Blackhawk (Janos Prohaska)

Janos Prohaska is a supremely skilled WWII-era fighter pilot and tactician who leads the elite Blackhawk Squadron against Axis forces. Howard Chaykin's 1988 reimagining gave this veteran pilot a grittier edge while preserving his identity as a masterful combatant, marksman, and battlefield commander.

Howard Chaykin brought this iteration of Blackhawk to life in 1988, launching a character who would navigate the Copper and Modern Age of DC Comics with real staying power across more than three decades. Rooted in the storied Blackhawk legacy but shaped by Chaykin's distinctively gritty sensibility, this version carved out space in some of DC's most compelling titles — from Action Comics Weekly to Blackhawk to the atmospheric pages of Sandman. Along the way, the character keeps genuinely rarefied company, sharing adventures with the likes of Superman, Clark Kent, and Green Lantern's Hal Jordan. Thirty-seven appearances spanning 1988 to 2020 tell the story of a figure who earned a lasting place in the DC universe — well worth seeking out for any collector who loves the era.