1:2 "jagdstaffel" is German for "fighter squadron"
1:4 The wolf was the faithful companion of Hans Von Hammer. Hans first appeared under the title "Enemy Ace" in Our Army At War #151 (1965) and later in Star Spangled War Stories. Von Hammer's stories were unique in that they never glorified war, and while he was an efficient killer, he always saluted his fallen foes.
BRANCHING OUT: Time-lost Soldiers
DC's often forgotten historical heroes were pulled out of retirement once again in 2008's 12-issue mini-series THE WAR THAT TIME FORGOT. Enemy Ace, Tomahawk and Firehair, and the Golden Gladiator starred in it, as well as some characters who had not appeared in Rick Veitch's Swamp Thing run—Viking Prince and the G.I. Robot. They ended up fighting each other on Dinosaur Island—a setting that was introduced in the 1960's DC anthology STAR-SPANGLED WAR STORIES in a feature titled THE WAR THAT TIME FORGOT.
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4:1 Swampy recalls the cattle at the slaughterhouse in last issue.
4:2 "Hausfrau" is German for "house keeper"
4:3 Swampy recalls confronting Anton Arcane in last issue.
7:7 Hans killed the English flier known as St. George, seen here, in a sword duel. (STAR SPANGLED WAR STORIES #147, by Joe Kubert, 1969)
11:2 Who is the author Von Snacht? Beelzebub's Tales to His Grandson: An Objectively Impartial Criticism of the Life of Man is Georges Ivanovitch Gurdjieff's definitive work, teaching "The Fourth Way" - a fusion of eastern and western mysticism.
The Necronomicon, from the Cthulu novels by H.P.Lovecraft, is a powerful key with spells to open gateways to dangerous dimensions.
11:3 We saw that claw/gem in the previous issue.
11:5 The doll looks very much like the Patchwork Man, the Frankenstein-like creature that Anton turns Gregori into, later in life after Gregori is critically injured by a landmine. The Patchwork Man first appeared in the original series issue #3 and more recently in #59. See that issue for more info.
11:1 In December, 1915, surviving Serbian forces, shattered by the Austro-German and Bulgarian armies, were evacuated by the Italian and French Navies to the Greek island of Corfu.
11:6 The corporal is young Adolf Hitler. (See photo at left.) Who is the oriental man?
15:2 Hans' Crimson Fokker DR-1 tri-plane was the same kind used by the Red Baron.
French Ace, Count Andre de Sevigne, The Hangman (seen here) was Hans' greatest enemy.
24:2 Here we have the usual play on words whenever the Phantom Stranger shows up. ("a stranger", "seeing phantoms")
 | From BLACK ORCHID #3 |
24:4 Abby's been signing her government checks to Chester since issue 68.Abby is still legally married to Matt Cable.
The title of the next issue's story is the same as the stamp - "Final Payment".
Comment: Von Hammer starred in a painted graphic novel, ENEMY ACE: WAR IDYLL in 1990 and in a 2 issue graphic novel ENEMY ACE: WAR IN HEAVEN in 2000.
Comment: Yes, the title is right. "Brothers in Arms - Part 1" comes after "Part 2", because ST is travelling backwards in time.
Comment: Issues #82 and beyond have not yet been reprinted in a trade paperback.
Comment: In the month that this issue was released, Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean's BLACK ORCHID mini-series issue 3 was also published. Swamp Thing and Abby appear briefly at the end of the story, which obviously does not take place during Swampy's time travel adventure.
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