Ulysses Hazard was born in Birmingham, Alabama, in the early 20th century. He suffered from polio as a child and spent years overcoming this crippling disease. He trained himself to the peak of physical perfection, excelling in body-building, athletics, and martial arts. He enlisted in the US Army during World War II, hoping to serve his country as a combat soldier. However, due to racism and segregation, he was assigned to graves detail, digging graves for fallen soldiers.

Hazard’s friend was killed by a Nazi fighter plane, and Hazard went AWOL. He traveled to Washington, DC, and broke into the offices of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to prove his worth as a soldier. Impressed by his skills and determination, they made him a one-person unit, sending him on secret missions in the European theater of operations under the code “Gravedigger.”

Gravedigger fought against the Nazis in France and Africa, facing enemies such as the Man with the Opened Eye, a Nazi spy, and Baron Blitzkrieg, a super-powered Nazi officer. He also encountered other heroes, such as Sgt: Rock, Mademoiselle Marie, and the Unknown Soldier. On one mission, he received a cross-shaped scar on his forehead from a bullet wound, adding to his fearsome appearance.

## Later Career and Legacy

Gravedigger survived the war and remained in the US Army, rising to Colonel by 1976. During the bicentennial celebration, he met up with other war veterans, such as the Losers, Jeb Stuart, and Mademoiselle Marie. His post-war activities and fate are unknown.

Gravedigger had a grandson named Perseus Hazard, who became a member of Checkmate, a covert organization that deals with metahuman threats. Perseus inherited his grandfather’s codename and skills but also had cybernetic enhancements that gave him super-strength and durability.

Gravedigger also inspired another character named Tyson Sykes, who appeared in the TV series Black Lightning. Sykes was a metahuman who fought in World War II and gained enhanced strength, speed, agility, and mind control powers from an experimental serum. He joined the Markovian army and became their leader, seeking to create a nation for metahumans.

## Little Known Facts

– Gravedigger appeared in every single one of the original twenty-six issue runs of Men of War, making him one of the longest-running features in DC Comics’ war comics.
– Gravedigger is also the only fictional character other than Sgt. Rock to ever lead DC Comics’ version of Easy Company, a group of elite soldiers who fought in World War II.
– Gravedigger’s origin story was loosely based on Dorie Miller, a black sailor who heroically fought against the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
– Gravedigger’s name references both his original occupation as a gravedigger and his role as a deadly soldier who sends his enemies to their graves.

## Media Appearances

– Gravedigger has not appeared in any animated or live-action adaptations of DC Comics characters, except for Tyson Sykes in Black Lightning.
– Gravedigger has appeared in several video games based on DC Comics characters, such as DC Universe Online and Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham.
– Gravedigger has also appeared in some novels based on DC Comics characters, such as The Last Days of Krypton by Kevin J. Anderson and Infinite Crisis by Greg Cox.