Peacemaker #1 is an issue of the series Peacemaker (Volume 1) with a cover date of March, 1967. It was published on November 24, 1966.
Synopsis for "The Killer on the Reef!"
The fleets of various foreign countries, that have been fishing near maritime borders of others, have recently become the target of sabotage and have take to blaming each other for it. Christopher Smith heads to the fishing trawler "Manson", where its captain welcomes him and takes him to their oceanographer Mr. Boyle. Boyle tells Smith that the fishing fleets follow predictable paths, but they are being attacked by a mysterious force, while American fishermen also claim that the fish are being diverted to other waters by someone. The captain tells Smith that the entity responsible isn't related to any country and the recent acts of sabotage have taken place on the Thousand Mile Reef.
As the Manson lowers its fishing nets after arriving at the reef, a frogman is ordered by his master to destroy them by using tiny explosives. Ge does so and attaches an explosive charge to the Manson's hull. Telling the crew of the trawler that he did it on orders of the Commodore, he warns them that they only have a minute to save themselves. Smith learns from the captain that this "Commodore" is the one behind acts of sabotage on ships and soon dons his Peacemaker disguise. Jumping into the water, he quickly disables the charge, but is attacked by a group of sharks on the frogman's orders. He successfully flees using his jetpack which can also function in water and leaves the activated charge among them.
As the sharks get caught in the blast, the frogman flees and Smith pursues him, successfully guessing he's heading to a nuclear submarine. He overhears the man ordering his comrades on radio to shut the entrance the moment he is inside, and knocks him out. As he investigates the submarine, its crewmen realize he is not their mate Claude who had been sent outside and inform the Commodore, who orders Peacemaker to be brought before him. Smith confirms his suspicions that he prevented him from sabotaging the Manson. When the Commodore mocks him for not saving the explosive charge for his crew, Smith states that he already has hidden explosives which they can never find and asks him to explain why he has been attacking the fleets.
The Commodore soon reveals himself to be insane, claiming that all the seas are his domain and other men are trying to invade it, but it his duty to protect all sea-life. Smith destroys the atomic engine of the sub before he can kill him and tells the crew to stand by the entrance hatch as he makes the sub surface above water. The crew successfully escapes before it explodes and are apprehended by the men of the Manson, while the Commodore starts cursing Smith. While rambling, he reveals that he was going to leave for South Pole and link up with his partners who would help him conquer the world. Days later in Switzerland, Smith ponders who the Commodore was referring to while heading back to his private château.
Appearing in "The Killer on the Reef!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Captain of the "Manson" (Single appearance)
- Mr. Boyle (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- The Commodore (Single appearance)
- Claude (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Earth-Four
- Switzerland
- Peace Palace (Mentioned only)
- Thousand Mile Reef (First appearance)
- United States of America
- Switzerland
Items:
- Peacemaker's Helmet
- Peacemaker's Jetpack
Vehicles:
- Commodore's nuclear submarine (First appearance) (Destroyed)
- Fishing trawler "Manson" (Single appearance)
Synopsis for "The Hidden Power"
At a dinner for diplomats, Fedornich, the ambassador of a small Balkan nation, comes up to Christopher Smith and accuses his country of being boorish towards others. As Smith demands him to explain, he simply states that he made his disgust clear and the United States is free to take any retaliatory measures, but warns it will be met with its destruction. The other ambassadors are left surprised at Fedornich's boldness, since it's military cannot challenge the USA. The worried Smith reports about this to his superiors at later in Washington, D.C., meets with Brig. Gen. Lyons, who tells him that American reconnaissance planes have uncovered nuclear reactors being built by Fedornich's nation.
Smith becomes surprised since the Balkan nation isn't rich and is bullied around by every major power. Deciding to uncover the mystery himself, he heads back to his home in the Swiss Alps and decides to fly his Mach 3 Fighter plane he himself designed. Going to the Balkan nation, he finds a new Mach 1.5 cargo plane heading towards it and also uncovers the country has a missile complex as well as new airbases for bomber planes using infrared filters. Spotting another cargo plane, he discovers that it is heading in the same place as the other cargo plane and must be picking up its cargo. In Antarctica, a team of three scientists sent by their nation under the cover of studying its weather and wildlife, have built underground nuclear reactors using pure uranium they found there.
The Peacemaker soon discovers a large underground facility after arriving at the south Pole and informs his handlers about it. The troops of the Balkan nation soon discover him and fire a heat-seeking missile. Peacemaker shuts off the jet engine and fires a parachute flare, causing the missile to be diverted toward it instead. As the flare lands on the missile base, the missile takes the building out. Smith lands his plane safely with a parachute, but an alarm soon sounds and the Comrade Marshal instructs his men to send out a patrol. Smith quickly incapacitates them with nerve gas and upon finding a ventilation duct, realizes it must lead to the underground facility.
The Comrade Marshal upon discovering the Peacemaker inside the duct, orders the facility's operators to turn on the jet fans and direct its air towards the nuclear furnaces. Smith upon realizing where he is hurtling towards, activates his jet pack to get out quick. The fast speed of his movement breaks the sound barrier and causes dense soundwaves to form around him, shielding him from the heat. As he bursts through the walls of the furnace using his helmet, the escaping hot fumes kill the Comrade Marshal. Only a small amount of the Marshal's men die however and he helps the rest escape. Later, Fedornich upon learning about the destruction of his country's secret nuclear facility apologizes to Smith, who assures all is well.
Appearing in "The Hidden Power"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- United States Air Force
- Brig. Gen. Lyons (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- Comrade Marshal of unnamed Balkan nation (Single appearance)
- Ambassador Fedornich (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- NATO (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Earth-Four
- Antarctica
- Europe
- Unnamed Balkan nation
- Switzerland
- Alps
- Peace Palace
- Alps
- United States of America
- Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Mentioned only)
Items:
- Peacemaker's Helmet
- Peacemaker's Jetpack
Vehicles:
- Mach 3 Fighter (Single appearance)
Synopsis for "Ruler of Darkness"
The Fightin' 5 with the help of the Soviet agent Sonya stop the communist dictator Leontid Jrozva from bathing the world in nuclear weapons, but lose their member Irv "The Nerve" Hagannah. Their leader Hank Hennessy also loses his left arm and right eye.
Appearing in "Ruler of Darkness"
Featured Characters:
- The Fightin' 5
- Frenchy the Fox
- Granite Gallero
- Hank Hennessy
- Irv "The Nerve" Haganah (Final appearance; dies)
- Tom-Tom
- Sonya (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Leontid Jrozva (Single appearance; dies)
Locations:
- Europe
- Berlin
- Unnamed Balkan nation
- Israel (Mentioned only)
- Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Mentioned only)
- Moscow (Mentioned only)
- United States of America (Mentioned only)
- Washington, D.C. (Mentioned only)
- White House (Mentioned only)
- Washington, D.C. (Mentioned only)
Vehicles:
- Convair B-58
- MiG warplane (Destroyed)
Notes
- This comic issue was published by Charlton Comics, a defunct comic book publishing firm owned by Charlton Publications. DC Comics acquired the rights to most of Charlton's super-hero characters in 1983.
- The Fightin' 5 were not acquired by DC, therefore the Peacemaker's stories are the only one completely covered here.
- The issue was reprinted in Peacemaker (Modern) #1.
- The Peacemaker and the Fightin' 5 appeared last in Fightin' 5 #41.
- The Russian agent, Sonya, is introduced in this issue, though she doesn't replace Irv Haganah as a member of the Fightin' 5 until the next one.