The image is described as a "cover tryout," for an unknown Hawkman series. Judging from the katar and the 1995 date, that puts it squarely in volume 3 territory. The feeling it gives me, though, is a volume 4 take, with the pouches on the belt plus the overly muscular body... never mind the feathered wings. Go figure. Of course it could be from the retractable wings period, too.
Anyway, while as a cover this would make a dramatic and striking finished product, in it's current state it looks somewhat over-rendered, especially in the forearms. But I like the overall design of the cover quite a bit, and the wings and helmet look fantastic. The weapons also stand out very well. The right gauntlet is a nice touch as well.
Disclaimer: I do not own or possess this sketch. I am reposting it from the credited site.
Image: Hawkman cover try-out, ????, Steve Butler, image obtained from Collectingfool.com
6 comments:
Without question this is the retractable, organically-winged, Hawk Avatar Hawkman.
Check these out, both by Butler:
http://cdn.comicartfans.com/Images/Category_1787/subcat_8641/Hawkman%20DC%20Card%20Art%2072JPEG.jpg
http://www.sequart.org/content/wp-content/uploads/Hawkman-0-Oct-1994.jpg
Upon further thought it seems pretty obvious that it is the retractable wing Hawkman. But Hawkman #0 has a cover by Steve Buccellato and Lee Weeks, though, not Steve Butler.
Oops, sorry. The poses and the costume are so similar I didn't even do the research to verify the cover's artist. I just assumed.
You know, if this were the Thanagarian, Katar Hol, Hawkman with Hawkgirl by his side, I might actually be onboard despite my DC boycott, but I don't have much interest in any other version of the character. I love this character, but, like most things with the DC relaunch, I find that what I'm hearing doesn't seem terribly appealing. I've been wanting a blank slate start for DC for years and years, and now that they are finally doing it, it seems to me that, instead of taking this opportunity to correct the mistakes they've made in the past forty years, they are building faulty foundations by including most of them into their new designs.
On another note, I just finished reading the "Shadow War of Hawkman" and really enjoyed it. I had heard a number of good things about it, and while it was far from perfect, it definitely told a pretty good story and set up an interesting dilemma. I saw that you had reviewed the first few issues of the second volume of Hawkman. Based on the mini-series and your reviews, I think I'm going to have to pick those up.
Hi Luke,
Sorry to contact you here but I couldn't find your email; you can delete once you've read. I'm the author of more than 70 books including "Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman" and an upcoming one on Batman and Bill Finger (2012).
On my blog, I recently launched an extensive series - 99 original interviews with and rare unpublished photos of "lost" superhero stars of the '70s and '80s...and Hawkman is included. Twice.
I'd love to email you the prepared email with hyperlinks, so would you please email me at mtn@mtncartoons.com so I can reply?
Thanks and hope to hear from you!
Best,
Marc
@benton, I understand where you are coming from. I am only trying 3 of the "mainstream" superhero titles -- Hawkman, Hawk & Dove, and Flash. The only others I am getting are the two War titles. I am very leery of how DC is handling this relaunch and especially the manner in which they are approaching the Superman and Justice League titles. So I am "cautiously optimistic" that they are not going to screw this up. But I have some serious doubts.
And I am glad you dug Shadow War; so far I am liking v.2 so I hope you dig it too.
@Marc, I will send you an email a little later. I am intrigued by your blog and will have to check it out!
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