Will Conrad; New Hawkman Artist!

Will Conrad (Photo from Buffy Verse Wiki)

When the DC Comics solicitations for May 2019 came out last week, we found out that Bryan Hitch was leaving the series, and that Will Conrad would be doing the art for Hawkman No. 13. It's sad to see Bryan leave the series, as his work with writer Robert Venditti has been amazing for Hawkman. Their twelve issues together have become a turning point in the history of the Winged Warrior.
We still have two issues of Bryan Hitch's Hawkman to look forward to before Conrad takes over in June. But let's look ahead at the artist who will be doing Hawkman next. Here are some details:

Hawk Talk Episode #4: The Continuity of the Current Hawkman

Hawk Talk Episode #4 is up! Link 

1. Contents
2. Get the Hawkman comic!
3. The continuity of Hawkman/Carter Hall in the current Hawkman series. 
3. This week in Hawkworld History
4. Upcoming comics with Hawkman and Hawkgirl
5. Reminder for Hawkgirl Day, April 25th

Hawk Talk Episode #3: Hawkman No. 10 / Bryan Hitch Leaving the Series

Hawk Talk Episode No. 3 is up!  Link

1. Today's content
2. Get the Hawkman comic!
3. Bryan Hitch's Ideas for Hawkman's Costume and Mace
4. Review of Hawkman No. 11
5. This Week in Hawkworld History
6. Upcoming Hawkman Comics
7. Reminder for Hawkgirl Day
8. Bryan Hitch Leaving the Hawkman Series

My Love Affair with Bryan Hitch's Hawkman

We found out today that Bryan Hitch's run on the current Hawkman series will end with issue No. 12. I've known this for a while, but the official news made me reflect on the amazing run that Bryan has had with Hawkman. My love affair with Bryan's Hawkman began on December 29, 2017. That was the day Hawkman Found was released. I'll never forget it. I really didn't know what to expect but I was stunned. It was absolutely the most beautiful Hawkman comic I had ever seen. I had never seen the wings drawn that way and in such detail. The expressions of Carter Hall. Those Manhawks. The issue was a masterpiece and I couldn't get enough of it. I wanted more. And then about two and a half months later, my wish became reality.

Board Review of Hawkman No. 10: "London Falling"

   It's a good thing February was a short month. The pressure in the current Hawkman story by Robert Venditti and Bryan Hitch has been building up steam ever since the first issue and at the end of No. 9, you could start to hear that ear-piercing whistle starting to blow. Well, the lid just blew off in issue No. 10.

HAWK TALK! Talking about everything Hawkworld!

Hawk Talk is soaring! The very first podcast of Hawk Talk is out! LINK

Contents:
1. Welcome to Hawk Talk
2. Promoting the current Hawkman series
3. Why Hawkman Matters
4. Q&A
5. This week in Hawkworld: Sheldon Moldoff, Death of Hawkman No. 6
6. Hawkgirl Day
7. Fan promoting the current Hawkman series
8. Upcoming Hawkman/Hawkgirl Comics

Hawkman and Hawkgirl in a new team called the Detectives Guild!

Detective Comics No. 1000 is coming out on March 27th. The first story of the 96-page issue will introduce a new team called the Detectives Guild. It is a team created by Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. the team consists of Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Martian Manhunter, Elongated Man, the Question, Detective Chimp, Slam Bradley, Traci thirteen and of course, Batman. Not many details have been released about the team, but it will center on Batman's training to becoming the world's greatest detective. CBR.com's article on the issue is here.

You can find Snyder talking a bit about the team in an article on a site called Resetera. Not sure if this is a one-shot deal or if it will continue in Detective Comics for a while. Stay tuned.

Board Review of Hawkman No. 9: "Descent"

The Hawkman series by Robert Venditti and Bryan Hitch has finally entered the final climax. After going through time and space and discovering who he really is/was, meeting three of his former selves, recovering his space ship, and failing to find the weapon to defeat the Deathbringers, Carter Hall is back on Earth to face the enemy. It appears that the final four issues will bring us the battle between Hawkman and the enemy that he has dreaded for so long.

The Hawkman and Hawkwoman/Hawkgirl Flowchart Update

This is for all the Hawkman, Hawkwoman and Hawkgirl fans to look over and check. Lots of theories out there but I tried to put it all together. Feel free to comment or make suggestions below. Click photo to enlarge.

The Evolution of Hawkman on TV!

A history of Hawkman on TV was posted by Nightstroke on YouTube. Check it out! 

Solving the Mystery of Thanagar Prime and Shayera Hol of the Justice League Series

In Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV's recent Hawkworld storyline in Justice League No. 14-16, we were introduced to a Shayera Hol who we did not recognize, Katar Hol aka The Savage Hawkman from the Death of Hawkman series, and a Thanagar we have never seen before. Since the Hawkworld storyline came out in December, Hawkfans have been wondering who these characters are. There has been a lot of debate about it. However, writer James Tynion IV graciously answered some questions on Twitter today, so with those facts, I'll try to break it down and explain who these characters are. There is no complete explanation, and there will still be some debate, but that's half the fun,  right? So, let's fly in and see if we can break it down.

My Wall of Hawkinspiration!

Here's my wall of Hawkman art, comics, commissions, figures, badges, pins, cards, shirts, hats, and everything else in between!

GREAT Review of Hakwman No. 8 by Ritesh Babu of AiPT

If you're a Hawkman fan, do yourself a favour and go read the review for Hawkman No. 1 by Ritesh Babu of the AiPT site. If this review doesn't get you excited about the direction that Venditti and Hitch are taking Hawkman, then I doubt anything will. 
This is where the additive approach of Venditti and Hitch really roars with its might. What they’ve brought to Hawkman is an ability unlike anything or anyone else. None of his immortal hero brethren across any world share his skill. In fact, it’s hard to think of any character with such a talent. It’s something utterly idiosyncratic to Hawkman, an addition specific to him and no one else. It makes him not only a unique hero in all of DC Comics but in all of superhero fiction. It literalizes all his greatest strengths and perfectly captures everything he is and represents in his powerset. 
There are four more issues in the current storyline. Venditti is rebuilding the hero and the sky's the limit for Hawkman. Check out the article! Link 

Hawkman No. 9 Variant Cover by Shane Davis

The variant cover for Hawkman No. 9 by Shane Davis was released! And it's awesome!

Board Review of Hawkman No. 8: "Requiem"

Ever since last summer when it was revealed that Hawkman was a Kryptonian in a former life, fans have been looking forward to this issue. We've been waiting to see how Hawkman has a part in the history of Superman's home planet and how that is going to help him defeat the threat that is coming to Earth. We even found out in a preview that Hawkman is now the "Living Historical Document of the Universe." The issue by Robert Venditti and Bryan Hitch was a surprise in several ways, but maybe not in the way many were expecting. This was an issue that threw us down to the depths of despair and death, with the hope that Hawkman is going to figure out a way to soar above it all. Because that's what Hawkman is all about.

Finding Hawkman and Hawkgirl in the Bronze Age

Hawkman and Hawkwoman by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez

Where can we find Hawkman and Hawkgirl during the Bronze Age of comics? The Bronze Age is generally considered to be from 1970 to about 1985, but during this time, the Hawks were basically homeless. The Silver Age was a great time for the Hawks, starting with their reintroduction to comics in 1961 in The Brave and the Bold #34 (February 1961) by Gardner Fox and Joe Kubert. This started a run of six issues in B&B, a four-issue run in Mystery in Space (#87-90), their first solo series in Hawkman Vol. 1 (#1-27), and a team-up comic in The Atom and Hawkman (#39-45). The Atom and Hawkman series ended in November 1969, and the Hawks flew into the Bronze age without a nest to call their own.

Hawkman by Joe Kubert

The next time the Hawks were given a comic of their own was right at the end of the Bronze Age in Tony Isabella and Richard Howell's The Shadow War of Hawkman (May 1985). So where can we find the Hawks from 1970 until the Shadow series in 1985? They would pop up here and there during the seventies and the first half of the eighties, but here are some of the places we can find them, even if it was just for three or four issues. I've mostly gathered the main team issues and the comics where they had their own feature.

The Justice League of America series was the comic you could often find Hawkman and Hawkgirl during this time. Hawkman joined in 1964, and from 1970 to 1985, he made 98 appearances. This would include main roles, cameos, and everything in between. Hawkgirl made 7 appearances in the series before she was finally made a regular member in issue No. 146 (September 1977). She made 24 more appearances in the series until it ended in 1987. After I discovered Hawkman in 1977, this was the comic I made sure I picked up after I sadly discovered that he had no comic of his own.

Between 1972 to 1981, Hawkman (and sometimes Hawkgirl) appeared in 11 issues of Detective Comics (4 of them were reprints). These were great backup features written by E. Nelson Bridwell, Bob Rozakis, Len Wein and Paul Levitz, with art by Dick Dillin, Rich Buckler, Dick Giordano, Klaus Janson, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Murphy Anderson, and Joe Kubert.

At the end of 1975, All-Star Comics came back for the first time since 1951, and ran for 17 more issues, ending in 1978. Hawkman was in 16 of the issues, making issue No. 60 the only issue in the entire run to not have a Hawkman appearance. This was the series where Carter Hall started wearing his "Crysler Helmet", as I affectionately call it.

In 1977, Hawkman and Hawkgirl appeared in three issues of the Secret Society of Super-Villains (issues No. 5-7). Issue No. 7 is particularly important in Hawk history as it is the first cover that Hawkgirl appeared on without Hawkman. It is also an interesting story because we find Hawkman working hard in the kitchen to prove his culinary skills, all while still wearing his helmet, harness, and wings. This scene alone is worth the series.

In 1978, Hawkfans received a real treat with Showcase presents...Hawkman No. 101-103. Hawkman and Hawkgirl teamed up with Adam Strange for a three-issue series. With the story by Jack Harris, art by Al Milgrom and Murphy Anderson and cover art by Joe Kubert, this is probably the highlight of the seventies for many Hawkfans. Personally, this was the first Hawkman titled comic I ever bought, finding it on the spin rack at the neighborhood convenience store when I was 13 years old. I still have the issues to this day.

In May 1979, Hawkman appeared in DC Comics Presents No. 11 with Superman. This is a rather famous issue where Marc Teichman, the winner of a letter page contest, was featured in the issue as the prize. The cover by Ross Andru and Dick Giordano often comes up in Hawkworld threads on Facebook and Twitter. But what a prize! Who wouldn't want to be featured in a comic with Hawkman and Superman? Hawkgirl also made an appearance in the series in issue #37 (September 1981). This story is a great spotlight for Hawkgirl and her abilities. 

In 1979, Hawkman and Hawkgirl began a run of mostly backup features in World's Finest Comics #256-282. There were 24 stories in all. The famous scene when Hawkgirl declares herself to be called Hawkwoman appeared in issue No. 272. Bob Rozakis did most of the writing (15 issues), and Alex Saviuk handled the most of the art (12 issues). It would be great to see the Detective and World's Finest stories collected together someday. With over 30 features, they would make a great collection!

In 1981, Roy Thomas' All-Star Squadron started with the famous cover of Hawkman, Dr. Mid-Night, and Atom selecting the members. Hawkman appeared in 68 of the 70 issues (67 issues and 3 annuals), while Hawkgirl appeared in 27 issues.

Hawkman and Hawkgirl also appeared in several issues of Infinity. Inc and then there was a four-issue series called America vs. the Justice Society. Soon after, the Hawks were featured in the Shadow War of Hawkman, their first series in 15 and a half years.

This is by no means a complete list. Hawkman and Hawkgirl, both the Earth-1 and Earth-2 versions, appeared in many other issues during the Bronze Age. If you know of other solo features of the Hawks during the 1970-1985 span, please list it in the comments below! Even though they did not have a comic to call their own during most of this period, there are some great Hawkman and Hawkgirl comics to be found! You just have to know where to look! 

Here's a list to help you out. For a more complete list, you can find them all in chronological order here.

Click for a closer look!

Winged Passion - Tim Board's Hawkworld

Pop Culture Squad's Ed Catto posted an article on their website today. He had sent me a few questions last month so here are my answers!

With Further Ado #023: Winged Passion – Tim Board’s Hawkworld

...it’s not surprising that Hawkman has inspired great passion among comic fans. It’s always amazing how certain fans carry the torch and pass along their personal passion to other fans.  Sometimes they almost act as an official marketing department.  That’s why I wanted to catch up with one Hawkman fan named Tim Board, who rules the roost of……Hawkworld

The Hawkman/Hawkgirl Comic Covers of 2018!

The year 2018 was a great year for Hawkman and Hawkgirl fans! The year started out slowly, but once the summer started, we started getting some great covers! Here are the covers of the comics and collections that featured Hawkman and Hawkgirl this year in chronological order!

Geoff John's Hawkman Book Two
Art by John Watson

Maybe you think Hawkman is lame...

Maybe you think Hawkman is lame. That's fine. We are all entitled to our own opinions. It's not my mission in life to change your likes/dislikes. What I do hope for is that people will see the enthusiasm for the hero at Hawkworld and see him differently. That's all.

Art by Adam Kubert (from Hawkman Vol. 4 No. 46), Background added by Tim Board

Review of Hawkworld 2018

 

What a difference a year makes! At the end of last year, Hawkman and Hawkgirl had no comic, but they had been brought back in Scott Snyder's Metal series and we were anxiously waiting for news of a comic. Let's look back on the amazing year the Hawks had in 2018!