Rogues Gallery: Shadow-Thief

From the Rogues Gallery tie-in book from the unread-by-me Underworld Unleashed event, this depiction of the Shadow-Thief is by John Van Fleet.

I am not really familiar with Van Fleet's work, but I like the pseudo-Impressionist take on Shadow-Thief he provides. One of the fundamental fears of childhood is the fear of the dark and this image riffs on that nicely. Far from being a typical Anderson inspired Shadow-Thief, this image is unique and memorable.

I'm not the only blogger relishing New Year's Evil this week. Find more malicious pin-up fun at the following:
Cheetah by Cliff Nielsen @ Diana Prince: Wonder Woman
Killer Frost by John Hanley @ Firestorm Fan
Mongul by John Hanley @ The Idol-Head of Diabolu
Chronos by John Van Fleet @ Power of the Atom

Image: Shadow-Thief, 1996, John Van Fleet.

Hawkman Sketch By Dave Wachter

Our sketch this week comes from Dave Wachter, from his DaveDrawsComics Sketchblog, where he describes himself as "Comic book artist and whatnot." Dave is a very talented artist, including his work on the sweet horror comic Scar Tissue.

I really like this sketch. Both of the Winged Wonders look powerful but not so strong that I can't buy the flight. The feathering of the wings is nice, as are the helmets. I especially like the heels which Hawkgirl is sporting, not to mention the most excellent BOOTY.

Disclaimer: I do not own or have possession of this sketch. It is being reposted from the cited website only.

Image: Hawkman sketch, 2009, Dave Wachter, retrieved from DaveDrawsComics.

Original Hawkman Page From Flash Comics #97 By Joe Kubert

Well readers, you're in store for a real treat today, Doug Zawisza , Honor Wings bearer, proprietor of the Doom Patrol blog (hey, the Showcase is out next week!), and author of the very cool Hawkman Companion from TwoMorrows Publishing has provided me with a very cool set of images: original art by the legend Joe Kubert from Flash Comics #97! Even more amazing is that these pages have never published in sequence... I'll let Doug explain it:

Hey Luke!
Sorry for the hideous delay between first reaching out to you about Companion stuff and now. ...

To make up for it, here's five NEVER-BEFORE-published-in-sequence pages from Flash Comics #97. I originally had all five pages in the Companion, but DC told TwoMorrows "Pages 30 - 31, a previously
unpublished 5-page sequence of a Hawkman story. While I understand that some of these pages were earlier published in TwoMorrows' *All-Star Companion Vol. *3 and “Alter Ego” magazine, they have never been published in a complete sequence, which is something we have a problem with. One to two pages is typically OK, but not 5 in sequence."...

They were originally on a nice two-page spread, but the book got changed - dramatically - after a review with DC Comics. If you want to post the pages, here they are.

Doug

Very interesting stuff! I will work from the position that in an effort to not step on any toes, I too will not be posting the images in one sequence -- instead, I will spread them out over the next few weeks to give some "buffer" between them. I don't know if posting them online on the same site constitutes posting them in a sequence, but we shall see, I suppose!

Note: I have changed the filenames around a little bit to make them easier to keep track of, but let me be clear that credit for these goes entirely to Mr. Zawisza who graciously has offered them up for my use here! Thanks a million, Doug!

Image: Page 2 from Hawkman feature in Flash Comics #97, 1948, Joe Kubert, provided by Doug Zawisza.

Crisis On Earth Blog: COIE Slipcase by Perez and Ross

One of the great shames of my life as a comic book fanboy is that I have never read Crisis on Infinite Earths. In fact, I can't say as I have ever read a Crisis on Any Earth! Growing up, I was always a Marvel fan. I knew more about COIE from Wizard than I ever did from actual DC comics! Only years later did I get my "mad on" for the DCU, and really start learning about the Crisis, but to this day I have never read the actual series.

Not exactly the best way to endear me to anyone reading this post, I know, but I figure honesty is the best policy in this age of full disclosure.

Anyways, despite the fact that I have never read the series, I have been in love with this George Perez-pencilled, Alex Ross-painted wraparound cover since the first moment I laid eyes on it. I mean, just, wow! That's really just an intense looking cover!



The full image is even crazier. With a mind-boggling 562 characters featured, it has got to be one of the largest collections of super-folk ever.



Unsurprisingly, given their longevity in the DC Pantheon, the various Hawk-characters appear in the series, and thus, appear in this piece.

Up first is Earth-1 or Silver Age Hawkman, Katar Hol. Found on the exteme left-hand side of the image, in front of who I assume is Chemo, Katar looks appropriately awed by the situation. I am not sure why he has who I am guessing is Zatanna flying through his wing, but I really like the bright, clean look he has here.



Earth-1 Hawkgirl (or Hawkwoman as she was called by this point) Chayera Hol is next, found in the middle third of the image, right under Phantom Lady's boot. She's flying right at the reader, so we don't see much of her, but what we do is really sweet: her beautiful wings and downright awesome helmet!



Next is Earth-2 or Golden Age Hawkman, the blonde bombshell known exclusively as Carter Hall. Almost directly above Hawkwoman and right behind Starfire, Carter is depicted in his "lucha libre" style masked look. I imagine that this was done to help differentiate between the two versions, as otherwise they'd be identical! Once more the bright colors really pop in this format.



Last but certainly not least is the Earth-2 Hawkgirl, Shiera Sanders. Found immediately next to Supergirl's right hand, Shiera is in a pretty prime piece of real estate. She looks very graceful in flight here, and I like seeing her red-and-green costume used.



You can find a guide-map of all the characters over at the Annotated Crisis on Infinite Earths web site.



Like any good crossover, this would not be complete without a few others getting in on the action as well! So in the same spirit of bringing different characters together to fight a threat, we're bringing different bloggers together to post about this sweet piece of art! Check out these other character-driven comic book blogs to get the low-down on some other fan favorites.

The Aquaman Shrine

Doom Patrol

Firestorm Fan

I am the Phantom Stranger

Idol-Head of Diabolu (Martian Manhunter)

Justice League Detroit

Mail it to Team-up

Plastic Man Platitudes

Speed Force (Flash)

Blogs will live! Blogs will die! Who will survive the... Crisis on Earth Blog?!

Special thanks to Shag, who provided me with all of the COIE imagery, and to rob! for the awesome logo!

Upcoming: DC Infinite Heroes Hawkman Three-Pack

This three-pack from Mattel's 3 3/4" "Infinite Heroes" collection, features a modern Hawkman along with a pair of Thanagarian Wingmen to back him up.  This inclusion of "Army builder" type figures is not new to the line: a currently available three-pack features Commissioner Gordeon and a pair of GCPD officers.  I do think it is interesting that they went with the modern Hawkman look, complete with the weapon-festooned belt, instead of the Hawkworld-era costume.  But then again, that was a long time ago, and maybe I should just let it go, huh?  

Of course, they could have also gone with a true "Hawkman" three-pack, with Golden Age Carter wearing the mask instead of the helmet, Modern Carter, and Hawkworld Katar, but now I am just pipe-dreaming again.

I have not yet seen this set in stores, but I plan to buy it, if only because how many other chances will I have to get some Wingmen toys?!  Probably not too many I imagine!

Image: Infinite Heroes Hawkman and Wingmen, retrieved from Joe Acevedo.com.

Image: Superman And Batman Magazine Hawkman Strip

Another batch of awesome Hawkman artwork, once more courtesy of Honor Wings recepient rob! (whom you can check out at The Aquaman Shrine, and lotsa other quality comic book blogs) from Superman And Batman Magazine #5.  Our story is written by Phil Kupperberg, with art chores handled by Rick Burchett.  It's a fun story, the basic bones of which would not have been out of place as a Bronze Age backup tale or what-have-you.  Hawkman musing on the nature of the Declaration of Independence versus the strict totaltarian rule on Thanagar is a good hook for this version of the character.  The art does a good job of emulating the "Adventures" animated look, and the Hawkworld Hawkman once more looks pretty dang cool in this style.  

I like that Hawkman switches from high-minded intellectual concerns about freedom and liberty to calling out punks and smashing their faces in so easily.  That's how we roll... Thanagarian Style!

Yeaaaah boyeee!

Ahem.

Do you have something neat which is Hawk-related?  Some cool images or rare finds?  Send them along and you too can earn your Honor Wings!

Hawkman Infant T-Shirt

While searching the Intarweb for a Hawkman t-shirt (of which there are sadly very few!), I came across this little gem.  Get this though: It's a shirt for infants!

That's right, The Retro Baby sells actually sells retro, "Junk Food" style clothes for infants up to 24 months of age.  How bizarre is that?  With the geeks and nerds of the world going out and reproducing, I suppose it was inevitable, but still, this seems a little strange to me!

You can check out the listing for the Hawkman shirt here.  They have other superhero styles, although I feel I should point out to some of my fellow bloggers that there is no Aquaman, Green Arrow, or Martian Manhunter stuff available at this time, while Hawkgirl shows up in a group shot with Batgirl, Wonder Woman, Supergirl, and Mary Marvel.  Neener!

Image: Hawkman infant t-shirt, and detail, retrieved from The Retro Baby.

Image: Hawkman Hero File by Mike Parobeck

Today we have some very nifty Mike Parobeck artwork for you, thanks to rob! of Aquaman Shrine fame, as well as numerous other nifty comic book blogs, including his comic magazine project, All In Black And White For 75 Cents.  

These "Hero File" pages come from Superman And Batman Magazine #5, dated Summer 94.  Parobeck's depiction of the Hawkworld-and-later Katar looks striking, and I imagine this interpretation of the character would have looked pretty sharp animated on the small screen as well.

A big thanks to rob!, the first recepient of the Honor Wings titles for contributing something to my humble Hawk blog!  Do you have something Hawk related?  Send it along and you too can earn your Honor Wings!

Image: Swamp Thing and Hawkman Encounter That Never Happened

Here's an oddity I found on Mike Sterling's always fun Progressive Ruin blog: a "Next Issue" blurb for a series that never made it to the next issue, in this case, Swamp Thing, taken from issue #24.  Seems that ole Muck-face was apparently supposed to have a run in with the Winged Wonder in Portland, OR, of all places, but sadly, the tale was never told, as far as I know.  

Image: Next Issue Blurb, Swamp Thing #24, 1976, Artist Unknown.

Images: Hawkman and Green Arrow in Volume 4

As I mentioned earlier this week, Carter and Ollie didn't exactly have a friendly reunion in St. Roch at the start of Volume 4. Here, Hawkman works the backhand.
(Click to Hawk-size!)


Later, after the case is solved, they bid their goodbyes in typical mega-macho fashion.


Images: Hawkman v.4:no.5-6, 2002, Rags Morales.