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| Hawkman and Hawkgirl by Bo Hampton 2023 |
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The place where Hawkgirl ended up at the end of this series isn't bad, but my gawd what a convoluted way to do it. I tried to put out a review for issues #1-4, but I finally just skipped issue #5. I'm doing this review more as a way to wrap up what has turned out to be the absolute worst series involving any Hawk character in history. So if you thought this series was in any way good or competent, you might want to skip this review. I'll try to make it brief.
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Hawkman Day was November 20 and I was busy trying to get The Complete History of Hawkman, Hawkwoman, and Hawkgirl finished, so I took a week off from posting any news or articles. So this week I'll cover two weeks' worth.
There is a rumor about a Hawkman and Hawkgirl show going around. I received a message from one of the followers on Hawkworld Instagram about an unverified rumor going around on Reddit. (Thanks, _finlayattridge_!) Then I saw this article from FandomWire:
James Gunn’s DCU Chapter 2 & 3 Reportedly Releasing 10 Insane Projects to Beat MCU – Teen Titans Movie and More in the WorksHawkman and Hawkgirl Show would be another exciting addition to DCU. As the Reddit report suggests, a show based on these characters has been in talks.
It's a rumor about something that may or may not happen in DCU Chapter TWO or THREE, so who knows how many years ahead we're talking here so I'm not jumping up and down with glee just yet. And we know what happens to DC's plans for live action. It's been an absolute mess with a few shining moments. But seeing the way things are with the Hawks in DC Comics right now, any news is good news. Right?
I deactivated Hawkworld Twitter today. This was not a choice I made easily. It was not a knee-jerk reaction to something. I agonized over this for the past year since Elon Musk took over. I thought at first that he would dissemble it and then make it something new and maybe even better, but I was kidding myself. It just kept getting worse and I realize now that the site will probably not return to what it once was. It was never perfect, of course, but it has fallen into a state of hate, insults, trolling, false news, bots, and miserable people who basically are just there to make everyone else as miserable as they are. I am against racism, white supremacy, anti-semitism, anti-gay, anti-democracy, anti-Muslim, anti-Christian, and other things, but Twitter/X is now nothing but a site on hate steroids. It's been a long time since I came away from the site feeling good about something. I came to loathe the site.
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The friendship of Hawkman and Atom (Ray Palmer) is well-known among DC Comics fans. Ever since they first met back in Atom #7 in 1963, the heroes' friendship has been one of the strongest in the DCU. Hawkman values his friendships greatly. We have seen it in his friendships with Adam Strange and Barry Allen as well. But something very unexpected was revealed in Hawkman Vol. V #16 (Nov. 2019).
Through reincarnation, Hawkman is practically immortal. He has lived life after life through thousands, possibly millions of years. He has had to say goodbye to countless friends and family, again and again and again. That much loss has to take a toll, even if he is Hawkman.
In the issue written by Robert Venditti, Carter Hall teamed up with The Shade (Richard Swift) to defeat the Gentleman Ghost. After their victory, Carter presents Richard with a gift, a cane with a handle that looks like a Hawk. At first, Richard refuses, but Carter insists he take it and calls him a friend.
Venditti mentioned in an interview that Carter desired a friend who wouldn't die on him. A friend that would be around as long as he will be. When they defeated the Gentleman Ghost, Carter sensed some good in Richard, and here was someone who could be a friend whom he would not have to say goodbye to. Carter's desire to have a long-lasting friendship and his gift to Richard Swift is an unexpectedly endearing moment in the long history of Hawkman.
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| Hawkman Vol. V #16 (November 2019) |
#003: It's All in the First Story
Hawkman and Hawkgirl first appeared in Flash Comics No. 1 (released on November 20, 1939), and they have evolved in many ways over the years. Yes, their costumes, weapons, and even origins have changed in some ways, but if a comics fan ever wants to understand the basics of the characters, they can go to the very first story by Gardner Fox. In this very first story, we can find the origin and keys to every Hawkman story. Carter Hall (Prince Khufu) and Shiera Sanders (Chay-ara) appeared together and reincarnation was introduced as a focal point of their story. A variation of similar-sounding names has continued to connect them to the silver age of comics and beyond. Carter Hall was introduced as a wealthy research scientist and archaeologist who owned a huge collection of ancient weapons and artifacts. We were also introduced to the origin of Hawkman's costume, powers, and weapons. Hawkman was the first DC Comics hero to fully have the power of flight, even before Superman or Green Lantern. The Nth Metal (Ninth Metal) which gives Hawkman his powers also made its first appearance in the very first story. It served as a memory trigger that would later be used in future stories. Their very first villain made his debut here as well. Hath-Set (Anton Hastor) would continue to show up and battle the Hawks over the years. Seeing how the foundation of Hawkman has remained mostly intact throughout the decades, you can see the genius of the creator.
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