Gravedigger: DC Comics' First War Hero to Headline a Comic Book

In 1977, DC Comics began a new war title. In part, the title Men of War came from a pervious ongoing series, All-American Men of War, published from 1952 to 1966. What set Men of War apart from DC Comics' earlier war titles was that the lead feature in the title centred on an African American character. Ulysses Hazard was a special operative during the Second World War.

Of course, there had been Black war characters in American comic books before. Despite the fact that American troops were segregated during World War II, Jackie Johnson was one of Easy Company in the "Sgt. Rock" feature at DC Comics. He first appeared in Our Army at War no. 113 (December 1961). In the pages of  Marvel's Sgt Fury and His Howling Commandos there was Gabe Jones, who first appeared in Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos no. 1 (May 1963). What set Gravedigger apart from Jackie Johnson and Gabe Jones were that while they were only supporting characters, he was the lead character in the lead feature of an ongoing series. Quite simply, he was the first Black character to be the lead in an American comic book. 

Codename: Gravedigger was created by writer David Michelinie and artist Ed Davis. He first appeared in Men of War no. 1 (August 1977). He would appear in every issue of Men of War until it end its run with issue no. 26 (March 1980). Codename: Gravedigger acknowledged that the U.S. Army was segregated during World War II. Ulysses Hazard enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II. He found himself assigned to digging graves rather than being assigned to a combat unit. It was after his best friend was killed by a Nazi fighter jet that Ulysses went AWOL and made his way to Washington, DC. He argued before the the Joint Chiefs of Staff that he should be allowed to take part in combat. They were impressed and made him a special operative, code-named "Gravedigger.'

It was in the early Fifties that war comics emerged in popularity. They remained popular throughout the Sixties into the early Seventies. By the mid-Seventies, they were beginning to decline in popularity. It was perhaps for that reason that Men of War would end its run after 26 issues. Over time, DC would cancel its other war titles. The long-running title Our Fighting Forces had already ended its run in 1978. Unknown Solder (originally Star Spangled War Stories) was cancelled in 1982. G.I. Combat ended its run in 1987. Sgt. Rock (originally Our Army at War) was cancelled in 1988. Like many of DC Comics' war heroes, Ulysses Hazard has not appeared often since the 1980s. Regardless, he remains historic as the first Black war hero the headline his title, as well as one of the first black character in any comic book of any genre to be the lead in a title.