I can only imagine the pitch meeting for the 1960s comic collected in SHOWCASE PRESENTS ENEMY ACE: VOLUME 1: “We got this great idea of a war book! It will center on a WWI pilot who’s the best of the best! He’s a bit anti-social and plays by a strict code of honor! His only friend is a wolf he found while hunting! Oh, and here’s the kicker: He is German!”

Continuing with reissuing the more esoteric titles for its super-affordable SHOWCASE line, DC has brought back one of the best war comics that ever graced the page. ENEMY ACE follows German flying ace Hans von Hammer — sort of like a comic book version of the Jean Renior film GRAND ILLUSION, since Hammer always follows the rules of fair play.

Starting out as a support story in OUR ARMY AT WAR, the character then became the central piece for STAR-SPANGLED WAR STORIES. There a few recurring enemies for von Hammer to fight — mainly The Hangman, a French pilot who crops up throughout the series — all while he deals with his lot in the war of what his fellow officers call just a killing machine. Hammer befriends a wild wolf of all things, who seems to be the only thing he can relate to, as they’re both lone killers.

What is truly fantastic is how for the whole original run, there was only one writer whose vision would carry the book: Robert Kanigher. The bulk of the art is from Joe Kubert, one of the premier war comic artists, better known for his run on SGT. ROCK. Much later in the series, we see other artists take over, with Howard Chaykin being the most distinct of the group.

It’s amazing how the SHOWCASE line totally shows up other comic companies by bringing out titles most people never thought would see the light of day again. You definitely get your money’s worth. ENEMY ACE delivers throughout, never repeating itself, like some series. —Bruce Grossman

Buy it at Amazon.

OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THIS SERIES:
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATGIRL: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATMAN: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATMAN: VOLUME 2
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD BATMAN TEAM-UPS: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD BATMAN TEAM-UPS: VOLUME 2
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE ELONGATED MAN: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS GREEN ARROW: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE HAUNTED TANK: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS HAWKMAN: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE HOUSE OF MYSTERY: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE HOUSE OF MYSTERY: VOLUME 2
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS JONAH HEX: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES: VOLUME 2
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS METAMORPHO: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE PHANTOM STRANGER: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS SGT. ROCK: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS SHAZAM!: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS SUPERMAN FAMILY: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER: VOLUME 1
• SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE WAR THAT TIME FORGOT: VOLUME 1