Monday, March 08, 2021

I went back through his tag to make sure I hadn't hit this issue before, and noticed I'd accidentally mis-labeled one of his issues under his guest-star, who wouldn't get a regular series for years! We'll see if I do a better job today. From 1993, Darkhawk #30, "This Evil Unleashed" Written by Danny Fingeroth, pencils by Anthony Williams, inks by Ian Akin. 

It's an Infinity Crusade crossover, and while he might've been star-struck in earlier appearances, Chris Powell isn't thrilled about being there today. He had promised to be there for his family and felt this was taking away from that; but also why bother, since it was an outbreak of peace and love? All over earth, abusers and criminals recant and stop their evil ways (the Beetle is seen stopping mid-armored car robbery) although some of the "converted," including some fellow heroes, seem "zombied out." (Chris claims Reed Richards said that, and unless he was really trying to dumb it down, I kind of doubt it!) Still, Chris had earlier resolved to be in the super-hero game "for keeps," and won't quit. He was due to meet his mom, and does take five to fly over--he had only recently gained that power; previously relying on gliding and grapples.
The meeting does not go well: the restaurant is out of lean corned beef, and since he doesn't think he can tell his mom about his secret, she kicks him out of the house. (Or the hotel they were living in, since I think their house was blown up a prior issue.) Which is greeted about how you'd expect from a troubled young man, with a resounding "Fine!" Returning to the gathered heroes, Chris is frustrated that there was still no clear call to action, meaning he rushed through seeing his mom for no reason. While brooding--and it's surprising he's the only one brooding on the roof. Maybe they take shifts--Darkhawk sees an energy-being coming towards Avengers' Mansion, and somehow senses it was evil. (It might be the collection of everyone's unacted-upon evil, or something else.) After a brief battle where it tried to drain his energy, Darkhawk overloads it, but it promises to return and kill him. While in no shape to chase it, Darkhawk stupidly decides to tell the other "unconverted" heroes later; although admittedly he has other things on his mind, like picking up his things and saying goodbye to his brothers. Jon is sad, while Jase hates Chris for making their mother sad, and tells him straight-out. His mom asks where he will be staying, and Chris says with friends, while thinking "If I don't die in outer space."
At the mansion again, a vote is being taken: go after the converted taken by the Goddess, or respect their decision? Darkhawk thanks them for asking, but says he'll go with the group's decision: "These are the big questions. I can't even answer the little ones."
The evil "Pureheart" doesn't take that name this issue; and I kind of thought it was going to take a shiny or white Darkhawk-form.

3 comments:

Mr. Morbid's House Of Fun said...

Was this open-ended ending ever resolved? Who or what was that energy being?
As nice as it was to finally get an official ML Darkhawk figure, I'd like to be greedy for a second and ask for a 1st appearance ML Darkhawk. Might as well.

googum said...

Flipping through the 20 covers he had left, I don't think Pureheart returned? He had maybe three more with Venom and several vs. either Evilhawk or Overhawk. Who were two different 'Hawks, but whatever...

Mr. Morbid's House Of Fun said...

Yesss, I remember when they tried to make that a thing, the OTHER Darkhawks, which was a trio plus Chris, so a trio-ish?

Abnett & Williams used that idea better, turning them into the dreaded birds of prey (how did DC not sue Marvel over this? in 2008.