HAWKWORLD: Now Just a Hawkworld Minute! #003: It's All in the First Story

#003: It's All in the First Story

Hawkman and Hawkgirl first appeared in Flash Comics No. 1 (released on November 20, 1939), and they have evolved in many ways over the years. Yes, their costumes, weapons, and even origins have changed in some ways, but if a comics fan ever wants to understand the basics of the characters, they can go to the very first story by Gardner Fox. In this very first story, we can find the origin and keys to every Hawkman story. Carter Hall (Prince Khufu) and Shiera Sanders (Chay-ara) appeared together and reincarnation was introduced as a focal point of their story. A variation of similar-sounding names has continued to connect them to the silver age of comics and beyond. Carter Hall was introduced as a wealthy research scientist and archaeologist who owned a huge collection of ancient weapons and artifacts. We were also introduced to the origin of Hawkman's costume, powers, and weapons. Hawkman was the first DC Comics hero to fully have the power of flight, even before Superman or Green Lantern. The Nth Metal (Ninth Metal) which gives Hawkman his powers also made its first appearance in the very first story. It served as a memory trigger that would later be used in future stories. Their very first villain made his debut here as well. Hath-Set (Anton Hastor) would continue to show up and battle the Hawks over the years. Seeing how the foundation of Hawkman has remained mostly intact throughout the decades, you can see the genius of the creator.