Explain the Appeal ~ Hawkman

[bat39]

Agreed, and that's always been Hawkman's deal, at least from 1939-1987 (or so). He's one of those that I call an All-Purpose-Superhero. Especially during the Silver-Bronze Age, he could be plugged into almost any story that didn't require arm-wrestling somebody like Darkseid.

That's not a bad idea. It's similar to, but better than what we got from the Nu52.

Oh...I don't know much about the New 52 Hawkman. I always assumed he was basically a reboot of Katar Hol. And I'm guessing that like a lot of New 52 stuff he might have been erased from existence.

[K. Jones]

I like Hawkman a lot but while convolution isn't always a negative and sometimes can become the sort of puzzle box that makes me get really into a character and want to know everything about their backstory, Hawkman's always felt daunting in a way that was ... I dunno ... overblown? Like overblowing his importance in the DCU in general by tying him in to so many other things. It's like it's trying to do too much - tying in the whole resurrection angle, a character that has had all these multiple lives ... with the whole ... you know "savage warrior with bird mask and wings" image.

Getting back to what I truly love about Hawkman though is that image. I love the costume, colors and mask. I think it's some of the purest of DC Pulp. Hawkman so clearly could (and should) be DC's answer to your Flash Gordons and your John Carters of Marses and maybe even your Masters of the Universes. "Superhero Indiana Jones" is also a fine realm to go into, as is all the kind of Egypt meets Space Cultures very very Stargate angle played by the relationship between Khufu and Thanagar. And sure, through in the multiversal, "sourcey" magical energy of the Nth Metal, too. Why not.

Tangentially I think both the Carter/Katar aspects of him are fine, like the supporting roles of the two more or less different Hawkwomen that tend to crop up between Shayera and Kendra (oh god, now there's even an Earth-2 Kendra running around). Mostly because of their looks and personalities.

I never really dug any of the Hawks until Wednesday Comics and Kyle Baker's strip.

[bat39]

I like Hawkman a lot but while convolution isn't always a negative and sometimes can become the sort of puzzle box that makes me get really into a character and want to know everything about their backstory, Hawkman's always felt daunting in a way that was ... I dunno ... overblown? Like overblowing his importance in the DCU in general by tying him in to so many other things. It's like it's trying to do too much - tying in the whole resurrection angle, a character that has had all these multiple lives ... with the whole ... you know "savage warrior with bird mask and wings" image.

I kinda get what you mean. But the Flash and Green Lantern mythos have also been pretty deeply entwined with the DCU in general, so I wouldn't say that 'overblowing' Hawkman's importance is necessarily a bad thing. I mean, he IS one of DC's earliest characters - someone who's been around nearly as long as Superman and Batman, and longer in fact than some of the other stars like Wonder Woman, Aquaman or Green Arrow. So expanding his mythos and tying him in to DC's past makes a lot of sense - especially considering his own backstory.

[Ascended]

I'm fine with tying Carter into the history of earth, Thanagar should be a major player in all things cosmic, and I think I like what Metal did with Nth metal. I think Hawkman, and his mythos, is/should be pretty important in the DCU.

What I don't care for is the idea that Hawkman has been reborn across time *and* space, so now he apparently lived a life everywhere; during every major time and on every major planet. Did Hawkman need to have a reincarnation on Krypton? Really? Does that truly service the character, or is that just making his convoluted mash-up origin a bit more convoluted?

He offered enough just being an alien who crashed to earth, and has been reborn here ever since, I think.

Still not sold on the idea that Kendra and Shay are completely different people (I like Kendra a little less when I can't think of her as Shay in a different life) either. I mean, I love that we get Shayera out of it but again, it feels like needlessly complicating things.

All that said, I did pick up the first issue of Hawkman and really enjoyed it. Going to pick up the rest sometime soon and get caught up, and if I still like what's happening it'll be going on the pull list.

[nj06]

he has wings

he's always showing off those pecs


and he's usually wielding a cool weapon

Basically this.

[Flash Gordon]

He's an underdog and he's a shirtless, winged, self serious dude- can't go wrong.

[bat39]

I just caught up with Venditti's Hawkman series and I have to say...I'm totally digging it! I think he really has found a way to create a definitive mythology for Hawkman that mostly explains away all the previous contradictions while truly adding depth to his character and his raison d'être as a person and as a hero.

I have to say that I was a tad skepticle about the idea of a new 'true origin' for Hawkman at first, but what Venditti's given us is perfect. Without giving away too much, it does a great job honoring both the reincarnation and Thanagarian origins while giving us something that seems both new and unexpected yet familiar, if you know what I mean. Like, it wasn't totally predictable, and yet it didn't come across as some 'mad bombshell that absolutely changes EVERYTHING YOU KNOW' (and which would inevitably be retconned out at the first opportunity).

What I'm looking forward to most now is seeing Hawkman and Hawkgirl team up again. Venditti has hinted at some interesting things about Hawkgirl's origins and given certain revelations about Hawkman's true purpose, I'm really curious to see how a meeting between them at this point would work out.