Austria – 1917

Overview

“Attack of the Hawkmen” is a decidedly amateurish followup to its relatively compelling and profound predecessor. Unfortunately, this episode merely pays lip service to the lessons learned in the preceding installment and is, by and large, an episode which indulges in vanity. It stands in stark contrast to the lessons of humility and personal introspection and moderation learned in Indy’s last adventure. Instead, we’re thrust headlong into a story that romanticizes war and espionage. In and of itself, this isn’t a terrible thing, however, considering its inability to conjure up any meaningful continuity, the result is to do a great disservice to the character development which young Indy has already gone through.

Analysis & Criticism

The chapter begins with Indy recounting the lesson he learned from Albert Schweitzer that “Good is whatever promotes life. Evil is whatever destroys it.” To that end, Indy dedicates himself to ending the war as soon as possible. His solution, though? To become a spy for France (because the Belgian secret service is too inept, or so Indy says). I suppose the episode can be forgiven this minor conceit – that Indy’s decision to become a spy is his way of working within his army commission to bring about a swift end to the war. But from here, the entire chapter rapidly devolves.

Remy is assigned to an espionage post in his homeland of Belgium and Indy is assigned to be an aerial photographer. The big twist is that Indy’s new unit is a group of American volunteers and so Indy is, finally, reunited with his countrymen – and even with an old acquaintance. But his new assignment, apparently, has a rather high mortality rate and even his new comrades do not have high hopes that he will survive for very long.

This part of the episode is marked by a series of remarkably implausible occurrences such as Indy being shot down by the Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen, dining with him, and subsequently escaping – being rescued by an American airman who not only locates Indy, but lands and takes off in the middle of a firefight. Sure, it could happen. But is it plausible? Not bloody likely.

The rest of this portion of the chapter is taken up by a duel of vanity between the Red Baron and Charles Nungesser – a French flying ace. It certainly makes for some spectacular high-flying action. But the indulgence in the duel is an indulgence in violent vanity and is at direct odds with the opening of the episode in which Indy invoked Albert Schweitzer. This fundamental disconnect is a sign of writers who are more interested in the “cool” factor of war than in true character development. There certainly is an audience for such things, but to try and do both within this episode is a gross mistake.

The second half of the episode follows Indy’s clandestine attempts to get in touch with Anthony Fokker (briefly featured in the first half of the episode) – the Dutch aircraft manufacturer who allied himself with the Germans during World War I. The French want to bribe him into joining their cause and it is Indy’s job to deliver the message.

There’s a lot of cloak-and-dagger back-and-forth going on here, and it is certainly entertaining on a relatively mindless level. And it is interesting to see Indy back in civilian clothes, wearing his hat once more. But by and large, there’s little here to discuss or recount. In the end, Indy discovers a German “secret weapon,” takes some pictures of it, and subsequently blows it up following a shootout near a hydrogen zeppelin. Oh, and both the Red Baron and Charles Nungesser reprise their roles for brief, colorful cameos.

Overall Grade: C

“Attack of the Hawkmen” is fine for a mindless diversion. But it is, essentially, fluff. The stories aren’t especially innovative, creative or compelling. And there’s almost no character development to speak of. In the end, this installment does little more than to offer a chance to see Indy partake in the aviation battles of World War I.