Pow Wow Smith
Encyclopedia
Ohiyesa "Pow Wow" Smith is a fictional Western
hero published by DC Comics
. Created by writer
Don Cameron and penciler Carmine Infantino
, he is a Sioux
who is the sheriff
of the small Western town of Elkhorn, where he is known as a master detective
. He prefers to be addressed by his proper name, Ohiyesa, but the white citizenry take to calling him "Pow Wow" so stubbornly that he eventually gives up and accepts the nickname among them.
Originally the Pow Wow Smith character was located in the modern West. Later stories were set in the 19th-century. It was eventually retcon
ned that the Old West character was the ancestor of the modern-day character. Since then, Smith has remained a generation legacy, and a historical figure in the DC Universe
, meeting other heroes in their occasional time travel
stories.
#151, the only Western feature in the book. After four years as a regular feature in Detective Comics, his strip became the lead feature of Western Comics
, which ran until 1961. Much of the art during the Detective period was by Leonard Starr
, and when Smith found a home in Western Comics, his original illustrator Infantino returned. Stories were by France Herron and later Gardner Fox
.
Smith also starred in the premiere issue of All-Star Western
's second volume.
For most of his adventures, Pow Wow's girlfriend (and later fiancée) is the Native American maiden Fleetfoot, daughter of Chief Thundercloud. Fleetfloot aids Pow Wow in a number of adventures.
#6, a Western
pastiche
that also featured a modern day version of Nighthawk
. This Ohiyesa attended college in the East, then returned to Red Deer Valley, seeking to modernize his tribe. As a U.S. Marshall, he too takes the name Pow Wow Smith, but continues to live in Red Deer Valley. The modern-day Pow Wow Smith works with Robin and other heroes to take down the modern-day Trigger Twins
, who unlike their 19th-century antecedents are homicidal criminals. Much of the adventure takes place in a tourist-spot recreation of an Old West town, which is located near Gotham City
.
, "The Once and Future Thing," as a sheriff of a western town. He was run out of Town by Manning who used technology he got from Chronos
(David Clinton). With the aide of Bat Lash
, El Diablo
, Jonah Hex
, Green Lantern
, Wonder Woman
and Batman
, he defeated Manning. He was voiced by Jonathan Joss
. In this version, Smith still objects to the name "Pow-Wow", which is only used by the villain Tobias Manning
.
Western comics
Western comics is a comics genre usually depicting the American Old West frontier and typically set during the late nineteenth century...
hero published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. Created by writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
Don Cameron and penciler Carmine Infantino
Carmine Infantino
Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino Carmine Infantino (born May 24, 1925, in Brooklyn, New York is an American comic book artist and editor who was a major force in the Silver Age of Comic Books...
, he is a Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
who is the sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of the small Western town of Elkhorn, where he is known as a master detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
. He prefers to be addressed by his proper name, Ohiyesa, but the white citizenry take to calling him "Pow Wow" so stubbornly that he eventually gives up and accepts the nickname among them.
Originally the Pow Wow Smith character was located in the modern West. Later stories were set in the 19th-century. It was eventually retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
ned that the Old West character was the ancestor of the modern-day character. Since then, Smith has remained a generation legacy, and a historical figure in the DC Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
, meeting other heroes in their occasional time travel
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
stories.
Publication history
Smith first appeared in Detective ComicsDetective Comics
Detective Comics is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 . It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and...
#151, the only Western feature in the book. After four years as a regular feature in Detective Comics, his strip became the lead feature of Western Comics
Western Comics
Western Comics was a Western comic book series published by DC Comics. DC's longest-running Western title, it published 85 issues from 1948 to 1961. Western Comics was an anthology series, featuring such characters as the wandering cowboy the Wyoming Kid, the Native American lawman Pow Wow Smith,...
, which ran until 1961. Much of the art during the Detective period was by Leonard Starr
Leonard Starr
Leonard Starr is a Golden Age comic book artist, an advertising artist and award-winning cartoonist, notable for creating the newspaper strip On Stage and reviving Little Orphan Annie.-Early life:...
, and when Smith found a home in Western Comics, his original illustrator Infantino returned. Stories were by France Herron and later Gardner Fox
Gardner Fox
Gardner Francis Cooper Fox was an American writer best known for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. Comic-book historians estimate that he wrote over 4,000 comics stories....
.
Smith also starred in the premiere issue of All-Star Western
All-Star Western
All-Star Western was the name of three American comic book series published by DC Comics, each a Western fiction omnibus featuring both continuing characters and anthological stories. The first ran from 1951 to 1961, the second from 1970 to 1972 and the third is part of the DC New 52 released in...
's second volume.
Fictional character biography
Ohiyesa left his native Red Deer Valley to learn more about the white man's world. His tracking and expert gun skills won him employment as a deputy sheriff, and eventually the job of sheriff of Elkhorn. Ohiyesa's deputy is Hank Brown. Once sheriff, Pow Wow spends most of his time in Elkhorn, only rarely returning to Red Deer Valley.For most of his adventures, Pow Wow's girlfriend (and later fiancée) is the Native American maiden Fleetfoot, daughter of Chief Thundercloud. Fleetfloot aids Pow Wow in a number of adventures.
U.S. Marshall Pow Wow Smith
U.S. Marshal Ohiyesa Smith, a present-day descendant of the original Pow Wow Smith, appears in Robin AnnualRobin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
#6, a Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
pastiche
Pastiche
A pastiche is a literary or other artistic genre or technique that is a "hodge-podge" or imitation. The word is also a linguistic term used to describe an early stage in the development of a pidgin language.-Hodge-podge:...
that also featured a modern day version of Nighthawk
Nighthawk (DC Comics)
Nighthawk is a fictional character, a cowboy in the DC Comics universe. His real name is Hannibal Hawkes and he first appeared in Western Comics #5. In his secret identity, he worked as a traveling repairman...
. This Ohiyesa attended college in the East, then returned to Red Deer Valley, seeking to modernize his tribe. As a U.S. Marshall, he too takes the name Pow Wow Smith, but continues to live in Red Deer Valley. The modern-day Pow Wow Smith works with Robin and other heroes to take down the modern-day Trigger Twins
Trigger Twins
The Trigger Twins are the names of two sets of fictional Western themed comic book characters published by DC Comics.-Heroes:The Trigger Twins first appear in All-Star Western #58 , the first issue of that title under its new name , and was one of the features that replaced the previous stars, the...
, who unlike their 19th-century antecedents are homicidal criminals. Much of the adventure takes place in a tourist-spot recreation of an Old West town, which is located near Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
.
In other media
Smith appeared in a time travel episode of Justice League UnlimitedJustice League Unlimited
Justice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
, "The Once and Future Thing," as a sheriff of a western town. He was run out of Town by Manning who used technology he got from Chronos
Chronos (comics)
Chronos is the name of several fictional characters of DC Comics, both supervillains who take their name from the Greek personification of Time and have the ability of time travel and can manipulate history.-David Clinton:...
(David Clinton). With the aide of Bat Lash
Bat Lash
Bartholomew "Bat" Alouysius Lash is a fictional Western character in the DC Universe. A self-professed pacifist, ladies' man, and gambler, Bat Lash's adventures have been published by DC Comics since 1968.-Character origin:...
, El Diablo
El Diablo (comics)
El Diablo is a name shared by several fictional characters published by DC Comics. Lazarus Lane the first El Diablo debuted in All-Star Western #2 , and was created by Robert Kanigher and Gray Morrow.-Publication history:...
, Jonah Hex
Jonah Hex
Jonah Woodson Hex is a Western comic book antihero created by writer John Albano and artist Tony DeZuniga and published by DC Comics. Hex is a surly and cynical bounty hunter whose face is horribly scarred on the right side. Despite his poor reputation and personality, Hex is bound by a personal...
, Green Lantern
Green Lantern
The Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
, Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
and Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
, he defeated Manning. He was voiced by Jonathan Joss
Jonathan Joss
Jonathan Joss is a Native American actor. Born in San Antonio, Texas, he went to McCollum High School alongside independent filmmaker and best friend Mark A. Watson, where they studied both Drama and Choir, and worked together on such theatrical plays together such as El Gallo...
. In this version, Smith still objects to the name "Pow-Wow", which is only used by the villain Tobias Manning
Terra-Man
Terra-Man is a fictional character and supervillain who appears in Superman stories published by DC Comics. Terra-Man first appeared in Superman #249, March 1972.-Pre-Crisis:...
.