HAKWMAN #1
"First Impressions"
Recommended (7/10)
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DC Comics
Writers: Geoff Johns & James Robinson
Pencils: Rags Morales
Inks: Michael Bair
Colors: John Kalisz & Heroic Age
Letters: Bill Oakley
Editor: Peter Tomasi
Price: $2.50 US/$4.25 CAN |
When Geoff Johns and David Goyer played fast and loose with elements from the Golden Age and Silver Age versions of Hawkman in order to return the character to active status in the DC Universe in the pages of JSA, it made for a fun story, but also a rather complex, even convoluted one. To my surprise, though, Johns and Robinson boil that continuity-laden story down to its basic elements to build on it here and to create another entertaining read.
Hawkgirl, AKA Kendra Saunders, discovers a clue indicating that her parents' murder was something more than a random act of violence, and that clue leads her to a museum in the city of St. Roch. Hawkman, tipped as to the nature of Kendra's current endeavour, follows her. They learn that whatever secret Hawkgirl's parents died for is also threatening the life of the museum curator's son in India, but before they can fly to the rescue, they're set upon by an unusual metahuman hitman.
I wasn't wild about Rags Morales's work on Hourman or recent issues of JSA. The art serviced the script nicely, but it didn't really grab me. That wasn't the case here. There are a couple of powerful images in this issue, not the least of which is the two-page spread on pages 8 and 9 featuring the title character. He and Hawkgirl both exude power and anger, while the former also carries himself with a sense of nobility that fits the character nicely.
I have to admit... the concept behind Bloque, the new villain introduced here, is thoroughly imaginative. After more than six decades of super-hero storytelling, one might expect to find nothing new in the world of heroes and villains, but Johns and Robinson manage to do so in this character and his powers. Bloque is far from a major element in this new series and opening story arc, but he is a strong one. I hope to see the character again sometime in the future.
While this debut issue did serve as an entertaining read, I'm hoping future issues will focus on more down-to-earth characterization elements. The writers certainly do explore the cores of Hawkman and Hawkgirl, but what's delved into involves the more fantastic sides of these figures. I'm hoping their humanity will be explored along with their superhuman nature.
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