Peacemaker’s DC Comicbook Origin Story – Explained
DC’s Peacemaker has become one of the most iconic characters of James Gunn’s DCU. BeforeJohn Cenamade his first appearance as Peacemaker in 2021’s The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker was quite an obscure character known only to die-hard DC comic book fans.
Thanks to Gunn’s masterful writing and John Cena’s amazing acting, Peacemaker has become a major player in the DCU, even earning a second season of his hit TV series. But most people still don’t know his true origin story from the comic books. Here’s everything you need to know about Peacemaker’s origin story in the DC comics and his evolution in the DCU.
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Who is Peacemaker in DC Comics
Peacemaker first originated in Charlton Comics, which was acquired by DC Comics in 1983. This allowed DC to include other iconic characters like Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, and The Question in DC Comics. Notably, Peacemaker was portrayed differently in both Charlton and DC Comics.
Peacemaker was first inducted into the DC continuity following the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths #6 (1985). He later got his own miniseries in 1988. The story followed Christopher Smith, the son of a wealthy diplomat, Wolfgang Schmidt, who was later revealed to be a Nazi death camp commander during World War II.
Chris was traumatized by his father’s past and his influence over him, which led to Smith killing him. He was so traumatized by his father’s past that he became obsessed with the idea of peace and preventing war, which gave birth to the idea of Peacemaker. Peacemaker was an extremist and was willing to kill to keep peace, something that formed the basis for Gunn’s Peacemaker.
He believed his father’s ghost was haunting him. He even heard the voices of the people he killed and believed that his helmet trapped the souls of his victims. This is something we see in Peacemaker season 1, where Smith is haunted by the memory ofmurdering Rick Flag Jr., except for the soul-trapping part.
How Did Peacemaker First Appear in Charlton Comics
Peacemaker made his debut in Charlton comics, all the way back in 1966, in Fightin’ 5 #40, followed by his solo series, simply titled Peacemaker (#1–5, 1967). Unlike his DC counterpart, in this original version, Peacemaker was a pacifist who used non-lethal weapons.
Charlton Comics’ Peacemaker was an idealistic superhero, compared to his DC iteration, where he is portrayed as an anti-hero. Peacemaker’s mantra in this series is “A man who loves peace so much he is willing to fight for it!” James Gunn would later draw inspiration from this line for the DCU, tweaking it to “willing to kill for it” to better fit his oxymoronic take on the character.
Who is Peacemaker in the DCU
Fast forward to 2021, and we get our first-ever live-action appearance of Peacemaker in The Suicide Squad. The Suicide Squad introduces Peacemaker as a trained soldier, marksman, and hand-to-hand combatant. It also gives us the now iconic quote, “I cherish peace with all my heart. I don’t care how many men, women, and children I need to kill to get it.”
While the movie highlights his ruthless obsession with peace, the Peacemaker TV series dives deeper into his backstory. The story focuses on Peacemaker’s toxic relationship with his Nazi father and the childhood death of his brother – an event that ultimately drove him to adopt the moniker “Peacemaker.” We learn that beneath all the dark humor and gags, Peacemaker is a deeply lonely and conflicted character, trying to reconcile his violent ideology with a deep desire to belong.
Final Thoughts on Peacemaker’s Origins
Season one of Peacemaker ends with Peacemaker understanding that his ideology of killing for peace might be flawed. With the support of new friends and a sense of belonging, he starts confronting his past and questioning his beliefs.
Peacemaker’s story is far from over. Withseason 2 of Peacemakernow streaming, it remains to be seen how James Gunn further tweaks the origin of Peacemaker as the story progresses.
Melvin Mathew
Melvin is a nerd for anything and everything pop culture. He has had more than two years of experience as a writer and editor in the gaming space and has now brought that expertise to his true love: pop culture and comic books.
When he’s not typing away, you’ll probably catch him skateboarding in empty parking lots, usually mid-fall from some “totally worth it” trick. When he’s not nursing those bruises, he’s tagging a wall with graffiti or finishing painting his long-overdue Pinterest board of saved artworks.
