DCU Comic Book Reviews

HAWKMAN #28

Fates Warning, Part 1 of 4

July 2004

Written by Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray

Pencils by Ryan Sook

Inks by Mick Gray

Cover by Greg Land & Jay Leisten

Synopsis

One month ago at the Glenn Wilson Research Center, a group of terrorists attempt to bomb the place, hoping to distribute viral infections into the air via the blast.  The police, led by Detective Grubs, arrive on the scene to negotiate with the terrorists.  Hawkman and Hawkgirl also arrive to help, but Grubs doesn’t want them there.  Meanwhile, the terrorists have taken hostages to the steps of the building.  The leader demands a police car for his compatriots to use for a getaway.  After the others get away, one of the hostages kicks the leader and runs away.  The leader shoots the hostage, just as the police shoot the leader, who limps into the building and detonates the bomb.  Hawkman takes off after the others, catching up the police car and smashing it with his mace.  Hawkman is about to start beating on the others, but is stopped by Hawkgirl.  One month later...Hawkman has become a recluse; he feels guilty the hostage died.  Hawkman also feels helpless that is live is already predetermined:  he will fall in love with Hawkgirl and then watch her die.  Later, he goes to the Eighty-Eight Keyes bar and flirts with the lounge singer.  Elsewhere, Grubs is called to the site of a murder in which the body has been stuck to the ceiling with a bed sheet resembling wings.

Review

Let me see here.  New team?  Check.  New Beginning?  A tentative check, but I guess so since this is the beginning of a new storyline.  New Direction?  Uh, uncheck, I guess.  This does not feel like a new direction.  In fact, it feels like a little bit of the same old, same old.  Carter and Kendra are still in St. Roch, still working for the museum, and still dealing with the theme of reincarnation and how they will die.  In essence, this does not feel any different than Johns run on the title. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but I wonder why DC felt it necessary to trumpet the newness of the series.  Hawkman does not need to be so new at less than about two years old. 

Having said that, Gray and Palmiotti do a great job starting their run on the title by establishing various bits and pieces that will have an impact not only on the current storyline, but also down the line in future issues.  They introduce a new police detective who will be at odds with the Hawks, a murder mystery that is probably connected to the Hawks, and a femme fatale (an appropriate term given the previous issue) that may be the love interest or may be the killer (or a victim in a couple of issues) in some way.  And I am willing to bet that the opening scene was not a throwaway moment but will have an impact in the story.

The plot device suggesting that Hawkman should fall in love with someone other than Kendra seems a little rushed and forced, but I can forgive that since I think this is a good direction to take the character.  Johns semi-attempted this earlier in the series, but that was partly shown as an attempt by Carter to make Kendra jealous rather than a full-fledged love affair.  Hopefully this is not the case.  I also hope that Carter does not fall in love with a killer.

Who is Glenn Wilson?  The only Glenn Wilson I can think of off the top of my head is the baseball player from a few years ago.  Is there a DC character with that name?  Are Gray and Palmiotti baseball fans?-- Review by MRB