Legends Of Tomorrow Hawkman and Hawkgirl Revealed!

So the hits keep on coming as we roll towards the new seasons of Arrow and The Flash, plus the debut of Legends of Tomorrow (and, I suppose, Vixen as well). And from Deadline (care of Newsarama) comes this promotional picture showing us the full uniforms (sans wings) for Hawkman and Hawkgirl.

A couple of thoughts:

--Firstly, obviously no wings.  I am going to assume that the wings will be retractable or removable on the show so that they can move around sets without bumping into things.  Whether they will be practical or CGI is a debate I have seen; I am leaning towards a mix, similar to what was done on Smallville.

--The color scheme seems so... drab.  Couldn't they have thrown a little green in there?  Of course, given that Ollie is wearing more green, Barry wears red, and so forth, maybe going with a brown palette is a way to break things up visually across the DCTVU.  If you wanted to get a darker color scheme for the Winged Wonders, I suppose you could have gone with Hawkworld style grey and gold, but that might be a bit too severe.  I do like the hints of straps and Hawk emblem on Carter; Kendra looks to be wearing a medallion of some sort, and her bodice suggests straps across her chest and sternum as well, sort of like the post-Blackest Night Shiera.

--The helmets look well put together.  I like that they are a little bit ornate but overwrought. I also like keeping the basic shape of Kendra's swoopy, Silver Age style helmet rather than putting them in similar styles.

--Where's Kendra's weapon?  I am going to assume that she will be wielding her typical arsenal in the series, but would it have been too hard to give her a spear or flail here?  Looking closely, you can just kinda-sorta make out what might be a cestus on her glove, but it looks too far back on the hand to really convince me.  As far as Carter, the morningstar is most welcome.  Given the amount of arrow-piercings that CW can get away with, I am hoping to have some good "smash ups" in his fights.  More intriguing though -- check out the holster on his hip! Maybe I am reaching a bit here but is it too much to ask that we get the debut of the Graviton Pistol?!

--Interesting enough, Carter appears less covered than Kendra. She has a bit of a neckline, but certainly not plunging (pun intended) into Power Girl territory.  But Carter also has a neckline, as well as his beefy biceps on display for all to see.  I do like Kendra's belt as well -- a little bit Julie Newmar, a little bit Han Solo.

--Falk Hentschel has his Hawk-frown down. Ciara Renee does make me think of Kendra here, specifically from Volume 4 when she tended to be more interested in helping people than hurting bad guys. Still eager to see her in full "Hawkgirl Smash" mode.

Overall, as a promo picture, it does its job of getting me -- as a Hawkfan -- very excited! I was not expecting bright green and yellow, so even though the brown is still a bit odd, I can appreciate what the production seems to be shooting for.  I remaing very excited for this show and can hardly wait to see the Hawks in action.

What do you think of the new promo shot? Does it get you more hyped up for Legends, or is this some cold water?

Image: Hawkman and Hawkgirl Legends of Tomorrow Promotional Picture, 2015, Newsarama.

Hawkman Confirmed as Series Regular for Legends Of Tomorrow

Speculation as to the level of involvement which Hawkman would have in DC's forthcoming Legends Of Tomorrow series seemingly can end now, as Executive Producer Phil Klemmer has stated that Hawkman will be appearing in every episode as a series regular.

Well, huh.

Take it away, Mr, Klemmer:

It doesn't [take away from Hawkgirl's presence], because the way we've imagined them is that they've obviously been reincarnated through the ages together, but the fact that he remembers their previous lives and she doesn't… it gives them very much like a Bogie & Bacall sort of [relationship].

Klemmer also states that the show is specifically avoiding "sentimentality," and while romance is not out of the question, "there'll be more sex than romance."

Well, uh... huh again.

Honestly I'm so muddled by this little piece that I am not even sure what to think.  I was -- and remain -- very excited for Hawkgirl to be a part of this series since, let's face it, Hawkgirl rocks.  And I am excited to have Hawkman be a part of the series as well, because I think the history between the two characters (as explored by Geoff Johns and David Goyer in JSA and Hawkman V.4, also referenced by Klemmer) is ripe for mining in a media adaption featuring the characters.

But some of this TV-producer speak turns me off.  "More sex than romance?" Can't we have them just bash people with weapons and then be tense afterwards? Why does there need to be sex for the Hawks to interact?  Some of the best character work from those early days of Volume 4 was the idea of NOT forcing destiny, with Carter and Kendra working together but not being together. "Partners but not a couple" serves these particular iterations of Hawkman and Hawkgirl, so I am concerned about their relationship being akin to bickering in the field of battle and then angry copulation back in the bedroom.

Then there's the simple fact that this cast is getting outrageously large.  There were a lot of characters involved before, and now we have just added another full-time regular member to said cast. How are all of the various storylines and subplots going to be juggled and still be comprehensible?  Both Arrow and The Flash feature ensemble casts, sure, but their casts are not all powered "name" characters. If Thea Queen or Paco Ramone take something of a back seat in a particular episode, without any major plot developments for them, well, that's alright because they are supporting characters. But this is (ostensibly) a team of heroes, all of whom need to be served by the overall ongoing plot. How in the heck do you keep this many plates spinning on a 44 minute TV show?

This isn't a team book where you can have a single thought balloon or caption to keep a subplot going month to month.

I'm being cynical but these are cynical days.

Of course, that having been said I am still very eager to see Legends of Tomorrow and to get the Winged Wonders on the small screen once more.

So what do you think?  Yea or nay on Hawkman as a series regular?

Report: Hawkman Cast For Arrow, The Flash

Per Newsarama, Variety is reporting that Falk Hentschel (who played Marc Scarlotti AKA Whiplash in one episode of Agents of SHIELD) has been cast as Carter Hall AKA Hawkman for appearances in the upcoming seasons of The CW's DC superhero dramas Arrow and The Flash, as part of a crossover which sets the stage for Legends Of Tomorrow, which of course, features Hawkgirl.  

I did enjoy Hentschel's turn as Whiplash over the fence on SHIELD, and hoped he would make a return in the role.  I think he definitely has the physicality for the part of Carter, but as he did not get much time to speak as the villainous HYDRA asset, I do not know how he will work out for the less-smashy scenes.  I am, unfortunately, not familiar with any of his roles beyond that one. Still, it is very cool that we are getting a new live action Hawkman and Hawkgirl, and I retain my high hopes for the new seasons of Arrow and The Flash, and am very much looking forward to Legends.

What about you?  Do you like this casting, or is this a bust?

Hawkman Coming to The CW?

As we start ramping up anticipation for the new seasons of both Arrow and The Flash, plus the debut of DC's Legends Of Tomorrow, a new rumor making the rounds is that in addition to Hawkgirl bashinh heads and taking names on Legends, Hawkman himself will be popping up on the network as well.  Per Newsarama:

Entertainment Weekly reports that Carter Hall, A.K.A. Hawkman, is coming to Arrow and Flash before he appears in the spin-off DC's Legends Of Tomorrow. 

The report describes Hawkman as “charismatic and wise beyond his years, Hawkman is a natural-born leader with an abundance of charm and confidence—well, that’s because he’s 5,000 years old.” Hawkman will also reportedly retain the memories from his many resurrections, unlike Hawkgirl who will have no memory of her past lives or even Hawkman when the pair meet.

This would not be the first time that Hawkman showed up on The CW, of course, as Michael Shanks portrayed the Winged Wonder a few times back on Smallville.  But it would make a lot of sense to introduce Carter as the story tool for Kendra to begin her journey of remembering all of her past lives -- which was not dissimilar to what was done on Justice League Unlimited, either.


So what do you think?  Will we have both Hawkman and Hawkgirl on the small screens this coming season?

DC's Legends Of Tomorrow Trailer

Well the hits just keep on coming today as far as DC's Legends Of Tomorrow is concerned!  No sooner do we get an official group shot and confirmation of Vandal Savage, but now we get to see the team in action in the trailer!

And what a trailer it is, as we get to see all of the team in action, including our very own "girl with wings and a past lives complex."  Oddly, we don't see as much of Hawkgirl as we do others (especially White Canary and Atom), suggesting that the effects work on her scenes may not be complete yet.  But so help me Onimarr Synn but I spotted a helmet and boot talons!  Seeing her take flight off a "perch" and then pacing Firestorm swooping through the city was mind bogglingly cool (shout out to Shag).  I may be a sucker for this sort of thing but I've already swallowed the hook and we're months away from the debut.  

Other DC nerd moments -- seeing Captain Cold and Heatwave going to town on Savage's goons, White Canary's "birth" (of sorts), and Atom displaying some rather nifty new powers (heh heh).  And I did have to laugh at Rip Hunter's Time Lord... err, excuse me, Time Master having an incredibly British accent.  

Speaking of Rip, he mentions that the team will have to travel through time... I have to wonder, will this be a Timeranger sort of deal (we travel in time once and stay there) or a Back To The Future sort of deal?  I guess we will find out soon enough.

This show was already a "no-brainer" for me but this trailer serves to get me even more hopped up for it.  What kind of emotions does this trailer raise up in you, gentle readers?  Comment and share!

h/t to Newsarama for posting this item!

Vandal Savage To Face DC's Legends

To the surprise of absolutely no one, Newsarama is reporting that Vandal Savage will be the first "antagonist" which the titular Legends of DC's Legends of Tomorrow will face.  You'll recall that I predicted this thanks to the "immortal threat" verbiage in the teaser.  Me, and every other DC nerd everywhere, that is.

h/t to Newsarama for breaking this item.

DC's Legends Of Tomorrow Official Cast Shot And Description

As the network upfronts continue, more information continues to roll out for DC's upcoming superhero TV shows, including the one we are looking at today, DC's Legends Of Tomorrow.  The promotional image gives us our first official look at the ensemble, including the very Doctor Who-ish Rip Hunter (no surprise there), Sara Lance as "White Canary" (hmmm...), and the main point of interest for this blog, Ciarra Renee as Hawkgirl.

Not much I can say other than she looks much more serious minded than in the previous photo The CW had released, but that was not an in character shot, so that is to be expected.  In a subtle touch, she is looking up to the sky...

The official synopsis released doesn't reveal much more than we have already heard, but here it is:

When heroes alone are not enough… the world needs legends. Having seen the future, one he will desperately try to prevent from happening, time-traveling rogue Rip Hunter is tasked with assembling a disparate group of both heroes and villains to confront an unstoppable threat — one in which not only is the planet at stake, but all of time itself. Can this ragtag team defeat an immortal threat unlike anything they have ever known? DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW stars Victor Garber ("The Flash," "Alias"); Brandon Routh ("Arrow," "Superman Returns"); Arthur Darvill ("Doctor Who"); Caity Lotz ("Arrow"); Ciarra Renee ("Pippin"); Franz Drameh ("Edge of Tomorrow"); with Dominic Purcell ("The Flash," "Prison Break"); and Wentworth Miller ("The Flash," "Prison Break"). Based on the characters from DC Comics, DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers Greg Berlanti ("Arrow," "The Flash," upcoming "Pan"), Marc Guggenheim ("Arrow," "Eli Stone," "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters"), Andrew Kreisberg ("Arrow," "The Flash," "Eli Stone," "Warehouse 13") and Sarah Schechter ("Arrow," "The Flash," upcoming "Pan").

h/t to Newsarama for posting this.  I'm very excited about DC's Legends of Tomorrow and seeing Hawkgirl on the small screen!  What about you, are you excited for the next wave of DC's television offerings?

Image: DC's Legends Of Tomorrow, 2015, image obtained from Newsarama.

Introducing DC's Legends Of Tomorrow!

As we move into the "silly season" of the network television industry, we can expect news to come fast and furious when it comes to our favorite superhero and comic book based television shows, including the "untitled Arrow/Flash spinoff" which will feature Hawkgirl.  And the first bit of good news is that the series has a title! (h/t to Newsarama) Not a great title, mind you, but a title none the less...

Everyone say hello to DC's Legends of Tomorrow!  The "DC's" branding really makes me think of Marvel's Agents Of SHIELD and Marvel's Agent Carter, but that's alright.  And much like my wife and I call Agents of SHIELD simply "SHIELD," this series will most likely simply become "Legends," which works for me.

The newly-titled series has received a "sight unseen" pilot order, and now has the following official description:

"When heroes alone are not enough ... the world needs legends. Having seen the future, one he will desperately try to prevent from happening, time-traveling rogue Rip Hunter is tasked with assembling a disparate group of both heroes and villains to confront an unstoppable threat — one in which not only is the planet at stake, but all of time itself. Can this ragtag team defeat an immortal threat unlike anything they have ever known?"

Okay, now that's cool!  With Rip Hunter coming back from the future, there are all sorts of storytelling options available.  From a Hawk perspective, I could see this being used to take Kendra/Shiera back in time to view her past lives, or maybe even all the way back to ancient Egypt! Also amusing is that this is a similar sort of set up to The Flash with one character knowing the future and using that knowledge to steer history one direction or another.

Also, "immortal threat?"  Is it just me or does that suggest Vandal Savage?!  

I continue to remain hyped up on goofballs about this show and seeing Ciarra Renee as Hawkgirl on the small screen!  What about you?  Are you excited for DC's Legends Of Tomorrow?

Big Screen Suicide Squad To Appear in Midway City

Even if the Hawks are not in the DC's big screen plans, it looks like their old home town is, as this article from Newsarama points out.  While checking in on the filming of the upcoming Suicide Squad film in Toronto, Ontario, Canadian entertainment news outlet Entertainment City snagged a pic of this sign, showing that "Hollywood North" will be standing in for Midway City.

Whether this has anything to do with the Carter and/or Shiera Hall, the Midway City Museum, Midway City Police Commissioner George Emmett, Mavis Trent, Hawk Valley, "Big Red," or the Doom Patrol remain to be seen.  

Suicide Squad opens on August 5, 2016, but in keeping with Internet fanboy regulations, no one is allowed to discuss nor be excited for a DC Comics movie, which is why you haven't heard anything about it.  The film stars Will Smith as Deadshot, and also includes Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje!), Rick Flagg, Harley Quinn, and others.

So what do you think?  Will we get any Hawk-related gags or Easter Eggs in Suicide Squad?

Image: Midway City set dressing, 2015, image obtained from Newsarama.

Upcoming: Bat-Mite #2 featuring Hawkman (or Hawkmen)

One of the new titles debuting for DC after Convergence is Bat-Mite, which is being done by Dan Jurgens and Corin Howell.  Newsarama caught up with Jurgens, and he explained how Bat-Mite is out to "fix" the heroes of the DC Universe.  The fanboys should love this...

How does this involve Hawkman?  The cover to Bat-Mite #2 features not one, not two, not three, but FOUR Hawkmen!  The solicit for the issue is as follows:

BAT-MITE #2
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art and cover by CORIN HOWELL
On sale JULY 1 • 32 pg, 2 of 6, FC, $2.99 US • RATED E
Bat-Mite assists Batman on yet another case…whether the Dark Knight needs his help or not. This time, it leads the imp to the diabolical Doctor Trauma, who has terrible plans in store for Hawkman!

If this is a done-in-one story, I might pick it up.  I have no real interest in Bat-Mite outside of his fun appearances on Batman: The Brave And The Bold, and I have no illusions of this book lasting more than 12 issues.  Still, it sounds like a fun concept for a series starring someone as insane as Bat-Mite, and if the cover is an indication of the art, it should look nice if nothing else.  

I am assuming that the green suited Hawkman is the New 52 version, but I'll be darned if I can remember a sequence where he wore that costume.  The Post-Crisis, Golden Age, and Silver Age Hawkmans look fantastic, though!  I love the frown on Post-Crisis Katar, and the wild take on Carter looks fantastic and very full of character.  For what it's worth, Bat-Mite looks good too.  

So what do you think?  Are you interested in reading the adventures of Bat-Mite "fixing" the DCU?

Image: Bat-Mite #2, 2015, Corin Howell.

What Is The Sneak Preview in Convergence: Hawkman #2?

DC has been leaking little snippets of what we can expect in the previews of the second issues of the Convergence tie-ins, week by week, and with Week 3 being revealed on Newsarama, we know what the preview is going to be in Convergence: Hawkman #2!  Take it away, Newsarama!

CONVERGENCE: HAWKMAN #2 features a bonus GRAYSON story written by Tom King and Tim Seeley and illustrated by Mikel Janin.

Dick and Spyral join the mile-high club as they attempt to save a young boy from an airplane mid-flight.

Huh.

Huh.

Well, looks like I can safely skip the preview pages in the back of Convergence: Hawkman #2 without any concern or worry.  Really DC?  You really think that readers who are champing at the bit for a Hawkman and Hawkwoman fix want to read about super-duper secret agent Dick Grayson?  

This is a complete fumble on the part of whomever made the editorial choices of which previews to include in which Convergence title.  As far as I am concerned, this is a complete waste of pages now.  No disrespect to King, Seeley, and Janin, but I am just not interested in Dick Grayson, secret agent man.

Move along, nothing more to see here...

Waiting In The Wings -- April 9, 2015

Been a long time for one of these, but with Convergence upon us, it's once more into the fray!

Convergence: Nightwing & Oracle #1 -- The Flashpoint Hawks versus Gail Simone's favorites!  I wonder who will come off smelling like roses and who will come off smelling like something else entirely?  What, no one wants to lay money on that action?

I am very excited for Convergence -- after reading issue #0 earlier this week, the unfolding story has me really champing at the bit to get my hands on the books and see exactly how everything will unfold, both in the context of the Hawks and for the DCU at large.  

So what about you folks?  What looks good to you this week?

Hawkgirl Coming to CW's New DC Comics TV Series!

Well, just goes to show that if you wait long enough, events will conspire against you.

As you no doubt have heard, The CW is currently developing a spin-off of Arrow/The Flash to serve as their third (or fourth, if count their online Vixen series which apparently is forthcoming) DC Comics TV series.  And one of the casting announcements this past week is for the Winged Wonder herself, Hawkgirl!  

This is all well and good -- except that while I would have loved to bring you breaking news about the casting of Ciara Renée as Hawkgirl, I was on vacation at the time and completely missed the opportunity.  So I present to you the news you already knew, but is still fit to print here at Being Carter Hall.

In any event, this is still huge news!  We have not had a live action Hawk hero since Michael Shanks back on Smallville, and as much as I enjoyed his portrayal, he was only ever a guest star.  The press release indicates that Hawkgirl will be one of the leads on the show, but what exactly this entails at this point is speculatory.  But putting the announcement out here in this early stage of the show's development would suggest that she is going to play a substantial, if not necessarily pivotal, role.

Ciara Renée is a new name to me, but the Deadline blurb quoted by Newsarama makes it pretty clear (to me, anyway) that she will be playing a version of Kendra Saunders, which is pretty unsurprising.  Said blurb: Hawkgirl is a "young woman who is just beginning to learn that she has been reincarnated over the centuries."  Newsarama's speculation about her "alien origin from the comics" kind of misses the boat here; Kendra has no real "alien origin," being the reincarnation of an Egyptian princess (they are clearly thinking of Shayera Thal).  But confusion over Hawks is pretty standard, yes?

The image provided of Renée shows her with a big smile on her face -- so from a visual standpoint I have to reserve judgement until I see her wearing a proper scowl and snarl, heh.  

This Hawkfan is beyond excited to be getting Hawkgirl on the small screen!  Both Arrow and The Flash have established themselves as strong beachheads for superhero television, and this new spinoff (whatever it ends up being called), just keeps on building on that foundation.  Adding in one of DC's toughest, most no-nonsense heroines only makes sense.   I continue to champ at the bit for more information, including seeing her in costume and wielding some ancient weapon, as we slowly but surely begin to roll towards the future.

And do I dare to dream -- with Hawkgirl to be a TV star, and DC seemingly eager to put more heroines in their own titles, could we get a new Hawkgirl series on the tails of this show?  

Time will tell.  For now, let's just bask in the fact that we live in a world where Hawkgirl is going to be a lead character on a live action TV show!

Image: Ciara Renée, 2015, image obtained from Newsarama.

MORE THAN ZERO: ZERO MONTH 20 YEARS LATER

In 1994 DC Comics published Zero Hour, a five issue mini-series designed to not only serve as a major summer crossover but also fix some of the continuity problems that had plagued their universe after the end of Crisis on Infinite Earths.  Some have suggested that Zero Hour caused more problems than it fixed but at the time it was the dawn of an exciting new era for DC.  To kick off this new age DC followed Zero Hour with Zero Month.  As the name suggests all of the main DC books were rolled back to zero though each one had a different approach to the idea  Some books featured a new origin.  Some contained tweaks to the existing origin.  Some contained brand new versions of old characters.  All of them served as a jumping on point for new and old readers alike.  

To celebrate this new era (or perhaps to bury it) some of us in the comic book blogging community have banded together from remote galaxies to discuss how the characters we cover were rebooted/revamped by looking at the solicitations of our character's zero issues as well as delving into the Wizard Magazine Zero Hour Special, which was a magazine published around the time of Zero Hour to promote the series, what was coming next and the history of DC in general.

Up first is the Zero Hour Special...

Huh.  That's certainly one way to put it -- "the past several years" seems a bit generous considering that Hawkworld had come out in 1991. I do find it odd as well that they go to Dan Jurgens for a quote when Bill Messener-Loebs is the one who really orchestrated the revamp of Hawkman.  But, it is a nice little summary of the changes which happened to the Winged Wonder in the wake of Zero Hour.  I especially like the last paragraph, including how Hawkman would "strive to find his place in the post-Zero Hour DC Universe," which given the events of "Eyes Of The Hawk" and "Way Of The Warrior."  It was not to last, but then again, who does?

And now the solicit from DC... 

"Unguessable impact" seems pretty prophetic, since I doubt anyone could have guessed at the eventual end of the "Hawkgod" / "merged" Hawkman storyline!  I do have to laugh that DC made a point of mentioning that Hawkman was going to tangle with Badblood, like that would be a selling point. I do like the subtle bit of hype at the beginning, with the new direction "redefining and expanding Hawkman's role."  It had the best of intentions, so who am I to question that? 

As this is a blog crossover be sure to check out the links below to find out how other characters were treated during Zero Month.

• Firestorm Fan
• The Aquaman Shrine
• The Legion of Super Bloggers
• Pop Culture Affidavit
• The Speed Force
• The Fortress of Baileytude
• Corps Conjecture

And a big shoutout to Mike Bailey of The Fortress of Baileytude for bringing this whole crossover shindig together!

Convergence: Hawkman #2 Variant Cover by Chip Kidd

Keeping with the theme from the first month of Convergence, the second month's offerings also feature variant covers designed by Chip Kidd. including this alternate cover to Convergence: Hawkman #2.  

These covers are all essentially the same as the first set of variants, just with the color "wipe" on the opposite side of the cover.  I guess that makes sense, but honestly I was expecting something a little more creative -- maybe the "wipe" having covered the older version of the hero to be replaced with the current New 52 version?  Like reality was warping and the cover was changing?  I'm spit balling here, but that's just my opinion.  Still, the bold use of color on these covers does make them "pop," similar to how Marvel made a lot of their Civil War tie in books stand out on the shelves by using half covers with high contrast, two color symmetrical covers.

So what do you folks think?  Will you be seeking out the Chip Kidd covers for the Convergence tie-ins or sticking with the regularly solicited covers?

Image: Convergence: Hawkman #2 variant cover, 2015, Chip Kidd.  

Postopia Hawkgirl Trading Card

I have had this one sitting on my work desk for a while, but every time I tried to post it, the scan would be pretty much awful.  So with a new scanner, I gave it another shot.  The verdict is still not great, but at least it's readable!

Anyway, this Hawkgirl trading card comes from the good people at Post Cereal as part of their Postopia ad campaign.  There were 7 cards in the series, one for each member of the Justice League as featured on the cartoon of the same name.  The front features the well known piece of stock Bruce Timm-style art of Shayera getting ready to lay the smack down with her mace.  The back side of the card features more stock art, and your standard-issue biographical information.  Interestingly, there are some changes from her comics origin as part of her cartoon origin -- the use of a "dimensional transport beam" really smacks of Adam Strange and the Zeta Beam more than Katar and Shayera.  Another nice touch is Shayera's role as an undercover police officer, which does not explain her uniform, but is a novel change none the less.

This card came to me via my brother, who is always finding oddball stuff like this.  Thanks, J!

Sadly, I got this card long after the Postopia.com ceased to exist, so I do not know what entering the code "THANAGAR4" would have generated as part of your "Justice League on-line adventure."  Anyone have any information on that?

Image: Postopia Hawkgirl trading card, 2004, image scanned personally.  

Jeff Parker Talks About Convergence: Hawkman

As the hype continues to build for DC's Convergence, the interviews have begun for the different creators working on the various miniseries.  Here at Being Carter Hall, I've always got my raptor-like eyes peeled (yeah right) for new interviews with Hawk-creators, so when Newsarama posted this piece with scribe of the forthcoming Convergence: Hawkman mini, Jeff Parker, I was pleasantly surprised, as most Hawkman books don't get much (positive) attention from the comic book press nowadays.

A couple of interesting exchanges:

Nrama: Where do we pick up the story of the Hawks in the first issue? What has just happened in their timeline when we meet them in this story?

Parker: This falls right after the Shadow War miniseries of the '80s, when we find that the Hawks' homeworld of Thanagar has agents throughout the galaxy looking to undermine other civilizations. And they're working on Earth, following Katar and Shayera Hol around, so they get pulled into the Convergence with the heroes.

I think this placement is a good move in that it lets Parker and company play with the Shadow War setting without having to worry about some of the developments from the ongoing series which followed it, such as the stuff with George Emmett or Gerald Trent.  Also, I find the idea that these Thangarian agents getting drawn into the Convergence accidentally to be really funny.  I can just see Fell Andar flipping out over his agents' incompetence.

As an aside, I wonder how many DC readers who came to the line in the 90s and 00s have no idea what the Shadow War is?  I know when I first became interested in Hawkman, I had no clue.

Nrama: As you mentioned, you're using Shayera Hol. How would you describe her?

Parker: She's more upbeat and assertive. It's no secret that versions of Hawkwoman later usurped Hawkman in cartoons and comics. I try to infer that by beefing up her role.

First off, a beefy role for Hawkwoman sounds just fine to me.  I've always espoused that one of the aspects which make the Hawks unique is that they truly are partners rather than hero and sidekick.  I also like Parker's acknowledgement of her status as a solo character thanks to Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, as well as Kendra Saunders' flying solo in JSA, JLoA, and her own title.

Secondly, and perhaps more important to me as a nitpicking fanboy, is that Parker specifically calls her Hawkwoman.  It seems like the interviewer (uncredited in the piece) sets him up by the phrasing of the question -- using "Shayera Hol" instead of either codename -- and Parker responds with "Hawkwoman."  Previously I had touched on the fact that the solicits for this series had referred to her as Hawkgirl, despite Shayera using the Hawkwoman moniker by the era this story is based around (Shadow War).  This is a very encouraging sign -- if the writer of the series is calling her Hawkwoman, I have to believe that there is a good chance she willbe called Hawkwoman in the actual book.  (Speculation: Maybe the solicit used Hawkgirl as that name is more well known?)

Mr. Parker also touches on working with Tim Truman and Enrique Alcatena, his use of humor in comics, and his thoughts on Convergence in general.  Definitely a bit of a puff piece, but still appreciated!

Upcoming: Convergence: Justice Society of America #2

One last Hawkman-related Convergence solicitation: the second issue of Convergence: Justice Society of America!  Take it away, Newsarama:

CONVERGENCE: JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #2
Written by DAN ABNETT
Art by TOM DERENICK and TREVOR SCOTT
Cover by DAN PANOSIAN
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD
On sale MAY 27 • 40 pg, FC, 2 of 2, $3.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for more information.
STARRING HEROES FROM CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS! The original Justice Society is powered up and ready to fight the Weaponers of Qward – but with youth and power comes the ultimate cost!
This extra-sized issue includes a sneak peek at what's coming up in the DC Universe!

I am very excited by this series, if only to read Dan Abnett's take on the old school Justice Society of America coupled with Derenick's line work.  Dan Panosian's cover has a similar style to the cover to the first issue, but I like his pulpy take on Hawkman, Flash, GL, and Doctor Fate, so that's cool with me.  I have to wonder -- will the other Society members show up in this, or are these four our stars?  What about Wildcat, Dr. Mid-Nite, Hourman, and so forth?  I guess we'll have to wait and see!

I am definitely going to be buying this series.  What about you folks -- are you planning on picking up Convergence: Justice Society of America?

Image: Convergence: Justice Society of America #2, 2015, Dan Panosian.

Upcoming: Convergence -- Month 2!

I am putting my order together for the first month's worth of Convergence comics, so you know what that means: time for the second month to be solicited!  

Up first is the second issue of Convergence: Hawkman, dropping on "Week 3":

CONVERGENCE: HAWKMAN #2
Written by JEFF PARKER / Art by TIM TRUMAN and ENRIQUE ALCATENA
Cover by RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE / Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD
On sale MAY 20 • 40 pg, FC, 2 of 2, $3.99 US • RATED T
STARRING HEROES FROM CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS! Hawkman, Hawkgirl and Thanagarian Shadow Agents set out to destroy the deadly bat people and rat people from the land of Kamandi!
This extra-sized issue includes a sneak peek at what's coming up in the DC Universe!

Not really tipping much off, is it?  Pretty much what I would suspect given the short length of the series and the seeming emphasis on mash-up smash-ups in the tie-in miniseries.  The cover is pretty darn awesome though!  And I do like the mention of Thanagarian Shadow Agents!

The "sneak peek of what's coming up in the DC Universe" is, I suspect, going to be the same for each issue.  Which kinda sucks, but oh well.  Maybe some of those pages will also be allotted to the main story in addition to the preview?  Yeah, I doubt that too, but a guy can dream.  

Also solicited is the second issue of Convergence: Nightwing/Oracle, which features the Bat-kids fighting the Hawkpeople from Flashpoint!

CONVERGENCE: NIGHTWING/ORACLE #2
Written by GAIL SIMONE
Art by JAN DUURSEMA and DAN PARSONS
Cover by JILL THOMPSON
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD
On sale MAY 6 • 40 pg, FC, 2 of 2, $3.99 US • RATED T
The fairy tale starring Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon tries to survive one more night – and a brutal attack by Flashpoint Hawkman and Hawkwoman!

As I said previously, I don't expect much from the Flashpoint Hawks here, as it's Gail Simone writing Nightwing and Oracle.  Got a feeling that it will be pretty obvious what to expect in this title.  Still, have to admit the concept is a bit intriguing, and Simone has surprised me in the past with some of her more offbeat use of characters.  Hope springs eternal.

So, what looks good to you folks about the second month of Convergence?

Image: Convergence: Hawkman #2, 2015, Rafael Albuquerque.  

Upcoming: Convergence: Justice Society of America

The Convergence hits just keep on coming from DC Comics, as we have one more Convergence miniseries which features Hawkman.  And it's no surprise to this blogger that the final series is Convergence: Justice Society of America.  Take it away, Newsarama:

CONVERGENCE: JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #1
Written by DAN ABNETT
Art by TOM DERENICK and TREVOR SCOTT
Cover by DAN PANOSIAN
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD
On sale APRIL 29 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 2, $3.99 US • RATED T
STARRING HEROES FROM CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS! Older and in full retirement under the dome, members of the Justice Society get the chance to regain their youth to stave off forces from the Qward Universe. But the promise of youth comes with a deadly price!

As with all of these Convergence books, this sounds like a fun romp, especially with Dan Abnett at the helm.  Tom Derenick has a smooth style which should translate nicely with the bold, old fashioned uniforms of the JSA, especially with Scott's embellishment.  I even like the cover, wherein Dan Panosian has tapped a sort of Howard Chaykin vibe.  Flash, GL, Dr. Fate, and Hawkman all sport a sort of "real world fantastic" aesthetic which is a good fit for the original mystery men.  The Chip Kidd variant features Jay Garrick.

Convergence is shaping up to be a fairly decent investment for me, but with all these books being only two-parters, I can afford to indulge a little bit -- especially when we are getting so many old favorites back.  What about you -- will Convergence: Justice Society of America make it into your pull box?

Image: Convergence: Justice Society of America #1, 2015, Dan Panosian.  

Convergence: Hawkman #1 Variant Cover by Chip Kidd Revealed

Well, that didn't take long.  Newsarama has the Chip Kidd variant covers for the Convergence miniseries, including Convergence: Hawkman #1.

Each week of minis has their own "fade out" color, to help differentiate them week to week.  Which makes sense as each week stars heroes from a certain era.  Hawkman and the other COIE era characters get yellow, which at least fits in the color palette for the Winged Wonders.  The fade out effect really makes me think of Zero Hour, which might be the point considering that Convergence is about the mashing up of time and space, yes?

Now, as far as the cover image of Hawkman, I did some research work, but I was unable to identify where the image comes from.  I am assuming it is a cover, but it might not be, so that alone makes it tough for me.  It LOOKS like Richard Howell to me from the hook of the nose on the helmet and the amount of lines on the helmet.  But I compared it to the covers to Shadow War of Hawkman as well as the covers to Volume 2 and couldn't find a match.  Hopefully someone better at this sort of thing than me can help me out.

The variant cover is neat, and I like that it calls back to the history of DC, as is appropriate for the event.  That said, I think I will stick to the Albuquerque cover which was revealed yesterday.  Still, this is a nice variant cover, and I am digging what DC is doing here.  

What do you folks think?  Will you go with the variant cover, or stick with the regular version?

Image: Convergence: Hawkman #1 variant cover, 2015, Chip Kidd.    

New Poll On Being Carter Hall: Buying Convergence: Hawkman?

I've posted a new poll here Being Carter Hall, and this time we are asking about the upcoming Convergence event; specifically, Convergence: Hawkman.

Will you be buying the Winged Wonders' miniseries?  How about the main Convergence miniseries?  Or are you going to pass on them?  Click through and vote!

To get the ball rolling, I'll say that I am definitely buying the Convergence: Hawkman mini, and am strongly leaning towards buying the main series as well.  I am curious as to what you other Hawkfans out there think!

Convergence: Hawkman #1 Cover Revealed

Well, after the Flashpoint Hawks revelation in yesterday's post, we get more Hawkman and Hawkwoman in Convergence today, as the cover to Convergence: Hawkman #1 is revealed!  From Newsarama:

CONVERGENCE: HAWKMAN #1
Written by JEFF PARKER
Art by TIM TRUMAN and ENRIQUE ALCATENA
Cover by RAFAEL ALBUQUERQUE
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD
On sale APRIL 22 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 2, $3.99 US • RATED T
STARRING HEROES FROM CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS! Hawkman and Hawkgirl put their Shadow War on hold as they face the might of anthropomorphic rat-men and bat-men in the deadly land of Kamandi!

Alright: The Albuquerque cover is fantastic!  Our Pinnioned Powerhouses look resplendant in their Pre-Crisis glory, with Hawkman looking every bit the warrior from another planet, and Hawkwoman (they call her "Hawkgirl," but if this is Shadow War era, Shay is Hawkwoman by this point) looking suitably sleek and powerful.  I especially like the glare in Katar's eyes and the contrast of Shayera's mask hiding her expression.  The "Gotham City" sign coupled with the solicit suggests to me that this will take place in the ruined remains of the city, but who knows?

The Variant cover is "designed" by Chip Kidd; appropriate, as Kidd is best known as a graphic designer more than "artist" in the traditional comics sense.  I will reserve judgement until I see it, but fair warning, it's going to have to be pretty spectacular to beat that Albuquerque cover.

The rest of the solicit is the same as was previously released, but I am no less excited for it.  

As more of these solicits are revealed, I am getting more and more excited for Convergence.  Looks like DC readers should be in for a treat of a throwdown.

Image: Convergence: Hawkman #1, 2015, Rafael Albuquerque.  

Upcoming: Convergence: Nightwing/Oracle #1

DC has begun the marketing push for their upcoming Convergence event, starting with the first round of solicitations for the 40 two-part series.  One of these is Convergence: Nightwing/Oracle, which features the Flashpoint versions of Hawkman and Hawkgirl!  Take it away, Newsarama:

CONVERGENCE: NIGHTWING/ORACLE #1
Written by GAIL SIMONE
Art by JAN DUURSEMA and DAN PARSONS
Cover by JILL THOMPSON
Variant cover designed by CHIP KIDD
On sale APRIL 8 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 2, $3.99 US • RATED T
STARRING HEROES FROM THE PRE-FLASHPOINT DCU! Just as they've finally been reunited, the romance between Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon is sentenced to execution by Flashpoint Hawkman and Hawkwoman!

Some thoughts:

--Gail Simone writing Hawkman?  And Gail Simone placing said Hawkman against Nightwing and Oracle?  I don't predict this working out well for the Winged Wonder.  

--On the other hand, Jan Duursema drawing the Hawks is a welcome surprise!  I have been working my way through Hawkman Volume 3, and in the early days of that series (and the latter days of Hawkworld), her work was almost always a treat.  So it should be good to see her handle them once again.

--I don't remember the Hawks playing much of a role in Flashpoint; but to be fair, I didn't read Flashpoint so maybe I just missed it.  The Jill Thompson cover really works the "Conan with wings" vibe, which I am cool with.  The offset emblem on the chest harness is a nice asymmetrical touch as well.  

I am going to be picking and choosing which Convergence books I get, but if you put the Hawks front and center, I am going to be pretty severely tempted.  I normally would not buy a Bat-book written by Simone, but I think my curiosity has been piqued enough to check this one out.  What do you folks think, will you be checking this miniseries out?

Image: Convergence: Nightwing/Oracle #1, 2015, Jill Thompson.