Publisher DC Comics Place of origin Earth Creator Joseph Samachson Number of issues 140 | Species Human Team affiliations Tomahawk's Rangers Artist Fred Ray | |
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Created by Joe Samachson
Edmund Good Full name Tom Hawk (also given as Thomas Hawk, Tom Hawkins and Tom Haukins) First appearance Star-Spangled Comics #69 (June 1947) Similar Pow Wow Smith, Bat Lash, Trigger Twins, Nighthawk, Scalphunter | ||
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. He was created by writer Joe Samachson and artist Edmund Good, and first appeared in Star-Spangled Comics #69 (June 1947). Tomahawk's uniqueness stems in part from the time frame of his fictional adventures: the American Revolutionary War.
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Publication history
Tomahawk was a backup feature in Star Spangled Comics from his first appearance, issue #69 (June 1947) to issue #130 (July 1952), and in World's Finest Comics from issue #33 (Mar. 1948) until issue #101 (May 1959).
The Tomahawk series lasted 140 issues, from 1950 to 1972. Most stories during this period were by writer France Herron and artist Fred Ray. The last ten issues of Tomahawk focused on "Hawk, Son of Tomahawk" (Hawk Haukins), drawn by Frank Thorne. The cover title was "Son of Tomahawk".
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 and acquired his nickname due to its resemblance to a trademark weapon of the Iroquois Confederacy's warriors, and to the skill he developed with that weapon.
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.