[Johnny L. Wilson]

Having recently read a history of War Comics, I was pleased to see a reference to Hillman's Air Fighters for the first time. The history book described "The Heap," a protagonist I haven't discovered in the first two issues of the title, but I expect to get to in a later issue. Meanwhile, some of the matters described in the history book have proven interesting. The depiction of Axis characters is not merely stereotypical, but deliberately dehumanizing. Animal-like Japanese and cowardly, at times effeminate Nazis seem like typical fare. The Chinese comedy hero just wouldn't, pardon the expression, "fly" today in any fashion.

My favorite story in this issue was the Iron Ace. I thought it was going to veer off directly into Weird War II, but it was just entertaining pulp fiction in comic book format. The same was true with the dead Japanese paratroopers in another story. I thought they were going one way and they went another.

Air Fighters is a valuable historical reference. Even the advertisment signed by Secretary of War Henry Morganthau made me feel like I was experiencing living history.

Those looking for lovingly rendered historical airplanes will be disappointed in Air Fighters, but I think it is worthwhile for everyone to read.

Link to the book: Air Fighters Comics v1 02 (fiche)