Aces High

The EC Artists' Library #11

by George Evans, Harvey Kurtzman, Carl Wessler

George Evans’ comics art get the classic treatment in this collection of aerial warfare-themed EC stories. George Evans was a master of the aviation war story. This collection includes all of his highly-acclaimed stories for Aces High , EC’s famous air war title. As a bonus, we present a rarity: Evans’ never-before-reprinted 3-D story of World War I ace Frank Luke (in regular, easy-on-the-eyes 2-D). This volume also includes numerous Evans crime and shock stories, including “As Ye Sow…,” “…My Brother’s Keeper,” and “Cadillac Fever.” Other war stories, many done in collaboration with Harvey Kurtzman, include “Napoleon!” and “Flaming Coffins” (which Evans wrote, about the inherent perils of WW I aircraft). Like all books in the Fantagraphics EC line, Aces High features essays and notes by EC experts on these superbly crafted, classic comic book masterpieces. Black & white

Genres: Comics, Anthologies, Graphic Novels, War

216 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

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Reviews

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aces High contains 28 stories illustrated by George Evans.

War comics aren't normally my thing but I liked the other George Evans book I read in Fantagraphics' EC library. Plus, I have a collection to think about and I'm almost done with the EC Library!

Anyway, this is great stuff. Evans had some serious chops, be it biplanes flying around in World War I or the seedy goings on in back alleys. The crime stories are straight out of Jim Thompson, bleak noir tales with the standard EC reversal of fortune ending. The war stories kind of blend together but the aerial artwork is where Evans really struts his stuff. I kept waiting for Enemy Ace to show up.

I'm really running out of ways to praise these black and white EC reprint books but I haven't regretted one yet. Aces High is more of the same and I wish there was more George Evans work in print. Four out of five stars.

[Tristan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather odd pairing of George Evans' -a hugely underrated cartoonist - WW I aviation and crime material. Artwise a real treasure (in gorgeous black and white, as in all these EC Library editions) to be sure, yet I found myself not caring much for the war tales due to them being repetitive and overly sentimental at times. Still, they were published in the 1950's for a primarily pubescent audience, so this is to be expected. In terms of technical and historical detail (a veteran of WW II, Evans had a deep interest in aviation) however, they truly shine. Stunningly dynamic page lay-outs for the time, as well.





My prime interest were the crime tales, which are great, lurid examples of the conte cruel, which EC of course is famous for. Here, both ordinary people and criminals, out of fear, greed or jealousy commit the most heinous crimes, and get their just desserts. Other tales ( "Cadillac Fever!", "..My Brother's Keeper") read more like tragic melodramas, overflowing with pathos. At first glance they might come off as cheesy or forced, but the talent involved makes it all work. Only EC could pull it off, really. Smooth, taut storytelling goes a long way, indeed.







Overall a more than decent volume to satisfy the occasional peruser of EC material - naturally a must for diehard fans -, and a wonderful tribute to George Evans to boot.

A solid 3,5 stars.


Next stop on the EC train: Graham "Ghastly" Ingels (gulp)!

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOTE: I actually read the Full Color ACES HIGH ANNUAL Version of this one, which included the entire ACES HIGH series. It's mostly the same stories so I posted my review here until the other version can be imported.

Its an entire volume of WWI air combat stories. Great art and great stories. The same high quality storytelling EC brought to their horror comics shines through in the war stories as well. Only 2 stories in the volume are WWI, the rest are all WWI. Very meticulous researched, as the planes are called by their exact names and the artists were careful in their representations. It always amazes me just how high quality EC stories were in comparison to their competitors. While most were still doing comis aimed at kids, EC stories could be enjoyed by adults as well.

Some of the stories are better than others, but overall a great volume that I highly recommend.

[Artur Coelho · Rating 3 out of 5]

George Evans pertence aos melhores daquela geração de ilustradores clássicos da Golden Age que ajudou a definir o estilo gráfico da época pré-comics code. Grafista para toda a obra, especializou-se nas histórias de horror, crime, suspense, desporto mas distinguiu-se ao ilustrar histórias de combate aéreo na I guerra. Aces High colige um pouco de tudo. Confesso, descaradamente, que nem me dei ao trabalho de ler as histórias que Evans ilustrou de true crime, terror ou suspense. Sabia ao que ia e ao que me interessava: o seu excelso trabalho a retratar as fabulosas máquinas voadoras da I guerra, algo que fazia com um traço preciso, meticuloso mas ao mesmo tempo capaz de captar o dinamismo do voo. As histórias em si são hinos algo patrióticos à coragem de pilotos, exaltações simplistas de valores militaristas datadas e bastante desinteressantes. Sâo as ilustrações que fazem valer a pena revisitar estas histórias, originalmente publicada na revista Aces High. Ex-mecânico aeronaútico nos tempos em que ingressou no exército americano, Evans era um apaixonado da aeronáutica clássica e isso nota-se na forma como recria no estrito espaço da vinheta a poesia visual modernista dos engenhos de metal, madeira e tecido que afrontavam os ares.

[Víctor Segovia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Primer libro del reto concluido.

No es la primera vez que leo un recopilatorio de la casa editorial EC Comics, enfocados en la obra de un autor en una de sus publicaciones, pero esta recopilación parecía de esos días después del polémico Comic Code y toda la censura que trajo.

Pero no todo es malo, es un bonito recordatorio de como empezó el género del comic bélico ambientado en la primera guerra mundial así como otras historias, que si bien no concordaban de forma global, demuestra lo adelantado que estaban para su época la gente responsable de EC Comics.

[Bart Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mix of crime stories and WW I flying ace stories made for an odd mix. Many of the crime stories wer text heavy, which usually doesn't bother me, but most felt too long. AS for the WW I stories, they were just not that interesting to me.

[Mike Hunchback · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantagraphics' artists editions are among the absolute best reproductions of EC comics out there ... essential series.