[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Robert Venditti
Pencils: Bryan Hitch
Inkers: Andrew Currie & Bryan Hitch
Colors: Jeremiah Skipper
Letters: Starking & Comicraft
Summary
Hawkman activated his new power which caused dozens of Hawkmen to emerge from his body. They are all the past lives of Hawkman and together they engage the Deathbringer army.
While the two, winged armies battle one another in the air, Idamm and Carter aka Hawkman battle on the ground below. It becomes a brawl that Carter believes he wins when he stabs Idamm with a spear. But Idamm surprises him with a new power of his own. Idamm cannot be killed.
Unfortunately, the sheer number of Deathbringers slowly begin to gain the advantage over the Hawkman army.
Positives
Another all-action issue, but this time it isn’t just Carter Hall! Now we get to see all the popular versions on Hawkman in battle plus some new ones. Hawkmen such as the Dragon of Barbatos which we saw in Scott Snyder’s Dark Nights: Metal, Catar-Ol of Krypton, Silent Knight of Britain, Nighthawk of the old west, Katar Hol of the Hawkworld Thanagar and many others.
When Carter Hall prevailed over Idamm, I felt it was over too quickly, but was relieved to find it was far from over when Idamm revealed his own new power. I wasn’t just relieved because the battle would have been anti-climactic, I was relieved because I actually don’t want Carter Hall to kill him. I think Idamm makes the perfect villain for Hawkman in the long run and would like to see their rivalry expand over time. Then again, reincarnation is a major theme in Hawkman, so even if he is killed, it doesn’t mean it is the last we see of Idamm.
Negatives
This issue was an action-issue only. Other than revealing Idamm’s immortality, it didn’t do much to advance the story. But I’m not sure that’s a negative per se. It reads like a penultimate chapter and I think the point of this issue is to have fun showing the various Hawkmen in action, which it does it well.
Verdict
Another fast-paced issue in overall stellar series. I may have many complaints about the direction DC Comics are heading in right now, but this is a title that is consistently fantastic and makes me excited to read with each issue.
I’m looking forward to seeing how Venditti and Hitch wrap up this arc, but at the same time I know that means Hitch will be moving onto another book. It will be sad to see him go, I just hope the next artist compliments Venditti’s writing as well as he did.
