Bloodlines (Sherman)

On June 6, 1944, Private First Class Michael Donovan and 13,000 U.S. Paratroopers soar over the English Channel toward their Drop Zone in enemy-occupied France. Their mission: capture the town of Carentan from the Germans and secure an operations base for Allied forces. Suddenly, the sky explodes with anti-aircraft fire, and Donovan's C-47 Skytrain is hit! Within moments, the troops exit the aircraft and plummet toward a deadly destination. On the ground, Donovan finds himself alone in the Lion's Den without food, shelter, or a weapon. In order to survive, the rookie soldier must rely on his instincts and locate his platoon before time runs out.

Technology and air superiority equals success in modern warfare. But even during the War in Afghanistan, satellite recon and smart bombs cannot replace soldiers on the ground. When a SEAL team SeaHawk helicopter goes down in the icy mountains of Kandahar, Lieutenant Lester Donovan must make a difficult decision: follow orders or go "off mission" and save his fellow soldiers. With Taliban terrorists at every turn, neither decision will be easy. He'll need his instincts and some high-tech weaponry to get off of the hillside and back to base alive!

A heart-pounding, action-packed tale of combat and kinship skillfully crafted by United States Marine Corps veteran and acclaimed comics writer M. Zachary Sherman (SOCOM: SEAL Team Seven). Follow the Donovans through four generations of American wars - from World War II to the War in Afghanistan - where each explosive moment defines the future of this military family.

During the War in Iraq, Lieutenant Commander Lester Donovan of the U.S. Navy SEALs must capture a known terrorist near the border of Syria. It's a dangerous mission. Land mines and hostile combatants blanket the area, yet Donovan is undeterred. But when the mission goes awry, this gung-ho commander must learn to keep his cool if he's going to keep his men safe.

On December 1, 1950, during the heart of the Korean War, Lieutenant Everett Donovan awakens in a mortar crater behind enemy lines. During the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, a mine explosion has killed his entire platoon of U.S. Marines. Shaken and shivering from the subzero temps, the lieutenant struggles to his feet and stands among the bodies of his fellow Devil Dogs. Suddenly, a shot rings out! Donovan falls to his knees and when he looks up, he's face to face with his Korean counterpart. Both men know the standoff will end in brotherhood or blood... and neither choice will come easy.

When a C-119 cargo plane crashes behind enemy lines in mountainous terrain, the American survivors are stranded with no chance of rescue. Facing a brutal environment, dwindling resources, and an attack by enemy forces, Corporal Tony Donovan realizes their only hope is doing the impossible: repairing one of the several destroyed Jeeps that was their cargo, utilizing a hodgepodge of remnants from the wreckage, to escape alive.

In late 1970, Lieutenant Verner "Hershey" Donovan sits aboard the USS Constellation aircraft carrier, waiting to fly his F-4 Phantom II over the skies of Vietnam. He's the lead roll for the next hop and eager to help the U.S. troops already on the ground. Then suddenly, the call comes in - a Marine Recon unit has taken heavy fire and requires air support. Within moments, Donvan and the other pilots are into their birds and into the skies. Soon, however, a dogfight with MiG fighter planes takes a turn for the worse, and the lieutenant ejects over enemy territory. His co-pilot is injured in the fall, and Donovan must make a difficult choice. In order to save his friend, he must first leave him behind.

During the Vietnam War, Captain Anne Donovan's aid station is pinned down by a sniper near the front lines, and the doctor performing a life-threatening surgery is critically wounded. Donovan must take control of not only the operating room, but her emotions as well.

When British Intelligence learns of a German U-Boat anchored off the coast of Sweden, in neutral waters, they enlist the help of an American Naval code-breaking officer to go undercover as Nazis. Their mission: sneak aboard the German sub and liberate the Enigma decoding machine.