The last character we will look at in this segment is The Peacemaker, from Pat Boyette.
This was a somewhat warped series, which featured Christopher Smith, the head of the Pax Institute, which seeks to bring world peace; but, which also provides Smith with the weapons and equipment he uses to fight terrorists and criminals to bring peace. It could be a violent series, with plenty of action and gunplay, as well as dogfights and explosions. Smith was a pacifist; but, when an international rogue arms dealer, Emil Bork, threatens to throw the world into chaos, to create a market for his wares, Smith goes into action as the Peacemaker.
The stories are filled with action and intrigue, as well as advanced weaponry and technology. boyette follows the traditions of such adventure heroes as Frank Robbins' Johnny Hazard, Al Williamson and Archie Goodwin's stint on Secret Agent Corrigan, Scorchy Smith, terry and the Pirates, and Steve Canyon, not to mention James Bond and the pulp heroes, like Doc Savage and the Shadow. The Peacemaker is a bit early to fully tap into the men's adventure pulp popularity, though there was a healthy market in magazines for that crowd. However, the series was a bit tame for those types.
Smith later gets a new, goofier helmet, which doesn't help things...
The Peacemaker debuted in Fightin' 5 #40 and had one more appearance in #41, before it was cancelled. he then got his own lead series, with the Fightin' 5 as back-ups. It lasted 5 issue, before the plug was pulled.
DC would bring the character back in a mini-series, where a level of mental instability was added, to explain the dichotomy of his violent acts and love of peace. he is revealed to be the son of a Nazi concentration camp commandant, which created guilt and an almost split personality. The mini was violent, leading to appearances in Checkmate and Vigilante, before he was mostly consigned to oblivion, before reappearing in LAW, Living Assault Weapon, a mini that focused on the Action heroes.
There have been a few more dabblings with the Peacemaker; but nothing that didn't stink up the joint, apart from his cameo in Kingdom Come, where his helmet was reworked into that of Boba Fett, a character that has more than a few similarities to the Peacemaker (helmet, jetpack, weapons, vehicles, etc...). None of these have amounted to much as the real hook to the series was not the stories or the character; it was the art of Boyette and the action.
Next up, we will look at the C-team, with Judomaster, the Fightin' 5, The Shape, the Tyro Team, Spookman and back-up heroes, like the Sentinels and the Prankster!