Hawkman | Essential Showcase

First Published: August 2008

Contents: Hawkman #12 (February-March 1966) to #27 (August-September 1968); The Brave and the Bold #70 (February-March 1967); The Atom #31 (June-July 1967); and The Atom and Hawkman #39 (October-November 1968) to #45 (October-November 1969)

Key Creator Credits: Gardner Fox, Murphy Anderson, Dick Dillin, Bob Haney, Joe Kubert, Robert Kanigher, and others

Key First Appearances: Lion-Mane

Story Continues From: Showcase Presents Hawkman Vol. 1 and Showcase Presents The Atom Vol. 2

Overview: Welcome back to the ongoing adventures of Hawkman and Hawkgirl. Police officers Katar and Shayera Hol have travelled from Thanagar to make Earth their adoptive home. Posing as Carter and Shiera Hall, archeologists and curators at the Midway City Museum, our feathered heroes work to catch criminals and solve mysteries using a mix of extraterrestrial science and ancient Earth weapons.

Hawkman remains an interesting nexus point within the DC universe. As a Thanagarian, he is the ideal character to interact with Adam Strange, a man of two worlds (Earth and Rann). As a character written by Gardner Fox, it was natural for Hawkman to team up with the Atom, another Fox creation. As a member of the Justice League, there was no question that Hawkman would be crossing paths with Batman in the pages of The Brave and the Bold.

The foes of Hawkman remain somewhat weak in this collection. Seriously, how many people have even heard of Lion-Mane before? A highlight of this collection is Hawkman coming face-to-face with the Gentleman Ghost, a one-time foe of the Earth-2 Hawkman. Robert Kanigher, with Joe Kubert, created the Gentlemen Ghost for the Hawkman story in Flash Comics #88 (October 1947). Twenty-two years later, Kanigher once again found himself writing a Hawkman story and brought back the Ghost.

In 1968, the Hawkman title came to an end with issue #27, but his stories were not done yet. Hawkman took his adventures to the Atom’s book the following issue, as The Atom was renamed The Atom and Hawkman with issue #39. This combined title ran for seven issues (on a bi-monthly publishing schedule). Three of the issues featured the two characters teaming up together in one story, while four of the issues featured each character in his own solo story.

Why should these stories be Showcased?: Well, on the plus side, I believe this is a better read than Volume 1. With that said, I still found this volume disappointing. The highlights of this collection are the issues where he teams up with other heroes, such as Batman, Atom, and Adam Strange. The problem is this is still a book featuring a solo character (no disrespect meant to Hawkgirl). If the solo stories are not entertaining, it’s hard to get through some of these issues. A lot of these tales feel very repetitive, such as an alien on the run from law enforcement and hiding on Earth, or an archeological dig uncovering a dormant creature. I want this to be so much better than it is! Read this is you are a Hawkman fan, or if you like Murphy Anderson’s art.

Footnotes: The Brave and the Bold #70 is also reprinted in Showcase Presents The Brave and the Bold Batman Team-Ups Vol. 1.

The Atom #31 is also reprinted in Showcase Presents The Atom Vol. 2.

If you like this volume, try: the Geoff Johns Hawkman omnibus, which collects the writer’s two-year run with the character from 2002-2004. In 2001, Johns brought back Hawkman from character limbo in the pages of JSA, doing his best to untangle the complicated history of the character over the last 20 years. That immediately prompted DC to green-light a new ongoing book. In this new series, Hawkman and Hawkgirl are reincarnated spirits dating back to ancient Egypt. The new Hawkman returns, and immediately proclaims his undying love for Hawkgirl. However, this Hawkgirl is Kendra Saunders, a great niece to Sheira Hall, the original Hawkgirl. Kendra has the memories from Sheira, but she does not have the feelings for Carter Hall. Hawkman and Hawkgirl develop a working partnership, which presents a different dynamic than what we have seen previously between these characters. The omnibus contains all of the Geoff Johns’ stories, which ran through issue #25. This volume of the Hawkman series ran for 49 issues, then changed direction and was renamed Hawkgirl with issue #50. The Hawkgirl title ran for another year, before ending with issue #66.

First Published: March 2007

Contents: The Brave and the Bold #34 (February-March 1961) to #36 (June-July 1961), #42 (June-July 1962) to #44 (October-November 1962), and #51 (December 1963-January 1964); The Atom #7 (June-July 1963); Mystery in Space #87 (November 1963) to #90 (March 1964); and Hawkman #1 (April-May 1964) to #11 (December 1965-January 1966)

Key Creator Credits: Gardner Fox, Joe Kubert, Murphy Anderson,

Key First Appearances: Katar Hol/Carter Hall/Hawkman, Shayera Hol/Shiera Hall/Hawkgirl, Mavis Trent, George Emmett, Matter Master, Shadow Thief, I.Q., Zatanna

Story Continues In: Showcase Presents Hawkman Vol. 2

Overview: From the planet Thanagar, police officers Katar and Shayera Hol travel to Earth pursuing a fugitive. Dressing in their traditional Thanagarian police uniforms, which makes them look like human hawks, the officers make contact with the local police commissioner George Emmett before apprehending their suspect. Finding Earth interesting, Katar Hol and his wife decide to remain here and study the police methods of Earth. The citizens of Midway City (as well as the Earth) find themselves under the protection of Hawkman and Hawkgirl.

The heroes take civilian identities of Carter and Shiera Hall, archeologists and curators at the Midway City Museum. Their jobs lead them around the world on assignment, where they encounter various situations which call on them to don their wings.

Some early super-villains are introduced here which will vex the Thanagarians. The most prominent and challenging is the Shadow Thief, but other foes like I.Q. and Matter Master will reappear over and over as well. A lot of Hawkman’s opponents are criminal Thanagarians fleeing to Earth to escape prosecution.

What’s interesting with these stories for this era of the 1960s is that Hawkman interacts with a lot of other heroes. Most characters stayed in their books, never to interact with other characters in the DC Universe. In this volume, we see appearances by Aquaman, Adam Strange, the Atom, and Zatanna, making her DC Universe debut.

Why should these stories be Showcased?: This is a challenging read to get through, although it does get easier as it moves along. For Hawkman fans, this should be a must read. At this era, the origin and history of Hawkman was so simple and uncomplicated. Hawkman’s origins gets really messy over the next 40 years, so enjoy this while it remains easy to keep straight. For a DC Universe fan, you may want to skip ahead and read Showcase Presents Hawkman Vol. 2.

Honor Wings: When the stories start, Hawkman is wearing more of a rounded helmet similar to what the Earth-2 Hawkman wore, but covered in feathers. At the end of The Brave and the Bold #42, Katar Hol is recognized by leaders on Thanagar for his efforts in bringing a criminal to justice, and is awarded the Honor Wings. These are the wings we see on the side of his helmet, giving him the more traditional look of the Earth-1 Hawkman.

Footnotes: The Brave and the Bold #51 is also reprinted in Showcase Presents Aquaman Vol. 2.

The Atom #7 is also reprinted in Showcase Presents The Atom Vol. 1.

If you like this volume, try: JLA: Zatanna’s Search, a trade paperback released in 2004. When Zatanna first appeared in Hawkman #4, she was on a search for her missing father, Zatara. (Zatara had been a popular character in the Golden Age, with his debut in Action Comics #1.) Zatanna’s search carried her across the DC Universe, leading to encounters with Hawkman and Hawkgirl; Batman and Robin; Atom; Green Lantern; and Elongated Man. Her search finished up in Justice League of America #51 (found in Showcase Presents Justice League of America Vol. 3), where she once again teamed-up with the heroes she had previously encountered. All of her appearances were written by Gardner Fox, as he created what is considered to be the first company-wide story arc, albeit over a three-year period.