DCU Comic Book Reviews

HAWKMAN #20

The Headhunter, Part 1

December 2003

Written by Geoff Johns

Pencils by Rags Morales

Inks by Michael Bair & McMurray

Cover by John Watson

Synopsis

Kendra Saunders (aka Hawkgirl) and Carter Hall (aka Hawkman) patrol the streets of St. Roch, Louisiana.  This night, they save people from their houses burning down and then capture the man responsible, the arsonist Firefly.  The next day, Kendra finds Carter at the university, filling in for a missing professor.  Kendra tells Carter that she has a date and wants to know if Carter is okay with it.  Carter tells her he is perfectly fine.  Later, Ray Palmer (aka Atom) also wants to know if Carter is okay with it.  Carter tells his friend that his fine with Kendra’s date.  That night, Hawkman is watching Kendra’s apartment building when he witnesses a man beating his wife.  Hawkman stops the man, but in turn is injured by the Headhunter, a mysterious man with a voodoo doll.  The Headhunter tells Hawkman that their souls will be joined together.

Review

For me, at least, this issue was divided into two parts.  The first part worked the best as we followed Kendra and Carter around, learning more about their lives and each other.  First, we get a brief moment of them working to save lives and capture bad guys and, second, we get to see what happens when they are not wearing a mask.  I am one of those comic readers who believes that both sides of a hero’s life needs to be shown and this issue does a good job of it.  The conversation between Kendra and Carter made me realize just how much they both have changed over the course of a year and a half.  Or at least how much Carter is able to fool everyone based on that scene of him watching Kendra’s apartment.  I loved this moment as it showed that as much as he tells Kendra and Ray that he has changed, the reality is probably much, much different. 

The second part of the issue is the ending with the brief fight with the Headhunter.  While it was nice to finally see the Headhunter, this issue did nothing more than the previous:  there is someone with the power of Voodoo who is coming after Hawkman for an unknown reason.  As such the battle was not really needed (although I must admit I like the part where Hawkman injured himself when his knife sliced open the Voodoo doll) to get across the point that was made in the previous issue.  What we need is some movement forward with the Headhunter so we can learn how he will do what he plans to do.  Whatever he plans to do.  -- MRB

ïPREVIOUS	Main		Page	NEXTð

Home ●  Blog ● Who Are We? ● Site News
Alive and Well since April 16, 2006

 DC Universe Reviews.  All Rights Reserved
  Characters, trademarks, brands are property of DC Comics

For problems or questions regarding this website, please contact our kindly webmaster.
Last updated: 08/06/11.