Hawkworld
Encyclopedia
Hawkworld is a comic book
series that was published by DC Comics
. The initial story line was published as a three-issue mini-series
and then, based on the high sales and interest level generated by this limited series, launched as an ongoing monthly book. Katar Hol and Shayera Thal were rebooted in the prestige format limited series.
by Timothy Truman
was published in 1989. The ongoing series lasted for four years (1990–1993) and included 32 issues, along with 3 annuals. Timothy Truman contributed to the plotting of the first six issues, which were scripted by John Ostrander
. Ostrander was the sole credited writer for the remainder of the series. After the Hawkworld ongoing series was ended in 1993, a new series simply named Hawkman (vol. 3) picked up the story line and ran from 1993 to 1996. Ostrander wrote the first six issues of this new series, tying up some dangling plot threads from Hawkworld.
officer on the planet Thanagar
, and a child of a privileged family. But his homeworld had the policy to conquer and mine other worlds for their resources to maintain its high standard of living, and Hol realized that this was wrong. He rebelled against the system, and was sent into exile. However, 10 years later, he escaped and got the help of Shayera Thal, a young officer from a lower class of society, to uncover and defeat the renegade police captain Byth
. As a result, Hol was reinstated in the Wingmen Force
and given a new partner, Thal.
and found the contrasts between America's founding principles and the reality of pragmatic governance perplexing. Their different ways of coming to terms with these ideas and the possibility of spreading them back to their home world drove the story lines of the series. Katar was inspired by the possibilities he found in this new way of thinking while Shayera initially rejected them as unrealistic and unworkable. During the series both characters eventually concluded that, much like Thanagar, the United States was also a "Hawkworld," a predatory society in which the powerful oppress the weak; however, came to see American society as offering more long-term hope for social justice through its embrace of natural rights, even if these values were only embraced on a rhetorical level by most.
Ostrander also engaged several other socially relevant themes within the book, including religious based violence and intolerance, the interactions between race and class in upper income American society, and how minority populations are torn between the desire to integrate into white-dominated society vs. their desire to set up self-sufficient segregated enclaves to shield themselves from discrimination.
, Aquaman Special #1, and Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn), Hawkworld was intended to revise DC Universe
continuity
for the post-Crisis
continuity that explored the origins of the Silver Age
Hawkman and Hawkwoman. However, DC editors decided that it was not just an origin story; rather, it was occurring in the present, concurrently with the rest of DC's output (similar to Wonder Woman: Gods and Mortals
and The Power of Shazam!
). This meant that the Hawks' entire history from the Silver Age onward had to be disregarded, including their memberships in the Justice League
(including his brief membership in Justice League International
). This began a series of nonstop retcon
s to the Hawkman
characters that ended with a new Hawkman returning in the pages of JSA
.
storyline, Hath-Set has collected the bones from all of Carter's and Shiera's past bodies and created from them a portal to Hawkworld. He was followed, however, by Carter and Shiera. While there, it is revealed that Hawkworld is now under the rulership of Shiera's mother, Queen Khea. On a related note, there is also a tribe of creatures that resemble Lion-Mane
living on Hawkworld.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
series that was published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. The initial story line was published as a three-issue mini-series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
and then, based on the high sales and interest level generated by this limited series, launched as an ongoing monthly book. Katar Hol and Shayera Thal were rebooted in the prestige format limited series.
Publication history
The three-issue limited seriesLimited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
by Timothy Truman
Timothy Truman
Timothy Truman is an American writer, artist and musician. He is best known for his stories and Wild West-style comic book art, and in particular, for his work on Grimjack , Scout, and the reinvention of Jonah Hex, with Joe R. Lansdale...
was published in 1989. The ongoing series lasted for four years (1990–1993) and included 32 issues, along with 3 annuals. Timothy Truman contributed to the plotting of the first six issues, which were scripted by John Ostrander
John Ostrander
John Ostrander is an American writer of comic books. He is best known for his work on Suicide Squad, Grimjack and Star Wars: Legacy, series he helped create.-Career:...
. Ostrander was the sole credited writer for the remainder of the series. After the Hawkworld ongoing series was ended in 1993, a new series simply named Hawkman (vol. 3) picked up the story line and ran from 1993 to 1996. Ostrander wrote the first six issues of this new series, tying up some dangling plot threads from Hawkworld.
Plot
Katar Hol was a young policePolice
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
officer on the planet Thanagar
Thanagar
Thanagar is a fictional planet in the . Thanagar is the original home of the humanoid Thanagarian race, noted for the discovery of gravity-defying Nth metal...
, and a child of a privileged family. But his homeworld had the policy to conquer and mine other worlds for their resources to maintain its high standard of living, and Hol realized that this was wrong. He rebelled against the system, and was sent into exile. However, 10 years later, he escaped and got the help of Shayera Thal, a young officer from a lower class of society, to uncover and defeat the renegade police captain Byth
Byth
Byth Rok is a DC Comics supervillain who is a recurring enemy of the Silver Age Hawkman. He was created by Gardner Fox and Joe Kubert, and first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #34 , titled "Creature of a Thousand Shapes"....
. As a result, Hol was reinstated in the Wingmen Force
Wingmen of Thanagar
The Wingmen are a fictional police force of the planet Thanagar with roles of judge, jury and executioner in DC Comics publications.-History:...
and given a new partner, Thal.
Themes
Hawkworld stood out for its greater willingness to engage in social commentary compared to most other comic series. The primary themes Timothy Truman focused on in the limited series were social inequality and class. When John Ostrander took over the writing duties with the monthly series he continued to develop and expand upon Truman's original ideas. After relocating the setting of the series from Thanagar to the city of Chicago Katar and Shayera were exposed to the founding documents of the United States as part of their education on America's criminal justice system. Neither characters were familiar with the concept of natural rightsNatural rights
Natural and legal rights are two types of rights theoretically distinct according to philosophers and political scientists. Natural rights are rights not contingent upon the laws, customs, or beliefs of any particular culture or government, and therefore universal and inalienable...
and found the contrasts between America's founding principles and the reality of pragmatic governance perplexing. Their different ways of coming to terms with these ideas and the possibility of spreading them back to their home world drove the story lines of the series. Katar was inspired by the possibilities he found in this new way of thinking while Shayera initially rejected them as unrealistic and unworkable. During the series both characters eventually concluded that, much like Thanagar, the United States was also a "Hawkworld," a predatory society in which the powerful oppress the weak; however, came to see American society as offering more long-term hope for social justice through its embrace of natural rights, even if these values were only embraced on a rhetorical level by most.
Ostrander also engaged several other socially relevant themes within the book, including religious based violence and intolerance, the interactions between race and class in upper income American society, and how minority populations are torn between the desire to integrate into white-dominated society vs. their desire to set up self-sufficient segregated enclaves to shield themselves from discrimination.
Continuity
Along with its contemporaries (The Man of Steel, Batman: Year OneBatman: Year One
"Year One", later referred to as "Batman: Year One", is an American comic book story arc written by Frank Miller, illustrated by David Mazzucchelli, colored by Richmond Lewis, and lettered by Todd Klein...
, Aquaman Special #1, and Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn), Hawkworld was intended to revise DC Universe
DC Universe
The DC Universe is the shared universe where most of the comic stories published by DC Comics take place. The fictional characters Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are well-known superheroes from this universe. Note that in context, "DC Universe" is usually used to refer to the main DC continuity...
continuity
Continuity (fiction)
In fiction, continuity is consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the reader or viewer over some period of time...
for the post-Crisis
Crisis on Infinite Earths
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 12-issue American comic book limited series and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then 50-year-old continuity...
continuity that explored the origins of the Silver Age
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
Hawkman and Hawkwoman. However, DC editors decided that it was not just an origin story; rather, it was occurring in the present, concurrently with the rest of DC's output (similar to Wonder Woman: Gods and Mortals
Gods and Mortals
"Gods and Mortals" is a seven issue comic book story arc plotted and drawn by George Pérez, with scripting by Greg Potter and Len Wein.Released in 1987, this was the first arc of the relaunched Wonder Woman series.-The Princess and the Power:...
and The Power of Shazam!
The Power of Shazam!
The Power of Shazam! is a 1994 hardcover graphic novel, written and painted by Jerry Ordway for DC Comics. The 96-page story, depicting the revamped origins of former Fawcett Comics superhero Captain Marvel, was followed by an ongoing series, also titled The Power of Shazam!, which ran from 1995 to...
). This meant that the Hawks' entire history from the Silver Age onward had to be disregarded, including their memberships in the Justice League
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
(including his brief membership in Justice League International
Justice League International
Justice League International is a DC Comics superhero team written by Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis, with art by Kevin Maguire, created in 1987.-Publication history:...
). This began a series of nonstop retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
s to the Hawkman
Hawkman
Hawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in 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 1940....
characters that ended with a new Hawkman returning in the pages of JSA
Justice Society of America
The Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
.
Brightest Day
Recently, during the Brightest DayBrightest Day
Brightest Day is a year-long comic book maxi-series that began in April 2010. The story follows the ending of the series Blackest Night and how the aftermath of these events affect the entire DC Universe.-Plot:...
storyline, Hath-Set has collected the bones from all of Carter's and Shiera's past bodies and created from them a portal to Hawkworld. He was followed, however, by Carter and Shiera. While there, it is revealed that Hawkworld is now under the rulership of Shiera's mother, Queen Khea. On a related note, there is also a tribe of creatures that resemble Lion-Mane
Lion-Mane
-Lion-Mane:The first Lion-Mane resided on Earth-Two. This version was a human with feline features and heightened strength. He was initially a henchman of that world's Catwoman who betrayed him and buried the loot in the forest. Lion-Mane was captured after that. Years later, Lion-Mane orchestrated...
living on Hawkworld.