A Guide to All the Versions of Hawkman

Whenever you read an article or watch a video about Hawkman, one of the first things they say about the character is that he's "confusing" or "convoluted." Granted, Hawkman has been through a few changes, and many of the crisis events or reboots that DC Comics loves so much have left him getting the short end of the stick. But if you have actually read Hawkman comics, you can put the basics together to see how the character got to where he is today. In this article, I will explain the story of each major character that had the name of Hawkman, where you can find them, and where they ended up. 

Hawkman and Hawkwoman by Tom Grummett

 

May the 4th be with you Hawkman style!

Here's a pic I made for Hawkman/Star Wars fans to celebrate May 4th! I took Andrew Cartwright Robinson's cover for Hawkman Vol. 4 No. 1 and replaced Hawkman's mace with a light saber. Can you imagine a Hawkman with a light saber?! DAYUM!

The History of Hawkman and Hawkwoman by Tim Board

 Here is the history of Hawkman and Hawkwoman/Hawkgirl explained as simply as possible. I've tried to include all of the major events, reboots, changes, and series that the Hawks have experienced since their first appearance in 1940. I've also made an attempt to explain the current Hawkman, Hawkwoman, and Hawkgirl as simply as possible. If you click the link, you can see the chart up close. I hope they help. If you notice something that is wrong or something you think I should include in the chart, feel free to leave it in the comments.
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Flashcards of Hawkgirl/Hawkwoman's Historic Moments!

 Hawkgirl first appeared as Shiera Sanders/Chay-ara in Flash Comics No. 1 which was published in November 1939. But she didn't strap on the wings until All-Star Comics No. 5 which came out on April 25, 1941. This month is the 80th anniversary of the first appearance of Hawkgirl, so I've made some flashcards of some of the historic moments from Hawkgirl/Hawkwoman's 80 years! 

Hawkgirl/Hawkwoman 80th Anniversary Tribute Collage

 Here is my collage to celebrate Hawkgirl's 80th anniversary. She first appeared as Shiera in Flash Comics No. 1 (November 1939), but she became Hawkgirl for the first time in All-Star Comics No. 5, published on April 25, 1941. I started making this collage during the summer of 2020, searching endlessly for pictures to use. As with the Hawkman collages, their wings always made it a challenge. After starting over numerous times, it gradually came together. I hope it is worthy of one of the greatest superheroines in comics. I've listed the artists whose work I used to create the collage down below. 

Art by:
Sheldon Moldoff
Joe Kubert
Irv Novick
Richard Howell, Bruce Patterson
Graham Nolan, Sam Parsons
Steve Lieber, Rick Magyar, Rob Schwager
Patrick Gleason, Christian Alamy, John Kalisz, Digital Chameleon
Alex Ross  
Nicola Scott, Trevor Scott, Alex Sinclair 
Yildiray Cinar, Trevor Scott, Alex Sinclair
Joe Bennett, Art Thibert, Guy Major
Ciara Renee 
Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, FCO Plascencia
Jim Lee, Sandra Hope, Tomeu Morey
Jorge Jimenez, Alejandro Sanchez
Bryan Hitch, Andrew Currie, Jeremiah Skipper
Fernando Pasarin, Oclair Albert, Jeromy Cox
Marco Castiello, Danny Miki, Jeromy Cox
David Marquez, Tamra Bonvillain 

Many thanks to all the amazing artists who brought Hawkgirl to life over the years! 

The Story of Shayera Hol/Hawkwoman and Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl

By Tim Board

Since the release of the Dark Nights Metal series in 2017-18, Hawkfans have been wondering when Hawkman and Hawkgirl were going to get back together. The current Hawkman series kicked off in June 2018, but Hawkgirl was not a part of the series. We saw her in some of her past lives; Chay-ara, Shayera Thal, and Sherra, but we never saw her as Hawkgirl in the first 18 issues. That all changed in issues #19-26. This article is to explain who Hawkgirl and Hawkwoman are and their connection to Hawkman. Warning: This article contains spoilers, so if you have not read Hawkman No. 19-26, check those issues out first!

The Ultimate List of All Hawkman Comics!

Looking for Hawkman Comics?
Here are the three lists: Updated (March 12, 2021)
1. List of all comics important to Hawkman and Hawkwoman/Hawkgirl's history (includes other series)
2. List of only Hawkman series (Legacy Numbering)
3. List of all Hawkman trades, collections, and omnibuses (Includes content and in order of release dates)

Sign the petition to keep Hawkman comics soaring! 

Hawk Sketch Cards by Doug Zawisza

 During the month of January and February, Doug Zawisza did some awesome sketch cards of many of the characters, including Hawkman and Hawkwoman as well as their friends and enemies! They were so good that I collected them! I was lucky enough to receive four of these a few years ago when Doug sent me some Hawk figures from the States. 
Also, if you have never picked up "Hawkman Companion" by Doug, you're missing out on a great record of Hawkman and Hawkwoman history! This book is a must for any Hawkfan! I'll post links below for you to order your copy. Enjoy! 

Hawkman Companion (2008) by Doug Zawisza 

Links to order! 
Goodreads  
Amazon 

Check out Doug's Twitter account for sketches of many more heroes and characters! You might find your favorite! 

Why Hawkman Matters (Revised)

Art by Adam Kubert, Background added by Tim Board

In August of 2017, 13th Dimension posted my article titled "Why Hawkman Matters." Since then, we had a great Hawkman series by Robert Venditti but sadly, it ended last year and Hawkman and Hawkwoman are once again homeless. But being comicless has never stopped me from being a Hawkfan before, so there's no reason to quit now! I used to post this on the first day of every month, but I haven't done it in a while so here's an updated version to "Why Hawkman Matters." You can read the original article here.

Why Hawkman Matters.
Sometimes I’m asked why I spend so much time on something like Hawkman, a comic-book character some would call “second-tier.” Why bother with a character that has struggled in continuing his own series? Why bother with a character that has been killed off in practically every storyline during the past decade?