DC Comics 2018
Written by Robert Venditti
Pencilled by Bryan Hitch
Inked by Andrew Currie & Bryan Hitch
Coloured by Alex Sinclair
Lettered by Starkings & Comicraft
Carter Hall returns to the DC Universe! An explorer of the ancient and unknown, Hawkman finds himself embroiled in a long-standing mission to discover the true purpose of his many reincarnations. Carter races around the globe trying to piece together an ancient prophecy, but will he be able to face down his past lives lurking around every corner?
Now if there was someone I would trust with the convoluted past of Carter Hall it would be Venditti. I rather like his work at Valiant and what he has/is accomplishing there and yes I know he’s got a prolific history at DC as well which will come in handy as well. Still so many different people have tried to work with Hawkman and have failed, the original Crisis on Infinite Earths really did a number on him and he’s never been the same since. This issue gives me hope however that things will finally get to a place where Carter can once again rightfully take his place as a preeminent character.
I love the opening here and while Carter is desperate to find out more about himself he’s still a museum curator and honestly I would love to see him doing something more along the lines of find artifacts that are so obscure that they are only known in certain circles for what they really are. I mean hello a society that traded with Gorilla City before the closed themselves off and a whole plethora of artifacts and such are still there with the golem protector left behind to safeguard it. This is what I want to see as well oh and if he’s going to go into space then let Adam Strange be his partner in crime as I think they make an excellent team.
The way that this story is structured is fantastic. I like the whole ebb & flow of it, how the world still remembers the Hawkman and his legends are there to aid him. The fact that the whole first half of this book is the way that it is proves that Carter can be a compelling character and headline his own successful series. The story, the characterisation and the whole kit and kaboodle here .is such as we are getting to know him once again and it’s mixed with all the preconceived notions we’ve had put into our heads since 1985.
The interiors here are so gosh darn good. Here is hoping that somehow Bryan is able to maintain such a pace as to do a healthy run, not full of fill-ins every three/four issues. I mean the man has such an extraordinary eye for storytelling as seen through the utilisation of page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels. The attention to detail and how he is able to manipulate the linework between soft and bold use is incredible. The creativity and imagination here is stunning and how he’s created this whole Gorilla tribute place leaves me in awe. Also interesting to see his wing being able to come and go as needed and showing off his back so we see how that works.
I found it interesting that Carter would turn to her in order for help. I get that she’s got some mystic mojo and she’s been around for ages and yet still it surprised me. This needs to keep happening because using characters we don’t think about outside a certain realm keeps the whole of the DCU alive and well. This meeting also unlocks a few past identities that well should surprise the heck out of people and enrage others. Not going to lie that he’s had these past lives on other planets that have been around longer than Earth doesn’t thrill me but I am willing to see how Robert ties everything together and we see it unfold.
Could this be the right time for Hawkman to soar again and be a force in the not only the market but at DC overall? Here’s hoping because this is off to an auspicious start.