Hawkman Thread (Current Issue SPOILERS)

[Ωmega Man Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Ωmega Man]

I've been waiting for this since Metal was announced and dealing with Nth metal. As a big fan of Geoff Johns reincarnation angle and everything that came during that wonderful era of pre-New52 comics, I'm glad they went back to that rather than the Wolverine w/wings approach in the New52.

Making Hawkman's reincarnation involve also being reincarnated across the universe is an interesting twist and a nice way to tie in more Thanagarian stuff. A Hawkman of Krypton, Rann, etc. sounds interesting but it all just depends on Robert V's execution. I think his ideas are great in GLC but it always seems too compacted and too much of a chore to include 4 Earth GL's. His new DAMAGE though has been killer with a more singular focus. Hawkman has that potential to be awesome, tweaking his origin again for a new era to open up a world of possibilities. It really just depends on the era of which these new lives existed. Krypton of 400 years ago was much different I'm sure than whatever passes for Superman's homeworld in the current continuity some 30-35 years ago. Same goes for Rann. I'm surprised they didn't have the legend of Nightwing and Flamebird on Krypton be the backstory for the Kryptonian Hawkman.

The one thing that I'm baffled on is how this will effect Hawkgirl/Hawkwoman. Are Hawkman and Hawkgirl not reincarnated lovers now and just somehow victims of the same mysterious immortality/reincarnation bug?

I'm still asking myself why they don't just draw Hawkman's helmet like they were in the 90's and when Geoff brought him back in the 2000's? Sure it doesn't translate well to live action but not everything needs to. This new design is better than the New52 version, and the alternate covers have them looking amazing, but they really should continue to let it evolve until they find something that isn't an eyesore.

The Nth metal still being inside of Hawkman also bugs me. Having his wings disappear when he isn't using them is just dumb and they only did it in the CW shows to make it cheaper on the effects/CGI budget. The idea that Hawkman can be grounded if he doesn't find some Nth metal wings made eras now tied to him like his days as Nighthawk a hell of a lot more interesting. Now we're getting Kryptonian Hawkman as well as others and... look Ma no wings! LOL.

I've got high hopes for this series. As one of the biggest damn Hawkman fans I know, I'd give this issue a solid 8 outta 10.

[Ωmega Man Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Ωmega Man]

Issue #2 is out, is there anybody still reading?

I like how his time as the Silent Knight as well as Nighthawk were directly referenced. IDK what to make of him seemingly going back in time to Egypt to fight himself though. How that even happened as well as what this new 'more personal' threat could be. It began before Egypt, before Hath Set, no clue yet how Hawkwoman/Girl fits into the picture now. And Rann and Krypton keep getting mentions when talking about his other lives across the universe. Rann's Hawkman I look forward to but not so much the one on Krypton.

[Ωmega Man Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Ωmega Man]

Gonna update this soon for anybody wondering what's going on. Issue #6 just hit the shelves and is the conclusion of the first arc. I'm so hyped for where this is headed.

[BLACK HAND Green Lantern Initiate Find all posts View Profile Close BLACK HAND]

I'm going to grab the trade when it comes out.

[Ωmega Man Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Ωmega Man]

I'm gonna break it down issue by issue with the key points. Spoilers again, in case the thread title wasn't enough warning....

Issue #3 opens up on Dinosaur Island, which is basically DC's Savage Land. Hawkman is still on a path of discovery and after battling dozens and/or hundreds of Feitherans in what he called a 'Feral Flock' he comes to an elder at the top of a mountain. The elder drops some knowledge on him and after the old man fades away Carter finds a clue in the cave and is somehow transported into a time where the alien wingman Katar Hol defended Thanagar. The past version of Carter literally has a gun to his head when he gets there LOL

The good - I love this look for the Feitherans. Hawkman also discovers the ability to make his mace return to him. He fights the flock until defeating every last one, from sunrise till mid-day. Solid issue. 5/5 stars.

________________________

Issue #4 opens on an unidentified 'Faraway World...' where we're introduced to what seems like another version of Hawkman born across time and space. Gold Hawk was his alias here, shown as a giant statue in whatever capitol city this is supposed to be. The unknown threat Hawkman has been looking into his past for answers on... yeah they show up. GIANTS. Like Galactus sized silhouettes of what looks like giant Gundam style robots... and they wipe out the planet for "harboring the great betrayer..."

^^^ And that's just the first few fucking pages. I mean... say whatever you want about how Venditti handled HJ&tGLC and the fact he was juggling so many characters.... his Hawkman and expanding on the mythology in the way he's doing is just blowing my mind. When he's focused on telling a story about one character rather than a team his stuff is much more on point. Same goes for that DAMAGE series he writes I'm determined to get somebody else to check out.

Anyway, back to the meat of the series with Carter vs Katar.... Katar keeps calling Carter 'Byth', a shapeshifting enemy of the Hawks and a native of Thanagar. After a fight that slips in and out of the skyways and cyberpunk like alien atmosphere Carter talks his past self down and mentions something about Thanagar's dead hero 'Kalmoran'. And again... there's another statue. I'm wondering if Kalmoran was just another version of Carter, maybe the one who brought Nth metal to the people of Thanagar? IDK... Anyway Carter finds another clue that transports him again after meeting a past incarnation of Hawkwoman when more wingmen show up after reports of a police chase. Now Carter is back on Earth, Indonesia more specifically, getting some medical aid from some family of an old friend of his. After the man and his wife leave Carter in their home, his latest discovery begins to hum and transports him to... THE MICROVERSE. Guess who we find there? Yep... Ray Palmer, aka the Atom.

5/5 stars.

I'll save the bits about issues #5-6 for later, I've got some stuff to do and I'm actually rereading them as I type to make sure I don't forget any key details. This series is all kinds of awesome. Any past fan of Hawkman would enjoy it.