When I was a kid, I loved the notion of the worlds of two disparate characters -- Hawkman and Adam Strange -- coming together in an guly and unusual way... through war. The idea of hostilities between the worlds of two heroes was fascinating to me, and Diggle builds upon those Silver Age ideas in this issue. Though the main plot driving this series forward is unfolding rather slowly, the writer's take on Thanagarianian society is edgy and interesting. But what really makes this issue -- and this series -- a must-read every month is Pascual Ferry's sharp and inventive artwork. The visuals on this book are stunning, and I can't imagine why Ferry's work on this title isn't getting a lot more attention from fans of the medium.
The good news is that Adam Strange discovers he has been rescued from certain death by radiation in the decimate Rannian solar system. The bad news is that his saviors are the crew of a Thanagaranian warship, and Thanagaranians and the people of Strange's adopted homeworld of Rann are far from the friendliest of neighbors. Strange tells his tale to Wing Commander Sh'Ri Valkyr, who finds his story of Rann's continued existence to be hard to swallow. Using the sensors on the Thanagaranian ship, Adam Strange sets out to find evidence to back up his theory. Meanwhile, the powers that be on Thanagar see the Earth-born hero as a means to a political end.
Ferry's adaptation of the classic Hawkman/Hawkgirl designs to bring Thanagar's military and technology to life is extremely well done. Valykr exudes not only a dangerous sexuality, but power and confidence. The mix of sci-fi and various hawk designs bring a mythic quality to this corner of the DC Universe. I was especially struck by the faceless engineer and how his look put me in mind of the Egyptian god Horus. I also appreciated how Ferry instilled an exotic, ever-so-slightly alien tone to the Thanagaranians. Previous depictions made them seem typically human, but the artist is careful set them apart from us Earthlings. McCaig's colors add energy to the science fiction aspects of the story and casts a dark, tense atmosphere over everything as well.
OK, I get it... Rann isn't destroyed. Diggle labors the point in this script. I realize new characters become involved here and need to be told what's going on, but the audience is up on that twist and is waiting for the plot to really get going. The script focuses on convincing the Hawk people of what the story is really about, but it's a bit tedious for those of us who are on Adam's side.
On the other hand, I guess part of the point of this series is to explore the sci-fi side of the DC Universe, to celebrate the unusual array of space-faring heroes and villains we've seen in the past. I get the feeling that for Diggle, this isn't about the destination, but the journey. And I love what he's done with Thanagar and its society here. There's a not-so subtle jab at the United States included in this script, as Diggle writes about how Thanagar is willing to ignore truths in order to establish itself as the sole superpower in its corner of the cosmos. Still, Diggle's also done a good job of getting the reader to care about Adam's quest and the mystery behind Rann's fate. I'm hungry for answers. 8/10
