She says "I love you" and he immediately disappears. Usually that would indicate a fear of commitment...

This may technically be a last issue: from 2006, Hawkman #49, "Coalition in Crisis, part three" Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti, pencils by Chris Batista, inks by Cam Smith.

The premise for the entire series to this point was that Hawkman and Hawkgirl had reincarnated many, many times; but always found each other and continued their love. Until this version: Kendra hadn't remembered her past lives until just recently, leaving Carter to pine over her for about four years. They just finally got together, right in the middle of the latest Rann/Thanagar War, with yet another Crisis maybe about to wipe out existence on top of that. (It almost reads as if they're late to a big battle after a long night!) Well, they still have each other, and guest-stars Adam Strange, GL's Kyle and Kilowog, that older-looking Captain Comet, Vril Dox, and the Prince Gavyn Starman! Heck, the Omega Men are in there, too. Even though Carter makes a big hero speech, he and Kendra can barely keep from making eyes at each other there. But the final page shows multiple versions of the Hawks, and teases "1 Year Later." What does it mean?

The next issue would be Hawkgirl #50, and a brand new direction with a brand new creative crew, Walt Simonson and Howard Chaykin! I don't know if it really clicked for me, although we did see the last issue some time back. Carter would be MIA for a bit, and I couldn't even tell you how that Rann/Thanagar war ended. There's probably been two more since, though, so okay. Read more!

I really enjoyed the 2015 Omega Men series, but I was not well-versed in their earlier appearances. The only ones I could think of were their turn in Invasion, in which several of them die; and the 2004-2005 Adam Strange, in which at least a few of them die, only because there weren't enough left for a larger bloodbath. Still, there were a lot of them to begin with; as we see today! From 1981, Green Lantern #141, "The Lurkers in the Shadow" Written by Marv Wolfman, art by Joe Staton.

Carl Ferris has returned to take charge of Ferris Aircraft, complaining that his daughter Carol had been running it into the ground and should've been a son anyway. (He's over-the-top awful, even for the time.) Hal nearly quits, but Carol talks him into trying to find another job first, and Hal fails rather miserably: his spotty employment history coupled with a psych profile indicating fearlessness--or recklessness--makes him too risky a hire in a down economy. Frustrated, Carol suggests they take a vacation, which goes pretty well, until they find a small town with no gas, no phone, and two weird citizens--one of whom transports them a hundred miles away!

Hal changes to Green Lantern for the rematch, and Carol refuses to let him leave her behind; and they find more townspeople, now revealed as a variety of aliens! Their leader indicates they should save their strength "to combat the hunters!" but of course it turns into a brawl. When Carol is threatened by the shape-shifting Tigorr, GL rushes to her defense--and gets dropped. In fact, Tigorr figures there must be something to Carol, then, and claims her as his own! Kalista and Primus try to hold for peace, but Demonia claims the humans could be as bad as something called, "the Citadel," and should die!

I think six Omega Men are named this issue, and we don't know their whole deal yet: I don't know if the Citadel or anything had appeared in Hawkman or Teen Titans prior to this. Also this issue: an Adam Strange back-up.

(EDIT: Tomorrow's issue of Supergirl, unless you're snowed in, features the Omega Men! I don't know if it's strictly based on the continuity of the 2015 series, but it mentions the return of some deceased Omega Men. May have to check it!)
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Drawing the line, somewhere...

I don't mind getting spoilers on the new Captain America (I'd be surprised if Jack Flag was even dead, let alone anything else that allegedly happened...) or DC Universe: Rebirth (don't all hit up Geoff Johns for a refund at once, guys) but I draw the line at X-Men: Apocalypse or Omega Men. The last issue of that came out Wednesday, I just got it, and io9 had a spoilery article title up.

So, reading time! I'll be out for the long weekend, but have fun, and be safe! (Scan from Omega Men #1, story by Tom King, art by Barnaby Bagenda.
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This is my third win this year, but I swear I'm not cheating.

I've often joked that maybe Hastings should give me a kickback, and maybe they have: Wednesday I won a variant cover Invincible Iron Man #1! Picked up a copy to read as well, and...OK, now I feel kind of bad, since I won Secret Wars #1 before and didn't really care for it, but this was only a little better. There was a bit that felt like a jab at the X-Men, which may not have been the intent, but the way Marvel's treating that franchise lately that's how it came off; and another during Tony's date that seemed out of character for him. (The latter featuring a cameo from a character I wasn't sure Tony had even met at this point, but it was drawn well at least.) I don't want to say the Iron Man movies have made the comic redundant...but man, that's how this issue feels; and that should not be the case.

The new armor design isn't really doing it for me, either...

At any rate, I did pick up some other stuff, that of course we'll get to later. And I started getting the new Omega Men, since it felt like any book DC was going to cancel probably had to have something going for it. Took me a bit to find Convergence: Batman & Robin #2 with the first part of the story, though. (It is available a few places online, but I wanted the issue as well.)
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