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. 

Godspeed Robert Carradine

Robert Carradine, a member of the Carradine acting dynasty, died today, March 24, 2026, at the age of 71. He had suffered from bipolar disorder and the cause of his death was suicide. He played Bob Younger in The Long Riders (1980) alongside his brothers David and Keith, and starred in the movie Revenge of the Nerds (1984).

Robert Carradine was born on March 24, 1954 in Los Angeles. His father was legendary actor John Carradine. His mother was artist Sonia Sorel. He was half-brother to Bruce and David Carradine and a full brother to Christopher and Keith Carradine.

Robert Carradine made his television debut in an episode of Bonanza in 1971. He made his film debut in The Cowboys in 1972. In the Seventies, Robert Carradine guest starred in an episode of Kung Fu, starring his half-brother David Carradine and his father John Carradine. He starred on the short-lived TV show The Cowboys, which was based on the movie and on which he reprised his role from the movie. He guest starred on the TV shows Run, Joe, Run and Police Story. He appeared in the TV movies Footsteps, Go Ask Alice, The Hatfields and McCoys,  and Suvival of Dana.He appeared in  the moives Mean Streets (1973), You  and Me (1974), Aloha Bobby and  Rose (1975), Jackson County Jail (1976), The Pom Pom Girls (1976), Massacre at Central High (1976), Joyride  (1977), Orca (1977), Coming Home (1978), Blackout (1978), The Long Riders (1980) and The Big Red One (1980).

In the Eighties, Robert Carradine appeared in the movies Heartaches (1981), Tag: The Assassination Game (1982), Wavelength (1983), Revenge of the Nerds (1984), Just the Way You Are (1984), Number One with a Bullet (1987), Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise (1987), Buy and Cell (1988), All's Fair (1989), and Rude Awakening (1989). He guest starred on TV shows The Fall Guy, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone, Faerie Tale Theatre, The Disney Sunday Movie, and The Hitchhiker. He appeared in the mini-series Tales of the Klondike, The Sun Also Rises, and Monte Carlo. 

In the Nineties, Robert Carradine appeared in the movies The Player (1992), Bird of Prey (1995), The Killers Within (1995), Firestorm (1996), Escape from L.A. (1996), Scorpio One (1998), The Effects of Magic (1998), Stray Bullet (1998), Palmer's Pick-Up (1999), Gunfighter (1999), Lycanthrope (1999), The Vegas Connection, and Dangerous Curves (2000). He guest starred on the TV shows Sirens, ER, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, Dark Skies, The Pretender, NYPD Blue, The Practice, Fast Track, Vengenace Unlimited, and Nash Bridges.

In the Naughts, Robert Carradine played the tile character's father on the TV show Lizzie McGuire. He guest starred on the TV show Express Yourself, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. He apperaed in the movies Ghosts of Mars (2001), Max Keeble's Big Move (2001), Three Days of Rain (2002), The Lizzie McGurire Movie (2003), Supercross (2005), Sex and Breakfast (2005), Hoboken Hollow (2006), 7-10 Split (2007), Tooth and Nail (2007), The 13th Alley (2008), Deep Winter (2008), and Fight or Flight (2010). 

In the Teens, Robert Carradine appeared in the TV movie Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt. He guest starred on the shows Doubt, James Blondes, Tales of the Wild West, and the revival of Lizzie McGuire. He appeared in the movies Final Sale (2011), Fancy Pants (2011), Slumber Party Slaughter (2012), Django Unchained (2012), Finding Fish (2017), Justice  (2017), Bill Tighman and the Outlaws (2019), (2019), Nearly Departed (2019),  American Christmas (2019), and Human Zoo (2020). 

In the 2020s, Robert Carradine appeared in the movies High Holiday (2021), The Night They Came Home (2024), Was Once a Hero (2024), Let's Call the Whole Thing Off (2025), and Skate to Hell (2026). He guest starred on the TV show Medinah.

Robert Carradine was a very talented actor, as shown by how diverse his best known roles were. He played outlaw Bob Younger in The Long Riders, only to star as nerd Lewis Skolnick in Revenge of the Nerd a few years later. He was the cynical Private Zab in The Big Red One. His television work also featured a good deal of variety, from the mute Sunny Jim in the Kung Fu episode "Dark Angel" to novel and boxer Robert Cohn in the mini-series The Sun Also Rises to a chess master turned homicidal on Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Robert Carradine could play a wide array of roles and play all of them well.