Star Spangled War Stories
Von Hammer's path crosses that of Steve Savage, the Balloon Buster, an American ace as reckless and effective as von Hammer is disciplined and deliberate. Their first encounter establishes the terms of a rivalry that has no room for personal feeling. Schmidt observes as his commander takes the measure of an opponent who fights by entirely different rules.
The 1974 return of Enemy Ace after a multi-year absence brought a significant change: Frank Thorne replacing Kubert on art. Thorne's style is looser and more decorative than Kubert's, which sits awkwardly with the material at first, but his energy suits the Balloon Buster storyline. The pairing with Steve Savage, himself a DC war comics mainstay, gave the revival a recognizable anchor.
