[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Robert Venditti
Pencils: Bryan Hitch
Inkers: Andrew Currie & Bryan Hitch
Colors: Jeremiah Skipper
Summary
Hawkman and Idamm are fighting in the streets of London while the Deathbringer army begins grabbing people off the ground. Xanadu joins the fight against Idamm, but is quickly subdued by the numerous Deathbringers.
Hawkman is able to save her life, but Idamm points out that he might be able to save her but not everyone that is being captured. Hawkman quickly takes to the air to save as many as he can.
Hawkman feels that he is about to time-slip again but forces it to subside so he can save the people of London. But there are too many Deathbringers and they overpower him.
All appears lost until a new power is awakened in Hawkman.
Positives
The action continues full force in this issue. I had no idea how Hawkman was going to stand a chance against the Deathbringer army, but Venditti created a new power for Hawkman that makes the chances of Hawkman winning a believable possibility.
Major spoiler warning!
When Hawkman is cornered by the army and it appears to be the end for him, it’s as if he was able to re-channel his time-slip ability and instead of him going to the past, he brought forth all his past lives as a Hawkman army. The scene is amazing and Hitch’s artwork of the Hawkman army is nothing short of incredible.
Negatives
I don’t have any negatives about this issue at all, but I do have concerns. This new power of Hawkman’s is quite an amazing power, there needs to be a limitation on it, otherwise Hawkman is unstoppable. I’m confident Venditti has a plan, but I just hope this doesn’t become the go-to move for future writers.
Verdict
I have loved Venditti’s writing since his excellent run on Valiant’s X-O Manowar. His following title, Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps run never disappointed and Hal Jordan is my favorite character, so I was always extra critical. But I have to say, Venditti was born to write Hawkman.
Hitch’s artwork compliments the story and Venditti’s writing perfectly, which is something that, unfortunately isn’t always the case. So often the writer deserved a different artist or the artist carries the writer, but in this case, the two of them work perfectly together.
The quality in writing and artwork from Hawkman (and Doomsday Clock) are the reasons I still collect comic books. They make me excited to pick up the next issue every time. If you haven’t read Venditti’s and Hitch’s Hawkman yet, I highly recommend you go out and get the entire run.
