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Cover Date: November 2011
Release Date: September 28, 2011
Title: Hawkman Rising
Script: Tony S. Daniel
Artist: Philip Tan
Colors: Sunny Gho
Letters: Travis Lanham
Editing: Janelle Asselin, Eddie Berganza, Bob Harras
Cover: Philip Tan (Art), Colors: Sunny Gho
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BIRD'S EYE VIEW |
Carter Hall, a cryptologist from New York, has had enough of being Hawkman and tries to get rid of his wings and helmet. When he sets it on fire, the Nth metal comes alive and merges with his body. He loses consciousness and wakes up in his New York apartment but has not yet realized what has happened. Archaeologist Ziegler has discovered an alien shipwreck and calls Carter in to help him decipher the symbols on an alien artifact. All hell breaks loose when they try to find out what it is. When an alien emerges and attacks Carter, he realizes the Nth metal has bonded with him and given him incredible powers. The alien then attempts to take the Nth metal for itself.
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Let me take you back to my mindset as a Hawkman fan before this issue came out. I was freakin' pissed off. It had been about five months since the end of the Brightest Day series. You know the series I'm talking about? The series that started off with Carter and Shiera finally back together, took us to Hawkworld, revealed that their love was actually the power source of the Zamarons' (the Star Sapphires) power battery, finally brought them home, killed them off for reasons, brought them back as air elementals, brought back Carter but not Shiera for only-god-knows-why, and ended with Carter smashing ancient stuff in the Stonechat Museum in anger because he was alone again. Yeah, that series. There was no closure, no explanation, nothing. It just ended. One of the greatest runs of Hawkman that began in the JSA series in 2001 ended with an enraging whimper. That's where I was when this came out.
Carter Hall starts the issue fed up with being Hawkman and ready to just end it all. I know it was a completely different reality, but for me, it fit together perfectly with the end of the not-so-Brightest Day series. I'd be fed up, too. So Carter tries to just be rid of the whole Hawkman thing and sets it on fire. But then the Nth Metal comes alive and enters Carter's body. Like it was Venom or something. Of course, Carter doesn't realize what has happened yet.
We find out that Carter Hall was born and raised in the USA (or so he says) and lives in New York in an apartment that resembles Eddie Brock's place in the Venom movie. Apparently, he is a cryptologist, an expert on hidden, decoded systems and symbols (I googled). We meet the professor and the professor's daughter, Emma. (Where's Shayera, or Shiera, or even Kendra?)
When they try to study the artifact, the alien Morphicius awakens and attacks. The Nth metal kicks in and emerges from Carter's body. We've seen organic wings before (Hawkman Vol. 3) but never anything like this. There have been mentions in the past about the Nth metal being in Hawkman and Hawkgirl's system or bloodstream since they have been wearing it for so long. Hawkgirl was even able to float or glide a bit without any Nth metal on her. But the Nth metal being completely immersed in Hawkman's body and even acting on its own when Carter was in danger is a new direction. That was okay and pretty interesting.
I think it was at this point when I really started wondering why DC Comics was so adamant about tearing Hawkman and Hawkgirl apart. Hawkman Vol. 3 (1993-1996) wrote Shayera Thal (one of the greatest characters in Hawk history) almost completely out of the series. Kendra was on her own and had no interest in Carter when he returned (1999-2011). That Justice League cartoon also tore them apart in creepy ways (2002-2004). And don't get me started on the not-so-Brightest Day series again (2010-2011). This had been going on for 15 years when this issue came out. That's a real shame because the partnership and love between Hawkman and Hawkgirl during the Bronze Age was one of the best things about these heroes, and DC wants to keep throwing it away. After this issue, I was hopeful she would show up, but I was concerned.
We didn't get much background on the villain Morphicius, so it didn't really grab my attention. I wanted to see how the alien handles the Nth metal if it does succeed in merging with it, but I guessed it doesn't end well for the alien.
So Carter's new relationship with his Nth Venom is interesting, and I wanted to see what kind of powers it gives him. The weak points were the lack of background information and the absence of Hawkgirl. It definitely has potential but I was hoping we'd get more info in the next issue.
We find out that Carter Hall was born and raised in the USA (or so he says) and lives in New York in an apartment that resembles Eddie Brock's place in the Venom movie. Apparently, he is a cryptologist, an expert on hidden, decoded systems and symbols (I googled). We meet the professor and the professor's daughter, Emma. (Where's Shayera, or Shiera, or even Kendra?)
When they try to study the artifact, the alien Morphicius awakens and attacks. The Nth metal kicks in and emerges from Carter's body. We've seen organic wings before (Hawkman Vol. 3) but never anything like this. There have been mentions in the past about the Nth metal being in Hawkman and Hawkgirl's system or bloodstream since they have been wearing it for so long. Hawkgirl was even able to float or glide a bit without any Nth metal on her. But the Nth metal being completely immersed in Hawkman's body and even acting on its own when Carter was in danger is a new direction. That was okay and pretty interesting.
I think it was at this point when I really started wondering why DC Comics was so adamant about tearing Hawkman and Hawkgirl apart. Hawkman Vol. 3 (1993-1996) wrote Shayera Thal (one of the greatest characters in Hawk history) almost completely out of the series. Kendra was on her own and had no interest in Carter when he returned (1999-2011). That Justice League cartoon also tore them apart in creepy ways (2002-2004). And don't get me started on the not-so-Brightest Day series again (2010-2011). This had been going on for 15 years when this issue came out. That's a real shame because the partnership and love between Hawkman and Hawkgirl during the Bronze Age was one of the best things about these heroes, and DC wants to keep throwing it away. After this issue, I was hopeful she would show up, but I was concerned.
We didn't get much background on the villain Morphicius, so it didn't really grab my attention. I wanted to see how the alien handles the Nth metal if it does succeed in merging with it, but I guessed it doesn't end well for the alien.
So Carter's new relationship with his Nth Venom is interesting, and I wanted to see what kind of powers it gives him. The weak points were the lack of background information and the absence of Hawkgirl. It definitely has potential but I was hoping we'd get more info in the next issue.
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Philip Tan is an amazing artist, and I thought his style fit perfectly with this setup. We had entered the New 52 era, a whole new continuity for Hawkman, and the whole story seemed like a dream sequence. Carter is confused about what is happening in his life, and Tan's art and the colors by Sunny Gho fit the whole mood of the story. That double spread of the Nth metal fire engulfing Carter was amazing. For me, the art was the best thing about this first issue of the new series.
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"The Nth metal---after all these years---you are still a mystery to me"
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PECKING ORDER |
Verdict: Nest Builder. It has potential, but we'll have to see if it comes in the next few issues.
Cover had a Raging Red version.
The cover was definitely cool, but, alas, I agree with your assessment, it had a few puzzling ideas, and no Hawkgirl was weird, but overall, I am always such a Hawk FAN, that I overlooked many threads and was like, at least we have a comic again!
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