The Justice League has fallen apart. Where does that leave Hawkgirl? Your Major Spoilers review of Hawkgirl #1 from DC Comics awaits!
HAWKGIRL #1
Writer: Jadzia Axelrod
Artist: Amancay Nahuelpan
Colorist: Adriano Lucas
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Editor: Dave Wielgosz and Kristy Quinn
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 18, 2023
Previously in Hawkgirl: Kendra Saunders, the winged warrior better known as Hawkgirl, has been one of the DCU’s greatest heroes for a long time, serving as a member of both the Justice League and the Justice Society. But with the Justice League disbanded, Kendra decides she needs a fresh start and heads to Metropolis to begin a new life. That life is quickly interrupted by a mysterious villain with a powerful connection to the Nth metal that makes up Hawkgirl’s wings and weapons.
MEANWHILE, IN METROPOLIS
We open in the past, with a young girl named Maureen and a magical creature known as Vulpecula. The fox offers young Maureen a boon, so long as she wears a particular necklace every day, and tells her that at some point, she will return for the second part of the bargain. In the present, Black Canary, Power Girl, Superman, and Hawkgirl are fighting an invasion of alien Helioans, with Hawkgirl having to deflect personal questions about her new life in the city. She gets a distraction when the young alien hero, Galaxy, arrives to turn the tide, deactivating all the invaders with one wave of her hand. For some reason, Hawkgirl responds very badly to this, dressing the new kid down for her impulsiveness and setting out for home. As for Maureen, she is also living in Metropolis when Vulpecula returns after fifty years, taking her to a secret underground cave and revealing that her necklace is infused with Nth Metal. The fox-lady is now ready to call upon the Nth-energy infusing her body.
And also causes Hawkgirl to crash from the sky into Galaxy’s apartment, looking quite dead.
A SIGN OF BAD THINGS TO COME
This issue opens with the introduction of Vulpecula, which is very interesting and told like a traditional fairy tale, giving us a glimpse into her existence and her plot involving Maureen. It’s actually more background than we get for Kendra herself, save for some references to her membership in the JSA, the League, and The Birds of Prey. There’s also a joke about her tenure as Lady Blackhawk, which means that not only is her entire New Earth history once again canonical, the strange stuff during Dark Nights: Death Metal still happened as well. This is my introduction to Galaxy, who gets a couple of nice moments as well, including a phone call to Nia Nal, The Dreamer, who apparently dispatched her specifically to help Hawkgirl. The art is quite good throughout, and I like the way it meshes with the coloring. The battle sequence at the beginning of the issue is particularly attractive, and the last page splash of Hawkgirl unconscious, with her wings unfurled is pretty remarkable as well.
BOTTOM LINE: A STRONG FIRST CHAPTER
Aside from the fact that I wanted more Hawkgirl in the issue, Hawkgirl #1 is a pretty impressive first issue, giving us a new city, a new villain, and the makings of a new supporting cast, with strong art and an effective cliffhanger for 3.5 out of 5 stars overall. Honestly, I’m just glad to see her at a point where she’s not defined by a relationship with Hawkman or the Martian Manhunter
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HAWKGIRL #1
It's a charming issue, albeit one that focuses on the villains and supporting characters more than our hero.
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Writing7
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Art8
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Coloring7
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