DCU Comic Book Reviews

HAWKMAN #15

The Thanagarian, Part One

July 2003

Written by Geoff Johns

Pencils by Rags Morales

Inks by Michael Bair

Cover by John Watson

Synopsis

Shayera Thal (aka Hawkwoman) is an immigrant from the planet Thanagar.  She and her partner Katar Hol traveled to Earth in search of a Thangarian criminal.  After they found him, they decide to stay.  After awhile they drifted apart.  Then Extant fused Katar Hall to Carter Hall (aka Hawkman).  Eventually Carter returned to Earth, separated from Katar.  Shayera wants to know what happened to her partner, so she has come to visit Carter in St. Roch.  Watching with interest is the Shadow Thief.  At the Stonechat Museum, Shayera confronts Carter.  He tells her that Katar gave his life so that Carter could have a better life.  A voice calls out and says don’t believe him, for Katar Hol is alive, and flying above them.

Review

I opened a comic book and received a history lesson.  I’m not sure how I feel about this issue.  On the one hand, it was good to the cliff notes version of the complicated Hawks history so that the upcoming story arc will at least make sense or put into perspective for me.  On the other hand, it might have been better just to let Shayera remained “retired” and just let it go.  Is there any reason why we need to get a story featuring all of the various Hawks?  Does this have any relevance at all to the current DCU or the Hawks as they have been re-imagined.  I suppose one could argue this is a way to clean out the closet to get rid of any skeletons from all of the re-boots over the years, but somehow I don’t think anyone really much cared for the Shayera/Katar era.  And if they did care, I am sure they are not going to like what will probably happen in the rest of this story arc. 

I also did not like the brief battle between Shayera and Kendra.  It’s placement seemed to be arbitrary, as if Johns decided he need some action after the dry history lesson a few pages beforehand.  I give Johns credit for trying to explain it away (a Thangarian greeting?), but it just did not belong in this issue at all. 

The best part of the issue was the small scene with Carter and Danny as Carter puts away the picture of Jayita along side pictures of others he has outlived over the years.  It was a sad moment, but it was also very effective.-- MRB

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