DC; August-September 1976
Cover by Fred Ray

Title: “The Spirit of 1776!”
Synopsis: Superman uses a time projector to look back on an early encounter between Tom “Tomahawk” Hawk and George Washington.

Writer: Uncredited
Artists: Fred Ray and Curt Swan

Review: A classic bait and switch package – but that might be fitting for a special celebrating the birth of a nation that has often struggled to live up to its advertised ideals. Other than a Superman framing sequence, readers are treated to Tomahawk reprints (this one from 1947’s Star Spangled Comics #73).

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Title: “Adventure in New York!”
Synopsis: Tomahawk and young ally Dan Hunter go undercover to steal ammunition for George Washington’s troops.

Writer: Uncredited
Artist: Fred Ray

Review: While a bit dated, Fred Ray’s art is top shelf. (This story is from 1951’s Star Spangled Comics #121.)

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Title: “The Magic Tomahawk!”
Synopsis: Tom Hawk receives a Paul Revere-crafted silver tomahawk from George Washington that soon proves lucky in a treacherous situation.

Writer: Uncredited
Artist: Fred Ray

Review: The stereotypes in these stories aren’t as bad as many from the era. (From 1952’s Star Spangled Comics #126.)

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Title: Untitled
Synopsis: George Washington and the Continental Army get bogged down at Valley Forge during a crucial winter of the Revolutionary War.

Writer: Fred Ray
Artist: Ray

Review: Fred Ray serves up this nonfiction recounting in full-page splashes, from his 1951 self-published Valley Forge one-shot.

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Title: “The First Sub”
Synopsis: Tomahawk and Dan Hunter rescue a native ally using the real world “Turtle” – the first military submarine.

Writer: Uncredited
Artist: Fred Ray

Review: This mix of fiction and real world history make for an interesting story (from 1957’s Tomahawk #45).

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Title: “Frontier Theater!”
Synopsis: Tomahawk uses a theatrical production as a cover for an operation to retake a bridge from the British.

Writer: Uncredited
Artist: Fred Ray

Review: This reprint from 1952’s Star Spangled Comics #127 makes the least story sense, but Fred Ray’s art is excellent.

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Title: “The Battle of the Master Woodsmen”
Synopsis: Tomahawk and mentor Thacker Young discover they’re on opposite sides of the war, leading to a battle of frontiersman tricks.

Writer: Uncredited
Artist: Fred Ray

Review: This tale of conflicted loyalties and new-world sensibilities carries emotional weight. (From 1957’s Tomahawk #45.)

Grade (for the entire issue): B-

Second opinion: “One of the worst examples of deceptive marketing in recent memory. An attractive package, good art and good writing – and still it stinks on ice for ethical reasons.” – Gary De Jong, It’s a Fanzine #36 (November 1986). “[A] bizarre choice of material in the 1976 treasury titled Superman Salutes the Bicentennial.” – The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide second edition (2003)

Cool factor: A fun collection of historical tales from the underrated Fred Ray. All told, an enjoyable package…
Not-so-cool factor: …that shouldn’t have been titled “Superman Salutes the Bicentennial.”

Notable: The cover is from 1942’s Superman #14. The Valley Forge story is © 1951 Fred Ray. This issue also includes “Don’t Fire Until You See the Whites of Their Eyes!,” “The Battle That Was Misnamed!” and “Who Were the Hessians?” filler features, as well as a two-page “The Bicentennial Planet” text feature and a back cover pinup featuring “The Presidents of the United States.”

Character quotable: “I want you to see that being a Superman isn’t necessary to change the world.” – Superman, American immigrant
A word from the president: “In a scant 38 years, Superman has become a part of the American mythology, And now, in the national celebration of the Bicentennial, we want to pay tribute to the founding fathers using the Superman myth.” – Sol Harrison, from the introduction to this issue

Copyright ©2026 Off the Wahl Productions, all rights reserved. Each week, T. Andrew Wahl offers up a Bronze Age Minute for Scoop. For more reviews like this one, check out Wahl’s website, offthewahl.com.