Hawkwoman Appreciation

[Doctor Know]

Hey I am a new Hawkgirl reader. Does anyone know any good readings for both Shayera and Kendra Saunders? (I am still trying to understand the difference between them. I read somewhere that Kendra is Shayera reincarnated or something)

Kendra Saunders is the grandniece of Shiera Hall, the original, Golden Age Hawkgirl. Due what I call "Johnisms", Kendra was introduced as having committed suicide, BUT the soul of her great aunt (Sheira) "possessed" and remained in her body. Johns is a big fan of the Golden Age Hawks (Carter and Shiera) but for some reason didn't want to revive either fully, until Brightest Day. Kendra (possessing Sheira's soul) had all the same memories and experiences as herself and non of the memories of Shiera. You ask your self, why bother with the soul possessing thing? Johns did a similar thing with Hawkman, Dr. Fate, and when he revived the original Secret Society of Super Villains. He does these extravagant things, that only matter for one stretch of story (usually 6 issues) and then stops talking about/ignoring what he instituted. Normally, when things become convoluted and don't work out the way he planned.


Here are some pictures and mini bios to help you discern which Hawkgirl is which.

This is Sheia. Wife of Carter Hall, former archealogist, and eternally locked with her husband in a cycle of death and rebirth. Stemming from being the reincarnations of Egyptian prince and princess, Khufu and Chay-Ara. She is the main Hawkgirl, and the one DC exposes the most. She got her start in the Golden Age, and has endured despite COIE and Zero Hour seemingly wiping her continuities from existence. She got the most exposure on the Justice League show from a decade ago.




This is Shayera Thal. She is from Thanagar and is a police officer on the planet. Her partner (police partner) is called Katar Hol. She was the Silver Age Hawkwoman, but the most distinct version is from the 1989 series "Hawkword".




This is Kendra Saunders, grandniece of Shiera Hall. Introduced in JSA 1999, and continues through New 52 on Earth 2. This is the Hawkgirl that will be used in the Arrowverse series "Legends of Tomorrow".





It would take me more time to compile a list of comic stories for you to read. I'm studying for exams atm, but I hope this helps for a start. You can probably find issues yourself, now that you know how to distinguish them.

[Old Man Ollie 1962]

I think the Hawks worked best as a married power couple. They complemented each other so well. I miss that dynamic.


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[Project Initiative Cascada]

Well, the best Shayera (for my money) is Hawkworld, from the late 80's, early 90's. It started as a three issue prestige format mini, and then got an ongoing that lasted for thirty-something issues. Shay plays a big part in the ongoing, less of one in the mini, and they're both more than worth tracking down.

Kendra was introduced in the mid 90's JSA series by Geoff Johns. He also started a Hawkman series a year or two later that co-starred Kendra, which is decent. It was never good enough to stay on my pull list at the time but its very much worth reading in trades or back issues.

The JSA story Return of Hawkman (or something) is a good place to start, and Kendra comes in at the beginning of JSA with the return of Dr. Fate. Not sure what the trades are called.

Kendra Saunders is the grandniece of Shiera Hall, the original, Golden Age Hawkgirl. Due what I call "Johnisms", Kendra was introduced as having committed suicide, BUT the soul of her great aunt (Sheira) "possessed" and remained in her body. Johns is a big fan of the Golden Age Hawks (Carter and Shiera) but for some reason didn't want to revive either fully, until Brightest Day. Kendra (possessing Sheira's soul) had all the same memories and experiences as herself and non of the memories of Shiera. You ask your self, why bother with the soul possessing thing? Johns did a similar thing with Hawkman, Dr. Fate, and when he revived the original Secret Society of Super Villains. He does these extravagant things, that only matter for one stretch of story (usually 6 issues) and then stops talking about/ignoring what he instituted. Normally, when things become convoluted and don't work out the way he planned.


Here are some pictures and mini bios to help you discern which Hawkgirl is which.

This is Sheia. Wife of Carter Hall, former archealogist, and eternally locked with her husband in a cycle of death and rebirth. Stemming from being the reincarnations of Egyptian prince and princess, Khufu and Chay-Ara. She is the main Hawkgirl, and the one DC exposes the most. She got her start in the Golden Age, and has endured despite COIE and Zero Hour seemingly wiping her continuities from existence. She got the most exposure on the Justice League show from a decade ago.




This is Shayera Thal. She is from Thanagar and is a police officer on the planet. Her partner (police partner) is called Katar Hol. She was the Silver Age Hawkwoman, but the most distinct version is from the 1989 series "Hawkword".




This is Kendra Saunders, grandniece of Shiera Hall. Introduced in JSA 1999, and continues through New 52 on Earth 2. This is the Hawkgirl that will be used in the Arrowverse series "Legends of Tomorrow".





It would take me more time to compile a list of comic stories for you to read. I'm studying for exams atm, but I hope this helps for a start. You can probably find issues yourself, now that you know how to distinguish them.

Thanks so much for breaking that down and explaining the characters for me!! I'll have to check out more of Shayera's history since she is most likely the most well known Hawkgirl, and has a less confusing origin. I heard Byrne's Hawkman era was great for Shayera so I'll be sure to check that out.

[Ascended]

Happy to help, but be warned; at the best of times the Hawk history is pretty convoluted. There are two primary origins, the Golden Age reincarnated Egyptian royals, and the Silver Age space cops from Thanagar. There's also a fair amount of mix-n-match between them, especially once Johns gets ahold of the franchise in the 90's. Thats not a knock on him either, at that point the Hawks were considered so poisonous to use DC refused to let Grant Morrison use Hawkman in his JLA and he had to create a brand new character (Zauriel). Johns was able to make sense (sort of) out of that history and weave it into one single tapestry, and salvaged the entire brand. Not without problems, but he did as good a job of it as anyone likely could without throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

All that said, the Hawks are pretty great characters and they're worth looking into.

[nj06]

I want to see more Hawkwoman as well. I really think she is a great character and would love to see her reunited with Hawkman. At this point, I think the Hawkwoman/Shayera Hol that appeared in the most recent DCnU 52 Hawkman series can be ignored/forgotten. I would love a revamped Hawkman & Hawkwoman title. Like Aquaman and Mera, I see the Hawks as DC's other great superhero couple. I want to see them fighting side by side again and facing threats together.

[The_Greatest_Username]

Guys, does anyone know what these things are?
http://knightmodels-store.com/epages...oducts/35DC115

Apparently there's a Hawkgirl one! It's pretty cool that she got picked over most other DC icons.

[The_Greatest_Username]

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It looks like Shayera is going to be getting a "Lil Bombshell" figure. I'm glad because I wanted to collect this whole line but I don't have the budget for it right now. Hawkgirl is definitely the first one I get.

[The_Greatest_Username]

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I'm glad they finally added Hawkgirl to those keyring figures. I bought one pack and got her.

[Outside_85]

I'm in a bit of a pickle really, because while I very much like the JL/JLU Shayera (whom I now realize was sort of Artemis of Bana-Mighdall with wings when compared to Diana), I never really could get into any of her comic sources... partially because 'Hawkgirl' always came with 'Hawkman' whom I didn't like at all (he always came across to me as a flying caveman) and because I got confused with the multiple versions of her that all looked alike but was supposedly the same person somewhere (atleast in Carter's head) and that the animated was none of them and more of a mix of them all.

Which has been helped alot by the New 52, Earth-2, Kendra Saunders version whom has so far managed to be both badass and best of all: independent. Which in my mind makes her the closest to the animated version thats currently in print... (Though the other Kendra who had a solo and was on the JLA was perhaps closer).

[justinslot]

I flipping love JLU Shayera, but...she doesn't really exist in the comics, does she? We usually (or I usually) think of the DCAU versions as being the most iconic versions of the characters, but Shayera was kind of created for the show.

[El_Gato]

My favorite Hawkgirl thanks to the animated series

[The_Greatest_Username]

If you're wanting a version of Hawkgirl most similar to the show, I would recommend Shayera Thal II from the Hawkworld reimagining of the Hawks. The personality of the JLU Hawkgirl is most clearly drawn from that interpretation because her strong independence and devil may care attitude.

[Ascended]

I flipping love JLU Shayera, but...she doesn't really exist in the comics, does she? We usually (or I usually) think of the DCAU versions as being the most iconic versions of the characters, but Shayera was kind of created for the show.

The Hawkworld version is what you're looking for.

The attitude and personality are there, the red hair, the Thanagar origin...only thing different is the costume, really. Well, that and Hawkman is around, but Shay is still very much her own person and co-stars the title (its call Hawkworld and not Hawkman for a reason, and Shay drives the plot at least as much as Carter, if not more).

[El_Gato]

I wonder if Hawkgirl will appear on the big screen. I would honestly like to see her. I hope it's Shayera though as I'm more familiar with her than Kendra.

[El_Gato]

DC sometime confuses me with all their different name same mantle heroes or legacy characters I should say.

I'd say Shayera should be Hawkwoman, police woman from Thanagar and Kendra should be Hawkgirl, the one that deals with the reincarnation mythos. Besides it seems like DC wants to expose Kendra to the GA over Shayera since the Kendra versions are the ones being used on LOT and SHG although Shayera was used in IJ and JLU but those appearances are less recent.