The Top 10 Peacemaker Covers

"A man who loves peace so much that he is willing to fight for it!" It's the sort of conflicting concept that seems to turn off readers. Leftists see a man packing a gun (a whole arsenal, actually) and recognize a hawk, while right-wingers could do without all that hippie talk getting in the way of explosions. Despite being a diplomat by day, Christopher Smith had the capacity to maintain a sunny grin while watching people burned alive in the usually more staid Silver Age that inspired the creation of the Comedian, so conservatives should have more readily embraced him. Instead, Peacemaker was ahead of his time at Charlton, then behind the times at DC, hopelessly goofy in his bucket helmet and jetpack. To make up for it, DC went the "mature" route of making the character a delusional homicidal maniac who heard the voice of his dead Nazi father (among others,) which even in the heyday of the anti-hero was laying the trauma on too thick to be entertaining. Smith ended up on the receiving end of a massacre perpetrated by Eclipso, then got replaced and retconned a few times, but to my knowledge has yet to find purchase in the New 52.

Honorable Mentions
Peacemaker #1 (1988)
Peacemaker #4 (1988)
Eclipso #13 (1993)

Dishonorable Discharges
Charlton Premiere #3 (1968)
Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #17 (1986)
Checkmate #23 (1989)



10) The Peacemaker #4 (September, 1967)
Goofy and plainly off-brand in its amateurish composition, but not without a modest goofy charm.


9) The L.A.W. (Living Assault Weapons) #3 (November, 1999)
This was an attempt by two guys who started their careers at Charlton, Dick Giordano and Bob Layton, to give back to the Action Heroes. It was a firm flop, much too flat and retro for its own good. The best thing about Peacemaker is his unique look, so of course it was decided to bring out a new guy in brassy armor that resembled a henchman Iron Man would crumple up on his way toward a respectable opponent. If I remember correctly, this guy was a medic and more of a dove, which isn't what anyone honestly looks for from a guy in this racket. At least this spotlight cover was laid out well.


8) Vigilante #36 (December, 1986)
A blatant rip-off of the infamous Frank Miller cover where the Punisher plugs Daredevil, it's still cool and dramatic to see the anti-hero so thoroughly bust a cap in a straight-laced type less crazy-ass altruistic serial killer.


7) Showcase '93 #6 (June, 1993)
Mike Zeck excels at military hardass swagger, but is undone by the most boyish of fellow heroes and an unfortunate coloring choice.


6) The Peacemaker #2 (May, 1967)
It's a poor man's Blackhawk cover, and nobody wants a static headshot cover from Peacemaker, but it's alright amidst slim pickings.


5) Peacemaker #2 (February, 1988)
Half the covers in this mini-series were so miserably botched as to seem designed to repel audiences, Producers-style. This stock, serviceable image was fantastic by comparison, like pitting Jacob Zuma against Idi Amin in an election.


4) Eclipso #11 (September, 1993)
Audwynn Jermaine Newman isn't even anyone's favorite Bart Sears knock-off, but when you've had as few opportunities to strike a pose in full Chromium Age spectacle as Peacemaker, you cherish the ones you get.

3) The Peacemaker #5 (November, 1967)
Peacemaker is well suited for battling mutants in a dystopia, and it makes me wonder if that fauxhawk influenced OMAC.

2) The Peacemaker #3 (July, 1967)
For once, the bucket helmet doesn't seem out of place, and you have to appreciate the subtext of the subhuman "other" threatening the provocatively attired white woman while waving his phallic knife obliviously into the scope of a gunfight. Freud called to point out that sometimes a comic book cover is totally not just a comic book cover.

1) The Peacemaker #1 (March, 1967)
Doubled as a superb house ad, and would have also made a fine euphemistic cutaway from a queer orgy scene. And the rockets' red glare...

Cornucopia of Top Comic Covers

• Zatanna's Top 20 @ Justice League Detroit
• OMAC @ DC Bloodlines
• Doctor Poison, Queen Clea and Veronica Cale @ Diana Prince is the New Wonder Woman
• Triumph @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Ragman @ DC Bloodlines
• DC75: Top Character Covers of the Dodranscentennial

The Top 10 Peacemaker Comic Book Covers

Wonder Woman Annual #1: “Backstory” (2007)

At the Department of Metahuman Affairs in Washington D.C., Sarge Steel assigned agents Diana Prince and Tom Tresser to target Wonder Woman for observation. This served as a narrative device to cover the histories of Sarge Steel, Wonder Woman, Wonder Girls Donna Troy & Cassandra Sandsmark, plus Tom "Nemesis" Tresser.

Sarge Steel didn’t trust anyone. He was originally Special Forces assigned to Army Intelligence overseas, until a terrorist’s grenade blew up in his hand. “Outfitted with a high-tech prosthetic made of solid steel, Sarge became a high ranking government agent… and proved himself particularly adept at working with superheroes.” These included Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Nightshade, Peacemaker, the Question, Judomaster, and a thinly disguised Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt. The Central Bureau of Intelligence and Task Force X were under his supervision before he was transferred to his current assignment, where his paranoia kept him in the field and his own agents under surveillance. Only his assistant Bess Forbes was exempted, “the only person on the planet he’s afraid of.”

Nightshade also had a cameo appearance in Nemesis' biography, as a member of the Suicide Squad (but still wearing her Charlton costume.) Also: dated Tom Tressor.

“Backstory” was by Allan Heinberg, Gary Frank and Jon Sibal.

1991-92 Impel DC Cosmic Cards #69- Peacemaker

How do I define injustice?

The Atom was created in the Golden Age, reinvented in the Silver Age, was a featured player on two major super teams, all besides starring in two multi-year solo series and a string of mini-series. There was no Al Pratt trading card in this set, and Ray Palmer didn't get a new card of his own-- only a a reprint of the cover of his first appearance.

Peacemaker, star of a four issue direct market mini-series and featured player in several failed books, received a card by one of the few "hot" DC artists of the time. Sure Bart Sears' perspective was jacked up and his musculature typically obscene, but it still looked contemporary and spiff.

Then again, has Peacemaker ever appeared on any kind of trading or gaming card since? Hell, merchandising of any kind? You realize Jemm, Son of Saturn has an action figure? Karma is a harsh mistress, you magnificent bastard.

There's a lesson to be learned here. The first is that the Atom was probably still thought dead at this time, which is still no excuse to exclude him. The second is that characters who debut in titles that accept colloquial contractions don't get a second chance to make a first impression.

More Impel DC Cosmic Cards

• Bronze Tiger at DC Bloodlines
• Darkseid at The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• Elongated Man at Justice League Detroit
• Golden Age Cheetah at Diana Prince: Wonder Woman

Dragon*Con 2010 Peacemaker Cosplayer

When it comes to the Charlton Action Heroes, I figure in for a penny, in for a pound. Captain Atom is a co-star on this blog, so why not keep the door open for any of his chums I might like to cover. Besides, I've sucked at posting this week, so something's got to be better than nothing.

Peacemaker is another character that DC completely warped in the translation from Charlton. He's the kind of character, like the Punisher or Captain America, that you can't write if you don't buy into their bullstuff. You just have to accept that Christopher Smith loves peace so much that he is willing to fight for it. Sure, by "peace" he probably means atomic age white upper-middle class protestant American values should reign over the earth, and by "willing to fight" he means he'll roast anyone who opposes him alive in napalm while smirking. Regardless, at least while writing him, you have to believe in the legitimacy of that far right wing world view, or just leave the character alone. Making him a headcase who takes orders from the ghost of his Nazi father or tatting him up and pretending he's just an ornery tough guy from just off Yancy Street ruins the very basic appeal of the character. Sure, Peacemaker can be as horrifying as any super-villain, and he was the basis for the Comedian after all, but that's the point. Peacemaker is John Wayne filming The Green Berets during Vietnam, not Sean Penn filming Casualties of War after Vietnam. Peacemaker is the Pat Tillman quitting a pro football career to serve in Afghanistan, not finding out Tillman was killed by friendly fire. Peacemaker is the American aggressive interventionist myth, not the liberal condemnation of it. At his best, he's a hopelessly square peg with a big plastic covering around it forcing its way through a round hole until the whole damned thing shatters because damn it, what do you need besides that badass square peg, anyway?

Here's a guy in an original Peacemaker costume. I always dug this suit, and the only commercially liable part is that friggin' bucket on his head, but that's part of the square peg thing. My favorite interpretation is when it's a transparent dome over a face shield, but every artist offers their own take. I like this, but I find it amusing that the cosplayer looks like he's about to cry. He must be heartbroken that he's forced to take a break from brutally killing America's enemies for this convention appearance.

Once again, this pic is from Shag Matthews of Once Upon A Geek, who offered up oodles of photographs and related his Dragon*Con 2010 Weekend of Insanity a few weeks back. Thanks again!

More Cosplay of the Day:

• Wondercon 2010 Gypsy, Vixen & Zatanna Cosplay @ Justice League Detroit
• Dragon*Con 2010 Best of Martian Manhunter Cosplay @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
• HeroesCon, Wondercon & Dragon*Con 2010 Huntress Cosplay @ DC Bloodlines
• Dragon*Con 2010 Circe as Wonder Woman Cosplayer @ Diana Prince: Wonder Woman
• Hawkgirl Cosplayer At DragonCon 2010 @ Being Carter Hall
• The Phantom Stranger at the 2010 DragonCon @ I Am The Phantom Stranger