By Command Performance (per orders from Cap'n Bob Napier), we now present the first appearance of Blackhawk, from Military Comics #1, published in August 1941. Despite some dispute, it appears likely the character was created by Will Eisner, Bob Powell and artist Charles Cuidera. Some folks also believe Eisner wrote or co-wrote the script. All I can add is that a few of the close-up panels in this tale made me think Eisner (who did the cover) couldn't resist taking a hand in the drawing. My thanks to Cimmerian32 for posting this sucker on comicbookplus.
4 comments:
Great stuff. I’d not seen he origin before. Thanks.
Thanks. I haven't seen it, either. I wonder when he got his backup band.
Olaf and the gang, along with their blue and red planes, show up next issue. Stay tuned.
I had a long conversation with Will back in the days when I was editing Blackhawk. There was some controversy about the creation of the character as Cuidera had been creatorship. Will chose to say that Chuck most certainly was "a" creator. After those conversations, there was no doubt in my mind that Eisner, as editor/artist/writer, created the concept and if he didn't write the script he "fixed" it, the way Kubert later did with Kanigher scripts and Schwartz did with Fox. And, yup, there's a lot of Will's art in the story -- either swipes, "influences" and/or Will's work as well. Of course, Cuidera and Powell weren't around, but Will's work was quite distinctive. Eisner was well aware of who the real Chief Black Hawk was.
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