| Comic Review | Drew Clements |
Hawkman
#42 - "Aftermath"
Writers: Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Artists: Steve Sadowski and Drew Geraci
Colorist: Sno Cone
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Assistant Editor: Harvey Richards
Editor: Stephen Wacker
Plot: Kendra recovers from the beating Hawkman gave
her a few issues ago just in time to find out that he's
dead. Another villain from the Hawks' past returns!
Comments:
The Purple Pilgrim, a pretty freaky villain, returns to
exact his vengeance on the Saunders family. With Kendra
recovering in a hospital bed and Speed at her side, the
villain figures on taking them both out at one time.
Unfortunately for him, Golden Eagle is on hand to deal some
damage to his minions and Kendra wakes up just in time.
After putting the villain off their trail for a while,
Golden Eagle and Speed explain just what has taken place
since she was put into the hospital by Carter. She blames
Golden Eagle for allowing Carter to be killed by the
Manhawks and GE flies off, admitting his shortcoming in
protecting Hawkman.
The Purple Pilgrim shows back up a little later on and
Hawkgirl, using the Claw of Horus, does a little ass-kicking
of her own. This is all before a surprise ending that'll
leave you with more than a few questions...
Okay, I've waited to do this, but I'm going to ahead and
make it official right here: I'm enjoying Gray and
Palmiotti's run on this book more than I did Geoff Johns'.
There, I said it! Johns brought the character back in the
pages of JSA and started this book off with a great series
of issues, but Gray and Palmiotti have built upon that and
made this book their own. Much in the style of Mr. Johns
they've brought respectability to villains Hawkman hasn't
seen in years, but they've done so without detracting from
the storyline, whereas Johns went on a multi-month run where
we barely saw The Flash in his own book! Sure, it was still
great writing, but I buy The Flash because I want to see The
Flash!
I really miss Joe Bennett's art. Sadowski's (who did great
work on JSA) and Garaci's work is good stuff, but Bennett's
fits this book so well. No offense to these guys, but I'm
hoping they're just filling in for a month.
So, the excellence that is Hawkman continues. Of all the
comics that I pick up on a regular basis, this is the one
that I look forward to most (okay, for a while it was
Concrete: The Human Dilemma, but that was a mini!) If you've
been riding the fence as to whether you should pick up this
book or not, then do yourself a favor and run out and grab
issue number 41, which should leave you breathless. When
you're done with that one, pick this up. If you have the
extra money though, I suggest going back and picking up
their first issue on the title, #28 and then getting the
rest.