Aces High Annual #1

In "The Way It Was," an elderly World War I pilot shares memories of aerial combat with his grandson, reflecting on the stark contrast between the planes of today and the brutal realities of war—where progress in technology hasn’t changed the enduring toll of death, destruction, and loss.

In the quiet aftermath of battle, newly assigned Lt. Pomeroy stands on the grassy field of Bar Sur Seine, still an outsider among the hardened pilots of the 37th "Blue Blazes" Aero Squadron. Though shunned by his peers and wary of his place in the unit, he finds his moment when he witnesses a sudden aerial assault on the base—only to take flight and turn the tide, proving himself in the sky.

In the quiet moments before takeoff, a young recruit named Lane learns the strange, solemn duty of the squadron’s mascot—a dog who waits on the runway, a silent witness to every flight. His presence is more than tradition; it’s a quiet, unspoken barometer, a living pulse that marks the difference between return and loss.

In the skies over Europe during World War I, where honor and instinct often clashed, Lt. Horst Viegel stood apart—unbound by the unspoken codes that governed aerial combat. His defiance of tradition put him at odds with both enemy and ally, testing the limits of courage and consequence in the heat of war.

In the skies above a war-torn Europe, Captain Warren—still healing from wounds—finds unexpected solace in the care of a nurse whose kindness stirs something deeper. When she is killed in a brutal air raid by the merciless pilot known as Rustow, Warren’s grief ignites a fierce resolve. Determined to confront the man who took her, he pleads with his commanding officer to return to combat, even as his plane runs low on ammunition. On a final, desperate sortie, he locks eyes with Rustow—and chooses a final, unforgettable act of defiance.

In the trenches of World War I, Burt dreams of soaring above the mud and chaos, chasing the freedom of flight. When he’s finally chosen to join the legendary Lafayette Escadrille, he’s handed the keys to a new life—along with the inherited locker of a fallen pilot, Lt. Blackton. But as he unpacks the belongings, he begins to wonder if the past has followed him into the skies.

In "The Rules," Lt. Dale’s unorthodox tactics as a WWI pilot clash with the fragile code of conduct between American and German aviators. When his actions cross a line the enemy won’t ignore, the consequences come swiftly and without warning.

In "Greasemonkey," a young mechanic named Stu Warner, once a flight trainee now relegated to ground crew after failing out, finds himself thrust into the cockpit when tragedy strikes. When his best friend dies in a training accident, Stu steps in to fly a perilous mission meant for a base captain—whose own son had died in the same training program—hoping to atone and spare the man from danger.

In "The Green Kids," Major Caswell grapples with the toll of losing young, inexperienced pilots in a war that feels indifferent to their sacrifice. When Colonel Ross is abruptly relieved of command, Caswell steps into the role and begins to uncover a deeper truth behind the losses—one that challenges everything he believed about leadership and duty.

In the skies over war-torn Europe, a pilot named Buddy carries a worn teddy bear named Happy not for luck, but out of habit—until he leaves it behind with a Red Cross volunteer to be repaired. When he’s called back to the front, the bear remains unfixed, but a hidden token from his friend Pete finds its way into Buddy’s flight gear. As the mission unfolds, Buddy’s survival feels too coincidental to ignore, and the weight of that small, forgotten charm begins to settle in.

In the skies over the Western Front, Lt. Muller earns a reputation as the squadron’s top ace—yet his confidence wavers when the elusive German pilot known as the Red Eagle appears. As dogfights rage and tensions mount, a secret from the past begins to unravel, threatening to change everything.

In "Ordeal," Lieutenant Stoner—seasoned pilot with 32 missions under his belt—faces a challenge that tests him in ways no dogfight ever could, pushing him beyond the limits of his experience and courage.