Hawkman Refused to be a Dictator. Twice.

World's Finest Comics No. 278 (April 1982)

  Hawkman got tossed into a political discussion earlier this month when Absolute Evil No. 1 came out. The issue showed him as a traitor to his fellow heroes and Americans, and then as the murderer of Green Arrow and a full-blown villain assisting the other villains of that universe. Even though the precious DC Trinity are still basically themselves, just under different circumstances, DC completely destroyed the Hawkman of the Absolute universe and made him a despicable character who will probably meet his end badly. 

  This appears to be the direction DC has been taking Hawkman since the 1970s, when he was the conversative foil to the liberal Green Arrow. If given the opportunity, or in different circumstances, Hawkman would be a full-on conservative, traitor, fascist dictator. In Justice League America #72-75 (1993), we saw him as a cruel head of security in a alternate universe. In this story, he killed Sinestro and Green Arrow brutally, acting as judge, jury and executioner.  In the Justice League cartoon (2000-2006), we saw a Hro Talak (anagram of Katar Hol) as an invading dictator. And now this Absolute version. 

  It's difficult to say what Hawkman's political beliefs may be, but I prefer that the comics not mix our heroes and specific politics in this day and age. No one wins. However, I want to point out two instances from Hawkman's past where he showed very clearly what he thought of fascism and dictatorship. 

April 1982

  Back in the 1970s, the Equalizer plague hit Thanagar, making everyone have the same abilities, stature, and intellect. Hyanthis showed up with a cure and in exchange she would be ruler of Thanagar. The Thanagarians agreed but Hawkman was never going to bend the knee to Hyanthis, so he and Shayera were banished from Thanagar for good and they returned to Earth. A few years later, Hawkman, with Superman and Batman, helped the Thanagarians overthrow Hyanthis. He hoped for a return to a democratic system but the Thanagarians immediately wanted Katar as their new ruler. 

World's Finest Comics No. 278 (April 1982)

  Hawkman refused the idea as the reason why the Thanagarians fell under a ruthless dictator in the first place. He turned down the chance to become ruler and left Thanagar for good again. He hoped the Thanagarians would be able to vote for their leader "as it is done on earth." 

Hawkman Vol. 2 No. 12 (July 1987)

  A few more years passed, and Hawkman and Hawkwoman learned that the Thanagarians were planning an invasion of Earth. They took the battle to Thanagar and discovered that the military was using the memory of Hyanthis to scare the Thanagarians into going to war. They were able to overthrow this government as well. The Thanagarians craved for a dictator and once again asked Katar to rule over them. By this time, Hawkman was completely for the Democratic system on Earth

Hawkman Vol. 2 No. 12 (July 1987)

  Katar was deeply disappointed that the Thanagarians could not function without a ruling dictator. He said he would leave, but if they ever needed help to have more freedom and democracy, he could be called upon to help. 

  Hawkman is a complex hero, with so many backgrounds and past lives. It would be a disservice to the character to straight up put him in a square conservative box. It makes his rivalry with Green Arrow more interesting for some, but Hawkman has lived all walks of life as a prince, a king, a commoner, and a slave. I believe he would understand the importance of freedom, justice, and the necessity for people to govern themselves. Many comic book reviewers think he is a far-right concervative because of two things; he is a police officer, and he had a conservative-liberal rivalry with Green Arrow. It appears that they cannot see past those two things.But I think Hawkman is a much more diverse hero who desires for people to have the freedom to choose their own paths through life instead of groveling through life as a subservient slave. He wants people to keep asking questions, keep searching, and never bend the knee. That's the kind of hero I believe Hawkman to be.