Hawkman is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in January 1940. While both notable versions of the characters were originally similar (with phonetically similar names) but different characters existing in parallel universes (Earth-One and Earth-Two respectively), the merging of both following Crisis on Infinite Earths led to numerous revisions to reconcile Hawkman's history and using each alter-ego's name interchangeably, marking Hawkman's reputation for a complex and confusing history.
Hawkman is consistently a hawk-themed, reincarnated warrior with access to the fictional Nth metal, granting him a host of powers, and a preference for archaic weaponry. He is often paired alongside fellow reincarnated warrior and paramour, Hawkgirl (or Hawkwoman). He is portrayed as either the human archaeologist Carter Hall whose re-discovery of Nth metal recalls his past reincarnations or as a decorated Thanagarian police officer Katar Hol who comes to Earth. Hawkman also has affiliation with several superhero teams such as the Justice Society of America and Justice League, often serving as team leader in the former. Ultimately, Hawkman's first incarnation was originally said to be Egyptian pharaoh Khufu but later stories reveal it to be Ktar Deathbringer, an alien murderer cursed to atone for his crimes by saving as many people as he killed, which transitioned him into a heroic figure. Due to the conditions of his curse, he reincarnates across space and time, allowing for multiple iterations to co-exist simultaneously at times.
The character has been adapted into other media numerous times, with significant appearances in Justice League Unlimited, which featured Hawkgirl as a main character, as well as several DC Universe Original Animated Movies. In live action, Hawkman first appeared onscreen in the two-part 1979 TV special Legends of the Superheroes, portrayed by Bill Nuckols. Hawkman was later portrayed by Michael Shanks in Smallville and by Falk Hentschel in The CW's Arrowverse series. He also appears in the DC Extended Universe film Black Adam (2022), portrayed by Aldis Hodge.
Contents
Publication history
Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1 (January 1940), and was a featured character in that title throughout the 1940s. This Hawkman was Carter Hall, a reincarnation of the ancient Egyptian prince Khufu. Hall discovered that the mysterious "ninth metal" (later changed simply to "Nth metal") could negate the effects of gravity and allow him to fly. He donned a costume with large wings to allow him to control his flight and became the crimefighter, Hawkman. He also had a companion hawk named Big Red that assisted him in fighting crime. An archaeologist by profession, Hall used ancient weapons from the museum that he curated.
Hawkman was a charter member of the Justice Society of America, beginning with All Star Comics #3 (Winter 1940). In issue #8 he became the JSA's chairman, a position he held until the end of the JSA's run in All Star Comics in 1951. He was the only member of the JSA to appear in every adventure during the Golden Age of Comic Books. He romanced his reincarnated bride, Shiera Sanders, who became the crimefighter Hawkgirl. His first three adventures were drawn by creator Dennis Neville (who modeled Hawkman's costume on the hawkmen characters in the Flash Gordon comic strip by Alex Raymond), then by Sheldon Moldoff, and later by Joe Kubert, who slightly redesigned his mask in Flash Comics #85 (Jul 1947) and then, one year later, replaced the winged-hawk-like mask with a much simpler yellow cowl in Flash Comics #98 (Aug 1948).
Along with most other superheroes, Hawkman's Golden Age adventures came to an end when the industry turned away from the genre in the early 1950s. His last appearance was in All Star Comics #57 (1951).
Later in the decade, DC Comics, under editor Julius Schwartz, decided to revive a number of Golden Age superheroes in new incarnations, but retaining the same names and powers (except for The Atom, whose Golden Age incarnation was a diminutive pugilist that had no super-powers). Following the success of the Flash and Green Lantern, the name "Hawkman" was revived in The Brave and the Bold # 34 (Feb–Mar 1961), this time as an extraterrestrial police officer from the planet Thanagar, though his powers were largely the same. Created by Gardner Fox and Joe Kubert, this Hawkman named Katar Hol came to Earth with his wife Shayera in pursuit of a criminal, and decided to remain to study Earth police methods and fight crime. They adopted the names Carter and Shiera Hall and became curators of a museum in Midway City.
Fictional character biographies
Carter Hall
In the days of ancient Egypt, Prince Khufu is engaged in a feud with his rival, the Egyptian priest Hath-Set. The priest eventually captures both Khufu and his consort Chay-Ara, and kills them using a cursed dagger of Nth metal. Millennia later, in 1940, Khufu is reincarnated as American archaeologist Carter Hall, Chay-Ara as Shiera Sanders, and Hath-Set as scientist Anton Hastor. After touching the same Nth Metal dagger used to kill Khufu, Carter regains the memories of his former life and realizes Hastor is the reincarnation of his ancient foe. When Hastor kidnaps Shiera, using a magic spell to draw her to his lair, Hall uses his newly-regained memories to craft a gravity-defying belt using Nth metal and a winged costume to become Hawkman. Carter successfully rescues Shiera, Anton is killed by electrocution, and Carter and Sanders begin a romantic relationship.
Carter Hall and Shiera Sanders had a son together, named Hector Hall, who grew up to also have a superheroic identity as Silver Scarab and later adopted the mantle of Doctor Fate. Hector was a member of the superhero groups Infinity Inc. and the JSA, where he served alongside his father.
In the Final Crisis storyline, Hawkman and all of the other heroes fight to stop Darkseid from destroying the multiverse. In an attempt to save civilians, Checkmate creates a dimensional tunnel between universes. The tunnel begins breaking down and Lord Eye tries to close it, which will kill all the people who are still in the tunnel. Hawkman and Hawkgirl destroy Lord Eye, but are caught in the explosion. Hawkman is killed, while Hawkgirl survives but is hospitalized.
In Blackest Night, Kendra argues with Hawkman over whether to visit Jean Loring's grave with the Atom. As the two heroes quarrel, the reanimated corpses of Ralph and Sue Dibny, who are now members of the Black Lantern Corps, enter Hawkman's sanctuary. The Black Lanterns attack, Sue impaling Hawkgirl on a spear. Ralph taunts Hawkman, who is killed shortly afterwards. Both heroes are reanimated as Black Lanterns by Black Hand. In the final battle, Hawkman and Hawkgirl are resurrected by the white light. Kendra is revealed to be Shiera Hall, who remembers her past lives; she and Carter joyfully reunite.
In Brightest Day, Carter and Shiera follow Hath-Set, who has collected the bones from all of their past bodies, and created from them a portal to Hawkworld. While there, Carter is told by the Life Entity to "stop the Queen Khea" from leaving. While Hawkgirl is held by Hath-Set and Queen Khea, Hawkman and his group of the panthera attack the Manhawks homeworld. Hawkman hears Hawkgirl's cries and goes to rescue her. His arrival leads to a confrontation with Khea, who is Shiera Hall's mother. During the fight, Khea controls his Nth metal mace and armor, and Hawkman is tied together with Hawkgirl. Khea opens a gateway and enters a portal to the Zamaron homeworld. When she arrives on the Zamaron homeworld, Star Sapphire (Carol Ferris) frees them both to stop Khea's invasion. The two attack Khea as Hawkgirl wants to face her, but the Predator Entity bonds with the Queen.
Katar Hol
Katar Hol is an honored police officer on his homeworld of Thanagar. Along with his wife Shayera, they use anti-gravity belts and their wings to fly and fight criminals. These were the tools of an elite police unit tasked to track and apprehend the most dangerous criminals. The pair were sent to Earth in 1961 to capture the shapeshifting criminal Byth Rok. Following this mission, they elected to remain on Earth to work with authorities in the United States and learn human police methods. The two adopted covers as a pair of museum curators, Carter and Shiera Hall, and acted publicly as the second Hawkman and the second Hawkgirl (later Hawkwoman).
Although initially depicted as surviving the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths intact, Katar Hol was rebooted in the later miniseries Hawkworld, by Timothy Truman. A regular ongoing series of the same name followed, with writer John Ostrander joining Truman. Katar Hol, a young police officer on the planet Thanagar, rebels against the oppressive system of his planet and is sent into exile. He later escapes and uncovers a renegade police captain Byth Rok. As a result, he is reinstated into the force, given a new partner, Shayera Thal, and sent on a mission on Earth, where he is the third Hawkman.
In The New 52 continuity, Hawkman is Katar Hol, but uses the name Carter Hall.
Powers and abilities
The bulk of the characters' powers originate from a Nth metal harness of Thanagarian origin (be it in his human or Thanagarian incarnation), granting him powers including super-strength, durability, enhanced vision, and accelerated healing. Nth metal also regulates the body temperature of the wearer, preventing the need for heavy protective clothing while in high altitudes. It also has the property of radiating heat, which can be controlled to warm the wearer in colder climates. The Golden Age Hawkman was also granted the ability to breathe underwater by the sea god Poseidon. He also discovered a hidden kingdom of sentient birds led by the old One-Eye, who taught him their language.
In addition to his powers, Hawkman is also an immortal warrior who is reincarnted throughout the ages, making him a skilled warrior with a vast amount of knowledge of fighting styles, a mastery of archaic weaponry, numerous languages, and is an archaeological expert with a wide breadth of cutural knowledge. He is also considered a genius-level tactician.
Katar Hol's powers and abilities
The Katar Hol version retains the same abilities and Nth metal enhancements as his human incarnation but possess extra powers inherent to the alien Thanagarian species such as a longer life-span and having greater base abilities associated with the Nth metal enhancements. Alongside it, Katar also had access to alien technology his human incarnation did not. During the Silver Age, his enhanced senses were comparable to a hawk and could converse with birds, though not command them in the same way that Aquaman could command sea creatures. Hawkman also wore special contact lenses that allowed him to detect beams and radiation.
Other versions
Hawkman appears in Just Imagine.... This version was a humanoid hawk who evolved from Robin.
Hawkman's anti-matter Earth counterpart, Blood Eagle, appears in JLA #112, in which he is killed by the Crime Syndicate.
Past reincarnations
Hannibal Hawkes, also known as Nighthawk, is a fictional cowboy in the first appearing in Western Comics #5. Originally a separate character, Nighthawk is retroactively made one of Hawkman's past lives from the 19th century. Created by Joe Millard and Charles Paris, his later adventures were handled by writers France Herron, Don Cameron, and Gardner Fox; and artists Gil Kane and Carmine Infantino. Nighthawk was originally depicted as dying during Crisis on Infinite Earths, although this has been retconned twice to fit in with the later revelation that he was a reincarnation of Prince Khufu — who would later be reincarnated as Carter Hall, the Golden Age Hawkman.
A modern-day version of the character appears in the Western-themed Robin (vol. 2) Annual #6, as a mercenary. He worked with Robin and Pow Wow Smith to track down the Trigger Twins.
Nighthawk appears in The New 52 issue All Star Western. Nighthawk's new origin is that he left home as a child and worked on a whaling boat. The captain, a former slave, became a second father to him and Nighthawk was there when the man died. This death inspired Nighthawk to fight for justice and for the oppressed. Nighthawk is teamed with Cinnamon once again. Nighthawk uses a special medallion he found at an Indian burial site which gives him enhanced strength and healing abilities.
Fel Andar
Fel Andar is a Thanagarian agent who also uses the Hawkman codename. There are two different versions of the character: the pre-Hawkworld version (named Fell Andar), created by Jenny Blake Isabella and Richard Howell, and the post-Hawkworld version, created by John Ostrander and Graham Nolan. Fel Andar was created as a stand-in for Katar Hol in Katar's post-Crisis, pre-Hawkworld adventures, including his brief membership with Justice League International, after DC Comics decided to reboot Hawkman following publication of the 1989 Hawkworld miniseries,
First appearing in The Shadow War of Hawkman, Thanagarian agent Fell Andar led a team to Earth to steal the Hawks' technology. Thanagar has at this time become a fascist empire and was planning to take over the universe, starting with Earth. Since they lost their technology during the Equalizer plague, the Hawks were the only ones who possessed them as they were off-planet. Andar took control of the Hawks' spaceship. The Hawks manage to sabotage the ship and crashed. The Hawks battled Andar and emerged victorious, with Andar being killed in the battle.
Following Hawkworld, years before the events of Invasion!, Fel Andar, a Thanagarian spy operating on Earth, fell in love with an Earth woman, Sharon Parker. They married and Sharon gave birth to Ch'al Andar, also known as Charley Parker. When Charley is four years old, Andar is ordered to infiltrate the Justice League as the second Hawkman, "Carter Hall Jr.". Andar's superiors mindwipe Sharon, forcing her to take up a new identity as the second Hawkwoman, "Sharon Hall". Intending to gain his teammates' confidence, Andar claims to be the son of Carter Hall and Shiera Hall. Sharon learns of Andar's deception and informs Martian Manhunter and Maxwell Lord. Andar murders Sharon and escapes to Thanagar, and is later captured and sentenced to life imprisonment on Thanagar. During the Rann–Thanagar War, Andar is killed by Blackfire while attempting to reconcile with Charley and atone for his crimes.
Awards
The series and character have won several awards over the years, including:
1961 Alley Award for Best Adventure Hero/Heroine Not in Own Book
1962 Alley Award for Best Hero
1963 Alley Award for Cross-Over of DC Heroes (The Brave and the Bold with the Flash)
Reception
Hawkman was ranked as the 118th-greatest comic book character of all time by Wizard magazine. IGN also ranked Hawkman as the 56th-greatest comic book hero of all time, stating that the best part of Hawkman is his incredibly short fuse. IGN also described him as a complete and total badass.
Collected editions
In other media
Television
The Katar Hol incarnation of Hawkman appears in The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure, voiced by Vic Perrin.
The Katar Hol incarnation of Hawkman appears in Super Friends, voiced by Jack Angel.
Two characters based on Hawkman appear in media set in the DC Animated Universe (DCAU):
A character loosely based on the Katar Hol incarnation of Hawkman, Hro Talak, appears in the Justice League three-part episode "Starcrossed", voiced by Victor Rivers.
The Carter Hall incarnation of Hawkman, with elements of Katar Hol, appears in Justice League Unlimited, voiced by James Remar.
The Katar Hol incarnation of Hawkman appears in The Batman, voiced by Robert Patrick.
The Carter Hall incarnation of Hawkman appears in the Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode "The Golden Age of Justice!", voiced by William Katt.
The Katar Hol incarnation of Hawkman appears in DC Super Friends: The Joker's Playhouse, voiced by David Kaye.
The Katar Hol incarnation of Hawkman and Hro Talak appear in Young Justice, respectively voiced by James Arnold Taylor and Mark Rolston.
An unidentified Hawkman appears in the Mad segment "That's What Super Friends Are For".
The Katar Hol incarnation of Hawkman appears in DC Super Friends (2015), voiced by Sean Schemmel.
The Katar Hol incarnation of Hawkman appears in Justice League Action, voiced by Troy Baker.
Film
The Carter Hall and Katar Hol incarnations of Hawkman make cameo appearances in Justice League: The New Frontier.
The Carter Hall incarnation of Hawkman appears in Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, voiced by an uncredited Michael Gough.
An alternate universe version of Hawkman called ManHawk makes a cameo appearance in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths as a minor member of the Crime Syndicate.
An unidentified Hawkman appears in Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League, voiced by Phil Morris.
A Hawkman film was in development by Warner Bros. in the early 2010s, but nothing came of it.
The Katar Hol incarnation of Hawkman makes minor non-speaking appearances in the DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU) films Justice League Dark, The Death of Superman, Reign of the Supermen, and Justice League Dark: Apokolips War.
The Katar Hol incarnation of Hawkman appears in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies.
An Earth-2 version of Carter Hall / Hawkman appears in Justice Society: World War II, voiced by Omid Abtahi.
The Katar Hol incarnation of Hawkman appears in Injustice.
The Carter Hall incarnation of Hawkman appears in Teen Titans Go! & DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem in the Multiverse, voiced again by Phil LaMarr.
The Carter Hall incarnation of Hawkman appears in Black Adam, portrayed by Aldis Hodge.
The Katar Hol incarnation of Hawkman makes a non-speaking appearance in Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! as a member of the Justice League.
Video games
The Carter Hall incarnation of Hawkman appears as a playable character in Batman: The Brave and the Bold – The Videogame, voiced again by William Katt.
The Carter Hall incarnation of Hawkman appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.
The Carter Hall incarnation of Hawkman appears as a non-playable character in DC Universe Online, voiced by Jason Liebrecht.
Miscellaneous
The Carter Hall incarnation of Hawkman appears in Justice League Adventures #20.
The Katar Hol incarnation of Hawkman appears in All-New Batman: The Brave and the Bold #9.