ITGs ABCs: Enemy Ace v. Balloon Buster in Star Spangled War Stories #s 181-183 (Aug.-Dec. 1974)

In this episode of ITGs ABCs, I'll be having a look at a 3-part back-up story from Star-Spangled War Stories #s 181-183 featuring the 1st confrontation between 2 of DC Comics' WWI battle stars, Hans Von Hammer, the Enemy Ace & Steve Savage the Balloon Buster!

I covered the 3 chapters of this serial in blog format HERE, HERE & HERE, but I like to circle back to the inspirations for this project from time to time, so I hope you enjoy the audioblog version &:

Download this episode HERE!

Balloon Buster Bonus! Star-Spangled War Stories #173 (Sept. 1973)

Just when I thought I was done indexing the adventures of Steve Savage - the Balloon Buster pulls me back in!

Looks like my research was faulty in preparing the number of posts I'd devoted to Steve Savage, The Balloon Buster, as tucked in the back of Star-Spangled War Stories #173 is a little gem of a story called 'Robert Kanigher's Gallery of War: The Kill.'  This nifty little 7-pager by, who else, Robert Kanigher, and drawn by Frank Thorne, besides being a great back-up to the main Unknown Soldier story contains a tiny, minute, miniscule, infinitesimal cameo appearance by not only Steve Savage, but by Hans Von Hammer, the Enemy Ace.  I went back & forth about even including a recap of this story on the blog, considering the brevity of Balloon Buster's involvement but the obsessive completist in me violently rejected the very idea of skipping it over!

The story contrasts the final day of 2 WWI pilots, American Lt. Jimmy Green, and German Major Vorst. At dawn, each pilot climbs into his plane, preparing to enter battle.  Lt. Green, seemingly of low confidence level, and strangely talking to his plane, calling it 'Buddy,' and Major Vorst, brimming with (over)confidence, swearing this day to be the one where he overtakes German ace Hans Von Hammer's record number of kills - each takes off from behind his respective line for their inevitable clash above No Man's Land.  

Lt. Green, mopily making his way through the melee spots an aggressive American plane 'tearing apart a Jerry sausage for breakfast.' Green marvels at the one American pilot who has the guts to be so brazen - Steve Savage! Savage screams vertically through the flak, his tiny noggin barely distinguishable at a great distance.

Lt. Green's commanding officer signals the approach of a German patrol - led by the red, 3 winged signature Fokker of HVH, the Enemy Ace!  The next half splash - a beautifully illustrated cluster**** of dogfightin' action presumably contains a tiny cameo of Savage's and HVH's plane, chasing through the carnage, a Lt. Green laments that no one has yet to take a shot at him (careful what you wish for . . . )

Enter Major Vorst's patrol - the major notices Von Hammer's plane in the battle, and so enters anxious to pull even with and then surpass the Enemy Ace's kill count.  Vorst quickly and easily gets Lt. Green is his sights, and lets loose with his bullets, wounding the American pilot.  Green manages to loop around, but Vorst proves too skillful a pilot and evades Green's attack.  The German loops around and pours more hot lead into the doomed American, which makes Green kill #50 - the same number held by Von Hammer.  Vorst moves on to his next pursuit too quickly, however, as the dead American pilot leans into his stick, causing his plane to climb higher and higher.  It stalls at it's peak, and inevitably, preposterously, crashing into Vorst's plane, ending the German's quest for kills.

This is a nice little story (to be expected from Kanigher) with an ironic twist, sweetened somewhat by the cameos of DC's more famous WWI aces.  It had been some 20 issues since Von Hammer graced the pages of SSWS, and about 2 years since Steve Savage's last appearance.  The 2 would appear again, together (or against one another, more accurately), next in SSWS #181, so it must have been on writer Kanigher's mind to reintroduce the aces to DC's war book readership before their inevitable clash.  I've gotta think that the seeds were planted by this time for the idea these 2 meet based on a letter column response (by Archie Goodwin) printed in this issue:

Of course, Frank Thorne, who'd recently wrapped up work with Kanigher on an excellent run of Tomahawk, would go on to illustrate those later EA v. BB stories, as well.

Steve Savage, The Balloon Buster v. The Enemy Ace - Star-Spangled War Stories #183 (Dec. 1974)

The action in this back-up story from Star-Spangled War Stories #183, picks right from last issue.  Writer Robert Kanigher and artist Frank Thorne shift the narrative point-of-view back to Hans Von Hammer for the finale of this Enemy Ace v. Balloon Buster 3-part serial.

Challenging American maverick Steve Savage to a duel at dawn, Von Hammer makes his way to the rendezvous point, just in time to see a giant zeppelin burst into flames.  This could be the work of only one person - The Balloon Buster.  Savage had vowed last issue to arrive at the duel site early, in hopes of ambushing The Enemy Ace - though he could not resist such an easy target as the now burning balloon.

This falling inferno provides the backdrop to the aces' aerial contest, as they chase each other through the flames.

Red zeppelin - backdrop for a showdown

Savage leads Von Hammer away from the wreck and into a trap - a squadron of British bombers, from which the German takes some fire.  Von Hammer pulls a nifty move, diving at such a great speed that it puts out the flames on his aircraft.

Has Steve Savage busted his last balloon?

He quickly pulls up, and manages to fix Savage's plane in his sights.  He lets the bullets fly, and scores a direct hit to the American's fuel tank.  The Balloon Buster's plane bursts into flames, just like the zeppelin he downed earlier, and the pilot rides the fireball to the earth.

Score at the half: Enemy Ace - 1, Balloon Buster - 0!

Von Hammer, thinking he's killed Savage, mourns the loss of such a courageous & worthy opponent.  In a two-panel epilogue, 2 French nurses tend to a bed-ridden figure wrapped in bandages, Negative Man-style.  The nurses can barely make out what the patient is mumbling, but it turns out to be Savage, miraculously alive, wanting another crack at Von Hammer.  He'd get it - in The Balloon Buster's next back-up stint 8 years later!

Savage, doing his Negative Man impersonation

What I found so interesting in this 3-part story, was the flip in traditional comics logic - typically in war stories, the Germans were the 'bad guys' and the Americans were the 'good guys.' Von Hammer had been the 'hero' of his own stories for about 10 years at this point, though his opponents had generally been faceless French or British pilots.  In this serial, however, (which was an Enemy Ace feature, guest-starring the Balloon Buster, make no mistake) Steve Savage plays the chaotic foil to Von Hammer's order & honor.  Very unusual to see an American serviceman cast in a negative light (e.g. the disrespect, breaking the rules, cheating to win, etc.).

This is one of the few Balloon Buster stories to receive a modern reprinting - it's available in the Enemy Ace Archives vol 2, and in the Showcase Presents: Enemy Ace collections.

Steve Savage, The Balloon Buster v. The Enemy Ace - Star-Spangled War Stories #182 (Oct. 1974)

Billed on the cover as an Enemy Ace feature, the back-up story in issue #182 of Star-Spangled War Stories (behind an Unknown Soldier lead feature) is the 2nd installment of the Ace v. Balloon Buster serial begun in the previous issue. Between the last story and this, the creative team of writer Robert Kanigher and artist Frank Thorne have switched the narrative perspective from WWI German ace Von Hammer to the maverick American pilot, Steve Savage.  The change of pace is obvious as the action intensifies.

The frontispiece to this chapter of the duel - this time, Steve Savage takes over the narration

The story picks right up with Savage just having been captured by Von Hammer.  The rules of combat etiquette to which Von Hammer subscribe dictate that he invite the captured pilot to dine with he & his officers that night.  This strange ritual is not understood by Savage, who subscribes only to his own rules.

When Savage is toasted by Von Hammer, rather than returning the favor, he unexpectedly throws his drink in the German's face, steals a sidearm and shoots his way out of the dinner party.

Steve Savage - not the best dinner guest

Savage crashes through the window, but is confronted by a German biplane, whose pilot has a real mad-on for the Balloon Buster.  In what seems like a lopsided game of chicken, Savage stands his ground to the approaching plane - its guns blazing.  Savage, so skilled with firearms, manages to kill the pilot and hijack the plane - just as Von Hammer reaches the airfield, silent in his frustration & anger.

He's the gun! Savage in a dangerous game of chicken / A master class in balloon bustin' witnessed in silent anger by Von Hammer

Greeted by a sky filled with German observation balloons, Savage can't help himself but to destroy each & every one of them.  This expenditure of fuel forces him down in the French town of Crouy - which is a great coincidence, since he had a date that very evening with a woman there, named Celeste.  She reports that he's been listed as missing - presumed dead.  Savage takes her in his arms and vows to sort it all out . . . in the morning (ooh la la).

Still able to make his date

Savage, finding his way back to base the next day, witnesses Von Hammer tearing up the American airfield with his distinctive red tri-plane. With a saluting gesture, The Enemy Ace drops a boot with a challenge to meet in the skies at dawn the next day. Savage accepts to himself, but aims to cheat and get there early.  That battle will be chronicled in the final chapter - next issue!

The final challenge

In the tease for that next issue at the bottom of the last page, we get what, I guess, is the closest thing to a character symbol for Steve Savage (kind of like his Superman 'S').  I'm assuming the belt buckle-with-two-pistols-and-an-'s' was designed by Frank Thorne.  It didn't go one to get much use, but it's nice to see this small attempt to 'brand' the Balloon Buster.

Steve Savage, The Balloon Buster v. The Enemy Ace: Star-Spangled War Stories # 181 (Aug. 1974)

It had to happen.

Three years after his previous appearance, Steve Savage, The Balloon Buster finally meets his match in Hans Von Hammer, The Enemy Ace.  'The Hammer of Hell' had been appearing sporadically in the back of Star-Spangled War Stories, backing up lead feature The Unknown Soldier for a couple of years.  The Enemy Ace strip was written by creator Robert Kanigher, who I've got to think had been itching to pit his noble, dignified German pilot against his other recurring WWI ace, the white trash saddle tramp, The Balloon Buster.

The meeting would take place in Star-Spangled . . . #181 , and carry over into the next two issues.  This three issue back-up stint would pretty much form the template for the remainder of Steve Savage's appearances.

The Main Event - almost 10 years in the making

This 3-parter was illustrated by Frank Thorne, a fantastic talent who'd been in the business for almost 30 years at this point.  He previously worked with Robert Kanigher on a healthy run of Tomahawk, DC's Revolutionary War title.  Though Thorne's work is certainly distinct, on the spectrum of comic artists, it would fall somewhere very near Joe Kubert's - in fact letter writers to the Tomahawk title were mistaking Thorne's early work there for Kubert's.  Sometimes loose and impressionistic in his linework, Thorne was capable of great detail, as evidenced in his depiction of the aircraft in this story.

Speaking of which:

This 7 page story, titled "Hells Angels," is written in first person from the perspective of Von Hammer.  The war-weary Enemy Ace is awoken one morning by the sound of a fierce battle in the skies over the German airfield.  The entire dawn patrol, under Von Hammer's command, is being engaged by a lone yellow Spad, an American plane.  Pilots on the ground, furious at the slaughter this single American pilot is inflicting, are prevented from taking off by Von Hammer.  He insists that this 'duel between gentlemen . . . shall finish . . . without interruption!'  Von Hammer, himself, decides to take to the skies, in order to assure that 'the rules of combat are observed!'

Taking nobility too far? Content to merely observe the destruction of his pilots, The Enemy Ace takes to the skies

From the periphery of the battle, Von Hammer, his nobility apparently overriding his sense of care for his comrades, strangely notes the courage of the American pilot, as the last of the German patrol is shot to the ground.  Finally engaging the enemy pilot, Von Hammer notices that the American is not firing back - he's out of ammunition.  This doesn't stop the maverick pilot from pulling one last desperate act to take down Von Hammer - the American swoops above Von Hammer's Fokker and narrowly misses a collision which would have killed them both.

A desperate, crazy ploy by The Balloon Buster that would kill them both

Gaining better position, Von Hammer is able to force his enemy to the ground.  After getting out of their planes, introductions are made.  Von Hammer, all manners, congratulates the the pilot on his 'victories' over his comrades.  The pilot, dressed in American western attire (cowboy hat, boots, sidearms) and aviator goggles, gruffly introduces himself as Lt. Steve Savage.  As Savage is taken prisoner, Von Hammer (priorities way out of whack) thinks to himself how grateful he is for the opportunity to meet the American ace, of whom he's heard so much (despite the fact that he's now lost several pilots).

Ace to ace, meeting face to face

What sort of monkey wrench Steve Savage will throw into the ordered, mannered world of Von Hammer will be revealed next issue - where the perspective shifts, & the story will be picked up with narration from the Balloon Buster, himself.