Discovering Nth Metal by Tim Board

Art by Adam Kubert

Thoughts on the Nth Metal!

We've always heard about the Nth Metal and how it gives Hawkman the power to fly. But how fast? How does he control it? What other abilities does it give him? These sorts of questions are always bugging me so I've been digging around. Here is a list of all the abilities that Nth metal has shown over the years. I will continue to add to the list as other abilities show. When I add some new information and repost the article to the top of the blog.

Podcast: The Hawkworld Report Episode #5

 The fifth episode of The Hawkworld Report podcast! Always covering everything Hawkman, Hawkwoman, Hawkgirl, or anything Hawk! Send me your questions and I'll answer them in future episodes!

Episode #005: Just Another Tease
Contents:
1. Comics News
2. Movie News
3. Best Series for New Hawkman Readers

LINK

The Ultimate List of Hawkman Comics!

List compiled by Tim Board
You can find details for the issues on Grand Comics Database.
I've added notes to the important issues on an expanded list here.

Hawkman Day!

 I'm starting a new monthly event called Hawkman Day! Hawkman does not have his own comic right now, so I want to have a day for fans to share their favorite art, figures, cosplay, comics, and anything else that has to do with Hawkman, Hawkwoman, Hawkgirl, Hawkworld, their villains, etc. The 9th of every month will be the day! Starting at 12:00 a.m. on the ninth, come see the posts on Hawkworld Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram! Share your favorite stuff with your friends and followers on your favorite SNS sites. Let's keep the Winged Warriors soaring! 

Podcast: The Hawkworld Report #001

Finally restarted my Hawkworld Podcast! Here is the very first episode. I'll be answering questions in future podcasts so post your questions about anything concerning Hawkman, Hawkwoman, Hawkgirl, or anything Hawk! I'll do my best to answer them! 

Episode #001: The Hawkworld Report LINK

Contents:
1. Opening
2. Recent Comics
3. Justice League #63
4. Justice Society Comic?
5. Justice Society WWII
6. Black Adam News
7. Taking your questions!

The Basic Foundation of Hawkman

 When I read an article, watch a YouTube video, or chat with someone about Hawkman, there is almost always the comment about how confusing he is. I don't dispute that, because there are different versions. There are the Golden Age Earth-2, Siver Age Earth-1, Hawkworld, Zero Crisis, Savage, and the current versions. They all have different origins and stories. 

When you look at Superman or Batman, the stories are relatively simple. Superman escaped the destruction of Krypton, landed on Earth, was raised by an American couple, and became a reporter for the Daily Planet in Metropolis. Batman saw his parents murdered and swore his life to avenge them and defeat evil by using his wealth and abilities in Gotham. 

Action Comics No. 1, Detective Comics No. 33

So what about Hawkman? There are different versions, and some of them have even coexisted at the same time. DC Comics really botched up a bunch of characters with their endless crisis events and reboots. They seem to try to take care of their first-tier characters, but the other characters are often swept under the rug, leaving their fringe fans wondering what is going on. Hawkman has been rebooted and rewritten several times. The TV versions have always altered his story as well. It's no wonder that everyone is confused. 
But all the versions are just layers of his story. There is a foundation to the character, just like there is for Superman and Batman. When in doubt, always go back to the beginning.

Flash Comics No. 1 (January 1940)

Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics No. 1. His name is Carter Hall. He is described as a wealthy weapons collector and research scientist. This sets up his knowledge of both weapons and science that he uses in his battles. 

In the very first issue, Carter Hall's reincarnation is brought up. This is what separates Hawkman from all the other heroes and gives us the key to tie everything together. Geoff Johns really began to expand on his reincarnation during the 2000s, and Robert Venditti took it a step further in the most recent series (Hawkman Vol. V, 2018-2021) by how Hawkman had been reincarnating across time and space. 

Reincarnation is the key to understanding Hawkman. All of the versions that we have seen, every last one of them, are connected. The current Carter Hall/Hawkman that we see in the comics today has all the memories and knowledge of the past versions. The Thanagarian version, the Savage version, the Egyptian version, all of them are his past lives. 
Venditti blew the doors open on the reincarnation and past lives of Hawkman. We know now that Hawkman has lived for millions of years, with past lives on Thanagar, Rann, Krypton, the Microverse, the Microverse, Earth-3 and even the Dark Multiverse.

Hawkman Vol. V No. 1 (August 2018)

While there are many versions of Hawkman, there is no need to be confused about who or what he is. Stay with the basic Hawkman's back story of reincarnation. If you try to fit it all together in one nice puzzle, it's not going to work. DC Comics, in all its crazy reboots and ideas, has created a character that is relatively simple and fabulously complicated and deep at the same time. 
The Basics of Hawkman is simply this: 
Hawkman is Carter Hall; an archaeologist and historian who discovered the mysterious Nth metal. The Nth metal gave him his powers of flight, super-strength, super-endurance, regeneration/healing, and many other abilities. As a homage to Horus, the hawk god of the sky, he wears wings and a winged helmet. The Nth metal also triggered the memory of his past lives, revealing his past lives in Egypt, England, the old West, and on Thanagar, Rann, Krypton, New Genesis, and many other planets. Together with his wife/partner Hawkwoman (Shayera Hol), he fights the forces of evil who would take the precious lives of others.

When you see Hawkman, don't look at him as a complicated character who is impossible to understand. There are many chapters and stories and each one is a part of one character; Hawkman. In Hawkman Vol. V No. 8, Hawkman is described as the living historical document of the universe. He has lived through the history of DC Comics. By reading Hawkman, you can discover the history of DC Comics as well. 

Hawkman Vol. V No. 8 (March 2019)

Yes, Hawkman and Hawkwoman are complicated at times. It's not always a perfect fit. But it doesn't need to be. What started in Flash Comics No. 1 way back in 1940 is still continuing. Give Hawkman and Hawkwoman a try. You might be amazed at the intricate and beautiful story of life and love that you will find in these characters. 

Check out my other articles and charts of their history!
Hawkman and Hawkwoman's Timeline
A Guide to All the Versions of Hawkman
A Guide through the History of Hawkman
The Story of Hawkwoman and Hawkgirl
The Ultimate List of All Hawkman Comics

A Guide through the History of Hawkman

DC Comics’ Hawkman is a character who has been around for over 80 years. During those 80 years, he has been rewritten, rebooted, and rebirthed. He has been given several different origins and names. He has been the victim of Crisis events, crossovers and tie-in stories. For the casual reader, it’s understandable that his continuity seems confusing, crazy and convoluted. After the Metal series in 2018, Robert Venditti was given the task of writing a new version of Hawkman. Venditti set out to give us a version with a new origin, but he figured out a way to include all the other past versions as well. Every Hawkman you have ever read can be included in his new origin. As a Hawkman fan and self-appointed guide, it’s my hope that comic book fans will pick up Venditti's series and discover what a fascinating hero Hawkman is. To help other fans understand the character as easily and as quickly as possible. I have made a chart to show where all of his past stories interact. To make it as simple as possible, I have divided all of the Hawkman versions into five categories:

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.
Page 1 LINK     Page 2 LINK     Page 3 LINK     Page 4 LINK

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)

Tim Board's Hawkworld Gallery

 

Since I first started following Hawkman in 1977, I've gradually built up my collection of Hawkman and Hawkwoman comics, art, trades, figures, and other items. I've especially worked on building up my art collection in recent years. Here is a list of the items I have displayed in my collection. 

Hawkgirl Ukiyo-e by Kota Nakatsubo

This is a ukiyo-e art piece by ukiyo-e artist Kota Nakatsubo. Ukiyo-e is a famous style of Japanese art which was popular during the 17th to 19th centuries. The use of hawks, clouds, feathers, and even the mace as the sun is beautifully creative. 

There are three panels with writing on the right of the picture. The white panel says "鷹" (taka、ou) which means hawk and "女" (onna, jo) which means woman. 

The red panel is very interesting. It is a "yojij yukugo" (四字熟語) or in English, a four-letter compound idiom. A good example would be "isseki nichou" (一石二鳥) which means "one stone two birds." 
In this ukiyo-e, the four letters in the red panel says "gi yuu nin kyou" (義勇任侠). 
義 (gi) means justice or righteousness.
勇 (yuu) means bravery.
任 (nin) and 侠 (kyou) together mean "unable to ignore the suffering of others."

Check out Kota Nakatsubo's Twitter and Art Station pages! 

Hawkgirl Out of the Black Adam Movie

Art by Arthur Adams

Sad news. We got news from Dwayne Johnson The Rock himself that Hawkgirl has been dropped from the roster for the Black Adam movie. This is incredibly disappointing news as many fans were looking forward to seeing the Hawks together on the silver screen at last. It's not happening this time, but I hope we get to see Hawkman and Hawkwoman flying across the silver screen together someday. Preferably within my lifetime.
Article: 'BLACK ADAM' FORCED TO DROP HAWKGIRL

Who will be cast as Hawkman in the Black Adam movie?

The Black Adam starring Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock is still scheduled to be released in December 2021. Very little news and a whole lot of rumors have been flying around about the movie for years. As the production schedule gets closer, there is a lot of speculation about who will play Hawkman. Hawkman has never appeared on the big screen, so there is a lot of excitement among fans about who will be announced. Many fan sites have made their predictions about who is going to be the first to bring the Winged Wonder to the silver screen. Below are some of the predictions and links to the sites. Who do you want to be cast as Hawkman?

Hawkworld (Tim Board)
Hawkman: Alexander Skarsgard
My own personal choice for Hawkman has been Skarsgard for a few years now. He would be perfect casting in my opinion.

Hawkman Unleashed Part Two: Breaking Down Hawkman's History

By Tim Board

Hawkman Unleashed Part One: The Reason and The Components of a Hero
Hawkman Unleased Part Three: Soaring to New Heights 

   During Hawkman's 80-year history, he has had seven series, four mini-series, many special one-shot editions, and several runs in other comics. If we gave Hawkman comics a legacy count, we'll reach No. 250 in September 2020. (Check out the list here.) That's pretty low for a character that has been around that long. Hawkman seems to be a character that is impossible to ignore as a concept, but the concept has proved to be difficult to put onto the comic book pages for whatever reason. In Hawkman Unleashed Part One, I listed nine things that should be included in a Hawkman comic: origin/purpose, secret identity, love, powers, weapons, locations, villains, supporting cast, and death/reincarnation. In Hawkman Unleashed Part Two, let's take a look through the history of Hawkman comics and see how each series included the nine components.

Hawkman Unleashed Part One: The Reason and The Components of a Hero

By Tim Board

Hawkman 80th Anniversary Collage by Tim Board

Hawkman Unleased Part Two: Breaking Down Hawkman's History 

Hawkman Unleased Part Three: Soaring to New Heights 

In my mind, Hawkman is the greatest comic book character ever created. Now before all the Batman and Spider-man fans scoff, curse, and click away, let me explain why I think this way. We all love comics. We love how a certain character or story grabbed our attention, our interest, and finally our heart and never let go. For me, that character is Hawkman. For you, it might be Wonder Woman or Captain America. And that is perfectly fine. Somewhere, somehow, that character became rooted in your consciousness and stayed. Every time you see the image of that character, your heart immediately starts beating faster. You'll remember your favorite stories where the character lifted you up. Or you may even feel enraged, as you remember a story where you feel your hero was mistreated. But that's why comic books will never go away. These characters have become a part of our identity, and they keep us young until our dying day.

The List of Hawkworld Comics 1939-2020

I've put together a list of comics that Hawkman and Hawkwoman have appeared in since 1939. I have listed the regular series, mini-series, back-up features, one-shots, tie-ins, guest appearances and the issues from other characters' or teams' series that are important in their histories. I also added some notes that are important in their history. It's a work in progress, but maybe this will help Hawkman, Hawkwoman, and Hawkgirl fans navigate through the world of Hawkworld comics. Enjoy!

Note: Not all of the team issues are listed here. I tried to look back and list just the significant moments in the teams' (Justice Society, Justice League, All-Star Squadron) issues. If there are some moments that you think should be added, please comment below!

Update: I just added a separate page for the trade paperbacks, collections, omnibuses, etc. Go to the bottom of the page and click the tab!

The List of Hawkworld Comics 1939-2020 

Hawkman Legacy Comics List 

Hawkman Trade Paperbacks, Omnibuses,  Collections

(Alternate Link) The List of Hawkworld Comics 1939-2020

The Greatest Hawkgirl/Hawkwoman Stories

By Tim Board

Art by Ed Coutts

On April 25, 1941, in All-Star Comics No. 5, Shiera Sanders became Hawkgirl for the first time, and so began the story of one of the most famous and recognizable characters in the history of DC Comics. Hawkgirl may have been a sort of sidekick to Hawkman in the beginning, but she is no man's sidekick now. She is one of the most interesting and powerful characters in comics, with her own set of powers, abilities, and history. I could have gone into her history to celebrate Hawkgirl Day 2020, but this year I thought I would list my favorite Hawkgirl stories. I'm sure every Hawkgirl/Hawkwoman fan has their own favorites, so my apologies in advance if they aren't on the list. I also tried to do a countdown of best stories, but that proved to be difficult since I like them equally. So here are my favorite Hawkgirl/Hawkwoman stories in chronological order. Let us know which is your favorite in the comments!