Hawkman (character)

Hawkman is a fictional superhero crime fighter in the DC Comics universe. The character of Hawkman, originally created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, has undergone many reimaginings since his first appearance in 1940. Hawkman's most common secret identity is Carter Hall, an anthropologist. In the comics, Hawkman's romantic interest is Hawkgirl, who is was later called Hawkwoman.

All of Hawkman's stories associate him with either ancient Egypt or a fictional planet called Thanagar. Hawkman uses a mysterious substance called the nth metal (initially known as ninth metal), which enables him to fly and gives him enhanced strength and healing properties. Hawkman can also see over long distances like a bird of prey, dodge bullets with superhuman speed, withstand extreme temperatures, and communicate with birds. In some stories, he is the reincarnation of an Egyptian prince who is reincarnated over and over again; in others, he is an alien fighting against crime.

Background

Hawkman has multiple and somewhat conflicting origin stories, which developed during three comic book eras: the Golden Age, the Silver Age, and the modern era. The first Hawkman appeared during the Golden Age of comics, which spanned from the 1930s through the early 1950s. Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications, one of the three comic book publishers that later merged to form DC Comics. The first origin story appears to have been inspired by Egyptian mythology, specifically the tales of Horus the sky god, who had the head of a bird. This Hawkman's secret identity was Carter Hall. Hall, an archaeologist, curated a museum filled with ancient weaponry, which he used when fighting crime as his alter ego Hawkman. In this version, Hall is the reincarnation of a prince called Khufu, who is loosely based on an actual pharaoh from ancient Egypt.

The first origin story begins with Hall discovering a mystical knife that allows him to relive his past life as an Egyptian prince. He learns that he and his lover were murdered by a priest named Hath-Set. Hall's memories of the past allow him to access the powers of the nth metal to create a costume that helps him rescue his reincarnated love, known as Shiera Saunders in this life, from the reborn Hath-Set. Hall then becomes Hawkman and uses his powers to fight against evil. Saunders eventually joins Hall as Hawkgirl, who is later called Hawkwoman. The two date and eventually marry. In this version, Hawkman is one of the founders and serves as the chairman of the Justice Society of America (JSA), a fictional squadron of comic book superheroes. This Hawkman appeared in all fifty-seven issues of All-Star Comics and was featured in more than one hundred issues of Flash Comics.

Hawkman's second origin story, which started in 1961's The Brave and the Bold #34, is interplanetary in nature. In this version, Hawkman is Kator Hol, an alien police officer who comes from the fictional planet Thanagar. Hol and his wife, Shayera, come to Earth looking for an intergalactic villain and remain on the planet to become the new incarnations of Hawkman and Hawkgirl.

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In 1990s, Hawkman was reinvented yet again in a series called Hawkworld. This further complicated the Hawkman narrative by introducing a character named Fel Andar, an alien who posed as the original Hawkman's (Carter Hall) son. Later in the 1990s, all of the Hawkman characters were merged into a character known as the Hawkgod in a title called Zero Hour. In the early 2000s, the character's backstories from the 1940s and 1960s were combined to try to tie up loose ends in Hawkman's continuity.

In 2011, the DC Comics franchise reimagined all of their prominent superhero characters in what became known as the New 52. This reboot brought many changes to well-known DC characters, including Hawkman.

Hawkman's first appearance in the New 52 was in The Savage Hawkman #1. In this incarnation, Hawkman is a Thanagarian who crash-lands on Earth with no memory of who he really is. He initially believes he is an archeologist named Carter Hall, but he is really Katar Hol, who escaped Thanagar with the nth metal to prevent his brother from using it for nefarious purposes. However, this new version of Hawkman did not last long. The book was canceled in 2013 after running for just about two years and publishing just twenty issues.

In October 2016, DC launched a new title called The Death of Hawkman. This title focuses on Adam Strange, who is transported to the planet Rann, where his love Alanna lives. Strange finds the planet destroyed, and Alanna is calling for revenge against the planet Thanagar, where the Hawkmen live. Strange eventually teams up Hawkman to try to prevent conflict between the two planets.

From his inception to the present, the Hawkman character is portrayed as single-minded, driven, determined, hot-headed, and savage. In all his incarnations, he tends to disregard rules set by society. Although he is generally characterized as a hero as opposed to an anti-hero, Hawkman is often viewed as a chaotic force for good rather than a lawful champion, mostly due to his penchant for smashing and destroying things. Despite his distaste for social hierarchy and norms, Hawkman is equipped with a strong sense of personal responsibility and has defined his own particularly rigid code of ethics and justice. The nth metal, which gives him many of his powers, is sometimes part of his costume. In other instances, it is merely contact with the metal that gives the superhero his abilities.

Hawkman has been featured in several modern DC Comics productions, including animated series and live-action shows. In 2016, the show DC's Legends of Tomorrow premiered on the CW television network. The show focuses on a group of DC superheroes, which includes Hawkman and Hawkgirl. On the series, Hawkman is played by German actor Falk Hentschel. The Hawkman character has also appeared in various video games.

Bibliography

"Death of Hawkman #1." DC Comics, www.dccomics.com/comics/death-of-hawkman-2016/death-of-hawkman-1. Accessed 9 Dec. 2016.

"Hawkman." DC Comics, www.dccomics.com/characters/hawkman. Accessed 30 Nov. 2016.

"Khufu (2609 BC–2584 BC)." BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic‗figures/khufu.shtml. Accessed 30 Nov. 2016.

Knowles, Chris. Our Gods Wear Spandex: The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes. Weiser Books, 2007, p. 130.

Misiroglu, Gina. The Superhero Book: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Comic-Book Icons and Hollywood Heroes. Visible Ink, 2012, p. 170.

Mozzocco, J. Caleb. "The Savaged Hawkman: What Latest DC Casualty Says about New 52." Comic Book Resources, 4 Feb. 2013, www.cbr.com/the-savaged-hawkman-what-latest-dc-casualty-says-about-new-52/. Accessed 9 Dec. 2016.

Petski, Denise. "Falk Hentschel to Play Hawkman in 'Legends of Tomorrow.'" Deadline, 3 Aug. 2015, deadline.com/2015/08/falk-hentschel-cast-hawkman-legends-of-tomorrow-1201490766/. Accessed 30 Nov. 2016.

Prudom, Laura. "'Legends of Tomorrow' Boss Explains That Heartbreaking Episode 2 Twist." Variety, 28 Jan. 2016,variety.com/2016/tv/news/legends-of-tomorrow-hawkman-dead-carter-killed-vandal-savage-kendra-1201691481/. Accessed 30 Nov. 2016.

Shiach, Kieran. "I Believe I Can Fly: A Tribute to the Enduring Legacy of Hawkman." Comics Alliance, 10 Nov. 2016, comicsalliance.com/tribute-hawkman/. Accessed 30 Nov. 2016.

Shiach, Kieran. "Understanding Hawkman: How a Simple Concept Became the DC Universe's Most Confusing Character." Comics Alliance, 5 Oct. 2016, comicsalliance.com/understanding-hawkman/. Accessed 9 Dec. 2016.