Issue: Flash Comics #8 (Reprinted in The Golden Age Hawkman Archives v.1)
Title: "The Sunspot Wizard" (suggested title)
Published Date: Aug 1940
Generation: Golden Age Carter
Retcon Status: In Continuity
Summary: Professor Kitzoff, an inventor, has created a machine which can cause sunspots to flare, altering the way they influence people and objects on Earth. After the Professor uses his beam to crash a plane, Hawkman investigates. At first the Professor lies to him, saying it is just a high powered searchlight, but Hawkman sees through it and destroys the device. Kitzoff shoots Hawkman in retaliation, and has his body boxed and packed up to experiment on. Our hero is not dead, however, just stunned, and is able to escape. In the meantime, Kitzoff relocates to South America and builds a new version of his sunspot device. Arming himself with a Norman-era mace, Hawkman tracks the Professor and once more destroys the device. In the fracas afterwards, Kitzoff is shot and killed by his own men by accident.
Review: Most notably about this Fox/Moldoff story is that this is the first time we see Hawkman use what would become his signature weapon, the mace (although technically I suppose this a flail). There's also the incredibly goofy image of Hawkman flying around in the coffin, with his wings sticking out of the box. All in all this is a pretty average Golden Age superhero story, though Moldoff's art is still appealing and seeing the mace in action is always nice.
Image: Flash Comics #8, 1940, Sheldon Moldoff.
2 comments:
Sounds like a fun story. I would love to see that shot of him flying around in the coffin...that is almost Silver Age level goofiness!
I'll see what I can do!
Post a Comment