Title: "The Thanagarian, Part 3"
Published Date: Sep 2003
Generation: Modern Carter
Retcon Status: In Continuity
Summary: In St. Roch, during the Jazz Festival, the merriment is interrupted by a brawl between Hawkwoman, Animal Man, and the Thanagarian criminal Byth. The heroes hold their own, as Byth rants about going back to Thanagar to restart the drug trade between the two worlds. Eventually, Animal Man is downed, and Byth captures Hawkwoman and gets away.
Hawkman and Hawkgirl find Animal Man, having deduced that "Katar" was Byth when his mace came alive and attacked them. They make their way to the Hawk Hangar on the outskirts of the parish, and find that Byth has stolen their ship, the Brontadon, and is using Shayera as a navigator. The Hawks and Animal Man intervene, and after Shayera sabotages the ship, Hawkman crashes through the wall to attack the criminal. As Hawkgirl and Animal Man keep the ship flying, Hawkman and Hawkwoman battle Byth, who transforms into a Thanagarian dragon-like monster. His threat is short-lived, though, as Hawkgirl and Animal Man crash the ship into him!
With Byth imprisoned, Shayera is heading back home. She says her good-byes to the Earther Hawks, giving Kendra one of her old wing harnesses, which is armed with shuriken. On the ship, Shayera vows to be reunited with the real Katar Hol someday.
Review: The wrap-up is action packed, as you can imagine. We get two long fight sequences strung together with some dialogue, and then the denouement. I don't mind though, because Byth is a classic baddie, and seeing Hawkwoman and Animal take the spotlight was a nice change of pace. Speaking of classic, Byth does indeed transform into the same creature he did way back in 1961's The Brave And The Bold #34. A satisfyingly smash-heavy conclusion to the story.
Image: Hawkman v.4:no.17, 2003, John Watson.
3 comments:
A Thanagarian Brontodon! Which can only be defeated by simultaneously striking its twin brain sacks...or hitting it with a spaceship.
:-D
Definitely a fun issue of a solid little arc with great art from Morales. I'm pretty sure that was the last time we saw Byth; I bet he'll eventually crop up again though.
This is one of the best Hawkman stories I have read. I love that it involves the Golden Age Hawkman and Hawkgirl and Shayera and Katar. Plus, we get Animal Man, too!
@Mr P: Oh, with the Thanagar stuff in Brightest Day, I am sure we will see Byth again. And if we ever get that Hawkman movie, he'd be my bet as the baddie!
@Scott: I like this one as well. I also like that its only three issues, as opposed to the seemingly requird 6 issues nowadays...
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