Blackhawk (DC Comics)

Blackhawk is the eponymous fictional character of the long-running comic book series ''Blackhawk'' first published by Quality Comics and later by DC Comics. Primarily created by Chuck Cuidera with input from both Bob Powell and Will Eisner, the Blackhawk characters first appeared in ''Military Comics'' #1 (August 1941).

Led by a mysterious man known as Blackhawk, the Blackhawks (or more formally, the Blackhawk Squadron) are a small team of World War II-era ace pilots of varied nationalities, each typically known under a single name, either their given name or their surname. Though the membership roster has undergone changes over the years, the team has been portrayed most consistently as having seven core members.

In their most well-known incarnation, the Blackhawks operate from a hidden base known only as Blackhawk Island, fly Grumman XF5F Skyrocket fighter aircraft, and shout their battle cry of "Hawk-a-a-a!" as they descend from the skies to fight tyranny and oppression. Clad in matching blue and black uniforms (with Blackhawk himself boasting a hawk insignia on his chest), early stories pitted the team against the Axis powers, but they would also come to battle recurring foes such as King Condor and Killer Shark, as well as encounter an array of gorgeous and deadly femme fatales. They also frequently squared off against fantastical war machines ranging from amphibious "shark planes" and flying tanks, to the aptly named War Wheel, a gigantic rolling behemoth adorned with spikes and machine guns.

At the height of his popularity in the early 1940s, Blackhawk titles routinely outsold every other comic book but Superman. Blackhawk also shares the distinction of being just one of five comic book characters to be published continuously in their own titles from the 1940s up to the 1960s (the others being Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and The Phantom).

The comic book series has spawned a film serial, a radio series, a novel, and has been announced as a forthcoming Steven Spielberg feature film. A grounded version of Blackhawk named Ted Gaynor appeared on television in the first season of the Arrowverse series ''Arrow'', played by Ben Browder.

Publication history

Creation

Like many of his golden age and silver age comic book counterparts, the creation of Blackhawk has been the subject of sometimes-contentious debate. Will Eisner has at times been considered the characters' primary creator, with Eisner himself acknowledging the contributions of Chuck Cuidera and writer Bob Powell. Yronwode, Catherine, "Who's Who: An Interview With Will Eisner", ''Blackhawk'' #260 (July 1983). DC Comics.

Over the years, Cuidera became increasingly vocal that he did much more work on Blackhawk than Eisner and that he had in fact already started creating the characters prior to joining Eisner's studio. According to Cuidera, he and Powell fleshed out the concept, deciding on everything from names and nationalities, to the characters' distinguishing traits, uniforms, and the aircraft they would fly. Steranko, Jim, ''The Steranko History of Comics'' Volume 2 (Supergraphics, 1972). pp. 52–61.

In 1999, Eisner addressed his view of the matter during a Comic-Con panel:

The Quality Comics years

The Blackhawks debuted in August 1941 as the lead feature in the first issue of Quality Comics' anthology series ''Military Comics'', billed as featuring "stories of the Army and Navy". Viewed by Will Eisner as "a modern version of the Robin Hood legend", the team's first appearance was co-written by Chuck Cuidera and Bob Powell, with art by Cuidera. Although the exact nature of Eisner, Cuidera, and Powell's individual contributions to the creation of the Blackhawks will never be known, it is confirmed that each performed some level of writing duties at different times during the first eleven issues, with Eisner working on early covers with Cuidera and Cuidera providing interior artwork.

When Cuidera joined the armed services in 1942, Reed Crandall took over as artist, beginning a long association with the characters that would last until 1953. Jim Steranko has observed, "where Cuidera made Blackhawk a best-seller, Crandall turned it into a classic, a work of major importance and lasting value". It was during Crandall's run that the series hit its sales and popularity zenith.

The Blackhawks' success earned them their own title in Winter 1944. That issue, ''Blackhawk'' #9, picked up the numbering of Quality's canceled '' Uncle Sam Quarterly''. They meanwhile continued to be featured prominently in ''Military Comics'', later renamed ''Modern Comics'', until that book's cancellation with #102 (October 1950).

During the Quality years, a whole host of well-respected talent worked on the character, including writers Manly Wade Wellman, Bill Woolfolk, Bill Finger, and Dick French, Evanier, Mark (2001), ''The Blackhawk Archives Volume 1'', Foreword by Mark Evanier, DC Comics. p. 9. as well as artists Al Bryant, Bill Ward, and Dick Dillin