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Cover Date: June 2001
Release Date: April 18, 2001
Script: David S. Goyer, Geoff Johns
Pencils: Stephen Sadowski
Inks: Michael Bair:
Colors: John Kalisz, Heroic Age
Letters: John Lopez
Editing: Peter J. Tomasi, Mike Carlin
Cover: Andrew C. Robinson (art), Todd Klein (letters)
Editing: Peter J. Tomasi, Mike Carlin
Cover: Andrew C. Robinson (art), Todd Klein (letters)
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Flash (Jay Garrick) traveled back to ancient Egypt and was told that Hawkman is returning. Meanwhile, JSA member Hawkgirl (Kendra Saunders) had been remembering things from a past that wasn't hers. The angel Zauriel shocked her by revealing to her that the spirit of Shiera Saunders now dwelled within her. Shortly after, she was transported to Thanagar. The priests of Thanagar brought her there to help them bring Hawkman back from the realm he was banished to so many years ago (Hawkman Vol. 3 No. 32). When she reached into the Well of Spirits, Hawkman (Carter Hall) was able to find his way back home.
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When the JSA series first came out, I'll admit I was a bit agitated. After watching Hawkman being shelved by DC for a few years, I was excited when I heard about the new JSA series. When it started, Alan Scott, Jay Garrick, and Wildcat were all there, but no Carter Hall. Only a snide teenager named Kendra Saunders, who had no idea what to do with the powers she had been given. I wasn't thrilled, but I stayed with it because the stories were actually pretty good.
Hawkman's return was like a slow burn. A flashback scene, a panel where Kendra stares at Hawkman's mace, flashes of past lives, Kendra calling Black Adam by his Egyptian name, and so on. Finally, after almost two years into the series, it just took off. Hawkman is returning. Get ready. Then, in the issues before "The Return of Hawkman," Flash travels back to ancient Egypt and runs into not only Prince Khufu (Hawkman), but also Teth-Adam (Black Adam) and Nabu (Doctor Fate). Hot diggity dayum. Goyer and Johns ain't messing around.
When I look back, I think this was the first real indication that reincarnation was really going to be a central part of Hawkman and Hawkgirl's story going forward. Nobody had ever really tackled it in this way before. After five years of no Hawkman (except for the amazing Legend of the Hawkman mini-series), waiting for the next issue was sheer torture. But a good kind of torture. Okay, that sounded weird, but let's move on.
The Thanagarian demon Onimar Synn had taken over Thanagar, and the priests of the Thanagarian religion needed Hawkman to defeat him. The only problem was that Hawkman was stuck in the Well of Spirits and couldn't find his way back. Kendra, who now had Shiera's soul, had a connection to Hawkman and would help him find his way. Kendra reaches into the misty flame, and Hawkman grabs her hand. This was one of the most exhilarating panels ever for a Hawkman fan. He's back.
Hawkman had changed. When he went into the Hawk realm back in 1996, he had the body of Katar Hol, the half Thanagarian, half Native American, and with the Golden Age Carter Hall's consciousness. But it had flipped. He now had Carter Hall's body with Katar Hol's memories. Comics. He looked pretty much the same, but the red shorts were gone. He looked like a man in his late 20s or early 30s. But he was back, ready to pick up where he left off.
The rest of the Justice Society followed Kendra to Thanagar, thanks to Doctor Fate's powers and witnessed the whole thing. And the guy now wearing Doctor Fate's helmet was Hector Hall, Carter and Shiera's son. Comics. I always wondered why Doctor Fate didn't have some more sit-down time with Kendra, since there was basically a mother-son connection, but it was never really approached. Maybe more about that in future reviews.
As a Hawkman fan, this issue was like Kendra's hand reaching into the Well of DC Neglect and pulling me back into the DC Universe. It will forever be one of the most monumental issues in my memory.
Hawkman's return was like a slow burn. A flashback scene, a panel where Kendra stares at Hawkman's mace, flashes of past lives, Kendra calling Black Adam by his Egyptian name, and so on. Finally, after almost two years into the series, it just took off. Hawkman is returning. Get ready. Then, in the issues before "The Return of Hawkman," Flash travels back to ancient Egypt and runs into not only Prince Khufu (Hawkman), but also Teth-Adam (Black Adam) and Nabu (Doctor Fate). Hot diggity dayum. Goyer and Johns ain't messing around.
When I look back, I think this was the first real indication that reincarnation was really going to be a central part of Hawkman and Hawkgirl's story going forward. Nobody had ever really tackled it in this way before. After five years of no Hawkman (except for the amazing Legend of the Hawkman mini-series), waiting for the next issue was sheer torture. But a good kind of torture. Okay, that sounded weird, but let's move on.
The Thanagarian demon Onimar Synn had taken over Thanagar, and the priests of the Thanagarian religion needed Hawkman to defeat him. The only problem was that Hawkman was stuck in the Well of Spirits and couldn't find his way back. Kendra, who now had Shiera's soul, had a connection to Hawkman and would help him find his way. Kendra reaches into the misty flame, and Hawkman grabs her hand. This was one of the most exhilarating panels ever for a Hawkman fan. He's back.
Hawkman had changed. When he went into the Hawk realm back in 1996, he had the body of Katar Hol, the half Thanagarian, half Native American, and with the Golden Age Carter Hall's consciousness. But it had flipped. He now had Carter Hall's body with Katar Hol's memories. Comics. He looked pretty much the same, but the red shorts were gone. He looked like a man in his late 20s or early 30s. But he was back, ready to pick up where he left off.
The rest of the Justice Society followed Kendra to Thanagar, thanks to Doctor Fate's powers and witnessed the whole thing. And the guy now wearing Doctor Fate's helmet was Hector Hall, Carter and Shiera's son. Comics. I always wondered why Doctor Fate didn't have some more sit-down time with Kendra, since there was basically a mother-son connection, but it was never really approached. Maybe more about that in future reviews.
As a Hawkman fan, this issue was like Kendra's hand reaching into the Well of DC Neglect and pulling me back into the DC Universe. It will forever be one of the most monumental issues in my memory.
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AVIAN ARTISTRY |
First, let me talk about the cover.
DAYUM.
Everything about it is just iconic. I think I stared at it for hours, in a good, wholesome way, when I first saw it. Andrew Robinson didn't just hit this one out of the park; it went straight into the stratosphere, and I think it's still going. The iconic pose, the mace, the realism, the grainy look to it, Hawkman emerging from the darkness and coming into the light- just all of it is worthy of the best frame you have in the house.
And now about the issue.
DOUBLE DAYUM.
Stephen Sadowski and Michael Bair's work more than matches the cover. For obvious reasons, Hawkman is one of the most masculine heroes out there. I mean, you gotta be, if you're going to go flying around half-naked. And Sadowski has the male form down. It's not crude or overdone, but he can throw just a little more realism into his pictures than most artists might. I know you know what I mean, so don't make me say it. But that full-page panel of Hawkman standing there made me fall in love with Sadowski's art. I had the privilege of getting Sadowski to do a commission for me about ten years ago (I'll post it below), and it is absolutely one of my favorite possessions of all time. Sadowski was completely different from Joe Kubert or Richard Howell, but he definitely put his name on this character. You can't talk about great Hawkman artists without mentioning Sadowski. And Bair's work just made this issue all that much better.
The story had been slowly percolating, then it came to a boil, and finally exploded with this issue, and it would not have had the same effect without the art. It all came together perfectly here.
DAYUM.
Everything about it is just iconic. I think I stared at it for hours, in a good, wholesome way, when I first saw it. Andrew Robinson didn't just hit this one out of the park; it went straight into the stratosphere, and I think it's still going. The iconic pose, the mace, the realism, the grainy look to it, Hawkman emerging from the darkness and coming into the light- just all of it is worthy of the best frame you have in the house.
And now about the issue.
DOUBLE DAYUM.
Stephen Sadowski and Michael Bair's work more than matches the cover. For obvious reasons, Hawkman is one of the most masculine heroes out there. I mean, you gotta be, if you're going to go flying around half-naked. And Sadowski has the male form down. It's not crude or overdone, but he can throw just a little more realism into his pictures than most artists might. I know you know what I mean, so don't make me say it. But that full-page panel of Hawkman standing there made me fall in love with Sadowski's art. I had the privilege of getting Sadowski to do a commission for me about ten years ago (I'll post it below), and it is absolutely one of my favorite possessions of all time. Sadowski was completely different from Joe Kubert or Richard Howell, but he definitely put his name on this character. You can't talk about great Hawkman artists without mentioning Sadowski. And Bair's work just made this issue all that much better.
The story had been slowly percolating, then it came to a boil, and finally exploded with this issue, and it would not have had the same effect without the art. It all came together perfectly here.
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MEMORABLE WHEET |
"Carter. Khufu. A hundred other lifetimes I've known. I remember them all --- But most of all, I remember you --- My once and future love."
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AVIARY |
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PECKING ORDER |
Verdict: The absolute best of the best!
Next review: Hawkworld No. 1
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| By Stephen Sadowski |
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