Unknown Soldier

"I Am My Own Executioner - Stolen Face…Stolen Ace!"

Cover Date February 1982
Issue #260
Pages 7
Type Original Story
Cover Price $1.00
Featured Character Hans von Hammer
Also Featuring General von Kurtz (first appearance; German officer); Monika (first appearance, a nurse), The Black Wolf

Synopsis

The historic kickoff to the masterfully self-contained, two-part "I Am My Own Executioner" psychological duology. Hans von Hammer finds himself trapped inside a chilling, bureaucratic conspiracy orchestrated from within his own high command by the cold General von Kurtz. Determined to weaponize the legendary "Hammer of Hell" reputation as pure, unthinking corporate propaganda, von Kurtz forces a severely disfigured pilot to undergo radical plastic surgery to completely copy von Hammer's distinct physical features. Trapped on the ground while his dishonorable double commits atrocities in the skies, the real Rittmeister must navigate a web of total isolation, treated by the mystery nurse Monika while his solitary Black Wolf stands as the only creature who can instinctively sense the true master

Collector Notes

A monumental 1982 milestone marking the character's transition into the pages of Unknown Soldier, launching one of the most psychologically intense and identity-focused narratives of the Bronze Age. This 7-page opening installment introduces the brilliant line art of industry veteran John Severin, whose hyper-detailed, historically accurate textures and rugged character work provide a spectacular new visual identity for the franchise's final pre-Crisis era. Backed by Gaspar Saladino's unmatched lettering typography, Robert Kanigher's script expertly dissects the terrifying notion of a reputation being corporate-weaponized against its own creator.

Creative Team

Writer Robert Kanigher
Penciler John Severin
Inker John Severin
Letterer Gaspar Saladino