The Peacemaker #4 is dated September, 1967. The editor is Dick Giordano, the scripter for both features is Joe Gill. The artist on the lead and the also the cover is Pat Boyette.
The first part of the lead Peacemaker story begins with an introduction to Nora O'Rourke, an American citizen but born in County Cork Ireland. She shows up at Christopher Smith's chateau dubbed "The Peace Palace" to apply for the position of secretary for Smith. Apparently others were to come with her but she is alone and explains that a man tried to stop her but she fought back successfully, getting a black eye in the process. While they talk and Smith gives some of his back history a sniper takes aim out the window. Smith says he learned science very young and was inspired by his father to pursue more adventurous activities. His big break came when he was asked by the military to help develop an experimental jet, the X-17. Just then a bullet is fired and Smith retaliates with a curious looking pistol and hits the sniper. O'Rourke is concerned but is told the bullet was non-lethal and the sniper will be dealt with through the authorities.
After dinner Smith is convinced Nora is right for the job and reveals to her his identity as Peacemaker and gives her a tour of his facilities and weapons. He gives her a rundown of his previous adventures, saying his battle with Emil Bork (shown in the Fightin' 5 issues) was his first time as Peacemaker. He also reprises his battles against Bork, The Commodore, and others. Nora is impressed, but just then a jet flies over the chateau and releases a bomb.
"Peacemaker Patter" offers four fan letters. Three are very enthusiastic about the new Peacemaker book, though they lament the loss of Fightin' 5. One letter though is very critical and says that Peacemaker is pretty bland compared to the other Action-Heroes.
Part Two of the Peacemaker story is titled "The Hostage" and begins with the bomb burst and afterwords a ground assault on the chateau led by Colonel Uz, a Bulgar arms thief. Peacemaker battles the invaders but is subdued when a lab explodes and is kidnapped, the force leaving in a jet with him. Nora and Peacemaker's assistant Paul try to figure out what to do. Uz confronts Peacemaker (who it is revealed is heavily armed just by wearing his costume though he doesn't appear to have weapons) and reveals he wants Peacemaker to repair some of the high-tech weapons he's stolen, but which don't a present work. Peacemaker does indeed fix the weapons, sabotaging each and every one in ways which will not be immediately detectable. Then Peacemaker is shown that Nora has fallen into the clutches of Uz and so he goes ahead and begins his escape. Uz's men are helpless to stop him as their weapons malfunction and explode around them. Peacemaker confronts Colonel Uz who flees in a jet which falls apart around him in mid-air. Rescued Nora remarks to Peacemaker that her first few hours of working for him have been exciting ones indeed.
The Fightin' 5 story is titled "Card Carrier" and is part one of a multi-part tale. It begins in an alley with a grenade assault on a publishing company. A policeman shows up and pursues the vandals, shooting and wounding one of them, but not being able to capture them. The scene shifts to Hank Hennessey, leader of the FF who is briefing Granite Gallego about a membership card belonging to one Rober Heddon found at the scene of the crime and how it points to the problem of spies who might be using a liberal political group to do espionage work. Despite there persistent doubts about her it is agreed that Sonya is best suited to infiltrate the group.
Meanwhile Tom Tom and Frenchy the Fox stake out the publisher's office thinking another attack might be imminent. Two men do show up to finish the job but are intercepted and followed by Tom Tom, who hands the pursuit off to Frenchy. Thinking they have escaped, the two thugs goe their hideout in the sewer system and Frenchy follows. Granite reports in from the police station that the card carrier Roger Heddon has been found in the river dead from the gunshot wound received during the crime. Frenchy though is discovered following the thugs as the installment ends.
Though this issue purports to be an origin for Peacemaker, we get precious little new information. The first chapter of the story almost felt to me like one of those later chapters in a movie serial, the ones they use to extend the whole shebang by recounting earlier parts of the story. Nora seems a good addition to the Peacemaker landscape, as clearly Smith couldn't do what he does without a goodly sized support staff. Seeing those people would make the whole Peacemaker thing a wee bit more logical, and we get a glimpse of his set-up in this issue.
One thing I noticed preparing this report is that one of the poses used on the cover of this issue was adapted very slightly and used on the Action-Heroes house ad I esteem so highly. Neat.
More to come.
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