REVIEW: Blackhawk #239

Creators: Chuck Cuidera, Bob Powell, Will Eisner

Review: Madman Miller

I scored two issues of this old timer for 2 Washingtons apiece at first sight. I had to have them for the covers alone; they are classically epic in every sense. Pure comic glory. 

I had never heard of Blackhawk or the Blackhawks before DC's New 52 launched. I'm admittedly not a huge fan of or reader of DC comics so I didn’t buy the New 52 books, but I understand the newer incarnation of said series is nothing like its humble Nazi-smashin', Chinese-bashing Grandpappy. The 52 only lasted 8 issues so it must have been heavy on the mehs. I can't say that about this Super Nazi-bashin' issue though. I can’t help it. I love the corny dialogue, the ridiculous battle cry, and those old school ads in these golden oldies get me every time.

Blackhawk is the mysterious Nazi-bashin' leader of the Blackhawk team. He’s more or less the DC equivalent to Marvel's Nick Fury. In his ragtag super-team we have The Golden Centurion in gold armor. He can fire off blasts of pure liquid gold. The Listener is the pj wearing communications expert. The Weapons Expert is the master of weaponry . . .

M'sieu Machine is the French demolitions expert. The Leaper is in a rubber-titanium suit that allows him to leap great distances. And last but not least we have probably the most interesting character, Dr. Hands, the Chinese martial artist and sidekick of Blackhawk with beryllium-encased hands. In the original run Dr. Hands, aka Chop-Chop, started life as the Chinese cook comic relief. 

This issue deals with a super-Nazi killing machine pulling a Captain America and crawling out of a glacier. Iron Hammer thinks WW II is still happening and does his “evil plot” thing. The ace pilots of Team Blackhawk put that Nazi sumbitch outta business and all ends well. Just like every other book of the period it’s pretty much a typical "good guy is always right".

Other than the covers and the history lesson, I found that I really don’t care about this book. It’s just not my kind of thing, but good for them. I’ll just buy for the covers, not the cheese.