Tomahawk (comics)

Tomahawk is an American comic book character whose adventures were published by DC Comics during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s as a backup feature in Star Spangled Comics and World's Finest Comics and in his own eponymous series.[1] He was created by writer Joe Samachson and artist Edmund Good, and first appeared in Star-Spangled Comics #69 (June 1947).[2] Tomahawk's uniqueness stems in part from the time frame of his fictional adventures: the American Revolutionary War.

Tomahawk
Tomahawk #15 (Jan./Feb. 1953). Cover art by Bob Brown.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceStar Spangled Comics #69 (June 1947)
Created byJoe Samachson
Edmund Good
In-story information
Full nameTom Hawk (also given as Thomas Hawk, Tom Hawkins and Tom Haukins)
SpeciesHuman
Place of originEarth
Team affiliationsTomahawk's Rangers
AbilitiesTomahawk is well versed in American Indian languages and customs from many tribes. He is an excellent hand-to-hand fighter, and well versed in the weapons of the era. He has a keen deductive ability and is an excellent horseman.
Tomahawk
Series publication information
PublisherDC Comics
ScheduleBimonthly:
#1-20, #57-140
Eight Times a Year:
#21-56
FormatOngoing series
GenreWestern
Publication dateSept./Oct. 1950 – May/June 1972
Number of issues140
Main character(s)Tomahawk
Creative team
Writer(s)Ed France Herron
Artist(s)Fred Ray

Publication history

Tomahawk was a backup feature in Star Spangled Comics from his first appearance, issue #69 (June 1947)[3] to issue #130 (July 1952), and in World's Finest Comics from issue #33 (Mar. 1948) until issue #101 (May 1959).

The Tomahawk series premiered in September 1950, and lasted 140 issues, until June 1972.[4] Most stories during this period were by writer France Herron and artist Fred Ray. The last ten issues of Tomahawk were titled Son of Tomahawk, featuring the character's son, Hawk Haukins, but the change did not slow the dropping sales which led to the book's cancellation.[5]

Fictional character biography

Known as either Tom Hawk or Thomas Haukins, depending on which of two versions of his published history the reader prefers, "Tomahawk" was a soldier who served under George Washington in the warfare between the British, French and Iroquois forces during the decades prior to the American Revolutionary War. He acquired his nickname due to the resemblance between his birth name and a trademark weapon of the Iroquois Confederacy's warriors, and to the skill he developed with that weapon. He's assisted by a young white friend, Dan Hunter.[6]

He subsequently achieved further fame as one of Washington's most capable operatives during the Revolution itself, leading a band of soldiers under the informal nickname of "Tomahawk's Rangers".

In issues 35 and 36 (Sept.–Nov. 1955), Tomahawk met a young Davy Crockett, who was very popular at the time. However, this was a historical error, as Crockett (1786–1836) was not born until after the Revolutionary War.

Issue #81 was also notable, introducing Miss Liberty (Bess Lynn), one of the earliest patriotic superheroes by the vague internal chronology of the DC Universe, who would make several more appearances in the series. Liberty Belle is a descendant of hers.

In the Time Masters mini-series, it is established that Tomahawk's associate Dan Hunter is actually Rip Hunter's cousin who travels back in time to stop the Illuminati during the Revolutionary War, deciding to stay in the past.

In 1998, Tomahawk appeared in a Vertigo Visions one-shot, written by Rachel Pollack. This issue retold his origin.

In 2008, he is featured in Bruce Jones' The War that Time Forgot.

During his quest to find a special stone, Haukins met and married an Apache princess named Moon Fawn, with whom he had two sons; Hawk and Small Eagle.

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References
  1. Markstein, Don. "Tomahawk". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  2. Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Manning, Matthew K.; McAvennie, Michael; Wallace, Daniel (2019). DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle. DK Publishing. p. 51. ISBN 978-1-4654-8578-6.
  3. Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 310. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  4. Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Manning, Matthew K.; McAvennie, Michael; Wallace, Daniel (2010). DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle. DK Publishing. p. 61. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9.
  5. Sacks, Jason; Dallas, Keith (2014). American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1970s. TwoMorrows Publishing. p. 82. ISBN 978-1605490564.
  6. Nevins, Jess (2013). Encyclopedia of Golden Age Superheroes. High Rock Press. pp. 273–274. ISBN 978-1-61318-023-5.
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