Star Spangled War Stories

"Hell's Angels - To End in Flames"

Cover Date December 1974
Issue #183
Pages 7
Type Original Story
Cover Price 25¢
Featured Character Hans von Hammer
Also Featuring Schultz; The Black Wolf
Guest Characters Steve Savage ('the Balloon Buster')

Synopsis

The legendary 'Hell's Angels' trilogy reaches its explosive conclusion over the Western Front as the relentless clash between Hans von Hammer and Lt. Steve Savage is finally resolved. In perfect alignment with Robert Kanigher's signature anti-war philosophy, the duel avoids standard commercial tropes of total victory or defeat, proving that mere survival is the only true prize available to these masters of the sky. From the ground below, the loyal orderly Schultz and the solitary Black Wolf bear witness to the gripping end of a monumental chapter in the Rittmeister's aerial combat career.

Collector Notes

The definitive grand finale to the three-part 'Hell's Angels' story arc stands as a hallmark of the franchise due to its uncompromising refusal to deliver a clean, traditional outcome. Neither ace triumphs decisively, and neither loses irrevocably; instead, Kanigher expertly handles the script to emphasize human endurance over simple battlefield conquest. Frank Thorne's heavily stylized, loose line work wraps the trilogy beautifully, making this a highly prized and essential key issue for collectors tracking the historical intersection of DC's World War I continuity.

Creative Team

Writer Robert Kanigher
Penciler Frank Thorne
Inker Frank Thorne
Letterer Ben Oda