Hawkman Confirmed for Justice League!

Early yesterday, the excellent DC fan blog, DC Women Kicking Ass, ran a story featuring a brand new image of the Justice League team to be featured come September's relaunch. The image was soon picked up by several other sites, although not including this one, I'm sorry to say. In addition to the seven already-revealed members, the image adds eight others, one more than the long-rumored total of fourteen. And as I suspected myself earlier this month, Hawkman can now indeed be confirmed as being counted amongst their ranks!

While this news itself isn't exactly surprising, it is nevertheless extremely exciting for Hawk-fans. Hawkman hasn't been highlighted as a member of the Justice League in any incarnation--neither the team, nor the character himself, for that matter--for just about fifteen years now. With The Savage Hawkman also scheduled to debut alongside Justice League in September, this could be just the kind of push that will help to further elevate Hawkman's status in the minds of a lot of readers, both old and new alike.

Upon closer analysis of the picture, it may be encouraging to some Hawk-fans to see that Hawkman's cowl isn't at all that drastically different from what we're used to seeing in the past. In fact, it doesn't appear to be any different, really. From nearly the very beginning, however, I assumed that the solicited image plugging The Savage Hawkman #1 may not have been a definitive look at how Hawkman would be interpreted by DC's entire stable of artists, and the above image would seem to confirm as much. There do appear to still be some minor alterations to his traditional headgear, namely the more dramatic "ridges," if I may, located primarily on the top portion of his cowl, but all in all, I'd say these are very subtle tweaks at best. It looks good, if I do say so myself.

Now if we could just get an image of Hawkgirl already. Not that I ever expected to see her as a member of this new Justice League, mind you, but a sneak-peek at Hawkgirl is nevertheless the one big reveal that I'm still waiting for with regards to this relaunch. Unfortunately, though, unlike the Justice League's freshly revealed full lineup, I don't expect we'll be seeing anything featuring Hawkgirl until after September has come and gone. But that won't keep me from keeping my ear held closely to the ground in the meantime!

First Good Look at Flashpoint's Hawkgirl

I remained silently disappointed when Hawkgirl was nowhere to be seen in the debut issue of Flashpoint: Wonder Woman and the Furies last week, despite a cover image implying the contrary. Her omission was somewhat made up for this week, however, in the form Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance #1. Okay, so Hawkgirl's appearance is relegated to a nonspeaking part on the final page of the issue, but hey, something is better than nothing, right?

You can click the above image for the full page, but be warned that it does contain a relatively minor spoiler, which I also allude to a little later in this entry.

Hawkgirl certainly doesn't look very pleased here, but that could be because Lois was secretly documenting the Amazon's treatment of the their prisoners and was in the midst of trying to escape. Just a hunch.

As for Hawkgirl's appearance, it's obviously different from the one featured on the cover of Wonder Woman and the Furies #1. Who knows which one is an error and which one is official, but the color scheme represented in this issue is nevertheless reminiscent of Hawkworld's Shayera's original outfit, not that I believe that means anything. All in all, I think I prefer her look here, although aside from the colors, it's really not that drastic of an alteration from what Hawkgirl was last seen wearing throughout the course of Brightest Day.

What's more interesting, though, is who she's paired up with on that last page. Hawkgirl with a famed temperamental Amazon archer clad in green? That doesn't seem like an inspired team-up to me at all. Seriously, if it's actually played up, it could be one of the more interesting new dynamics that this temporary alternate DC Universe has to offer. Time will tell, I suppose.

On a side note before I go, for those of you wondering, Hawkman was not featured in this week's Brightest Day Aftermath: The Search for Swamp Thing #1. I haven't read the issue yet, so no idea if he's even mentioned, but if he is, I imagine it would be a throwaway line at best. Maybe next month.

Hawkman Omnibus Availabe for Pre-Order

While it's not coming to store shelves until March 13 of next year, the Hawkman Omnibus by Geoff Johns, James Robinson, Rags Morales, and Michael Bair is nevertheless now available through Amazon and other fine online retailers for pre-order. It actually has been for about a month now, but I've neglected to mention it here.

At a relatively short 320 pages in length, the exact issues this omnibus will collect have not yet been detailed, but my best guess would be #1-12, plus the Secret Files & Origins one-shot. #12 ends on a relative cliffhanger, but it also concludes the arc that was building up to that point, so it seems like a decent enough place to round out a first volume as any. Although ending it here would not quite reach the combined content of the first two Hawkman trade paperbacks currently available (Vol. 2 concludes with #14), I honestly don't know how DC can squeeze any more issues into this thing at the presently listed page count.

If 320 pages is all we're getting, however, then let's keep our fingers crossed that that proposed "Volume One" on the cover shown above isn't just for show. With the non-ending of #12, should my guess at the contents of this omnibus be right, I would hope a second volume is already in the early production phases, so new readers aren't left wondering over the fate of Hawkgirl for long. Of course, we can always hope for the slim chance of more pages being solicited later on, and if that should happen, get your pre-orders in early, folks, lest the price go up with the page count.

As for the run being offered here: who knows if these entries in the Hawkman mythos will carry as much weight as they presently do past September, but Johns' (as well as Palmiotti and Gray's) run on the last volume of Hawkman featured some darn entertaining storytelling any which way you slice it. I've been itching to buy an omnibus for some time now, and this is the perfect excuse for me to finally take the plunge. Though I already own these stories in both floppy and TPB form, I expect the oversized format and glossy pages of this omnibus edition to completely blow me away.

I don't know about any of you, but for me, March can't come fast enough! Order your copy of the Hawkman Omnibus today! (Note: DC did not pay me to write those last two sentences, but if they'd like to, I can supply an address to which the checks can be sent.)

Happy Father's Day, Hawk-Fans!

Hawkman's a father, too, you know, so this post is darn well relevant! Sure, maybe Hawkman wasn't always around to rear the young lad like he should have been, and there probably aren't too many dads out there who are at risk of being confused for their own children's siblings, but he's a father all the same. Although, considering how much Carter Hall was shown to mourn at the death of his son Hector (ie, not at all), it's easy to forget that the Winged Wonder has, or rather had offspring of his own once upon a time. But I suppose if I had been shunted off to limbo for some years, during which time my deceased son had returned to the mortal plane in a different body with different birth parents, our relationship might be somewhat strained, as well. Okay, I need to stop writing about this now, because I'm starting to go cross-eyed.

Regardless, happy Father's Day to all you Hawk-fans out there blessed enough to have some Silver Scarabs- or Dr. Fates-in-making of your own! I'm sure in their eyes, you're even more heroic than Hawkman himself!

Tony Daniel on Hawkman's Rogues

As if on cue from my entry here on Friday concerning Hawkman's most notorious villains, The Savage Hawkman writer Tony Daniel updated his Tumblr page yesterday, with no small portion of his message to the fans concerning the foes of the Winged Wonder. Here's the relevant bits:

As for Hawkman, I’m already plotting out the second story arc. My main goal is building Carter Hall’s ‘world.’ His friends, his foes, his life. The one thing missing in Hawkman’s long, convoluted past is a great rogues gallery to choose from. There are only one or two of his past foes that, right now, I can see myself using. And they’d be upgraded, tweaked to stand out more and be a bit more modern, cooler. Hawkman has no Lex Luthor or Joker (some will say Hath Set, but I don’t see myself using him). I’m hoping that one villain that I’m introducing early will develop into exactly that. An evil ‘equal.’ Anyway — that’s a tall order, creating new characters and villains that will ‘stick.’ Though it’s very challenging, it’s very rewarding seeing these new elements come to life through Philip Tan’s artwork. Hope we can start giving people glimpses in the coming month.

He has my best wishes in getting some of these villains to "stick," as he puts it, and I look forward to reading and maybe even seeing more of them in the weeks and months ahead. I'm also glad to hear up front that Mr. Daniel seems open to using at least a couple of Hawkman's existing foes in the foreseeable future. I just hope these proposed "tweaks" that he's suggested won't be quite as dramatic as some of the other upcoming costume alterations we've recently glimpsed...

As for the rest of his message, I think it's becoming more and more apparent that the post-Flashpoint Hawmkan isn't going to be your father's Carter Hall, and perhaps not even your slightly older brother's. While Bob Harras and Eddie Berganza have been quick to point out that much of the current DCU's continuity will in fact remain intact even after September, I'm personally gearing up for Hawkman's history to receive quite a bit of streamlining all its own. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but quotes like "building Carter Hall's 'world'" leave me with the distinct impression that this is going to be a whole new beginning for the character on multiple levels.

But who really knows at this point? Guess we'll just have to wait and see, like always. In the meantime, any seemingly insignificant scrap of The Savage Hawkman information I can gather to overanalyze will surely be presented right here on this blog for you all to enjoy today, and mock come September when all my theories are proven to be embarrassingly, horribly incorrect.

Ten Notable Hawkman Villains for the DCnU

With Tony Daniel's talk in his recent interview with CBR about Hawkman's villains, it got me to thinking: just who are some of Hawkman's most notable rogues, anyway? And more importantly, of them, which ones would I like to see make the transition to the post-Flashpoint DCU? Below, I've compiled just such a list, limiting myself to just ten, and in some cases, detailing how I'd like to see these characters make the jump from old to new again. So without further ado, let the list begin!

Byth:
Whether a petty criminal in it for the thrill or a psychopathic murderer and despot out for power, the shape-shifting Byth is one of Hawkman's most notorious villains, despite his relatively few appearances throughout the years. Nevertheless, he's always been one of my favorites, and I would hope to see him receive a bigger spotlight amongst Hawkman's rogues in the DCnU.

Fadeaway Man:
A Silver Age original, Anton Lamont received a facelift in Hawkman Vol. 4 and proved how devious a guy with a magical teleporting cloak and a fair amount of whit can really be. The absolute antithesis of a savage brute, Lamont offers a uniquely calculating challenge to the Hawks, while also demonstrating that a good villain only needs one simple but effective power and the intellect to use it properly in order to be extremely dangerous.

Gentleman Ghost:
This sometimes friend, sometimes foe is one of Hawkman's two most famous villains. Originally characterized as a mysterious outlaw only tangentially related to the Hawks at best, he gained a firmer link to their eternal story of love and death in the last volume Hawkman. More of a master of torment than a physical threat, the Gentleman Ghost is too anomalous of a villain to lose, not just to Hawkman, but to the greater DC Universe.

Headhunter:
Though making his first appearance rather recently, and a brief one at that, Headhunter as a concept makes a perfect foil for Carter Hall. Taking a page out of Highlander, the Headhunter gains the power and knowledge from the, well, heads collected from those he kills. And who has more knowledge than a guy who's lived a thousand lives? It's a simple theme of opposing forces that's just begging to be further explored.

Lion-Man:
Edward Dawson is just an unlucky guy. Or maybe he's extremely lucky, depending on your point of view. Regardless of Silver Age or Modern Age, Dawson's story of transformation remains the same: the guy touched an alien meteor, and the mystical energy it contained turned him into the ferocious were-cat Lion-Mane. One of Hawkman's more physically powerful opponents, I appreciate the simple but effective threat he poses for our hero. Great look, too.

The Manhawks:
Perhaps slightly on the campy side originally, there nevertheless was always something macabre about giant alien birds wearing Michael Myers-like masks. Take into account the twisted, mutated revamps Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti crafted for an idea of a more contemporary look, and you've got modern monsters in a superhero setting. Plus, if handled right, they could serve as a legion of foes for Hawkman to contend with, perhaps not unlike an alien League of Shadows, even.

Matter Master:
Another Silver Ager, Matter Master's just goofy, and I love the guy for it. A scientist with alchemic aspirations, before Geoff Johns, Mark Mandrill just didn't have the stomach for doing anything wilder beyond encasing the Hawks in diamond. And with a "magic" wand capable of turning one element into another, I say play up the guy's scruples rather than turn him into a cold-blooded villain. A criminal with a conscience using his talents for his own gain while earnestly trying to avoid harming the innocent: I quite like the dichotomy it might present for Hawkman when facing him in combat, myself.

Satana:
A blast from Carter Hall's past, Satana has always held an unnatural affinity towards animals. That obsession was taken up a notch in 2004 under the pen of Gray and Palmiotti, however, when Satana became an outright mad scientist, bent on creating her very own homemade chimeras. One part Lex Luthor, one part Joker, throw in a pinch of the sexy and twisted nature of Poison Ivy for good measure, and Satana is a collection of all things nasty when it comes to super villains of the fairer sex.

Shadow-Thief:
Bar none, Hawkman's most recognizable foil. While originally characterized as a petty thief bent on nothing but his own gain, Carl Sands is now regarded as somewhat of the ultimate ninja assassin for higher. Like Fadeaway Man, Thief's talents at first seem limited at best, but the simplicity of his power belies the diversity of his actual arsenal. One of the most original villains in all of comic books, Hawkman would be a little less interesting without Shadow-Thief to stand against.

Vandal Savage:
While not exclusively a Hawkman villain per se, Vandal Savage was nevertheless depicted as one in the 1993 Hawkman series. Ironically, however, Savage matches up far better against Carter Hall, with one schtick (immortality) complimenting the other (reincarnation) almost perfectly. Hawkman and Savage's bouts should be legendary, not just for their fisticuffs, but also for their banter: each of Vandal's historical boasts of conquest should be effectively shot down by the equally learned Carter based on his own experiences from the same time frame.

And there you have it. The top ten villains I hope to see still fighting Hawkman in the new and (hopefully) improved DCU come September. A couple of notable exceptions, I'm sure many of you no doubt feel. I'll address the most glaring one before I go: Hath-Set. Quite frankly, I'm just bored with the guy, folks. Not only that, I'm bored with the theme that he's invariably tied to in order for him to be considered a relevant Hawkman villain, and for that, his absence makes the Hawks stronger rather than weaker in my view.

Regardless, Hawkman's rogues are far more plentiful and varied than I think most readers give them credit for. And while I love the idea of some new costumed criminals entering the Hawkman foray soon, I just hope none of them are introduced at the permanent expense of some of his most noteworthy old-time rivals. After all, you just can't beat the classics.

Tony Daniel Interview at CBR

The full version of which you can read here. For the relevant Hawkman bits, however, read on:

Your other major assignment when everything relaunches in September is "The Savage Hawkman." Did you pitch to get this series or did DC come to you?

I was approached by DC. They had a vision for it and thought that I could bring those elements to the table. I am very excited about this book. It is very different from writing Batman. But that's great. It allows me to spread my wings, if you'll pardon the pun.

The copy for the first issue reads very much like an origin story. Is that the case? And if so, was it necessary to do an origin due to the character's long, and sometimes convoluted, backstory?

It's not an origin story, but the approach is, as if we're meeting this guy for the first time. He's already Hawkman. He's already lost the love of his life. It took me several months to work through his initial arc. It was very, very hard work. He's setting up new roots in NYC. I'm establishing a supporting cast of characters. Some are human, some are more than human. Some friend, some foe. I didn't feel I had the luxury of a great rogues gallery, such as the likes of The Flash or Batman. I need to make challenges for Carter Hall/Hawkman from the ground up.

My first priority was to introduce a character who will eventually be his nemesis. His arch-enemy. I'm very excited about that.

You mentioned he's already lost the love of his life. So may I ask, what role, if any, does Shiera Saunders/Hawkgirl/Hawkwoman play in this series?

For now I can't say a whole lot. People will have to wait and see how things develop this fall.

As an artist yourself, can you break down the strengths of Philip Tan? As the book's writer, what do you feel he brings as a collaborator?

I'm very excited about Philip Tan's incredible artwork. People are about to have their socks knocked off when they see what this kid is doing. He's come of age here. Philip has been dying to do a Hawkman book for a long time. He has so much built up energy and excitement for this book. He's worked many, many hours working on character designs, layouts, cover ideas and that was way before he even had a finished script.

The passion he has is definitely translating onto the page. He's doing a great inkwash technique that is mind blowing. So he brings a lot to the table as an artist. This is important to him and he's working his butt off with the art. I'm happy I have him as my artist.

What else can you tell us about "The Savage Hawkman" as it appears much more Indiana Jones in style than the gritty Bat-books you're known for?

Maybe a bit more Sherlock Holmes, the Robert Downey Jr. version, than Indy, but some of that too. Plus some savage beatdowns. It's going to be very exciting. Lots of adventure. Lots of fun characters being introduced.

So we should take note of the word "Savage" in the title?

He'll be savage when he needs to be, which could be a lot.

So Hawkman will be a pre-established hero in the DCnU, but we'll be "meeting him for the first time," apparently. From this, it sounds as if Hawkman's continuity could go either way post-Flashpoint. Assuming his search for Shiera in the upcoming Search for Swamp Thing series ends fruitlessly, then such an outcome would obviously coincide with his loss of the "love of his life." Still, my money's on an entirely new spin on the old themes for Hawkman. With all of the continuity quirks that have plagued him over the past two decades, now is just too ripe of an opportunity for me to imagine DC passing up wiping away all of his "radioactivity" in one fell swoop once and for all. To only go halfway with this reinterpretation, though, would likely create more problems than solutions, as Hawkworld so aptly proved way back when.

As for what Daniel has to say in regards to Hawkman himself, there's some things I hear that I like and some that I don't. His approach to the characters seems sound; I like the Sherlock Holmes comparison, for instance, and his response to the whole "savage" theme sounds right on the money to me.

I also appreciate that he'll be building up a diverse supporting cast for Carter from the ground up. Much as I liked Johns' last run with the character, I never really grew any sort of an affinity for the supporting cast he created for Hawkman. And though I'd like to see characters like Commissioner George Emmett and Mavis Trent again, I tend to favor the idea of Mr. Daniel not feeling compelled to write Hawkman's supporting cast in a preordained manner of any kind for this relaunch. With a completely original cast with which to work, Daniel will be able to cut loose from a creative standpoint, and we as readers can look forward to learning new things about these new characters as time progresses, as well as watch as their relationships with one another continue to develop.

Mr. Daniel's approach to Hawkman's rogues, however, I'm not sure how to take. On one hand, I'm glad it appears that Carter's going to be getting some new baddies to combat. Spider-Man recently went through the same thing, and while none of these new villains are as intriguing as any of Spider-Man's original foes, I think the character is better for them in the end. But let's not forget that Hawkman does have some pretty darn nifty rogues of his own already, Shadow Thief chief among them. I've always been rather fond of Byth, Lion-Mane, and Matter Master too, though, so hopefully they'll pop up again some day as well. Regardless, while I'm looking forward to some fresh blood, hopefully these classic Hawkman rogues aren't lost completely for the introduction of Daniel's proposed new ones.

So there it is, an interview from Tony Daniel talking about his upcoming run on The Savage Hawkman. But while he gave several answers in regards to the new series, I'm left with more questions now than I was going in!