From the 1986 Hawkman Special #1, "Last Rights" Co-plotted by Tony Isabella (script) and Richard Howell (art) with Ron Randall on inks. (Ron Randall did a ton of later-run Warlord issues, so I didn't mind seeing him here!) Following the events of the Shadow War of Hawkman limited series, Katar Hol is a bit depressed: his homeworld Thanagar has invaded Earth and other worlds, his old co-worker/stalker Mavis Trent was recently murdered, and Hawkman had to destroy a Thanagarian ship before it took out an entire city (Detroit, I think) and killed its crew. Shiera, my favorite Hawkwoman, knows something is more wrong with her husband than he's letting on: he needs to make peace with the spirits of the dead Thanagarians. Although this is a little too metaphysical for a scientist-cop like Katar, he still mans up and pulls it together.
The Gentleman Ghost also appears, as the Hawks' guide to the afterlife, but he of course has an ulterior motive. Maybe not what you would expect, though. It's an interesting issue, although the usual Thanagarian comic-book science like the Absorbascon and the spiritual repercussions of death and forgiveness are an odd fit.
This is also kinda-sorta a Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover, albeit just a "red skies" one: as the Hawks fly off into the sunset at the end, they eventually notice the sky is staying red. Hawkman also has the good grace to feel like a jackass for voting to expel the Flash from the Justice League, for killing the Reverse-Flash. Sadly, I don't think he would ever get the chance to apologize to Barry. I often give Hawkman a hard time, but this one, who knows when he did wrong and tries to make amends, is all right.
Very interesting that Carter voted for Barry to be expelled for that, yet didn't give a shit when voting for Dr. Light to get brainwashed by Zatanna. In fact, he even says he should've just killed him to avoid that whole ugly IC vote. Weird and inconsistent, but not unusual for DC.
ReplyDeleteThat does happen sometimes with a team book, though: in their own book, a character may have a rich home life, supporting characters, and motivations. In a team book, swamped with a bunch of other guys, they're reduced to one note. In Hawkman's case, it was usually "thug with mace."
ReplyDeleteYep. Well that and for some reason Brad Meltzer(and Johns too) was obsessed with turning hawkman into conan with wings.
ReplyDeleteDon't try to wring anything sensible or good from Identity Crisis.
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