Review: Hawk And Dove #6

So I just don't know where to begin my review of Hawk and Dove #6. Perhaps the bottom line is the best place.

I am dropping the title.

Maybe the best place to start this review is going back to the very nature of the New 52 relaunch. The way it has sounded in a variety of places is that creators 'pitched' there ideas about titles to DC and the powers-that-be in the company gave the green light to the pitch that had the most merit or sales appeal. But someone somewhere must have liked the idea enough to say 'go for it'.

So as a reader, when I have seen many of the first 52 undergo 'new directions' and 'new creative teams' before the book is a half a year old, it makes me question the wisdom of the people making creative decisions. It also makes me wonder if DC has the guts to give a solid story the chance to gain a word of mouth buzz before pulling the plug due to low sales.

Case in point, Hawk and Dove. I am sure Sterling Gates made a pitch about the nature of the avatars, an interesting wrinkle between Dawn and Don, all while rolling in some older threads and characters. And yet after 4+ issues, and admittedly lower sales, Gates was shown the door and Rob Liefeld was given the reins of the book. And just like that, an interesting story arc is truncated and swept under the rug.

And to add insult to injury to those of us who enjoyed the initial premise, DC then cancelled the book. Why not let Gates and his initial pitch run the course of the book if it was going to go away in a couple of months anyways?

Instead we get Hawk and Dove #6, a book riddled with inconsistencies, bizarre characterization, and plenty of big splashy panels and double page spreads making it feel like a 10page story spread out over 20 pages. And this book added very little to the characters or the story so far.

Even the cover seems off as it makes it seem like there is no Hawk in the book. But Hawk is here. This isn't Batman and Dove as much as Hawk and Dove, guest starring Batman and Robin.

I spoke of inconsistencies and the thing that gets me is that Rob Liefeld both wrote and drew the book. So there really should be no inconsistencies.

So the book opens with Hawk being chased/fighting old Batman villain around the rooftops of Gotham. So if it one thing I have learned in these six issues, Rob Liefeld loves rooftops and warehouses. Anyways, we get several pages of a slugfest with lots of closeups of Hawk like above.

But on page 6 we find out that Blockbuster was chasing Hawk to get an amulet that Hawk happens to be wearing. Except where was that amulet the first 5 pages. Certainly not in the first panel I showed (or any others before this one). Inconsistent.

There isn't much discussion about the amulet, where it comes from, its powers, or why Hawk decided that wearing it loosely around his neck was the best way to protect it.

Blockbuster takes off, but before Hawk can give chase, he is wrapped up by a bat-rope thrown by Robin. If this is Damian, he looks about 10yrs too old. This looks like Tim Drake. Inconsistent.

Now why Robin would stop the hero and not the known supervillain behemoth, I can't explain.

It does lead to some sassing between Hawk and Robin. Really, Hawk is going to get into a schoolboy tiff with a 12 yr old? And then the avatar of war lands a straight kick to Robin's jaw. Now earlier we saw Hawk slug Blockbuster and rattle the brute. So shouldn't this kick explode Damian's head? Inconsistent.

Batman shows up, growling that Gotham is his city and Hawk and Dove need to play by his rules. It turns out that Blockbuster is the errand boy for the Necromancer who is gathering magic items to do some spell. And where is she doing it? In a warehouse. At least it isn't on a rooftop.

Batman and Hawk fight Blockbuster. Batman lands a punch to Blockbuster which makes him groggy enough for Hawk to finish him off. But earlier, a Hawk right hook to the chin followed by a Dove (said to be stronger than Hawk in this issue) kick to the chops doesn't even slow Blockbuster down. So is Batman stronger than them?

And then Batman casually asks if 'all the avatars of war' are as strong as Hawk. But Hawk just learned about their existence. So how does Batman know? I know ... because he's Batman. But it felt off and seemed to downplay the importance of the revelation in the last arc.

Meanwhile, Dove grabs the amulet, breaking the spell.

Here is another inconsistency that irked me. Robin says his left jab, right uppercut combo is stopping Necromancer. But that's a right cross not an uppercut. Again, this is Liefeld drawing Liefeld's words. They should be consistent.

I always say comics work best when words and images complement each other. When they are out of synch, it makes for lousy reading.

And just like that the book is over with the heroes striking a classic team-up pose. But it feels forced, not natural. Doesn't anyone believe in looking someone in the face when having a conversation?

Batman says that if the two can learn to work together they might be a valuable addition to the hero community. But this isn't a 'new' Hawk and Dove. They have been around for a while, especially Hawk. So Batman talking about them as if they are rookies felt wrong.

Anyways, so this book felt like something of a scramble. And there was nothing about it that makes me want to read the last 2 issues of the run. And it's a shame because the threads about the avatars mythos in the first issues and the Dawn/Don connection won't be resolved.

But that means that DC thought that THIS book was a better direction than the way the book was going the first 4 issues. And that is the scariest thing about this issue. Because it makes me worry.

Overall grade: F

Review: Hawk And Dove #5

Hawk and Dove #5 came out last week and was co-written by Sterling Gates and Rob Liefeld, the transition issue for the creative team. Rob Liefeld is taking over as writer and artist on the title starting next month. And boy, does this feel like a transition issue. It almost feels like two half-issues. And, unfortunately, it probably means the end of me getting this title.


The thing about this title so far is that it has been a pleasing mix of wild action and some deeper mysteries behind the heroes' powers. What is the War Circle? What is the Don/Dawn mystery? Who is Condor? Why is he old? Why did Condor create ... or even need Swan as a back-up? On top of that there was the usual smoldering question of why these two very different heroes team up.

Unfortunately, this seems as though this issue was meant to simply truncate the arc, to just end the storyline without many answers, to wipe the slate clean for the next issues. And frankly,  it was the mysteries more than the wild action that had me coming back.

The issue starts with the kidnapped Deadman trapped in crystal and being used by Condor and Swan as a key to open up a portal to a 'magic world'. Let's remember that they are entering a 'magic realm' as that plays into a quibble coming up.

But also we have the hint of a betrayal here as Condor talks about things lining up nicely for him, rather than for them (he and Swan). I liked the idea of a villainous Dove in Swan. We have seen Kestrel and Condor. Swan was something of a new idea.

This double page spread was previewed over on DC, so I don't mind showing all of it.

The heroes are seen chasing a demon across some D.C. rooftops as they try to get some information about Deadman's whereabouts. It is a nice introspective couple of pages for Hawk and Dove. We hear more about Hank's relationship with Don, something I hoped would be flash-backed or commented on in this title. And we hear more hints about the secrets in Dawn's past. About how she would prefer to act alone.

There is some interesting stuff hinted at here. It is this stuff that made me come back to this title.

After learning something from the demon, we get another good moment between Hank and Dawn.

Hank wants to talk to Dawn about some of his concerns, but he wants to do it as people. For someone as bull-headed, as brash, as concrete as Hank, this has to be considered a big moment. He is worried about Dawn and Boston's relationship. He is worried that Deadman is affecting Dawn somehow, making her angry and violent. And he is worried that Deadman endangers them. After all, Condor found them because of Deadman. It is a good character moment for Hank, showing a depth to him that we don't often see.

Dawn doesn't want to hear it. In fact, showing some of that impetuous and violent new nature she smashes a chimney ... while in human form! It seems very out of character ... but I think that's the point. Something is different here.

But this is where the 'Gates-feeling' half of the issue ends. I could be wrong and maybe the whole issue was co-written. But the issue takes a left hand turn.

The demon the two heroes defeated lead them to a magical doorway, hidden in a movie theater.

This leads them to the 'magical realm' that Condor escaped to. Except, this chaos realm looks like ... city rooftops?? This seems wrong. Or maybe lazy?

And that isn't all that we see.

Condor has mutated to a more monstrous form.

Swan is dead ... eaten by Condor as she had fulfilled her purposes.

Deadman also has been 'eaten'.

So all of that stuff happened off screen? And Swan is dead? What was her purpose? Why did he need her? And why did he need to kill her? And why did he mutate further? And what about the War Circle?

It is as if a bunch of plot lines were simply cut, ended.

One new wrinkle to the mysteries is the reveal that Dove isn't part of the War Circle. Okay, I assumed that there was a Peace Circle as well and that the avatars are linked somehow. Instead we learn that Dove is something bigger that that.

Will these Dove mysteries be revealed?

And again Dawn's trouble origin is hinted at again. We once again hear her say the 'things she needed to do' to survive before she got her powers. Again, it was these mysteries about the nature of the heroes' origins that grabbed me on this title.

But before we can learn more, the Condor fight ends. Dove somehow uses her peace energy in a new way, or re-opens the wound Swan gave her last issue. Either way, she somehow shoots a beam of energy out of her belly which immolates and dissipates Condor.

It all seems too easy. What is this power? Did she know she could do this? Did she know what it would do? And what happened to Condor?

So four issues of plot lines are finished in about four pages. Condor and Swan are dead without really much of an explanation of what they were hoping to accomplish, why they needed each other, why they needed Dove, etc. The slate is clean ... but I wanted answers.

And, again unexplained, Deadman is not dead dead. He is somehow back alive, albeit in his spirit form. He, like Hank, realizes he threatens Dove by hanging around her and he doesn't want to hurt her. He ends their relationship because it could harm both of them. While I am glad Deadman is out of Dove's life (I never quite understood it), this should have had more punch than a quickie break-up in four panels.

And while Hank consoles Dove, this is done in a tiny last panel. And that moment deserved more time, a way to build off the earlier conversation or show how these two care about each other.

Next issue is all Rob Liefeld, a Dove solo story as she teams up with Batman. So that is that. We are forced to hit the pause button on whatever is left of the mysteries of the first four issues.

Anyways, part of the draw of this book from it's inception was Sterling Gates' presence. After seeing how he handled characterization and relationships in Supergirl, I thought he would handle Hank and Dawn very well. And I also felt like he would be able to bring a fresh approach to the mythology of the avatars. And we saw the roots of that in the first 4.5 issues.

But frankly, the way this was all wrapped up, I doubt that Rob Liefeld is going to be able to write the sort of Hawk and Dove book I want. I'll give next issue a try. But I wonder if this is my jumping off point.

Overall grade: C-

Review: Hawk & Dove #4

Hawk and Dove #4 came out last week and continued to keep me engaged as a reader by balancing the mystery of the avatars while doling out great action scenes. It is as interesting a dualism as the main character's traits.

And while I like a good punch-em-up as much as anybody (maybe carve-em-up is more apt here), it is the background myth of the avatars that is the big draw for me here. And we aren't getting clues via exposition, by the characters finding an old tome or running into a wizened elder who can rattle off the whole spiel. Instead writer Sterling Gates is slowly unveiling information in an organic way, through action and through comments people are making. It makes for a much more satisfying read because it isn't just easy revealing. And the fact that Hawk and Dove are as lost as me lets me identify a bit more.

But woven into these small reveals are wild brawls with over the top action, befitting artist Rob Liefeld's style.

The book opens with Hawk and Dove interrogating Condor in his human form. Condor is an old guy and awful smug for someone staring down the barrels of multiple guns and 2 super-heroes.

Of course the standard scans like fingerprints and identification come up empty. I am still saying that this guy became Condor some time in the more distant past. That when Condor, he is powered up and vital. But as a human he reverts to his normal age, maybe even more preserved.

Maybe the avatars of war come about during times of great strife? Could he be the avatar from WWI?

In any case, he isn't saying anything.

Hawk asks for some alone time with Condor prompting an interesting conversation between Dove and Officer Watanabe. Throughout this book, there have been some hints that there might be a darker undercurrent to Dawn/Dove. Who does keep her in check?

Is part of this darkness based in her origin? Her vague encounter with Don? I don't know if I need Dove to be tainted. The comic world needs more pure heroes. After all, she wielded the white light and was a powerful force of good in Blackest Night.

We then flashback to Dove's battle with Swan seeing how it turned out. How did Dove beat Swan?

This was the moment of the book for me. First off, Dove seems to fire some sort of energy bolt during this fight. But more important, she hints at part of her origin that are new. What does she mean that she had to fight with people just to eat, how scum tried to do unimaginable things to her. That has never been part of her origin before. She was part of a well-to-do family and only became Dove when she rescued her mother from terrorists.

This has to be a new reveal. But what does that mean for her psyche? And how is she the avatar of peace if she has this anger inside her?

The battle ends in a stunning way when Swan filets Dove, a wound which emanates a massive amount of energy which seems to vaporize Swan.

So more mystery here and that's a good thing. What are the extent of Dove's power? What is so special about that knife?

And then Condor gives us more clues. He is out to kill the members of the War Circle. So Condor and Osprey aren't avatars for other ideals or concepts; they are also Avatars of War. This has a major 'Highlander' vibe to it. Condor wants to kill the other avatars to gain their power.

But the subtle hint is the British accent. I am sticking with my WWI soldier origin idea for Condor. Maybe he begged for power before he rushed from the trenches, fighting for yards of land?

Now I have to say I don't understand all of this.

It turns out that Swan didn't want to kill Dove, but instead use the wound to open up a conduit to another realm, allowing Swan to become a wraith? And that's because Condor is interested in Deadman as well?

This was the one part of the book that befuddled me. Why is this part of Condor's plan?

But while I don't know why Condor is interested in Deadman, his plan works. Swan is able to ethereally attack Deadman and capture him. How does this help Condor get more avatars' power?

Unless this is some way of getting Hawk and Dove to head to Nanda Parbat where they will receive some exposition about their origins from either a mystic tome or a wizened elder. (I still like the slow boil reveals better.)

Finally, in a nice way to tie in to the other running plot in the book, Condor is freed when the police station is overrun by the zombie-men of Alexander Quirk. Condor is able to slip away in the chaos.

But I like his other little comment on the way out. Why is Dove getting violent. Is she being changed by her time near Hawk? Is that what happens to Avatars of Peace, eventually they are spoiled by their comrades and burn out. Could that be why Don died?

So we are getting more and more information about the mystic tapestry of the avatars and what they represent. And, for me, that is the best part of the book. I want to learn it all ... and I want to learn it all now ... but I am savoring the ride. To be honest, it reminds me a bit of the last Hawk and Dove series, the Kesel book, when we were teased for a while with glimpses of fur under Hawk's costume and wondering just what it all meant.

This book remains a giddy pleasure amidst the new 52.

Overall grade: B+

Sales Review: October 2011

When DC announced the 'relaunch' of their universe, I was worried. In a struggling comic market, could a fanbase survive yet another reboot? Did we need another Superman origin? A 'pissed off' Supergirl? A handful of war comics?

Was this going to be a jumping on point? Or a jumping off point?

Well, if sales through the first 2 months of the DCnU are any indication, it is clearly a jumping on point. Here are the October sales, month 2 of the DCnU, as reported by ICv2:http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/21453.html

Now I know that 2 months of incredible sales don't mean much long term. And I doubt that the mainstream publicity blitz is going to last forever. But certainly, as a comic fan, I am glad to see so many books being 'sold' (whatever that means ... I understand these are books sent to stores, not necessarily bought; I know these books could be returned, and I have no idea about download numbers). If business is better, for whatever reason, I'm happy.

Supergirl #2 remained solid in sales, ranked #33 overall and selling 55,249 units. Amazingly, that is up from sales for #1 (first printing). Sales went up! I'm glad this new version seems to have captured the attention of readers.

For me, it is incredible that Supergirl is basically selling as well as New Avengers and something like X-Men Regenesis. And second printings of Supergirl #1 sold just north of 14,000.

As for my sleeper comic, Hawk and Dove #2 slipped in sales, dropping about 15% in sales. I'm not necessarily surprised by some sort of drop-off. I know I sampled a bunch of the DCnU #1's without going back for the second issue.

Three months ago, a comic selling 32K was considered a solid seller and extremely healthy. I don't think that has changed in the glaring light of increased sales. Hopefully those who stuck around for the next issue are in for the long term. I am glad this comic, a great mix of crazy action and a growing mythology, is doing well and I hope the sales hold solid.

These numbers are almost mind-boggling. I think I have to call the DCnU a huge success and say congratulations to Dan Didio, Jim Lee, and the rest of the upper echelon of the DC offices. I hope this surge in sales continues.

Review: Hawk And Dove #3

Hawk and Dove #3 came out this last week and followed the formula that Sterling Gates and Rob Liefeld have used in the first two issues. The formula is relatively easy ... slow revealing of hints about the world of avatars in the midst of fast huge wild crazy action.

Now for me, the back story, the mythology of the avatars is the part that grabs me the most. So it is a good sort of maddening that Gates is only giving us a couple of peeks, erecting a scaffolding to build these beings' history on. And I like what we have learned so far - a deeper and secret history between Don and Dawn, other avatars out there, a woman avatar gaining her power by killing another avatar, and now this issue's reveals, more clues than the prior issues. And as much as I want to learn more and learn it quickly, the slower leak of information works here only because the crazy action around it has kept me reeling.

As for the art, there are some bumps in the road that stuck out in an otherwise crazy issue. But Liefeld is really playing this book out as big, explosive, and chaotic.

Much like the new Wonder Woman comic, this is great mix of deeper story gaining in momentum in the background of over the top action. And that style is really working for me right now.

This issue picks up right where the last issue left us, with the new avatar couple Condor and Swan attacking the White House and threatening the president. Luckily, Hawk and Dove are on hand as Hank and Dawn, celebrating an award Hank's father is wining.

Condor has basically been portrayed as a killing machine, a vicious machine of destruction. But at least we see he has some motive for this random attack. He knew an attack on the White House would draw out Hawk and Dove.

We have yet to learn just what Condor is the avatar of. Destruction? Carnage? Is there some hint in the fact he is a condor, a carrion eating bird?

And I did like that Hawk says he will save the president despite not having voted for him.

In one of many insane panels in the book, Condor's teeth turn into a mouthful of fangs and he bites the head off of a secret service agent. 'In-fight snacks'! As someone who loves puns, that

So this is a small complaint but shouldn't the decapitated head have a more ragged appearing bottom? He didn't slice through this guy's neck with a blade. He bit through it. Maybe from a censor point of view it had to be smooth? But it looks like a mannequin head falling off. Too clean.

In the aftermath, Condor reveals that he knows Hawk is Hank. Hmmm ... And later he talks about how Hawk was 'birthed by a war' that Hank is unaware of. The Kesel Hawk and Dove had the avatars be the warriors of the Lords of Chaos and Order. I wonder if Gates is going to keep that intact here.

Elsewhere, Dove and Swan square off.

Swan seems just as crazy as Condor. I shouldn't be surprised given that she murdered Osprey just last issue. But here she is such a sly font of information. First, she talks about 'the circle' of avatars meaning there are more out there. Given this is a relaunch I will roll with Dawn being surprised about this talk. She's met Kestrel. Unless she is shocked to learn there are even more out there.

But Swan also talks about her own abilities and shows us a couple of new powers. First she seems to regurgitate energy swan-a-rangs into her hand which she then throws. Swans do chew their cud.

Then she shows she has a swan song. It doesn't seem to have any particular power other than to rattle her opponent. But, of course, this makes me wonder just what Hawk and Dove are capable of.

And then it seems that Condor and Swan's hope is to kill Hawk and Dove and take their power. Hmmm...

Could this be a sort of 'Highlander' thing with Condor, absorbing the energy of the other avatars until there can be only one? And is this 'swan dagger' a special weapon designed to kill the avatars?

Just another small art quibble here. This is a very good splash page but Dawn's right foot looks off.

I have said before that I hope Deadman is a short-lived part of this book. I never quite understood the Deadman/Dawn relationship (and I definitely don't like the slimy feel of it in JL Dark).

But he has a couple of good moments here. First, he seems to possess Barack Obama so he can help Judge Hall.

But the bigger moment is when he possesses Condor to help Hawk.

It is a different sort of possession has Deadman doesn't get control of the body and instead runs into this. This has to be who Condor is an avatar for, the Lord of Chaos he serves.

What the heck is that? It looks like a mash-up of Slimer from Ghostbusters, a heavy horse, and Quetzalcoatl. I hope it is a Chaos Lord. It looks chaotic. Whatever it is, it ejects Deadman from Condor.

And the freed Condor, flush with power from the 'others in the circle' he has killed, is just about to murder Hawk when Dove shows up. Hmm, maybe he is a carrion bird, eating the energy of others.

We don't know just how Dove escaped Swan but she is wielding that special dagger.

So my only problem here is that in the panel before, Condor has his cowl on. So I don't know why it is off here. Is it the attack that causes him to expose himself? Is it that he was about to kill Hawk? Or was this just a lapse in continuity page to page.

I am also surprised that Dove would go for such an obvious kill shot (although she says she knows the avatar will heal Condor from this wound).

And here is the last mystery. When Condor powers down after being healed, he is shown to be an old man. We have only seen him in Condor mode before. So is an old guy simply Condor? Or is there more to it than that?

What if, when in avatar mode, the human body still ages normally while the avatar remains perpetually young. Could this guy have become Condor decades ago but, having stayed mostly in the young vital Condor, not realize he was aging away? Could so much power have burned him out? I am going to go with the former guess. The reason we don't see it with Hank and Dove is that they change back and forth so frequently.

So I have been enjoying the thrill ride this comic has been. So a lot of 'clues' or hints about stuff this issue has really whet my appetite for more. And the battle scenes have been appropriately over the top nutty. I can't imagine anyone better suited to be drawing this comic than Liefeld.

And Gates seems to be building a more cosmic background here. I can't wait to see just how all these little reveals come together. And hopefully that supra-dimensional background and street level super-villain hijinks will give him some freedom to take the book in lots of directions.

Overall grade: B+

January 2012 Solicits

The January DC Comics solicits have been released and are up at the DC website. Here is a link:http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/comics/?dat=20120107

As all these books are just starting, these solicits tend to be more mysterious than informative for me. While some of the information is very interesting, I haven't a clue how the books get us to that point. Anyways, lots of good stuff hinted at. Here are the solicits.

SUPERGIRL #5

Written by MICHAEL GREEN and MIKE JOHNSON

Art and cover by MAHMUD ASRAR

Supergirl’s nightmare is finally over – she has left Earth and has somehow made it back to Argo City! But it’s not the home she remembers, and a deadly new adversary stands in her way. Enter: Maxima!

Well, there goes my guess for Blackstarr. I have to say Maxima as a Supergirl villain has a lot of potential. At least in the old DCU, she was powerful and would pose a decent threat for Kara. I even like the more alien look of her here.

But the big surprise here is that Argo City is still out there and reachable. That certainly adds a wrinkle to the Supergirl mythos. I wonder if Kara was in suspended animation on Argo, then automatically rocketed to Earth by some defense mechanism when the city became imperiled. I'm intrigued.

And nice cover by Asrar.

ACTION COMICS #5

Written by GRANT MORRISON

Art by ANDY KUBERT and JESSE DELPERDANG

Cover by ANDY KUBERT and JOE PRADO

Variant cover by RAGS MORALES

1:200 B&W Variant cover by ANDY KUBERT

As the assault from an alien threat takes a turn for the worse for Metropolis, keys facts about Superman’s past are brought to light for the first time! And how can certain elements from The Man of Steel’s future help to prevent the theft of the millennium? Don’t miss this awesome issue from series writer Grant Morrison and the guest art team of Andy Kubert and Jesse Delperdang!

I have loved Action Comics so far and can't wait to read Morrison's take on the origin story. I have felt that Morrison has a good grasp of the legend of Superman so I feel confidant that it will have the right vibe. I like Kubert's art and wouldn't mind if he and Morales tag-teamed the title.

SUPERMAN #5

Written by GEORGE PEREZ

Art by JESUS MERINO

Cover by GEORGE PEREZ

There is a malignancy in Metropolis that is ruining the city, and its name is Superman! The aliens who have been attacking The Man of Steel these past few issues unite to purge the Earth of Superman! The worst part? The people of Metropolis seem to agree with the aliens!

Ugh. So we already know that Perez is off the book after the next issue. But really ... you are going to start the next version of an established Superman book off by having the citizens unite with aliens to kick him off  Earth? It's one thing for cops to not understand him in Action Comics, when he has just arrived. But I have seen enough of this 'people afraid of Superman' stories. It's been the last 4 years! Between people worrying about his loyalties in New Krypton to the awful beginnings of Grounded, Superman's character has been battered. This was supposed to be a relaunch. Why not put Superman back as the role model and inspiration he should be?

SUPERBOY #5

Written by SCOTT LOBDELL

Art by R.B. SILVA and ROB LEAN

Cover by SHANE DAVIS and JONATHAN GLAPION

They created Superboy to be a weapon, not a hero. But on the eve of his conflict with the Teen Titans, Superboy will make the first truly moral choice of his short life – though he might not be prepared to live with the consequences!

Hmmm ... perhaps the end of this first arc is Superboy obtaining his freedom from NOWHERE. What I really want, even snippets of, is his origin. I suppose those are in the works. This has been a surprise winner for me in the DCnU.  Great cover by Shane Davis.

HAWK AND DOVE #5

Written by STERLING GATES

Art and cover by ROB LIEFELD

It’s a race to rescue Deadman from the clutches of Condor and Swan! Hawk and Dove go on the hunt for Dove’s ghostly lover, and it’s a race against the clock to find him before Deadman lives up to his name for good! Traverse time and space as the hunt begins and secrets are uncovered in this action-packed issue!

I have to include Hawk and Dove here because I am enjoying the title too much to not promote it.

As I have said before, the Deadman subplot is one I find the least enjoyable so hopefully that will go away at some point. But how the heck do Condor and Swan capture him? I am really hoping that Gates gets the opportunity to explore the idea of Avatars and their origins here.

But Argo City! Very interesting!

Review: Hawk And Dove #2

Hawk and Dove #2 came out last week and continued to be a high octane wild ride of a comic.

Yes, one draw to this comic is the 'pedal to the metal' action aspect. With a character like Hawk, my guess is that some physical confrontation is going to need to be in nearly every issue. And if there is one thing I think Rob Liefeld is great at it is 'big action'. 

But more importantly, the foundation of the characters and who they are looks like it is going to be as big a part of this book as the skull bashing. As I have said in the past, the concept and myth of Hawk and Dove as always been one that I have enjoyed. What does it mean to be an avatar? Where does their power come from? How are they chosen? This was explored a bit in the 1990s Karl/Barbara Kesel series. And I think that writer Sterling Gates is going to be exploring that as well. These aren't 2 people in costumes, they are representatives of War and Peace. There is a lot that could be mined there. The cool thing about that is the underlying mysteries of that background feels like it is on a slow boil as opposed to explosive action around it. It makes for a nice feel.

The book opens up with Hawk and Dove cleaning out a 'zombie robot' lab of last issue's mad scientist villain Dr. Quirk. Quirk looks to be an ongoing bad guy in the book and I love the term 'Monster of Mass Destruction'.

There is also some pure fun in watching Hawk just bash these guys into submission. Hawk really feels like a force of nature in this book so far.

Of course, this opening does mean that last issue's cliffhanger of the 'other' avatar is left unanswered.

But Dove is allowed to get into the action as well, kicking some zombie butt too!

One thing that is a driving theme in this book is the dichotomy between the main characters. They are completely different, with opposing viewpoints and styles. That is part of the draw of this book, seeing how these two people can work together. And even why should they work together?

Anyways, one way that is shown in the book is in their fighting styles. Hawk just seems to wade into battle, brawling. Contrast that to Dove who seems to have an almost surgical approach, focused for one devastatingly precise blow. That is just a great panel.

If there is one low point to the book it is the forced relationship between Dove and Deadman. Poor Boston Brand, miffed that Dawn is hanging out with Hank ... so upset he sulks off.

The Dove/Deadman romance didn't feel right in Brightest Day and here it seems to drag the comic down a bit.

Plus, I don't recall it in Brightest Day, but I don't know how Dove is talking to Deadman in his ghost form. Do they have some 'special' connection?

But for me, the juice of the issue was the discussion between the 'other' avatars in the book.

Last issue we saw this brown clad avatar Condor. It seems he has tracked down and  captured another avatar named Osprey. I like how the costumes of the male avatars have a similar feel to them although the color scheme and cowl details are all different.

Condor seems like a real bad seed, claiming to have eaten people, keeping Osprey in a state of agony so his powers don't fizzle (remember danger/injustice is what triggers Hawk and Dove's abilities). And he even seems to have an acolyte.

Now I would have loved hearing what Osprey and Condor are the avatars of. But maybe that reveal is in the future. But the fact that there may be many more avatars is very intriguing to me. Why haven't we heard of them before? What do they represent? Who do they serve.

But this was the biggest moment in the book, if only because it sets up a major reveal for our main characters in the future.

The young woman kills Osprey and in that act absorbs his avatar powers. She then transforms into Swan, a gold colored similarly garbed female avatar like Dove.

But let's think about this for a second. Female kills male avatar. Female absorbs male's power and becomes an avatar.

So what does that mean about Don and Dawn? How exactly did she get his powers? We know Don died while trying to save some kids in the Crisis (if that still is canon). We know he may not have had his powers at that time? But is there more to this story? What is the secret between Don and Dawn? And what does this gruesome scene mean.

Now I hope that Dawn didn't kill Don. But certainly this adds a big wrinkle, a huge mystery to her gaining his powers.

The rest of the issue takes place at a White House dinner honoring Hank's father.

It was nice to see Ren, Hank's erstwhile girlfriend from the prior H&D series back again. Gates has made her a reporter, having already interviewed some major politicians. I kind of need to jibe all this with the Hank and Dawn. I know Hank is thinking of going back to college ... but just how old is he? Should he have graduated by now? Could Ren have ascended so quickly while be in her early 20s?

Ren and Hank's relationship was always shaky, mostly because he is so combustible. And it looks like things haven't changed. Even as exes, they seem both irritated with each other (she is sick of him acting as Hawk, he thinks she got her job because of her looks) and attracted to each other. There is some undercurrent here of two bigger than life personalities here being drawn together.

And that sense is fueled more when Ren icily notices that Dawn is also present. Seems like Ren might be a little jealous of Hank's 'work wife'.

I think it would be tough to write Hawk and Dove long term if they were romantically linked. But there has always been that feeling there too as if two opposing halves can make a whole. I am dating myself, but it reminds me of Bruce Willis and Cybil Sheppard on Moonlighting. When they seemed attracted to each other but were fighting those feelings the show crackled. Once they got together, the energy in the show was gone. So I hope Hank and Dawn aren't going to end up together.

Of course, Condor and Swan are (for some reason) on the hunt for Hawk and crash the party endangering the lives of both Judge Hall and the President! It looks like there will be more crazy action next issue too. I doubt this cliffhanger has to be addressed. I hope there is an all out brawl!

As much as I am loving the action here, like a blockbuster crazy summer movie, it is the avatar mythology stuff that interests me the most. What is Sterling Gates plan here? And I'm mean it when I can't wait to see how the implications of Swan's origins mean in terms of Dove's. That was such a huge scene for this book.

This book seems to have it all - fun action and a deeper layer being scratched at. And I want to be an avatar in this comic. I'll be Peregrine, and make my colors dark blue. I'll be the avatar of pessimism!

Overall grade: B+