DCU Comic Book Reviews

HAWKMAN #45

My Enemy Revealed, Part 2

December 2005

Written by Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray

Pencils by Joe Bennett

Inks by Ruy Jose & Jack Jadson

Cover by Joe Bennett & Ruy Jose

Synopsis

Carter Hall (aka Hawkman) has returned to settle unfinished business with Charley Parker, the former Golden Eagle posing as Hawkman and the one responsible for attempting to kill him.  Using the cloak of Cagliostro, Hawkman takes Charley to a different location, where Hawkman has set up recording device.  Then Hawkman gets Charley to reveal the motives behind his attack.  After Charley explains it all, Hawkman beats him to a bloody pulp and then sends him back to Thanagar with the evidence that will put him in jail for a long time.  Later, Hawkman explains how he was able to fake his death to the JSA.  And then he and Kendra enjoy a small vacation.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

“You’re not honoring him.  You’re just a sad little boy who never got over being abandoned.”

It is time for a brief history lesson.  After the original Crisis in the mid-80s, DC decided to revamp the Hawkman character.  This resulted in the Hawkworld series featuring Katar Hol and Shayera as Thanagar police officers who had come to Earth.  Unfortunately, this created a huge continuity mess.  If Hawkman had just came to Earth, who was the Hawkman featured in the Justice League of America during the 80s?  This resulted in the retcon of creating Fel Andar, a Thanagarian spy posing as Hawkman.  When the plot was exposed by his human wife, Fel Ander was sent back to Thanagar and imprisoned. 

I am not at all that knowledgeable of the Hawks and given the huge mess it became (and indeed so much of a mess that DC tossed their hands up in the air and decided to give up for about six or so years) I am not sure I could become knowledgeable.  So, while I applaud Palmiotti and Gray for doing a good job retconning the Golden Eagle and making his turn to villainy fit into the current hawks continuity, I question the wisdom of doing it that as well.  Is there any reason to muddle the history even further?  The exposition in this issue was so dense that it slowed the reading down as I had to carefully read what Charley was saying just so I can attempt to understand it all.  And this is the last thing this issue needed.  In my previous review, I had already expressed concern about exposition needed for this issue and I stand by that concern:  it slows down the story and thus lessens the impact the final fight should be given.  And then to tie it to the hawks history?  Ouch, my head.

As much as the exposition hurt my head, man, the beating Hawkman dishes out and the punishment he handed to Charley was absolutely fantastic material.  The fight was brutal with blood spraying and bones breaking and I loved it when Hawkman snapped Charley’s arm.  Is it wrong for me to say that one of the reasons I read this series is the joy and seeing Hawkman going postal on his opponents.  Hawkman is a savage, brutal character and I love it when the artists show that side of it.  I love the final picture of Charley on the ship.  He got what he deserved.

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