Hawkman (2018) #1-12: Awakening
Robert Venditti and Bryan Hitch take Hawkman to greater heights
Hawkman #1-12: Awakening (DC – 2018)
Writer: Robert Venditti
Artist: Bryan Hitch
This is the latest 2018 iteration of Hawkman, spearheaded by writer Robert Venditti with spectacular, wide-screen action artwork by Bryan Hitch, who basically invented the hi-octane/large screen action blockbuster in the pages of ‘The Authority’ with Warren Ellis around the turn of the century.
A proud legacy
This is a fine addition to the proud Hawkman legacy. The first 12 issues formsone long, but (relatively) self-contained epic in which Hawkman (finally) discovers the origins of his myriad reincarnations through time and space.
It’s too complicated to briefly explain, but in a nutshell, Katar started life millennia ago as the leader of ‘The Deathbringers,’ who sacrifice the population of whole worlds to appease their leaders. He eventually rebels against them, and is condemned to be reincarnated throughout eternity until he can redeem himself by saving as many lives as he has condemned. Katar discovers his origin and then has to face and defeat the threat of The Deathbringers who now have their sights firmly set on Earth. He manages to foil their threat by summoning all his past incarnations and usurping the leadership of the The Deathbringers again. Pant, pant, pant.
Delving into the past
The story is thrilling and fast paced without feeling superficial or padded. Venditti is a skilled writer, who first came to my attention at NuValiant, where he impressed me with his work on ‘Archer & Armstrong’ and ‘Eternal Warrior,’ which deal with immortal brothers and their checkered paths, so he is a dab hand at time travel and delving into history. Venditti does a fine job here of fleshing out Carter’s past and making it make sense at last. No mean feat.
He also uses Madame Xanadu as a guest star and gives her a decidedly British idiom, which was surprising to me, but he does it convincingly. Hawkman’s old bud, the Atom, also guest-stars in a two-parter, which is a lot of fun. Venditti and Hitch manage to convey the two character’s obvious affection for each other without being cloying or mawkish.
Powerful but predictable
Hitch is in fine form here, giving the artwork a muscularity and physicality that suits the character and his action sequences are bone-crunching and furious. He seems to have lost a bit of sparkle since his Authority days, as if he is content to rest on his well-deserved laurels and not stretch himself further. It’s powerful stuff, but predictable.
Consistant brilliance
I don’t want to complain because I really like it and it serves Venditti’s story well, but it doesn’t blow me away as much as his former work. I guess I’m just spoilt when it comes to Hitch. But I don’t want to create the impression that I am disappointed because if all comics had this kind of artwork, we would be in clover. But Hitch is kinda like Clapton, once they have reached a certain plateau, there are no surprises anymore, just consistent brilliance.
