All throughout November, guest writers will be weighing in on fandom, specifically guest writers who identify strongly with characters, teams, or franchises online. Each piece will feature a personal look at why a writer gravitates to a character, what keeps their interest, and — most importantly — a set of reading recommendations for folks looking to better understand that character.

Today, Tim Board of the @HawkWorld_ Twitter account writes about his favorite character, Hawkman…

Why I Love Hawkman

Hawkman has always meant many things to me, and it has evolved over the years. When I first discovered Hawkman, his sense of duty, his image, his power of flight, his Thanagarian background, and his relationship with Hawkgirl were all incredibly interesting, and, as such, I couldn’t get enough of him.

As the years have passed, his power (or curse, depending on your point of view) of reincarnation has added many layers to the character. He was a prince, a priest, a samurai, a knight, a detective, and many other people in past lives. He is the father of Hector Hall, who was Dr. Fate for a while. He is the grandfather of Daniel Hall, also known as Sandman or Dream of the Endless. He was the ancestor of Jonathan Kent in a former life.

He was the first DC superhero who could actually fly, even before Superman or Green Lantern. For me, he is the premier aerial fighter of the DC Universe.

The recent Hawkman series has greatly expanded the legend of Hawkman. He has lived for millennia, with lives on Rann, New Genesis, Krypton, in the Microverse, and many, many other places. He has reincarnated across time and space. He is all about exploration and discovery. He will go on to live for thousands of years.

He has changed in many ways over the years, and some people continually complain about him as being “confusing” but I do not see him that way. No matter which version it is, he is Hawkman and he makes my life more interesting and exciting.

How I Met Hawkman

Back in 1977, when I was 13 years old, I came across the 1976 DC Calendar. On the back cover, there was a picture of several Justice League heroes. Of all the heroes, Hawkman immediately caught my eye. He was flying. He had wings. He was bare-chested with a harness and a brightly colored costume. I was intrigued by this character and set out to find out more about him.

I quickly discovered that he did not have his own comic, but he was a member of the Justice League of America. So, I faithfully bought that comic every month, hoping he would appear in it. Thanagar, Midway City, his mace, his spaceship, his adversaries called the Shadow Thief and Gentleman Ghost, his friendship with the Atom — all of these things thrilled me, and I became a Hawkfan for life. -Tim Board

Hawkman Comics Recommendations

Hawkman has had seven regular series and 5 mini-series since his debut in 1939. Of those series here are my favorites in chronological order:

Hawkman by Gardner Fox and Joe Kubert (1989): This trade came out in 1989, but it has the Brave and the Bold #34-36 and #42-44 issues which introduced Hawkman and Hawkgirl to the Silver Age of comics. It is a fun and brilliant run by the creator of Hawkman and the best Hawkwman artist ever. The trade is not too hard to find so it is definitely worth picking up.
Showcase #101-103 (1978): This is a three-issue mini-series by Jack Harris and Al Milgrom. It beautifully showcases the Hawkman of that time and the friendship Katar and Shayera have with Adam Strange.
The Shadow War of Hawkman (1985): This is a four-issue mini-series that was followed by a special issue and then Hawkman’s second solo series. It was written by Tony Isabella, with art by Richard Howell. The Thanagarians were terrifying, the relationship between Katar and Shayera was beautifully written and drawn, and it ended way too soon.
Hawkworld (1989): This is the series that blew up everything and eventually caused the continuity headaches. However, the three-issue mini-series by Tim Truman is an absolute masterpiece. The drama, the tension, the story about an imperfect hero rising out of the ashes to become a true hero inspires to this day. And the absolute badass Hawkwoman really livened things up.
Legend of the Hawkman (2000): This is a three-issue mini-series by Benjamin Raab and Michael Lark. It is a beautiful story about Katar Hol’s love for his wife Shayera and how he discovers what he places his faith in.
Hawkman Vol. 4 (2002-2006): Geoff Johns’ series on Hawkman takes the reincarnation angle head on and introduces the many lives he lived in the past. His dysfunctional relationship with the new Hawkgirl Kendra Saunders becomes a drawback, but the series is still one of the best ever. It also features art by Rags Morales, one of the best Hawkman artists ever.
Hawkman Vol. V (2018-2020): The recently-concluded Hawkman series by Robert Venditti is the best Hawkman series ever. Any new fan can pick it up and discover what Hawkman is all about. The discovery of Hawkman’s true origin and the long-awaited reunion with Shayera is just what the Hawkfan ordered. Venditti promised a sweeping adventure of Exploration and discovery and he delivered.