Why was post Crisis Peacemaker crazy?

[The Cool Thatguy]

Even as murderous anti-heroes go, Peacemaker in the 80s was something else. Delusional, believing that he was haunted by a Nazi father and that the ghosts of the people he killed. He killed Vigilante simply because the man touched him and in general made The Punisher seem like the model of mental health.

Was it Watchmen influence? Because even then, I'm hard pressed to see the connections. Anyone know what happened?

[GlennSimpson]

Even as murderous anti-heroes go, Peacemaker in the 80s was something else. Delusional, believing that he was haunted by a Nazi father and that the ghosts of the people he killed. He killed Vigilante simply because the man touched him and in general made The Punisher seem like the model of mental health.

Was it Watchmen influence? Because even then, I'm hard pressed to see the connections. Anyone know what happened?

They were trying to make him unique.

[ed2962]

Even as murderous anti-heroes go, Peacemaker in the 80s was something else. Delusional, believing that he was haunted by a Nazi father and that the ghosts of the people he killed. He killed Vigilante simply because the man touched him and in general made The Punisher seem like the model of mental health.

Was it Watchmen influence? Because even then, I'm hard pressed to see the connections. Anyone know what happened?

I don't think it had anything to do with Watchmen. The Comedian was a sadist not crazy. Plus part of the reason DC had Moore change his original pitch was because they were developing plans for the Carlton characters.

[codystarbuck]

It was more likely the rather schizophrenic idea at the center of the character, from his inception: he loves peace so much he fights for it. That's a pretty messed up idea. So, they just ran with that idea and presented a "hero" who wasn't exactly mentally stable. It wasn't exactly the stuff of a runaway hit; but, it did take the premise to a logical conclusion. The original Charlton take on the character was too much "of its time," and you couldn't really make that work in the modern DC. I was surprised by it, when I first read the mini-series (I had read a couple of the Charlton adventures, in my younger days); but, it worked. It wasn't something I wanted to read for more then the four issues.

[Darkspellmaster]

Wasn't peacemaker part of Blue Beetle for a while? I swear he was fine in Jamie's books.

[The Cool Thatguy]

It was more likely the rather schizophrenic idea at the center of the character, from his inception: he loves peace so much he fights for it. That's a pretty messed up idea. So, they just ran with that idea and presented a "hero" who wasn't exactly mentally stable. It wasn't exactly the stuff of a runaway hit; but, it did take the premise to a logical conclusion. The original Charlton take on the character was too much "of its time," and you couldn't really make that work in the modern DC. I was surprised by it, when I first read the mini-series (I had read a couple of the Charlton adventures, in my younger days); but, it worked. It wasn't something I wanted to read for more then the four issues.

"It was more likely the rather schizophrenic idea at the center of the character, from his inception: he loves peace so much he fights for it"

Is it really? Because that kinda defines every member of any armed services or police on some level.

[The Cool Thatguy]

Wasn't peacemaker part of Blue Beetle for a while? I swear he was fine in Jamie's books.

He was, and he wasn't insane. Hell, did he even bother to don his Peacemaker gear?