Read: The Savage Hakwman #12

Issue: The Savage Hawkman #12
Title: "Revelations"
Published Date: Aug 2012
Generation: New 52 Carter
Retcon Status: In Continuity

Summary: In Rome, as Hawkman and Emma regroup following the battle with St. Bastion, the Winged Wonder is shot in the shoulder by a high powered rifle, and then tackled by the mercenary known as Pike.  Pike claims responsibility for the bombing of Carter's apartment back in New York, and lays into Hawkman.  The two combatants tangle back and forth, trading blows, as Hawkman tries to use his ability to fly to his advantage.  Pike is ready for it, however, as he has an alien-tech flying motorcycle at his disposal.  Taunting his foe incessantly, Pike puts up a good fight, but Hawkman eventually out-manuvers him and is able to take down the operative, and demands that he tell him about who hired him.

At Pike's cloaked ship, Hawkman and Emma restrain the mercenary, who claims to be the offspring of an alien known as a Kherubim and a human woman.  Pike is defiant to the last, claiming that they won't hurt him because he is the only lead that they have for who is hunting down Hawkman.  Pike tells them about the Daemonites, led by the cruel Hellspont, and how Thanagar is at war with them -- and it's all Carter's fault.  Hawkman is not sure what exactly that means, but the name stirs a memory.  Pike is smarter than he looks, however, and uses the ships automated defenses to gas Hawkman and Emma and capture them.

Shortly after, Hawkman awakes to see Pike preparing for the arrival of his benefactor.  Saying that it's good that Hawkman is awake for this, a huge Thanagarian warship lands nearby, and Pike presents his prisoner to the person who hired him: Princess Sheyera of Thanagar.  Carter's memories snap back, and he remembers Sheyera, the woman he loved, who now wants nothing more than to kill him!

Review: Another issue of Savage Hawkman, another tightly assembled superhero comic book.  It's a shame that Rob Liefeld and DC had their falling out because Rob seems very well suited to writing this book.  It's straightforward and unabashedly an action comic, and for this character, in this story, that's a great fit.  And I can't say anything more about Joe Bennett's lovely art, other than to add that his alien designs, including Pike's "hog," and Sheyera's warship, are just as nicely handled as his people.

Pike is sort of a less-annoying version of Deadpool.  He seems to be able to read Carter's thought baloons; at one point in their fight, Carter has several caption boxes about his situation, which Pike seemingly responds to, asking "What is this, a young adult romance novel?"  And at the very end, when Carter's caption boxes detail his once lovey but now dangerous relationship with Sheyera, Pike interjects with an amusingly off-panel "Awkward" to end the issue.  He's a fun character as a foil, but couldn't they at least colored him a different set of colors than black and red?  His origins are interesting (Kherubim/human half breed) and his belief in destiny is an interesting angle for a soldier of fortune.  I wonder if we will see more of him going forward now that Rob is not on the book?

The twist at the end is nicely done.  "Sheyera," as she is named here, is blonde, which is odd because she really looked like she had red hair back in issue #9.  The expansion of the cosmos to include both Thanagar and the Daemonites is welcome, especilly given some of the revelations about Carter we will get in the next issue.  

Overall I liked this one.  It had a nice mix of action, backstory, and cliffhanger, and Pike's snide commentary made me laugh.  Really can't wait to see what's next.

Image: The Savage Hawkman #12, 2012, Rob Liefeld.