Cinebook The 9th Art: Bear's Tooth 1 -Max

PAPERBACK

Authors: Yann & Alain Henriet
Age: 12 years and up
Size: 21.7 x 28.7 cm
Number of pages: 56 colour pages
Publication: March 2018
Price: £7.99 inc. VAT

ISBN: 9781849183321

Silesia, 1930. Three children play with toy airplanes. Three friends – Max the Polish Jew, Werner and Hanna the Germans. All dream of becoming pilots, but they won’t all have the same opportunities, and the world is heading down a dark road... 1944. Max is now an ace in the US Navy, while Hanna is one of Germany’s top test pilots. Will anything remain of their old friendship, as the sides they each chose are locked in a struggle to the death? 

Even before I undertook several years work looking at World War 2 German experimental aircraft I had heard the names of the two most famous fliers of these aircraft. So it was interesting to pick up this new series by Cinebook and I will NOT give any spoilers though Cinebook make it clear who the female character is -Hanna Reitsch.

What, you have NEVER heard of her? Well, she was the.....

First woman to earn the Silver C Badge

First woman to fly a helicopter

First woman to pilot a rocket plane

First woman to fly a jet

Iron Cross First Class Luftwaffe(one of only three women)

Pilot/Observer Badge in Gold with Diamonds (only woman)

Honorary member of theSociety of Experimental Test Pilots (one of only three women)

Member #1 of the Whirly-Girlsfemale helicopter pilot association

So that is no big secret but the story and characterisation is good and the flash-back segments work in well.  This has all the hallmarks of becoming yet another Cinebook success (I am still waiting for the one bad series...it'll be here...one day...).  Well written and the art by Henriet (colours by Usagi) is lovely and detailed  -from aircraft, uniforms, street and country scenes and a great aerial combat sequence.

This is not just a war story but much more and how it develops I cannot wait to see!