The 49th Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast: Hawkman Part 2!

I'm going to try my best to keep updating my broadcast on a regular basis, I will, I promise.  Well I hope I can.  I will try my absolute best.  A few days ago I posted my thoughts about a 2002 series from DC Comics called Hawkman written by Geoff Johns and James Robinson, penciled by Rags Morales and Inked by Michael Bair.

Welcome to the 49th Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast: Hawkman Part 2.  As I mentioned Hawkman came out during a period of time when I had to give up my hobby of collecting comics.  I couldn't afford to keep buying the comics I liked and I had to give up but I still kept track of what was happening in the comics world.  When Hawkman was released I was excited and intrigued.  Hawkman in his own title?  Again?  Was DC Comics really going to give this character another chance?  Yep, they did.  And for this series, they put together a team of talented writers and artists and colorists.  It was a great team.  Oh, I didn't know how great at the time because I couldn't buy any of the issues.  It wasn't until a few years later that I had a chance to read the very series I heard about and read about in the magazines and reviews about comics.  I really wanted to read it but I had to wait for a few years.  Well, they say all good things come to those who wait and I did indeed, you know what?  It was worth it!!

Hawkman exceeded my expectations in terms of the story, the overall feel of the character, the flow and especially the artwork.  It is one of the main attractions for me.  I'm kinda old school when it comes to comics.  I remember the days when you had a writer and an artist who worked together so well like Lee and Kirby on Fantastic Four, Claremont and Byrne on Uncanny X Men, Wolfman and Perez on Teen Titans & Bendis and Bagley on Ultimate Spider Man.  I liked it when a team that's so talented stays on a title.  I like it when the artist is able to tell the story the writer has written in his artwork, I like it when the team complements each other.  That way the story and art becomes one and the average comic book fan boy (Me! Me!) can enjoy his favorite comic.

This is what happened to me when I read Hawkman.  After so many years of waiting, the experience was all that I had hoped for and more.  I couldn't get the actual Hawkman comics anymore but I was really lucky that a friend of mine bought the digital copies and he was kind enough to let me read and later take some snapshots of the Hawkman series.

I really enjoyed reading this series.  I mentioned that Geoff Johns and James Robinson really did a great job on Hawkman.  I liked the stories, I like the characterization, the exotic locales and so on but what I loved most is the artwork.  First off, they had a great cover artist named Andrew Robinson who did the pencils, inks and colors.  Actually he paints the covers and they look great.  Look at the cover to issue # 5.

After the cover, what did I find on the inside?  The artwork by Rags Morales and Michael Bair.  I remember first coming across Rags Morales' work on Valiant Comics.  I remember he drew Turok, Archer & Armstrong and I bought the title Geomancer because he was the penciler.  I like his DC Comics work better because I think he found the perfect inker.  Michael Bair brings out the best in his artwork in my humble opinion.

I remember when I first came across his work, I thought his style was similar to that of Michael Golden.  For a long while I thought that but after seeing more of his work, his style is similar but unique.  I think of it as being a "fluid" style and one that is very communicative as you can see in the panel above.  I love that page: "You Damn Bird" Ha!

I just love the way Morales draws his splash pages.  Really really great artwork.  It always amazes me whenever I read each issue of Hawkman and how Morales can surprise me with his art. I was really surprised when I read Hawkman # 7, look at that cover by Andrew Robinson but for this issue he was identified as Cartwright Robinson.

This issue was written by James Robinson.  I liked this issue as well.  This issue features a flashback to one of the Hawks' earlier reincarnations, Nighthawk and Cinnamon meet and fall in love while saving an innocent man from the gallows.  Penciled by Rags Morales and this time inked by Tim Truman.  The results were fantastic!

I'm a big fan of Old Westerns and the art of Timothy Truman so this was a real treat for me to read this issue.  I liked they way Morales' pacing and the way he draws the action in this issue.  Really great stuff.

Two equally important issues of Hawkman are issues # 8 and # 9.  In issue # 8, Carter Hall talks to Ray Palmer (The Atom) to discuss his love for Kendra. I really like the way Johns and Robinson reminds us about how these guys aren't just super heroes, they're also friends, good friends, real friends.  Also in this issue Hawkgirl goes after metahuman Warwhip, only to have Chief Nadel kill him. Speed Saunders get into trouble in Tibet.  In issue # 9, we're introduced to carter Hall's Son, 
Carter's son Hector who drops by to talk about Carter's many reincarnations. Kendra is having nightmares about a tragic event in her childhood.  Again Johns and Robinson did such a great job on that story.

I love this page by Morales and Bair.  I love it.  I like how their relationship progresses in each issue.  It's not always smooth sailing for these two but they're working on it.

Remember I mentioned the origins of Hawkman and Hawkgirl?  Yeah this is how it's told and I thought it was nicely done, it helps that Morales and Bair did a great job as usual on the interior art.

I love that cover, don't you?  If you'll notice, Hawkman's weapons are unique. All versions of Hawkman preferred to use archaic weaponry—particularly maces, nets, spears and so on.  In this series, Hawkman does indeed use these weapons rather than modern or futuristic weapons. Carter Hall prefers this in part because, having the memories of living through many past lives, he is more proficient in their use than with contemporary weapons. In Katar Hol's case, it was too dangerous to use Thanagarian weaponry since there was too great a chance they could be lost or captured and then used or duplicated on Earth. There is, however, one significantly unique weapon Carter employs occasionally: the Claw of Horus. Constructed of Nth metal by Prince Khufu in ancient Egypt.

Another example of the art work of Morales and Bair and just how good they are together on Hawkman.  Here's some more info on Hawkman. All versions of Hawkman have shown enhanced levels of strength.  The Golden Age Hawkman was said to have the strength of 12 men but later that idea was dropped. Whereas the Golden Age Hawkman's strength appeared natural, it was later explained that the Nth metal enables its wielders to carry great weights. The recent incarnation has interpreted this as the Nth metal simply enhancing the strength of the user. Also, several JLA and JSA stories indicate that Thanagar has greater gravity than Earth, and that Thanagarians are naturally stronger than humans because they are adapted to it.

It's also been explained in the JSA series that the Nth metal greatly aids in healing, closing wounds almost instantaneously. One example is in the JLA story "Crisis of Conscience" Carter's arm was nearly severed, but the wound has obviously closed and functionality returned by the end of the issue. The Atom has commented that Hawkman laughs at anything less than third-degree burns. The Nth metal also regulates the body temperature of the wearer, preventing the need for heavy protective clothing while in high altitudes. It also has the property of radiating heat, which can be controlled to warm the wearer in colder climates.

Would you take a look at the detail in that page?  Did you know that Hawkman was ranked as the 118th greatest comic book character of all time by Wizard Magazine?  IGN also ranked Hawkman as the 56th greatest comic book hero of all time stating that the best part of Hawkman is his incredibly short fuse.; IGN also described him as a complete and total badass.  Looking at that page, I can certainly agree that Hawkman is a total badass.

As I was reading through all the issues of Hawkman, I realised that the Team of Johns and Morales left the title as of issue # 25, the conclusion of the Black Reign storyline.  I was disappointed but I guess you can't stay in one place forever. 

These days it's rare to see a team stick on one title for an extended period of time. A twenty five issue run is nothing to sneeze.  Johns, Robinson, Morales, Bair and the rest of the creative did a great job of getting me interested in Hawkman again and that is also nothing to sneeze at.  I loved reading this series, it was one of the better DC Comics series I've read.  I am really disappointed that in the NEW 52 that the Hawkman comic didn't last that long.  I don't know why it was cancelled but after reading issue # 1 I have to be honest, I was not impressed.  In fact the NEW 52 Hawkman was just not very good.  I won't mention who did the art and story because it was just not impressive at all and it couldn't hold a candle to this series.  

It's sad that they couldn't keep such an interesting character who has such a rich history going in his own series.  If you ever have a chance, try this series, you won't regret it.  I didn't.  Just wish I could find the complete 25 issues one day.  It's be great to read the physical comic. One day.  Who knows.

Thanks for dropping by for the 49th Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast, thanks for giving me the chance to share this with you.  I hope you liked it. The broadcast will be back soon.  Until then you take care.