Secret Wars on Infinite Earths: The Comic Book Fight Club: Hero of the Week #8: Hawkman

Monday, July 20, 2009

Hero of the Week #8: Hawkman

HAWKMAN (DC)
Real Name: Carter Hall
First Appearance: Flash Comics #1 (January, 1940)
Group Affiliation: Black Lantern Corps, Justice Society, Justice League
Gaming Credentials: DC Universe Online (TBA)
Infinite Wars Cumulative Ranking: TBA

Not to start things off on a wild tangent, but a string of bad techno-karma has seen my electro-house of cards come tumbling down around me. A couple of weeks ago it was my scanner, then it was the proverbial shatting of my ancient PC (now resurrected), and most recently, the death of the nucleus of my blogging, my now powerless laptop. Gotta love technology, eh?

Why do birds suddenly appear?...

It would seem the subject of death (and resurrection) is actually thematically fitting, as this belated acknowledgment of our Hero of the Week is one defined by these very subjects! Hawkman was not too long ago the subject of some of those awful, awful decisions you hear about in comics. Fortunately, after DC effectively blacklisted the character [leading then-JLA writer, Grant Morrison, to create Zauriel in his place], he reemerged in the 2000s as a new man -- kinda literally!

For a character who'd been over complicated by his many reinventions since the forties, superstar writer Geoff Johns had a simple solution. With some careful selections and his trademark flair for digging into and indulging a character's history, Mr. Johns refined the model to one that redefined Hawkman as a hero trapped in an endless cycle of resurrection. For the most recent incarnation of the character, the many lives of his past have been unlocked, giving him the grim knowledge that in every previous existence, he has been the victim of a grizzly death whensoever the woman he loves finally reciprocates. Who's the lucky lady, I hear you ask? Why, that's the similarly cursed and bird-helmeted Hawkgirl, of course!

Fortunately for ol' Katar Hol, (Carter, to you and me), love has been pretty hard to come by in this life. Pine for Hawkgirl's love, though he might, she's been content to run-off with the JLA and play flirty-bird with Red Arrow, at least, until last week's Blackest Night #1.

If you've been following along at home (at the Infinite Wars, via HOTW, or at IGN); you probably already know that Blackest Night is the major summer event that's been building since 2007! Emerging from a war of emotive energies (commanded by a rainbow of Corps like the Green Lanterns), Blackest Night is about a new unfeeling threat from beyond the grave. Yes! That's right! Not a dream! Not a hoax! Not an imaginary story! Heroes, villains, loved ones, and other are rising from the grave with the powers of a Black Lantern!

It's probably a good thing technical difficulties have kept this post late, because it's given you time to arm yourself with information in lieu of being spoiled. Of course, because, when Hawkgirl finally admitted her love for Hawkman in Blackest Night #1, a Black Lantern tandem of Elongated Man and Sue Dibny were there to SMASH HAWKMAN AND HAWKGIRL'S HEADS IN WITH THEIR OWN MEDIEVAL WEAPONRY!!!

As the old saying goes: all's fair in love, war, and receiving a spiked mace to the head.

Love birds: They'll be together again, smashing heads with spiked maces, in no time!

Fortunately for Hawkfans, Hawkman and Hawkgirl won't stay out-of-action long...
I've long been a believer in the value of mathetmatics when utilizing the zombie formula, and for the intelligent and super-powered Black Lanterns, that power of numeracy will have a major role to play as every victim they claim joins their ranks. It would seem this assimilation will prevent the pair from reentering their immortal cycle of resurrection, but with so many cash cows wrapped up in the undead ranks [ie; Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Vibe], you'd be forgiven for expecting some sort of magic bullet (or white lantern?) will come along and bring them all back, good as new.

Those who'd rather experience Hawkman in a living state will have to wait until he makes his video game debut in the eagerly anticipated comics MMO, DC Universe Online. More information about the game is available at the Sony DC Universe Online homepage. You can get the low down on Blackest Night from various sites, including the official DC Comics site, and IGN's mini-site! Hawkman also featured recently on this very blog, with nine other characters that sadly probably won't make it to DLC for MKvsDC.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths: The Comic Book Fight Club is updated with varying consistency, promising a feature fight for every Friday on the calendar (even if sometimes they're late). The site acts as an information resource, discussion site, review blog, and a Kryptonian good time.