CBR: This Controversial Green Lantern Corps Romance Needs to Be Avoided at All Costs

 

   The fan backlash against Hawkwoman (Shayera Hol II) apparently being paired up with John Stewart continues in another great article by Timothy Blake Donohoo. Shayera recently has appeared in the Green Lantern Corps series by Jeremy Adams and Morgan Hampton. When Shayera went to the Green Lanterns for help after Thanagar was destroyed, it was apparent that she has some sort of history with John Stewart. No details have been given, but John Stewart appeared to dread seeing her again. Shayera seemed a bit flirty with him in a couple of scenes. Donohoo focuses on John Stewart's position in the DC universe, or lack of one, but also reminds readers how great the Hawkman series by Robert Venditti was for the Hawks and how it brought them back together. 

From Donohoo:

His most notable character trait was his romance with Hawkgirl, a.k.a. Shayera Hol. John Stewart replaced Hawkman as her love interest, to the point where Hawkman was reduced to essentially a lovesick stalker. This change wasn't well-received among some fans, and despite how much his boring new personality was part and parcel with his new marine background, it was later added to the comics.

   The way in which the Hawks, especially Hawkman, was absolutely horrible and a huge insult to Hawkman fans. The writers have have been trying to give Hawkgirl and John Stewart their own history in the DC Universe, but it didn't really take off. With the brilliant series  that Venditti gave us to reunite the Hawks, it would be a huge mistake for DC Comics' to try and bring that into the comics mainstream. 

Donohoo:

   The Hawkman run by writer Robert Venditti was veritably acclaimed by fans, as it primarily helped make his history a lot less confusing. It also showcased how Hawkman and Hawkwoman are destined for each other, with the two living long into the future with a love as old as time itself. Venditti's Hawkman was arguably a casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the lower sales of the title being a death sentence when it was cut short.

   Still, it remains beloved by many, with fans regarding it as the run that finally "fixed" the character. It also put Hawkman and Hawkwoman on a great path, especially with their renewed ties to both the Justice League and the Justice Society of America (the latter of which was having a resurgence of its own in DC's brief "New Golden Age" titles). Sadly, this wasn't built upon, with the main use of the Hawkman legacy being a poorly-received miniseries featuring Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl (who's a separate character from Hawkwoman).

   Donohoo is spot on and I agree with him 100%. If you haven't read the series by Venditti, please go check it out. You won't regret it. It ran for 29 issues from August 2018 to January 2021. It is in four trades. An omnibus for it hasn't been released yet (but we're getting yet another omibus of Geoff Johns' Hawkman run! yay...). There was a Hawkgirl 6-issue series in 2023, but it was... I really don't know what it was. It was just bad. You can ignore that one altogether. It's only been a year since its release but most have forgotten it. 

   Currently, Hawkman (Carter Hall III) and Hawkgirl (Kendra Saunders II) are fighting together with the Justice Society in the JSA series by Jeff Lemire. However, there is no indication whatsoever that they are in love or pining/ resisting each other. Meanwhile, Hawkwoman is in the Green Lantern Corps series. We'll have to wait and see what will happen between her and John Stewart. Let's hope the comics doesn't make the mistake that the cartoon series did. Stay tuned. 

Check out Timothy Blake Donohoo's article on CBR! 

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