated with Golden Age material.

Golden Age hero Air Wave makes an appearance in this anthology in a story entitled “The Adventure of the Shooting Spooks” from Detective Comics #66 (Aug., 1942). In this tale, Air  Wave’s alter ego Larry Jones is framed for the murder of the city D.A. through the chicanery of a gang of sheet-wearing “spooks” and  Air Wave and his feathered pal Static have to bust out of the clink to bring the real killers to justice.

This 100-Page Giant also includes a batch of Silver Age goodness, including “The Crowning of Super-Chief” from All-Star Western #117 (Feb.-Mar. 1961). This unusual epic re-presents the first appearance and origin of American Indian hero Super Chief.

Later in this issue, Hawkman does battle with a free-wheeling bandit in “The Super-Motorized Menace” from Mystery in Space #88. If you’ve ever wondered how a guy with wings would fare in a battle against a crook who can create tornado-force winds with the exhaust from his motorcycle, this tale answers that question once and for all. Really.

The Atom takes on “Genius of Time” Chronos in the story from “The Time Trap,” reprinted from The Atom #3 (Oct.-Nov., 1962). I’ve never been the biggest fan of The Atom but you just can’t go wrong with a story written by longtime Golden Age Flash creator Gardner Fox and penciled by legendary artist Gil Kane. Incidentally, Chronos sports one of my favorite super-villain costumes of all time, looking like something of a cross between Kang the Conqueror and The Royal Flush Gang (How’s that for a geeky reference, y’all?)

Rounding out Superman #245 is another tale starring the Man of Steel himself. “The Prankster’s Greatest Role” was originally presented in Superman #87 (Feb. 1954) and it’s a vintage story from the close of comicdom’s Golden Age. If The Joker and Mr. Mxyzptlk could somehow have a kid, the offspring would probably look a lot like the whimsical evildoer known as The Prankster. In typical fashion, The Prankster torments and extorts the hapless Metropolis bourgeoisie only to be opposed – and ultimately thwarted — by the fabled “Only Son of Krypton.”  Is it predictable? Sure. But it’s fun all the same!

For my money, Superman #245 is the stuff of wonderfully lazy summer afternoons. True enthusiasts of the super hero genre can easily kill several hours in a lawn chair or hammock as they digest some classics of pop culture. As a kid, I re-read my tattered old copy of this comic book over and over again. Over 20 years later, I found a nicer copy at a comic shop I was more than happy to shell out another buck or two so that I’d have a backup copy that would look swell on my “wall of fame.” Thing is, I’ve read that one a few times over that past few years too and now it’s showing all the signs of a well-read copy, too. Yep, that’s how much I love this comic book. After all, these things are for reading…aren’t they?

By the way:  Thanks Mom..24 years later!

By Mike Bessler
Staff Writer, Show Stopper

Golden Age comic book hero Airboy made his first appearance in Air Fighters Comics #2, which was published by Hillman Periodicals way back in 1942.  Air Fighters – eventually re-christened as Airboy Comics following readers’ favorable reception to the dashing young air ace – was a signature comic magazine of World War era, presenting a colorful cast of heroes and villains in a cavalcade of high-flying, “shoot ‘em up” war stories.  In the years following World War II, things for the comics industry changed dramatically and sales of most comics slumped with war comics – as well as westerns and crime stories – dipping to unprecedented lows. By 1953, Hillman stopped publishing comics altogether, effectively mothballing the Airboy crew until Eclipse Comics obtained the rights to the characters in the mid 1980’s.

It was mid-1995 when I first discovered the Eclipse run of Airboy.  The find was one of those legitimately serendipitous moments that ultimately changed the face of my comic collecting forever.  A local second-hand book store had packaged bunches of miscellaneous back issues into “grab bags” to liquidate their overstock quickly and I bought two or three of them at a few bucks a piece to read during some down time over the summer.  In the bags I found a typical assortment of Marvel and DC books and a handful of Eclipse Airboy comics, including the first few issues of the series.  I initially viewed them with decidedly low expectations as I had never been much of a fan of independent and non-Marvel/DC stuff up to that point (barring a few obvious exceptions, such as Walt Kelly’s Pogo, Eastman and Laird’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the like).

*     *     *

I was fortunate to start my reading right at the beginning with a copy of Airboy #1 and it’s something of an understatement to say that I was pleasantly surprised with the reading experience.  At the time, I knew nothing of the original Golden Age Air Fighters and Airboy comics (although I suppose I should have, considering I had been a comic fan and collector since kindergarten or so), so the “Reborn!” issue was really a crash-course of introduction to several of the main characters including the original Airboy, David Nelson II.

This issue opens with the original Airboy in a dire state of torment.  Although Nelson has matured from a young and impulsive World War II ace into a successful aeronautics tycoon, he is effectively depicted as a brooding shadow of his former self, detached from his friends and family, including his arch-foe turned ally Hirota and nelson’s own son, David “Davy” Nelson III.

By the end of Airboy #1 (“Reborn!”), the original Airboy is assassinated by a band of air bandits leaving Hirota and David to avenge his murder.  Through issue #2 (The Wolf and the Phoenix”) and issue #3 (“Enter – The Heap!”), the team enlists the help of other Golden Age air fighters, including the battle-hardened Skywolf and the former German WWI ace turned swamp creature known as “The Heap.”  A colorful cast of characters (including a blind shaman who is hopelessly hooked on Dr. Pepper and a band of Cold War-era revolutionaries) lead Davy  – now taking his rightful place in history as the new Airboy – and his friends to the Latin American country of Bogantilla to do battle with the people responsible for the death of the original Airboy.  The villains of the tale are an oddly intriguing duo of a Reagan-loving right-wing dictator General Ortista and Golden Age Airboy nemesis Misery.

The ultimate showdown comes in Airboy #4 (“Join the Airfighters”) and Airboy #5 (“The Return of Valkryie”) in which the new Airfighters storm Ortista’s stronghold in Bogantilla to do battle with the bad guys and their minions.  In addition to avenging the death of his father, Davy Nelson frees ex-Nazi turned Airfighter Valkyrie from Misery’s clutches, bringing her back from the depths of limbo.  He soon learns that Valkyrie – who hasn’t aged a day since World War II –  has a storied and complicated past that will ultimately bring all sorts of questions and drama to bear.

*     *     *

All of the old comic book clichés fit the early issues of Eclipse’s Airboy series.  It’s an action-packed, hard-hitting thrill ride with story and art that practically jumps off the page.  Chuck Dixon’s tremendous writing is marvelously complimented by the artwork of Timothy Truman and Tom Yeates.  I was  – no lie – hopelessly hooked after reading the first five issues of Airboy back in ‘95 and spent the better part of the next year sitting on dusty comic shop floors hunting for back issues.  Because this was just before eBay revolutionized the collectibles market, it took a bit of creativity and persistence on my part to collect the entire 50-issue run and at one point I even purchased a fistful of issues directly from former Eclipse Editor-in-Chief cat yronwode.  At the end of my quest, I had scored all of the Airboy issues and virtually every Airboy spin-off, including the great Skywolf 3-issue mini series (1987) and the Eclipse answer to Crisis on Infinite Earths, Total Eclipse.  As time went on and I got a real job that paid real money, I got into collecting the vintage Hillman Airboy issues from World War II and beyond.  To this day, I am always looking to score Golden Age Airboy issues whenever I hit a comic convention or discover a new shop.

Todd McFarlane obtained the rights to the Airboy cast through the liquidation of Eclipse Enterprises some years ago and resurrected The Heap in 1992 for a short run in Spawn.  In 2009, longtime Airboy writer Chuck Dixon launched a new round of stories of the Golden Age Airboy under the banner of Moonstone Comics.  Further issues are planned for 2010.

Not every great comic book is worth hundreds or thousands of dollars and the Eclipse Airboy issues are still easy to find at great prices on eBay and other comic sites.  The cross-genre appeal of this series speaks to nostalgia buffs, war enthusiasts and adventure fans everywhere.

Eclipse’s Airboy series is truly an under-appreciated gem of the Modern Age of comics and comic fans would do well to discover this for themselves.