Synopsis
In this direct continuation of the series' opening story arc, Robert Kanigher crafts a masterclass in parallel storytelling that uncovers the deeply hidden childhood origins of Hans von Hammer. As the Rittmeister locks into a high-stakes aerial rematch against his French adversary The Hangman (Count Andre de Sevigne), their escalating dogfight leaves their bitter personal feud completely unresolved. On the frozen ground below, von Hammer's solitary black wolf companion mirrors the combat by tracking a wounded infantryman through the depths of the Black Forest. The two storylines are woven together with razor-sharp thematic precision, contrasting two apex predators who are fundamentally bound by, and trapped within, their own lethal survival instincts.
