Hawkman is all done once again, what did we think?

[Robanker]

Agreed, as usual.

The Sky Tyrant/Infected stuff was worrisome but it navigated through it ok I guess. The book is up there next to Geoff Johns and Gardner Fox/Joe Kubert for HAWKMAN joints IMO. I love unapologetic weirdness.

Yeah, that was up there with KSD coming onboard Aquaman with movie synergy/separating Arthur from Mera/amnesia, but on both counts I'm glad I stuck around.

I agree. Part of DC's identity will forever be that silver age, checker mark insanity that gave the DCU its spontaneous edge. Not everything, mind, but a healthy DCU doesn't take itself too seriously else it becomes joyless.

[Flash Gordon]

Yeah, that was up there with KSD coming onboard Aquaman with movie synergy/separating Arthur from Mera/amnesia, but on both counts I'm glad I stuck around.

I agree. Part of DC's identity will forever be that silver age, checker mark insanity that gave the DCU its spontaneous edge. Not everything, mind, but a healthy DCU doesn't take itself too seriously else it becomes joyless.

Exactly. These characters are such a joy because of their wacky trappings and wild contexts, yet their extreme self seriousness. It's that beautiful Silver Age creative energy that really makes the world of DC such a fun place to spend time in. In healthy moderation of course.

I'd rather shoot for the moon in high concept, even if it misses the mark by a solid amount, than take a mundane route.

[scribbleMind]

I feel like it was greater than the sum of its parts. As someone who was never really a fan of the character, I thought every arc was fine. It had occasional high points, I wouldn't call any part of it a low point. Like others, I thought the Sky Tyrant arc was a cause for worry. It seemed like would be a potential low point, but it wasn't, and what was done with it was great. The way every arc fit thematically and showed the struggles, fears, and triumphs of this character was excellent. It just works so well as one overarching character study.

[Robanker]

Exactly. These characters are such a joy because of their wacky trappings and wild contexts, yet their extreme self seriousness. It's that beautiful Silver Age creative energy that really makes the world of DC such a fun place to spend time in. In healthy moderation of course.

I'd rather shoot for the moon in high concept, even if it misses the mark by a solid amount, than take a mundane route.

Yeah, that DC could publish Captain Carrot and Sandman Mystery Theatre is why I love their universes and comics. It's when DC takes itself too seriously that I start losing interest. That isn't to say I want every story to be a joke (hence SMT), but variety is the spice of life.

[tib2d2]

But do you feel like they missed out on folding Hawkman/Woman into the DCU? I mean it ends with them in the 40th century, so does that mean that any cliffhanger from now on where they appear to have died will be moot since we know they live on for another couple hundred years?

I was kinda hoping this series would clean up his cluttered history and bring Hawkman back into the roster of heroes in the DCU.

[sifighter]

But do you feel like they missed out on folding Hawkman/Woman into the DCU? I mean it ends with them in the 40th century, so does that mean that any cliffhanger from now on where they appear to have died will be moot since we know they live on for another couple hundred years?

I was kinda hoping this series would clean up his cluttered history and bring Hawkman back into the roster of heroes in the DCU.

I think it more fits into the idea of the upcoming omniverse loose continuity, this version of Hawkman and Hawkwoman live to the 40th century living out a different life as the golden age Carter and Shiera with the JSA. What does that mean?

Well it could be that now the JSA have Carter and Shiera from the 40’s who are really present day Carter and Shayera, so older bodies inhabited by younger spirits who can exist in the present day with all the history of the Hawks with a brand new timeline. It’s also possible that in some form of continuity Hawkman and Hawkwoman are dead as Adam Strange and Atom found them. Or perhaps they will just ignore this run as if it didn’t happen.

Personally I’m rooting for still alive but old in a modern day JSA and that they got to live out a life together in a slightly altered present day.

[scary harpy]

Started out great.

I loved him as an archaeologist.

Got bored later in the run.

[tib2d2]

Started out great.

I loved him as an archaeologist.

Got bored later in the run.

Yeah good point, the archaeologist angle was over way too quickly IMO

[Rod G]

It was a mess, pure and simple.

[Psy-lock]

I enjoyed it overall. The ending was sweet and it was very refreshing to see the Hawks in a loving, healthy relationship after decades of drama and separation. As for the new origin story...I just hope it's their last one. No more retconning please.

[Factor]

I think it started pretty well, but it lost me in the middle and the end was more convoluted than it needed to be.
I wish there had been more focus on the archeological aspects and Hawkwoman had been around from earlier in the narrative and hadn't come off as the incompetent sidekick in the finale.
I also wish the ending didn't make the continuity more confusing. As if the Hawks needed that. They should have been able to relive and keep their memories of their Golden Age days without the time travel stuff that basically means there were duplicate Hawks during the modern versions' entire careers.

[Ra-El]

I think it started pretty well, but it lost me in the middle and the end was more convoluted than it needed to be.
I wish there had been more focus on the archeological aspects and Hawkwoman had been around from earlier in the narrative and hadn't come off as the incompetent sidekick in the finale.
I also wish the ending didn't make the continuity more confusing. As if the Hawks needed that. They should have been able to relive and keep their memories of their Golden Age days without the time travel stuff that basically means there were duplicate Hawks during the modern versions' entire careers.

Agree about the archaological aspect, it should be one of the basis of any Hawkman run, at least when is Carter.
But Hawkwoman I don't know how much can be put on Venditti, because during a good part of his run we didn't even knew Shayera was around and Snyder was using Kendra on JL and have her pared with Martian Manhunter. Only after the arc in Thanagar is that we knew what was going on with Hawkwoman.

The continuity stuff for me isn't that important because DC is about to reshufle everything again with Death Metal, so, imo, Venditti made the right call by not using some of the very little time he had left trying to fix continuity.

[edpower]

They really need to stop all the reincarnation stuff. It becomes all the Hawks' books are about and no one cares.

If your entire series has to be about explaining the basic concept of the series to the readers, it's not a very good basic concept.

They need to just go back to there being a Golden Age Hawkman and Hawkgirl, and a Silver Age Hawkman and Hawkwoman.

The Hawks work when they are a combo of a rom-com and a cop buddy comedy. He's a driven, by the book, stick in the mud. She's tough, but fun and outgoing. Together they fight crime. The end!

No plodding, heavy handed, will-they-won't-they, destiny quagmire.

We've had over 2 decades of exposition dumps in place of stories because DC can't come up with a way to explain why the names Carter Hall and Kartar Hol sound alike.

[Will Evans]

They really need to stop all the reincarnation stuff. It becomes all the Hawks' books are about and no one cares.

If your entire series has to be about explaining the basic concept of the series to the readers, it's not a very good basic concept.

They need to just go back to there being a Golden Age Hawkman and Hawkgirl, and a Silver Age Hawkman and Hawkwoman.

The Hawks work when they are a combo of a rom-com and a cop buddy comedy. He's a driven, by the book, stick in the mud. She's tough, but fun and outgoing. Together they fight crime. The end!

No plodding, heavy handed, will-they-won't-they, destiny quagmire.

We've had over 2 decades of exposition dumps in place of stories because DC can't come up with a way to explain why the names Carter Hall and Kartar Hol sound alike.

But then you’ll still get all the baggage that comes with Thanagar.

[edpower]

But then you’ll still get all the baggage that comes with Thanagar.

What baggage is that?