Tomahawk
Tomahawk is a DC Comics historical-adventure character set primarily during the American Revolutionary War.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Tomahawk is a fictional American comic-book character published by DC Comics. The character is identified as Tom Hawk or Thomas Haukins and is known by the nickname Tomahawk, a name derived from the resemblance between his birth name and the tomahawk, a weapon associated with Indigenous peoples of North America. His stories are generally set during the colonial conflicts preceding and encompassing the American Revolutionary War, placing him in a historical-adventure setting rather than the conventional contemporary superhero world. Created by writer Joe Samachson and artist Edmond Good, Tomahawk first appeared in Star-Spangled Comics #69, dated June 1947. He began as a backup feature and was subsequently published in World's Finest Comics. The character received a self-titled series beginning in September 1950. That series ran for 140 issues through June 1972, making Tomahawk one of DC's longer-running historical adventure properties of the period. Much of the series was written by France Herron and illustrated by Fred Ray, whose work helped establish its combination of frontier action, military drama, patriotic themes, and period fiction. Within the fictional continuity, Tomahawk is a soldier who served under George Washington. His early adventures involve warfare among British, French, and Iroquois forces, while later stories place him among Washington's operatives during the Revolutionary War. He leads a group informally known as Tomahawk's Rangers and is assisted by a young white companion, Dan Hunter. The series also introduced or incorporated other figures and concepts connected to DC continuity, including Miss Liberty, whose civilian identity is Bess Lynn, and later links between Dan Hunter and the time-traveling character Rip Hunter. The title combined historical settings with broader comic-book conventions. Tomahawk encountered notable or legendary figures, including a young Davy Crockett, although that appearance is historically anachronistic. Miss Liberty, introduced in issue #81, brought a patriotic superhero element to the feature and appeared in later stories. The final ten issues changed the title and focus to Son of Tomahawk, centering on Tomahawk's son, Hawk Haukins. The shift did not reverse declining sales, and the publication was cancelled in 1972. Later creators revisited the character and his mythology. A 1998 Vertigo Visions one-shot by Rachel Pollack retold his origin. Tomahawk also appeared in Bruce Jones's The War That Time Forgot in 2008, and a newer version appeared in All-Star Western, volume 3, issue #13. Additional continuity established that Tomahawk married an Apache princess named Moon Fawn and had two sons, Hawk and Small Eagle. The character has also appeared or been adapted outside his original comic-book format, including a character based on Tomahawk in the television series Swamp Thing and an appearance in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths. Because Tomahawk is a fictional intellectual-property character rather than a commercial consumer brand, information such as corporate headquarters, independent ownership, financial performance, product sales, and operating markets is not applicable or not established in the available reference material. The property is best classified within comics and entertainment, with DC Comics as its publishing house.
History
Tomahawk was created for DC Comics by writer Joe Samachson and artist Edmond Good. He debuted in Star-Spangled Comics #69 in June 1947, initially appearing as a backup feature. The stories presented him as Tom Hawk, or Thomas Haukins, a soldier whose nickname echoed the name of the tomahawk. His setting was the colonial frontier and the military conflicts involving British, French, and Iroquois forces before and during the American Revolutionary War. The feature also appeared in World's Finest Comics, beginning with issue #33 in March 1948 and continuing through issue #101 in May 1959. Its own self-titled comic began in September 1950 and continued for 140 issues, ending in June 1972. Writers and artists associated with the long-running title included France Herron and Fred Ray, whose stories emphasized military missions, frontier survival, patriotic adventure, and encounters with historical or legendary figures. Tomahawk was depicted as an effective operative serving under George Washington and as the leader of a group known as Tomahawk's Rangers. His regular young companion was Dan Hunter. The series sometimes blended historical fiction with DC's broader adventure and superhero traditions. Tomahawk met a young Davy Crockett in issues #35 and #36, despite the encounter being chronologically impossible because Crockett was born after the Revolutionary War. Issue #81 introduced Miss Liberty, or Bess Lynn, a patriotic character who returned in subsequent stories. Later continuity connected her to Liberty Belle by making her an ancestor of that World War II-era heroine. Dan Hunter's importance expanded in later DC continuity. The Time Masters mini-series established that he was a cousin of Rip Hunter and that he had traveled into the past to oppose the Illuminati during the Revolutionary War before choosing to remain there. Other stories developed Tomahawk's family history. During a search for a special stone, he met and married Moon Fawn, an Apache princess, and they had two sons, Hawk and Small Eagle. The original series concluded during a period of declining sales. Its last ten issues were retitled Son of Tomahawk and centered on Hawk Haukins rather than his father. The change in protagonist did not restore the title's performance, and publication ended in June 1972. Later creators periodically returned to the property. Rachel Pollack wrote a 1998 Vertigo Visions one-shot that retold Tomahawk's origin. Bruce Jones used the character in The War That Time Forgot in 2008, and a new version appeared in All-Star Western, volume 3, issue #13. Tomahawk has also crossed into other media. A character based on him appeared in Swamp Thing, voiced by Harvey Atkin, where the adaptation portrayed him as a Native American ally of the title character. Tomahawk also appears in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths. The property remains a DC Comics historical-adventure character rather than a standalone corporation or consumer-goods brand.
- 2008
Appearance in The War That Time Forgot
[1]Bruce Jones featured Tomahawk in The War That Time Forgot.
- 1998
Origin revisited in Vertigo Visions
[1]A Vertigo Visions one-shot by Rachel Pollack retold Tomahawk's origin.
- 1972
Original series ends
[1]After 140 issues, the title ended following a short Son of Tomahawk phase focused on Hawk Haukins.
- 1950
Self-titled series launches
[1]The Tomahawk comic-book series premiered in September 1950.
- 1948
Expansion to World's Finest Comics
[1]The character began appearing in World's Finest Comics with issue #33.
- 1947
First appearance in Star-Spangled Comics
[1]Tomahawk debuted in Star-Spangled Comics #69 as a backup feature.
Products and positioning
A DC Comics historical-adventure property focused on a soldier and frontier leader operating during the colonial period and American Revolutionary War.
Comic-book series · 1950
Tomahawk
The principal DC Comics series featuring Tom Hawk or Thomas Haukins as a soldier and frontier leader during the American Revolutionary period. It premiered in September 1950 and ran for 140 issues through June 1972, combining military missions, frontier adventure, historical figures, and elements of DC-style heroic fiction.
Comic-book series continuation · 1972
Son of Tomahawk
The title used for the final ten issues of the original run. These stories shifted the central role to Tomahawk's son, Hawk Haukins, but the change did not halt declining sales and the publication was cancelled.
One-shot comic · 1998
Tomahawk in Vertigo Visions
A 1998 Vertigo Visions one-shot written by Rachel Pollack that revisited and retold the character's origin.
Brand decisions
1972
Shift to Son of TomahawkGeneration changeBackground
The long-running title was experiencing declining sales near the end of its publication history.
Action taken
DC Comics changed the final ten issues to Son of Tomahawk and made Hawk Haukins the central character.
Aftermath
The change did not reverse the sales decline, and the series was cancelled in June 1972.
Recent events
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