The 100 Graphic Novels You Should Read While Stuck Inside: Day Eighteen: Blackhawk Blood And Iron

Flying The Unfriendly Skies

Tripwire continues its 100 Graphic Novels You Should Read While Stuck Inside with its eighteenth choice, Blackhawk Blood And Iron by Howard Chaykin and others, from DC, reviewed by Tripwire contributing writer Scott Braden…

Blackhawk Blood And Iron
Writers: Howard Chaykin, Marty Pasko, Mike Grell
Artists:Howard Chaykin, Rick Burchett
DC

Currently in development as a movie by director Steven Spielberg, Blackhawk has captured the imagination of countless fans since its dynamic debut in World War II from Quality Comics.

Collected for the first time within this volume is Howard Chaykin’s action-packed, sexy, and slightly controversial 1988 mini-series from DC Comics. Accused of Communist leanings and finding himself on American soil, lead character Janos Prohaska fights the forces of fascism wherever they are found with his fellow Blackhawks by his side – all at the ready for aerial combat or on-ground fisticuffs as necessary. Pitting our hero against the villainous Lord Death Mayhew, who is out to paint Blackhawk as a Red to fulfill his own evil desires (including blowing up a major American city) this collection is beautifully written and drawn, and happens to feature the first fellatio innuendo sequence in a mainstream comic. Don’t let that prevent you from picking it up, though. The story is strong and the comic itself is truly awesome in its brilliance – whether you are looking at the incredible art or canny dialogue. Easily one of the best projects Chaykin has ever crafted.

Also included is its follow-up strip published in the pages of Actions Comics Weekly and Secret Origins by writers Martin Pasko and Mike Grell and legendary artist Rick Burchett, among others. Sexy in a sophisticated fashion, these rip-roaring tales pick up where Chaykin left off and are well worth the price of admission. The high-flying fun continues as Janos and the peerless pilots of his Blackhawk freedom force have Indiana Jones style adventures in comicdom’s Golden Age until the last chapter where they meet the super-heroes of 1988. Thrills aplenty in four-colour!

Taking the Blackhawk mythos to new heights, this must-have tome will have freedom-loving readers reveling in the works of iconic heroes and the true ideal behind the red, white, and blue.

Joel Meadows

www.dccomics.com

Here’s links to the other graphic novels reviewed so far

http://www.tripwiremagazine.co.uk/headlines/the-100-graphic-novels-you-should-read-while-stuck-inside-day-fifteen-daredevil-love-and-war/