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Hawkman (2018)
Hawkman, Vol. 1: Awakening
Spinning out of the events of Dark Nights: Metal! An explorer of the ancient and unknown, Hawkman finds himself embroiled in a long-standing mision to discover the true purpose of his many reincarnations. Carter Hall will race around the globe trying to piece together an ancient prophecy, but will he be able to face down his own past lives lurking around every corner? Collects Hawkman #1-6.
143 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2019
47 people are currently reading
257 people want to read
About the author
Robert Venditti
699 books398 followersRobert Venditti is a New York Times bestselling author of more than three hundred comic books and graphic novels. Some of his works include the monthly comic book series Justice League, Superman ’78, Hawkman, and Green Lantern for DC Comics, X-O Manowar, Armor Hunters, and Wrath of the Eternal Warrior for Valiant Entertainment, and the graphic novel Six Days, inspired by the story of his uncle’s participation in D-Day. He has also adapted Rick Riordan’s global bestselling Percy Jackson and the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus novels, as well as Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia and Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz. His graphic novel The Surrogates was adapted into a feature film by Touchstone Pictures, and his work on The Flash was the basis for season three of the CW television series.
Venditti lives in Atlanta, where he both writes and serves as a storytelling consultant for some of the most recognizable entertainment brands in the world.
Venditti lives in Atlanta, where he both writes and serves as a storytelling consultant for some of the most recognizable entertainment brands in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
July 30, 2019
Ok, I'm still not 100% sold on Hawkman, but this comic was so much better than I ever expected it to be! Yes, really.
Venditti managed to take this weird, off-putting character and give him heart.
Ok, so here's been my basic takeaway about Hawkman over the years:
He's sullen & gloomy, talks waaaaay too much about Nth metal, and has a creepy obsession with Hawkgirl. I was never really sure if he was a reincarnated Egyptian prince or a Birdman from Thanagar, but he was usually some sort of archaeologist, and almost always reluctantly allowed to wander around the Watchtower as a member of the Justice League.
Anyway.
Between the convoluted backstory and unlikable character traits, Carter Hall has been low on my to-read list for a long time.
Fast forward a bit and now there's this new Hawkman title from DC that's getting strangely decent reviews from almost every one of my friends.
WTF?
Luckily, I was able to download it from Hoopla and give it a whirl without investing much effort into finding it at my library, because I think it would have been one of those books that went back unread if I'd had to dig the physical copy out of my bag. <--I just find digital comics much easier to read for some reason. Doesn't matter. What matters is that I finally read this thing and it actually was pretty damn good.
I'm as shocked as you are, Random Goodreader.
So what Venditti did was take all of Carter's weird origins then subtract all the sulky stalker shit - which turns him into a far more relatable dude who's just searching for his past and possibly a greater personal destiny.
Also, you get to see Hall's connection to people he's helped over the centuries and his ongoing connection to their families. And maybe I haven't read enough Hawkman, but this was a new side to him that I quite liked. Add to that the last few issues that showcased a touching friendship with The Atom, and it turned into an extremely well-rounded storyline.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but...
Recommended!
Venditti managed to take this weird, off-putting character and give him heart.
Ok, so here's been my basic takeaway about Hawkman over the years:
He's sullen & gloomy, talks waaaaay too much about Nth metal, and has a creepy obsession with Hawkgirl. I was never really sure if he was a reincarnated Egyptian prince or a Birdman from Thanagar, but he was usually some sort of archaeologist, and almost always reluctantly allowed to wander around the Watchtower as a member of the Justice League.
Anyway.
Between the convoluted backstory and unlikable character traits, Carter Hall has been low on my to-read list for a long time.
Fast forward a bit and now there's this new Hawkman title from DC that's getting strangely decent reviews from almost every one of my friends.
WTF?
Luckily, I was able to download it from Hoopla and give it a whirl without investing much effort into finding it at my library, because I think it would have been one of those books that went back unread if I'd had to dig the physical copy out of my bag. <--I just find digital comics much easier to read for some reason. Doesn't matter. What matters is that I finally read this thing and it actually was pretty damn good.
I'm as shocked as you are, Random Goodreader.
So what Venditti did was take all of Carter's weird origins then subtract all the sulky stalker shit - which turns him into a far more relatable dude who's just searching for his past and possibly a greater personal destiny.
Also, you get to see Hall's connection to people he's helped over the centuries and his ongoing connection to their families. And maybe I haven't read enough Hawkman, but this was a new side to him that I quite liked. Add to that the last few issues that showcased a touching friendship with The Atom, and it turned into an extremely well-rounded storyline.
I can't believe I'm saying this, but...
Recommended!
December 6, 2019
Hawkman is the cold puddle of congealed cat sick on the rug of the superhero world.
Savage Hawkman was one of the worst titles in the New 52, his appearances in New 52 JLA were the diarrhoea frosting on a turd cake and Death of Hawkman, far from being pleasing for seeing the bastard killed off (not to mention disappointing as he’s clearly survived that “death”), was one of the crummiest books of 2017.
So I was surprised to see his latest fartacular outing was garnering some pretty decent praise – and a little wary. Really – could this really be an actually decent Hawkman comic? And I was right – it’s not – but it’s shockingly not without its merits.
Robert Venditti writes a surprisingly not-totally-hateable Hawkman – he’s, at best, an indifferently bland character – and Bryan Hitch’s art is fine; it’s nothing you won’t have seen before from him, if you’re familiar with his style, but it remains skilfully slick. I liked the unusually hairy (feathery?) T-Rex design – I think that syncs up to the current scientific view of what that creature actually resembled.
The story is that Hawkman/Carter Hall wants to figure out why he keeps reincarnating. Carter is basically a crap Indiana Jones but I liked the idea that he’s exploring his inner world rather than just the outer – that’s an interesting angle of approach. Or so I thought because Venditti just has Carter explore the outer world in this book instead! Hmm.
Hawkman’s rather nebulous quest has him meeting past and future selves through various gubbinz – his Ancient Egyptian persona, his Thanagarian self – which each time descends into a tedious punch-up. I guess it makes sense with his Ancient Egyptian self because that persona was told to look out for a winged demon through some prophecy and neither speak the other’s language, but the other times come off as contrived, generic superhero fluff.
And speaking of contrived, generic superhero fluff, Hawkman has a vision of the end of the world where giant winged monsters destroy Earth – and only he can stop them! Uh huh. Edge. Of. My. Sea… zzz… I mean, “Deathbringers” – is that really the best they could come up with? I was equally bored with Hawkman’s dull adventure with Ray Palmer, the Atom, as they fought tree and rock monsters. Maybe if I was ten years old this unimaginative and derivative nonsense might hold my attention but I’m well past that age now.
I really liked a lot of Venditti’s early work on Valiant’s XO Manowar so it’s a shame he’s not been able to be as successful with his DC output. Far from being the shock standout in the Hawkman canon, Awakening is simply another stinker from the ultimate superhero stinkbomb.
Savage Hawkman was one of the worst titles in the New 52, his appearances in New 52 JLA were the diarrhoea frosting on a turd cake and Death of Hawkman, far from being pleasing for seeing the bastard killed off (not to mention disappointing as he’s clearly survived that “death”), was one of the crummiest books of 2017.
So I was surprised to see his latest fartacular outing was garnering some pretty decent praise – and a little wary. Really – could this really be an actually decent Hawkman comic? And I was right – it’s not – but it’s shockingly not without its merits.
Robert Venditti writes a surprisingly not-totally-hateable Hawkman – he’s, at best, an indifferently bland character – and Bryan Hitch’s art is fine; it’s nothing you won’t have seen before from him, if you’re familiar with his style, but it remains skilfully slick. I liked the unusually hairy (feathery?) T-Rex design – I think that syncs up to the current scientific view of what that creature actually resembled.
The story is that Hawkman/Carter Hall wants to figure out why he keeps reincarnating. Carter is basically a crap Indiana Jones but I liked the idea that he’s exploring his inner world rather than just the outer – that’s an interesting angle of approach. Or so I thought because Venditti just has Carter explore the outer world in this book instead! Hmm.
Hawkman’s rather nebulous quest has him meeting past and future selves through various gubbinz – his Ancient Egyptian persona, his Thanagarian self – which each time descends into a tedious punch-up. I guess it makes sense with his Ancient Egyptian self because that persona was told to look out for a winged demon through some prophecy and neither speak the other’s language, but the other times come off as contrived, generic superhero fluff.
And speaking of contrived, generic superhero fluff, Hawkman has a vision of the end of the world where giant winged monsters destroy Earth – and only he can stop them! Uh huh. Edge. Of. My. Sea… zzz… I mean, “Deathbringers” – is that really the best they could come up with? I was equally bored with Hawkman’s dull adventure with Ray Palmer, the Atom, as they fought tree and rock monsters. Maybe if I was ten years old this unimaginative and derivative nonsense might hold my attention but I’m well past that age now.
I really liked a lot of Venditti’s early work on Valiant’s XO Manowar so it’s a shame he’s not been able to be as successful with his DC output. Far from being the shock standout in the Hawkman canon, Awakening is simply another stinker from the ultimate superhero stinkbomb.
May 12, 2022
"Remember how simple things used to be? We're way past crooks and bank robbers now." -- Hawkman, waxing nostalgic after reuniting with friend and former Justice League teammate Atom
I could make an easy joke that this graphic novel should've instead been titled Snoozing for its underwhelming sci-fi glop of a storyline . . . and I just did! Anyway, Hawkman (a.k.a. archeologist Carter Hall, here illustrated - unintentionally or not - to somewhat resemble Indiana Jones, right down to the ever-present stubble on his hangdog mug, the rugged khaki slacks / leather jacket combo, and cross-shoulder man bag) jumps between several continents, worlds and dimensions more times than really I care to remember in the pursuit of information on his mysterious past. While it had a number of fairly good action scenes the plot was otherwise just deadly dull. The best moments were when he teamed up with Atom late in the book, but like the above-mentioned quote I think this would've been more fun if this duo were simply chasing after the usual super-villains.
I could make an easy joke that this graphic novel should've instead been titled Snoozing for its underwhelming sci-fi glop of a storyline . . . and I just did! Anyway, Hawkman (a.k.a. archeologist Carter Hall, here illustrated - unintentionally or not - to somewhat resemble Indiana Jones, right down to the ever-present stubble on his hangdog mug, the rugged khaki slacks / leather jacket combo, and cross-shoulder man bag) jumps between several continents, worlds and dimensions more times than really I care to remember in the pursuit of information on his mysterious past. While it had a number of fairly good action scenes the plot was otherwise just deadly dull. The best moments were when he teamed up with Atom late in the book, but like the above-mentioned quote I think this would've been more fun if this duo were simply chasing after the usual super-villains.
July 13, 2019
Venditti puts a nice twist on the Hawkman origin Geoff Johns created 10+ years ago in the last Hawkman series. Hawkman is still an archeologist being reincarnated throughout history. Venditti brings in these mysterious Deathbringers who seem to be winged versions of Celestials that Hall has actually been reincarnated to prevent their return. His reincarnations go even further back then Egypt with one other twist I'll let you read for yourself. Now he's tracking down clues his past selves left for him to help in his fight against said Deathbringers. I thought it was clever that Carter has these families that have helped him throughout history because he helped one of their ancestors. Now they pass it down to future generations to help Carter, no questions asked. Bryan Hitch actually handles all 6 issues of art and it looks great. The creative team has did something only Geoff Johns has been able to do in the past. Make Hawkman interesting while streamlining his mess of an origin.
December 22, 2023
Reread: 22/12/2023
Rereading this after a couple of years and I am in love with it, omg its so good, just the pacing of it is so awesome, seeing Carter find out who he was in previous life and taking him to egypt and Thanagar to meet versions of his previous lives aka Prince Khufu and Katar hol was so awesome, and the clues to the whole mystery of Deathbringers and how they are related to his previous life and I love that! Its one of the example of classic runs in comics and is indeed one of the best runs in comics easily, I just love how it respects the past and makes a complex continuity simple and then there is the team up with Ray Palmer/the Atom in the microverse and I love their friendship!! Seriously such a well written volume but the art by Hitch is next level, especially the aerial fights.. just wow!
________________________________________________________________________
This was epic!
I loved this volume!
It details Carter as he finds more about his life and his reincarnation across time and space and he goes off to different adventures like fighting ancient gorillas, getting back to ancient egypt and meeting Prince Khufu his first life maybe and then to Thanagar to meet Katar Hol and find the secret of his life and something to do with "Deathbringers" and I loved that and finally teaming up with the Atom in the microverse and trying to find Nth metal and discovering more shocking things.
Its an epic volume and changes the character of Hawkman and tries to make sense of his weird origins and I loved it and I remember reading it and it still holds up and finally the fights are well done and the past lives feel like a discovery as we are just as confused as the character is and its awesome, loved this plus the art by Hitch is always amazing! One of the best starts in revamping a character!
Rereading this after a couple of years and I am in love with it, omg its so good, just the pacing of it is so awesome, seeing Carter find out who he was in previous life and taking him to egypt and Thanagar to meet versions of his previous lives aka Prince Khufu and Katar hol was so awesome, and the clues to the whole mystery of Deathbringers and how they are related to his previous life and I love that! Its one of the example of classic runs in comics and is indeed one of the best runs in comics easily, I just love how it respects the past and makes a complex continuity simple and then there is the team up with Ray Palmer/the Atom in the microverse and I love their friendship!! Seriously such a well written volume but the art by Hitch is next level, especially the aerial fights.. just wow!
________________________________________________________________________
This was epic!
I loved this volume!
It details Carter as he finds more about his life and his reincarnation across time and space and he goes off to different adventures like fighting ancient gorillas, getting back to ancient egypt and meeting Prince Khufu his first life maybe and then to Thanagar to meet Katar Hol and find the secret of his life and something to do with "Deathbringers" and I loved that and finally teaming up with the Atom in the microverse and trying to find Nth metal and discovering more shocking things.
Its an epic volume and changes the character of Hawkman and tries to make sense of his weird origins and I loved it and I remember reading it and it still holds up and finally the fights are well done and the past lives feel like a discovery as we are just as confused as the character is and its awesome, loved this plus the art by Hitch is always amazing! One of the best starts in revamping a character!
March 18, 2019
Over the years, Hawkman has always been a confusing character. Too many fingers in the honey pot with creators messing with his origin story and generally just confusing the shit outta readers on who Hawkman really was.
Robert Venditti and Bryan Hitch are aiming to fix that...and ya know...I think its working. I really enjoyed these first six issues. Basically, Hawkman is going through time and space encountering other versions of himself trying to figure out who the hell he really is (and fighting dinosaurs and flying monkey's while he's at it).
Its definitely new reader friendly (which I mostly am to the character) and if you're looking for a superhero book with a bit of an Indiana Jones vibe going on (only instead of a hat and a whip its wings and a mace) then this book might appeal to you.
Robert Venditti and Bryan Hitch are aiming to fix that...and ya know...I think its working. I really enjoyed these first six issues. Basically, Hawkman is going through time and space encountering other versions of himself trying to figure out who the hell he really is (and fighting dinosaurs and flying monkey's while he's at it).
Its definitely new reader friendly (which I mostly am to the character) and if you're looking for a superhero book with a bit of an Indiana Jones vibe going on (only instead of a hat and a whip its wings and a mace) then this book might appeal to you.
August 2, 2019
A mediocre story wrapped in a very pretty Bryan Hitch-drawn package. I know Hawkman is one of the most universally hated characters in comics, but I’ve had very little exposure to him so I can’t say if this book is the usual Hawkman bullshit or if Venditti is doing something to improve the character. Either way, I didn’t hate it, though I also didn’t fall in love with the character — he seems a bit dumb and prone to aggression, and Venditti writes some clunky-ass dialogue lines for him especially. I did really enjoy the Indiana Jones-esque spirit of adventure the book has, and the Atom team-up in the end was really cool (though, again, mostly thanks to Hitch). Overall, this was okay. I will probably read volume 2 whenever it comes out.
December 21, 2018
2.5. Merely okay.
World: The art is solid, it’s Hitch and he does solid stuff, the colours are a bit flat though which I did not really care for. The world building is both pretty good and also meh, the good is the call back to all the different version of Hawkman in the DCU. Hawkman has been retconned so many times that his origins is so convoluted and hard to follow that it’s pretty much impossible. With this new version of Carter, Venditti is trying to scoop them all up and make it into something cohesive, good for him to try and I appreciate that. However at the same time the baggage and all that convoluted stuff that I mentioned does come with the mix and the story for this first arc and the world building pieces it comes with is a bit convoluted and does take Carter again and again each issue to tell us what the stakes are and what’s happening and that really distracts from the story. The weight of the world is crushing the story.
Story: As a reboot it’s good to reintroduce readers old and new to Carter and this book tries to do that. it has also tried to bring all the past versions into canon and that is a tall order. The story of his past and how it all ties to this mysterious Deathbringers threat is fairly standard comic book fare and honestly rather boring and cliched. We have six issues of mindless questing to find a little bit more and a little bit more and by the end of the 6 issues I’m wondering when is something of note really going to happen. This is a book that’s burdened by the past and I wish this book would acknowledge it and just move quickly to a good story. Hawkman is winged Conan there should be smashing and action and adventure, on paper it’s here but it’s not paced and written that well so it’s a slog and that’s not what you want for this book and especially not for a first arc.
Characters: The idea of Carter is interesting and his origin does make for some nice storytelling but at the same time they burden him because this Carter doesn’t stand out at all. We don’t really have time to get to know him before we see all the other versions. The villain here is still pretty much a mystery and by now I’m quite bored of the book and the slogging story to really care. The people he meets is a nice touch and the Atom was fun but mostly the characters really lacked depth.
I wanted to like this book but right now it’s bogged down by it’s own history and world building and it needs to fly away from this soon and make something fresh here.
Onward to the next book!
*read individual issues*
World: The art is solid, it’s Hitch and he does solid stuff, the colours are a bit flat though which I did not really care for. The world building is both pretty good and also meh, the good is the call back to all the different version of Hawkman in the DCU. Hawkman has been retconned so many times that his origins is so convoluted and hard to follow that it’s pretty much impossible. With this new version of Carter, Venditti is trying to scoop them all up and make it into something cohesive, good for him to try and I appreciate that. However at the same time the baggage and all that convoluted stuff that I mentioned does come with the mix and the story for this first arc and the world building pieces it comes with is a bit convoluted and does take Carter again and again each issue to tell us what the stakes are and what’s happening and that really distracts from the story. The weight of the world is crushing the story.
Story: As a reboot it’s good to reintroduce readers old and new to Carter and this book tries to do that. it has also tried to bring all the past versions into canon and that is a tall order. The story of his past and how it all ties to this mysterious Deathbringers threat is fairly standard comic book fare and honestly rather boring and cliched. We have six issues of mindless questing to find a little bit more and a little bit more and by the end of the 6 issues I’m wondering when is something of note really going to happen. This is a book that’s burdened by the past and I wish this book would acknowledge it and just move quickly to a good story. Hawkman is winged Conan there should be smashing and action and adventure, on paper it’s here but it’s not paced and written that well so it’s a slog and that’s not what you want for this book and especially not for a first arc.
Characters: The idea of Carter is interesting and his origin does make for some nice storytelling but at the same time they burden him because this Carter doesn’t stand out at all. We don’t really have time to get to know him before we see all the other versions. The villain here is still pretty much a mystery and by now I’m quite bored of the book and the slogging story to really care. The people he meets is a nice touch and the Atom was fun but mostly the characters really lacked depth.
I wanted to like this book but right now it’s bogged down by it’s own history and world building and it needs to fly away from this soon and make something fresh here.
Onward to the next book!
*read individual issues*
July 17, 2021
The last Hawkman series crashed and burned in spectacular fashion, so I waited a bit to start this one. Through one volume it isn't offensive or stupid, but it's not really compelling either, since they've got a Green Lantern vibe going on with galaxy-spanning issues rather than keeping the stories small and local - and when stakes are raised to high the lose all relevance.
June 15, 2019
Reincarnated throughout history in his fight against evil, Carter Hall doesn't think his long, long life can get any weirder. But a new revelation and a clue to his true origins sends him across the universe and even to the Microverse as the mystery of the Deathbringers looms large...
Hawkman's continuity is a big hurdle to overcome when introducing him to new readers; he can be super confusing, and trying to explain how all of his versions work (and sometimes manage to exist simultaneously) is...hard. And yet, Robert Venditti makes it look easy. With one clever plot twist, Hawkman becomes infinitely more malleable as a character, and infinitely easier to understand.
The mystery that Venditti crafts around Carter is fun, and gives him a lot of new storytelling opportunities as a result. He expands on Hawkman's mythos in some exciting ways, and the Deathbringers (while generically named) are a proper threat with lots of layers to them, so when this volume ends you'll really want to know how it all pans out.
On art, Bryan Hitch draws all six of these issues, and they all came out on time. I know, I was shocked too! And it gets even stranger - he draws the next six as well! Amazing! And his art really suits the character as well; Carter looks sleek but powerful, and Hitch gets him into some super contorted aerial poses and fight scenes that threaten to fly off the page. It's a great looking book.
Hawkman's a hard character to write successfully, but he's in good hands here.
Hawkman's continuity is a big hurdle to overcome when introducing him to new readers; he can be super confusing, and trying to explain how all of his versions work (and sometimes manage to exist simultaneously) is...hard. And yet, Robert Venditti makes it look easy. With one clever plot twist, Hawkman becomes infinitely more malleable as a character, and infinitely easier to understand.
The mystery that Venditti crafts around Carter is fun, and gives him a lot of new storytelling opportunities as a result. He expands on Hawkman's mythos in some exciting ways, and the Deathbringers (while generically named) are a proper threat with lots of layers to them, so when this volume ends you'll really want to know how it all pans out.
On art, Bryan Hitch draws all six of these issues, and they all came out on time. I know, I was shocked too! And it gets even stranger - he draws the next six as well! Amazing! And his art really suits the character as well; Carter looks sleek but powerful, and Hitch gets him into some super contorted aerial poses and fight scenes that threaten to fly off the page. It's a great looking book.
Hawkman's a hard character to write successfully, but he's in good hands here.
October 14, 2019
So this was a confusing mess , but yeah seeing so many hawkmen interacting with each other through time and space was kinda neat idea .
Plus the atom bit were nice , I miss atom , I used to like the JSA atom , it's sad that there is no atom book nowadays .
Anyways , the art in this one was decent , nothing to brag or berate about . The story was confusing as prophecies , time travel , space continuum break etc etc happened . Carter also conveniently found normies to bandage him or lend him a boat ride and they all had family debt to Carter . It was silly I tell you .
Oh well , it's not bad , it's just a bit confusing and overall felt like there wasn't much of a pay off . Let's see where it's headed
Plus the atom bit were nice , I miss atom , I used to like the JSA atom , it's sad that there is no atom book nowadays .
Anyways , the art in this one was decent , nothing to brag or berate about . The story was confusing as prophecies , time travel , space continuum break etc etc happened . Carter also conveniently found normies to bandage him or lend him a boat ride and they all had family debt to Carter . It was silly I tell you .
Oh well , it's not bad , it's just a bit confusing and overall felt like there wasn't much of a pay off . Let's see where it's headed
January 16, 2019
Hawkman is a classic comic book character that has suffered from a legion of writers re-writing his origins with every relaunch. That mess of a backstory is getting a re-write in the background as Hawkman and his DC pals kick ass in the foreground. Robert Venditti's story sends Hawkman around the cosmos to fight with himself. Brian Hitch's art is fantastic.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
June 27, 2021
I don't have a lot of background on Hawkman, only knowing him tangentially from reading and watching Justice League. I'm aware that he's been reincarnated but not any of the details.
The big draw for me on this is Bryan Hitch's art. There's just something about his panel layouts and compositions that really attract me. His work always has that "widescreen" look and feel to it. So at a minimum it gets a couple of stars for that.
As for the story, it acts as an origin of sort while wrapped in a mystery purporting impending doom. Carter is just as lost as the reader, enabling Venditti to explore the true background of Hawkman. And I have to say it works. I'm not sure if this is a retelling or if it's a new way to look at tying all of his previous stories into one narrative (I believe it is the latter) but it's effective. It unfolds in a natural way, piece-by-piece and I didn't feel I needed to read anything previously to understand it.
This volume is primarily an appetizer, giving the reader a taste of the knowledge and developing the mystery to keep you wanting more. There's plenty of action as well. A strong start to the series.
The big draw for me on this is Bryan Hitch's art. There's just something about his panel layouts and compositions that really attract me. His work always has that "widescreen" look and feel to it. So at a minimum it gets a couple of stars for that.
As for the story, it acts as an origin of sort while wrapped in a mystery purporting impending doom. Carter is just as lost as the reader, enabling Venditti to explore the true background of Hawkman. And I have to say it works. I'm not sure if this is a retelling or if it's a new way to look at tying all of his previous stories into one narrative (I believe it is the latter) but it's effective. It unfolds in a natural way, piece-by-piece and I didn't feel I needed to read anything previously to understand it.
This volume is primarily an appetizer, giving the reader a taste of the knowledge and developing the mystery to keep you wanting more. There's plenty of action as well. A strong start to the series.
August 27, 2019
Unpacking Hawkman’s backstory is hard labour and I found myself barely up to the task this time.
Some of the individual episodes made for good Saturday morning adventure-fare, but I didn’t find the story connecting them particularly compelling.
Some of the individual episodes made for good Saturday morning adventure-fare, but I didn’t find the story connecting them particularly compelling.
January 8, 2026
Rather than re-tell an origin story or re-unite Hawkman with classic villains from his previous and scattered volumes, Venditti takes a different approach. He presents Carter Hall/Hawkman as a resurrected winged warrior who’s lived a thousand lifetimes.
Carter Hall is an Indiana Jones type of character, an archaeologist/explorer who one day realizes that’s he’s lived forever but doesn’t know why. He sets out to discover the true purpose of his past lives and reincarnations. He also realizes that he hasn’t just been a traveler in time, confined to Earth — but a traveler in time and space, having been resurrected on several different planets.
The first volume will remind readers of mythology of the epic “hero quest” tale, and the title reads more like an adventure book in the vein of John Carter of Mars with plenty of references to past iterations of Hawkman. It’s a refreshing spin on super-hero fare, embellished by the amazing art of Bryan Hitch.
ISSUE #1: Carter Hall travels to the waters south of Greece to submerge as Hawkman and explore the ruins of the Temple of Ooahk Kung, The All-See. He steals an ancient Nautilus of Revealment, and awakens the All-See statue of a giant gorilla god which pursues him. Hall seeks help from Madame Xanadu in London to decipher the spell, and learns of his past reincarnations as well as a threat to Earth from the Death-Bringers, giant winged Celestial-type beings.
ISSUE #2: Carter Hall visits the British Museum exhibit on the Egyptian Temple of Horus and finds himself transported as Hawkman into the past to encounter one of the earliest versions of himself. He recovers a map just before returning to England.
ISSUE #3: The trail takes Hawkman to prehistoric times and Dinosaur Island, where he is assaulted by a band of Feitherans (winged warriors) defending their aerie. He gets past them to the mountaintop, where a knowledgable wise man sends him on he next phase of his journey.
ISSUE #4: Next stop - the planet Thanagar, where Hawkman fights himself again, until he convinces winged policeman Katar Hal that they are kin. They bond over stories of the Deathbringers, who Katar Hal has seen in dreams and wondered if it was a warning. Hawkman recovers the next artifact/clue and returns to Earth via Indonesia.
ISSUE #5-6: The next adventure takes place within the micro-verse and a team-up with The Atom. Together they figure out the next stop on Hawkman’s scavenger hunt - the most deadly place with the microverse: Moz-Ga the living planet. They survive many battles to discover a buried spaceship, left behind by a previous incarnation of Hawkman, Avion from the planet Rann (home to Adam Strange).
As the first volume ends, the spotlight turns to the leader of the Deathbringers who learns his old foe (Ktar, yet another version) is on Earth.
A decent beginning to an interesting series.
March 7, 2020
This is a story I have wanted to dig into for awhile. The various lives and time paths of Hawkman, Carter Hall. This explains where and why he has so much impact on the time continuum and the many, many lives he has existed in. It tells the story of his origin as the beginning Deathbringer and the lasting effect this had and will have. Being a betrayer and turning his back on the power of the Lord Of The Void, he starts ripples that are far reaching. In our present, Carter Hall begins having glimpses and then time rifts where he begins meeting these alternate selves that he has. Some he can speak with, rationalize with. Some know he is there for a reason. All of his alternate selves miss a portion of memory, just as Carter Hall is beginning to. He wars with others and their minions. What the story tells us is that the Deathbringers did not stay in the Void. They are coming to present day Earth and they are there to begin doing what they always have done: slay the innocent and subjugate the population and planet. Power is what they crave, and obedience.
This one was written and drawn and colored very well. I have no complaints here. The alternate covers in the gallery at the end of the book feature a name I haven't heard from in awhile, one of my favorite artists of all time, Dale Keown.
If you like DC and want to avoid all the woke comics stories that we have to endure (ignore) most of the time, this one is a fresh foray into an established character, and brings new stories and incarnations of Hawkman. Can't wait to read volume 2, Deathbringer!
Danny
This one was written and drawn and colored very well. I have no complaints here. The alternate covers in the gallery at the end of the book feature a name I haven't heard from in awhile, one of my favorite artists of all time, Dale Keown.
If you like DC and want to avoid all the woke comics stories that we have to endure (ignore) most of the time, this one is a fresh foray into an established character, and brings new stories and incarnations of Hawkman. Can't wait to read volume 2, Deathbringer!
Danny
March 11, 2020
This book starts off strong: it focuses on Carter as archaeologist (following up on his intriguing story in Dark Nights: Metal) and then it dives straight into his reincarnations, not just throughout time, but throughout space as well.
Unfortunately, Venditti's story dramatically weakens after the first issue or two: it turns into an endless MacGuffin hunt with Carter bouncing from place to place without any control of agency. Yeah, there are great, evocative locales, and yeah there's great attention to Carter's (Carteres's?) history, but it all becomes an endless sequence of going places to get things.
And I could have used a little more reminder of what's going on with Carter currently, as he's been rebooted so often over the years.
Call it 3.5 stars.
Unfortunately, Venditti's story dramatically weakens after the first issue or two: it turns into an endless MacGuffin hunt with Carter bouncing from place to place without any control of agency. Yeah, there are great, evocative locales, and yeah there's great attention to Carter's (Carteres's?) history, but it all becomes an endless sequence of going places to get things.
And I could have used a little more reminder of what's going on with Carter currently, as he's been rebooted so often over the years.
Call it 3.5 stars.
October 25, 2020
I've always thought that Hawkman is one of the hardest superheroes to write. Not only is his backstory notoriously one of the most convoluted in comics, but the character always seems a bit silly and dated. It’s surely difficult to get the tone just right. But this new series is doing a damn good job!
Spinning out of the fantastic Dark Nights: Metal event that recently reintroduced him back into the DC comics world, this series really leans into the archeological element of the character, as he travels the world (and multiverse) in search of artifacts that might provide the answers to who he really is. There's a sense of adventure and discovery here that really works well for the character. I really wish they go further with this tone and really make him a shirtless Indiana Jones with wings and a mace!
Spinning out of the fantastic Dark Nights: Metal event that recently reintroduced him back into the DC comics world, this series really leans into the archeological element of the character, as he travels the world (and multiverse) in search of artifacts that might provide the answers to who he really is. There's a sense of adventure and discovery here that really works well for the character. I really wish they go further with this tone and really make him a shirtless Indiana Jones with wings and a mace!
May 31, 2021
I like Hawkman as a character. Reincarnated time and time again throughout eternity. I love all the guises he has had over the years. I enjoyed the Geoff Johns run earlier in the 2000's too. Robert Venditti has done a solid job on characters in the past. I particularly enjoyed his writing at Valiant on Eternal Warrior and XO Man O War as well as the Freedom Fighters series at DC. He does a solid job world building as well as character developing. That is what is happening here in Hawkman. I feel like he was given the freedom to fully develop Hawkman. He along with previous writers Geoff Johns and Tim Truman have been able to develop a fairly flat character up to this time. In Venditti's tale Hawkman is being drawn through time to face/meet his previous selves. He is not totally sure why this is happening but is determined to find his past and maybe discover a future. The art here is provided by one of DC's best talents Bryan Hitch. Over the years Hitch has developed a lovely style that is similar too yet unlike Alan Davis and Neal Adams. He has a way of making a series look and feel grand. Lots of large panels and lots of detail to the backgrounds. I look forward to reading the rest of these trades from this series.
September 21, 2020
I kind of enjoy the hate Hawkman/Carter Hall arouses in the reviews on here..This does have its merits..and Venditti/Hitch provide a very workmanlike read..I'm sticking with this...
February 27, 2023
After seeing Hawkman in the "Black Adam" film, I figured I'd check this out. I hadn't really thought about Hawkman since I was a kid playing with my Superfriends toys. Venditti does a good job here. He makes Hawkman into Indiana Jones meets the Highlander and it works pretty well. He has many adventures through time visiting his past incarnations trying to get to the bottom of the mystery of his missing memories and what big bad is coming to mess up Earth.
I don't think I'll read any more of the volumes but it wasn't half bad.
I don't think I'll read any more of the volumes but it wasn't half bad.
November 4, 2019
Ok, so the plot itself is pretty simple. Carter Hall finds a totem of his past, teleports through space and time to one of his past lives, beats stuff up, repeat. There is an overarching threat that's motivating Hawkman to go on all these adventures, but it's not elaborated on beyond the standard "ancient doom incoming" trope.
The new lore bits and the tone of the book are really fun though. Vinditti takes the concept of a reincarnating archaeologist and goes "ok, but what if he wasnt always human in his past lives? What if in one life he was a Thanagarian and in another he was Kryptonian?" It's a fun twist on what's historically been one of the most convoluted characters in superhero comics.
I like this version of Carter too. Hawkman is a force to be reckoned with, but he's no longer a creepy, raging barbarian. Vinditti gives us an adventurous, swashbuckling archaeologist who's not only saved lives throughout history, but maintained generations long relationships with those people AND their families. It's fun to see Carter need help and simply reach out to a family he's known for generations to give him a boat ride or a place to stay while he's traveling. This plot has its problems, but it's got enough charm to get me onboard for the next volume.
The new lore bits and the tone of the book are really fun though. Vinditti takes the concept of a reincarnating archaeologist and goes "ok, but what if he wasnt always human in his past lives? What if in one life he was a Thanagarian and in another he was Kryptonian?" It's a fun twist on what's historically been one of the most convoluted characters in superhero comics.
I like this version of Carter too. Hawkman is a force to be reckoned with, but he's no longer a creepy, raging barbarian. Vinditti gives us an adventurous, swashbuckling archaeologist who's not only saved lives throughout history, but maintained generations long relationships with those people AND their families. It's fun to see Carter need help and simply reach out to a family he's known for generations to give him a boat ride or a place to stay while he's traveling. This plot has its problems, but it's got enough charm to get me onboard for the next volume.
November 9, 2020
Never been much of a Hawkman fan, and actually didn't know much about the character, but with the return of Carter Hall during the events of Dark Nights Metal, I thought I'd give it a try. WELL WORTH IT and a great start off point for those who don't know much about the character.
In this Volume, we find out that Hawkman is constantly being reborn over and over (THAT I already knew from the stories with Hawkgirl) not only on Earth, but also throughout the galaxy. To find this out he is also being pulled into his past lives and interacting with his past selves to learn something about himself and his future. He interacts with:
- Khufu Maat Kha-tar - an Egyptian prince (his link to Shayera - Hawkgirl)
- Katar Hol - A Thanagarian police officer (who leads him to a device that indicates he needs to go to the Microverse)
- Avion - A Microverse hero (who isn't really there, but instead The Atom helps him find a Rannian NthMetal ship)
- Catar-Ol - A Kryptonian (who tells him more about the Deathbringers (see next Volume))
Now that Carter is learning about his true past and how that plays into his role in the universe, what threat will the "Deathbringers" bring to him and his life on Earth?
Can't wait till the next Volume.
Recommend. (And surprised that I liked it so much!)
In this Volume, we find out that Hawkman is constantly being reborn over and over (THAT I already knew from the stories with Hawkgirl) not only on Earth, but also throughout the galaxy. To find this out he is also being pulled into his past lives and interacting with his past selves to learn something about himself and his future. He interacts with:
- Khufu Maat Kha-tar - an Egyptian prince (his link to Shayera - Hawkgirl)
- Katar Hol - A Thanagarian police officer (who leads him to a device that indicates he needs to go to the Microverse)
- Avion - A Microverse hero (who isn't really there, but instead The Atom helps him find a Rannian NthMetal ship)
- Catar-Ol - A Kryptonian (who tells him more about the Deathbringers (see next Volume))
Now that Carter is learning about his true past and how that plays into his role in the universe, what threat will the "Deathbringers" bring to him and his life on Earth?
Can't wait till the next Volume.
Recommend. (And surprised that I liked it so much!)
July 5, 2019
Meus amigues, vou dizer-lhes que gostei tanto desta nova versão do Gavião Negro quanto gostei da versão que o Geoff Johns e o James Robinson fizeram para ele quase vinte anos atrás. Isso porque as duas não desconsideram nenhuma versão das inúmeras origens e explicações da existência do super-herói alado ao longo dos tempos. Pelo contrário, elas as costuram, aproveitando toda essa mitologia conflituosa e oblíqua que as reinvenções e reinterpretações dos alter-egos de Carter Hall provocaram para si. Eu gosto muito de um elemento narrativo que é o "senso de maravilhamento" e adoro essas histórias que nos fazem embarcar numa aventura descompromissada por cenários e lugares inesperados apenas pelo fato de nos fazerem expressar "ohs" e "ahs", apenas com a missão de nos fazer divertir, nada mais. A arte de Bryan Hitch dá uma imponência e uma importância maiores a esse quadrinho, que é lindíssimo. E, cá pra nós, Bryan, é melhor você continuar no que faz maravilhosamente bem, que são os desenhos. Adorei mesmo essa aventura ao lado de Carter Hall a fim de descobrir quem ele é. Diversão na certa! =)
September 30, 2019
My first foray into the world of Hawkman. I'd seen him in a couple of major events, but I'd never read something where he was the star. And honestly... he's pretty cool. The idea of a reincarnated hero who can't remember all the details of his past lives, but who knows enough to continue to build on them--and who has, you know... GIANT WINGS AND A MACE... is pretty darn cool. I liked the twist of him being reincarnated across both time and space--it was fun to visit, not only the past, but also different planets, and even the microverse, on Carter's journey of self-discovery. There wasn't any moment that really made me go "Wow!"in this graphic novel, so I can't give this five stars, but I also read it in pretty much one sitting, so the comic was definitely engaging--and has me curious about what's going to happen next with the prophesied Deathbringers. In short, this is a series that will definitely have me keeping an eye out for volume 2.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2022
Around 2017, right around the beginning of Robert Venditti's Hawkman series, I sat in on a Q&A with the author. I had a general notion of what the series was about: Hawkman and his reincarnations. But what piqued my interest was when Venditti promised a chance to meet the Hawkman of Krypton. That was an idea I had never thought of.
A little later the same day, I went to another Q&A. This one was with Evan 'Doc' Shaner and Jeff Parker about their Future Quest series. The pair were very welcoming and while tech was setting up, they asked the handful of us in the audience if we had been to any other panels. I mentioned the Hawkman one and how there was going to be a Hawkman of Krypton. For a minute, Parker, I think, stroked his chin and then proclaimed 'That's a brilliant idea!'
Thanks to that singular yet enthusiastic, I immediately put that Hawkman series on my wish list. Of course there was a caveat. I'd wait until I could somehow get my hands on the whole thing to read at once. It took several years but last week I was finally able to get my hands on both volumes at my local library. And I loved it!
This series doesn't just seek to revisit all of Hawkman's past lives. Instead, Robert Venditti is on a mission to make sense of those reincarnations! From his time as the Egyptian ruler Khufu to Katar Hol of Thanagar and lives in between, the mystery as to why Carter Hall is bound to constantly be reborn throughout time AND SPACE is revealed!
Yes, there was a Hawkman on Krypton. But that wasn't the only big reveal. Some other really cool revelations are that other seemingly unrelated characters in the DC Universe are also Carter Hall reincarnations. Sir Justin, the Silent Knight and the old western gunslinger Nightwing are also some of the adventurers past lives.
A re-teaming with Ray Palmer in the microverse explains more of the science behind Carter's past lives, especially as the hero starts to experience time slips. It very well could be possible that two or more reincarnations can operate at the same time and place. So I wouldn't be surprised if it's revealed that the current Nightwing, Dick Grayson, is also a Carter Hall reincarnation!
As Carter Hall uncovers the mysteries surrounding his confusing past, Hawkman will learn that an even greater mystery is on the horizon. One that threatens to destroy Carter Hall's beloved planet Earth. And one tied to Carter's first life in which he has no memory of at all!
I loved this opening love letter to the character of Hawkman. It highlights just about every aspect of the icons history. Don't expect to see the JSA in this series as at this point in DC History, those heroes don't exist. Also, Shiera/Hawkgirl/Hawkwoman is not as much of an active player in this story as you'd expect her to be. Yeah, she's here. But Shiera isn't a part of Carter's active search for answers. And I can't put my finger on why that is...
I devoured this first volume in just a couple of hours. Maybe not even that long. This was a fun ride with elements of Indiana Jones, Doctor Who and comic book history all mixed in.
A little later the same day, I went to another Q&A. This one was with Evan 'Doc' Shaner and Jeff Parker about their Future Quest series. The pair were very welcoming and while tech was setting up, they asked the handful of us in the audience if we had been to any other panels. I mentioned the Hawkman one and how there was going to be a Hawkman of Krypton. For a minute, Parker, I think, stroked his chin and then proclaimed 'That's a brilliant idea!'
Thanks to that singular yet enthusiastic, I immediately put that Hawkman series on my wish list. Of course there was a caveat. I'd wait until I could somehow get my hands on the whole thing to read at once. It took several years but last week I was finally able to get my hands on both volumes at my local library. And I loved it!
This series doesn't just seek to revisit all of Hawkman's past lives. Instead, Robert Venditti is on a mission to make sense of those reincarnations! From his time as the Egyptian ruler Khufu to Katar Hol of Thanagar and lives in between, the mystery as to why Carter Hall is bound to constantly be reborn throughout time AND SPACE is revealed!
Yes, there was a Hawkman on Krypton. But that wasn't the only big reveal. Some other really cool revelations are that other seemingly unrelated characters in the DC Universe are also Carter Hall reincarnations. Sir Justin, the Silent Knight and the old western gunslinger Nightwing are also some of the adventurers past lives.
A re-teaming with Ray Palmer in the microverse explains more of the science behind Carter's past lives, especially as the hero starts to experience time slips. It very well could be possible that two or more reincarnations can operate at the same time and place. So I wouldn't be surprised if it's revealed that the current Nightwing, Dick Grayson, is also a Carter Hall reincarnation!
As Carter Hall uncovers the mysteries surrounding his confusing past, Hawkman will learn that an even greater mystery is on the horizon. One that threatens to destroy Carter Hall's beloved planet Earth. And one tied to Carter's first life in which he has no memory of at all!
I loved this opening love letter to the character of Hawkman. It highlights just about every aspect of the icons history. Don't expect to see the JSA in this series as at this point in DC History, those heroes don't exist. Also, Shiera/Hawkgirl/Hawkwoman is not as much of an active player in this story as you'd expect her to be. Yeah, she's here. But Shiera isn't a part of Carter's active search for answers. And I can't put my finger on why that is...
I devoured this first volume in just a couple of hours. Maybe not even that long. This was a fun ride with elements of Indiana Jones, Doctor Who and comic book history all mixed in.
January 24, 2026
Let’s be honest! I have never really got into Hawkman, so after a bit of twiddling on the ole t’interweb, Robert Venditti’s run was identified as a good jumping off point.
The story revolves around Carter Hall who in attempt to reconnect with himself and try to remember past lives, steals some shell from a giant gorilla golem. Nips off to London to Xanadu’s shop. Does some hocus pocus and finds out that not only has he reincarnated throughout time (an established part of the Hawkman mythos apparently) firstly as an Egyptian Prince, and then as other various individuals. However, he gets a bit of a surprise when he finds out that not only has he been reincarnated throughout time, he’s also been reincarnated across space too with various incarnations on other planets. One on his home world of Thanagar, and some other place I can’t be bothered to remember. Not only that, he finds out his constant reincarnations are to stop planetary destruction at the hands of Death summat or other (again, I can’t be bothered to find out). This leads Hawkman on a journey through time and space to find clues to stop the death whatevers and also battle his previous selves.
I have to say that they ought to re - release it as Hawkman: Biege. Coz that’s what it was. Totally biege!
One of the things that really got on my tits was the lettering by Richard Starkings and comicraft. In my honest opinion they should ban the use of handwriting fonts in comics and just stick to nice clear bold lettering because it pisses me off. I can never Chuffin read it and immediately want to throw the comic in the bin. Good job it was digital.
Then there was Hawkman himself. He was just bland. The main thing he seemed to do was to appear stoic and gurn his way through the comic, fighting various incarnations of himself that were all just more shades of biege.
The art by Brian Mitch is functional at best, but again nothing to write home about.
All in all, I thought this was alright, but ultimately forgettable (as you can see, I can’t even remember some of the main points and I only read it yesterday).
The story revolves around Carter Hall who in attempt to reconnect with himself and try to remember past lives, steals some shell from a giant gorilla golem. Nips off to London to Xanadu’s shop. Does some hocus pocus and finds out that not only has he reincarnated throughout time (an established part of the Hawkman mythos apparently) firstly as an Egyptian Prince, and then as other various individuals. However, he gets a bit of a surprise when he finds out that not only has he been reincarnated throughout time, he’s also been reincarnated across space too with various incarnations on other planets. One on his home world of Thanagar, and some other place I can’t be bothered to remember. Not only that, he finds out his constant reincarnations are to stop planetary destruction at the hands of Death summat or other (again, I can’t be bothered to find out). This leads Hawkman on a journey through time and space to find clues to stop the death whatevers and also battle his previous selves.
I have to say that they ought to re - release it as Hawkman: Biege. Coz that’s what it was. Totally biege!
One of the things that really got on my tits was the lettering by Richard Starkings and comicraft. In my honest opinion they should ban the use of handwriting fonts in comics and just stick to nice clear bold lettering because it pisses me off. I can never Chuffin read it and immediately want to throw the comic in the bin. Good job it was digital.
Then there was Hawkman himself. He was just bland. The main thing he seemed to do was to appear stoic and gurn his way through the comic, fighting various incarnations of himself that were all just more shades of biege.
The art by Brian Mitch is functional at best, but again nothing to write home about.
All in all, I thought this was alright, but ultimately forgettable (as you can see, I can’t even remember some of the main points and I only read it yesterday).
September 11, 2020
Venditti's Hawkman is my first experience reading a Hawkman comic and I went into it with very little knowledge of the Hawk mythos and the events of the Dark Metal event that spun out into this book. However, if you're already resigned to the fact that the endless retcons and additions to comic history are never going to fully make sense, this volume works pretty well as an introduction to Carter Hall, Hawkman. Venditti's story is about Carter trying to uncover the veiled mysteries of his past lives (which he learns didn't just occur on Earth - but on many different planets). I really liked the embracing of the classic adventuring archaeologist figure of the original Hawkman by having Carter travel all across the globe (and space) and interact with people of all different nationalities. I also loved seeing Ray Palmer as the Atom show up again because I think he's a great character! Bryan Hitch's art and Alex Sinclair and Jeremiah Shipper's colors do an excellent job of displaying the vibrancy of the character and story. My biggest issue was the way the story dealt with the subject of archaeology. It was really disconcerting for me to see Carter talk about how he brought the remnants of his past life as the Egyptian Prince Khufu to the British Museum - the implication being that it would be safer there. This is extremely problematic as that is the argument the Museum has been using forever to justify holding on to its looted goods from foreign nations. The way archaeology was approached and discussed in this book was very Eurocentric and felt like it was taken straight from the original appearances of Carter in the 1940s, which was very disappointing to me. Here's to hoping Shayera shows up in the next volume!
March 7, 2021
So begins one of the great superhero comics of the modern era.
Hawkman is one of the oldest superheroes in the DC stable, and yet for most of his existence he’s just been the guy with the wings and the mace. By the ‘80s he got some alien mythology thrown in, and in the ‘90s there were enough versions where it started to dawn on writers that there might be more to all of it, and then in the ‘00s full-on reincarnation was incorporated, until finally Hawkman died and returned, in the ‘10s, and the stage was definitively set for someone to pull it all together.
Enter Robert Venditti. He helped lay the foundation of modern Valiant with his X-O Manowar, and then came to DC as Geoff Johns’ replacement in the Green Lantern saga, where he had as many big ideas as his predecessor but never felt as natural a fit.
With Hawkman, he found the project worthy of his ambitions.
This opening volume sets the stage, unlocking for Carter Hall the true meaning behind his origins. Legacy is a big deal at DC, and chasing it has become an obsession, how best to capture its grandeur. A lot of readers thought the apex was James Robinson’s Starman, but the more compact nature of Venditti’s Hawkman, or so I have been trying to make the argument, might have finally eclipsed it.
The breakneck speed of an arc that stretches to the second volume of the collected editions means there’s rarely time to breathe, but a grand twelve issue arc is often the sign of greatness in comics, and there’s more that follows, enough to compensate for what might seem glossed over here.
This is as epic as a personal story in superhero comics can get. And it’s finally happened for the one character whose backstory could encompass it, and the one creator who could pull it off. Many have tried, with great results. This is better, and it only gets better from here...!
Hawkman is one of the oldest superheroes in the DC stable, and yet for most of his existence he’s just been the guy with the wings and the mace. By the ‘80s he got some alien mythology thrown in, and in the ‘90s there were enough versions where it started to dawn on writers that there might be more to all of it, and then in the ‘00s full-on reincarnation was incorporated, until finally Hawkman died and returned, in the ‘10s, and the stage was definitively set for someone to pull it all together.
Enter Robert Venditti. He helped lay the foundation of modern Valiant with his X-O Manowar, and then came to DC as Geoff Johns’ replacement in the Green Lantern saga, where he had as many big ideas as his predecessor but never felt as natural a fit.
With Hawkman, he found the project worthy of his ambitions.
This opening volume sets the stage, unlocking for Carter Hall the true meaning behind his origins. Legacy is a big deal at DC, and chasing it has become an obsession, how best to capture its grandeur. A lot of readers thought the apex was James Robinson’s Starman, but the more compact nature of Venditti’s Hawkman, or so I have been trying to make the argument, might have finally eclipsed it.
The breakneck speed of an arc that stretches to the second volume of the collected editions means there’s rarely time to breathe, but a grand twelve issue arc is often the sign of greatness in comics, and there’s more that follows, enough to compensate for what might seem glossed over here.
This is as epic as a personal story in superhero comics can get. And it’s finally happened for the one character whose backstory could encompass it, and the one creator who could pull it off. Many have tried, with great results. This is better, and it only gets better from here...!
December 30, 2021
Non è la prima volta che mi avvicino a qualche opera di Venditti, il suo ciclo sulle lanterne verdi non mi era affatto dispiaciuto anzi, credo di essere uno dei pochi ad averlo apprezzato. Ma con Hawkman sta facendo davvero un bellissimo e gradito lavoro. So che questi volumi sono ambientati dopo gli avvenimenti di Dark kinghts: Metal, ma credo che sia comunque un ottima opportunità leggere questa storia, queste "nuove" origini del personaggio per chi voglia avvicinarcisi e anche per i lettori neofiti.
Venditti crea un mix tra avventura e fantascienza che cattura il lettore e lo travolge a capofitto nelle stupende tavole di Hitch. Ambientazioni bellissime dei vari pianeti conosciuti del mondo della DC e alcune comparate di amici del mondo DC.
Prima di leggere questi volumi avevo letto la run di Johns che mi era piaciuta parecchio, ma questa mi ha catturato moooolto di più. Sarà per il lato fantascientifico.
Vorrei poter dire di più, ma svelare anche la più piccola parte di quello che avviene in queste pagine sarebbe un torto a chi vuole leggersi queste belle storie con protagonista Hawkman/Carter Hall.
State seguendo l' uscita dei volumi su Hawkman? Vi stanno piacendo? In fumetteria mi aspetta il quarto volume.
Venditti crea un mix tra avventura e fantascienza che cattura il lettore e lo travolge a capofitto nelle stupende tavole di Hitch. Ambientazioni bellissime dei vari pianeti conosciuti del mondo della DC e alcune comparate di amici del mondo DC.
Prima di leggere questi volumi avevo letto la run di Johns che mi era piaciuta parecchio, ma questa mi ha catturato moooolto di più. Sarà per il lato fantascientifico.
Vorrei poter dire di più, ma svelare anche la più piccola parte di quello che avviene in queste pagine sarebbe un torto a chi vuole leggersi queste belle storie con protagonista Hawkman/Carter Hall.
State seguendo l' uscita dei volumi su Hawkman? Vi stanno piacendo? In fumetteria mi aspetta il quarto volume.
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