Who is Hawkman in ‘Black Adam?’

Hawkman has one of the most convoluted histories in all of DC Comics, and that’s saying something for a company that’s been in business for over 80 years. His origin in Black Adam will be streamlined for audiences to understand him more easily, and one can hardly blame making this decision.

Aldis Hodge will be playing Carter Hall/Hawkman: a warrior with a tragic past who has a falling out with Black Adam, played by Dwayne Johnson. He’s an archeologist, a reincarnated Egyptian prince, and the leader of the Justice Society of America, the superteam that’s been put in charge of stopping Black Adam’s rampage in Kahndaq. Hawkman is a highly skilled and powerful warrior who’s seen in the trailer using his trusty mace to do some serious damage. He can fly using powerful wings, and his goal is to bring the JSA together whilst bringing stability to the world. The main problem standing in the way of that is Black Adam.

The Golden Age

Hawkman was introduced in the pages of Flash Comics #1 by Gardner Fox and Dennis Neville. Carter Hall was a research scientist who touches an Egyptian dagger made of Nth metal (a foreign metal with gravity-negating effects) and suddenly remembers his past life. He was once Prince Khufu of ancient Egypt, and Chay-Ara was the love of his life. They were both killed by the powerful Egyptian priest Hath-Set who used that same dagger to kill them, but Khufu vowed revenge on the villain before dying.

He awoke in present-day New York, City with his memories of his life as Prince Khufu intact, piecing together that the special properties of the Nth metal allowed him to reincarnate. He met Shiera Sanders after an incident in the subway, and it became evident that she was the reincarnation of Chay-Ara. A man named Anton Hastor was the one responsible for the catastrophe in the subway and he turned out to be the reincarnation of Hath-Set who fashioned a costume based on the god Horus using Nth metal. Hawkman defeated Hath-Set, used the Nth metal for his own weaponry and equipment, teamed up with Shiera (who became Hawkgirl), and became a charter member of the JSA.

The Silver Age

Hawkman took on more science fiction elements in the Silver Age. In this origin story, Katar was born on Thanagar, an alien planet filled with hawk-like life forms with Nth metal deposits. His father was scientist Paran Katar who created wings that allowed them to fly with increased speed and agility. When Man-Hawks attacked Thanagar, Patar created a helmet for the planet’s forces as they mounted a defense. Years later, Katar would wear his father’s inventions and become a police officer who was matched with a rookie named Shayera (history repeats). The two fell in love, as was their fate, and they married at the giant waterfall known as the Veil of Vallmora.

Crisis on Infinite Earths

1985’s Crisis on Infinite Earths was DC’s George Perez and Marv Wolfman crossover mega-event to bring order to the timeline. The superheroes of multiple Earths are brought together to stop their universes from being destroyed. After the event, there is but one Earth, New Earth, featuring a streamlined history for the DC Universe. You’d think this would’ve simplified Hawkman’s story but it did not.

After COIE, Carter, Shiera, and the JSA were trapped in Ragnorok and entrenched in continuous battle. They escaped during the Armageddon Inferno event and later met and fought Katar Hol II, Shayera Thal of Thanagar. In ZeroHour Crisis in Time by Dan Jurgens and Jerry Ordway, they met them again and merged with each other (and with a Hawk god too). Katar Hol was reborn, but his love Shiera didn’t survive the transition.

The Modern Age

Hawkman dies in a battle against the psionic alien Despero near the end of DC’s New 52 era, and post-DC Rebirth, Carter Hall is resurrected by Hawkgirl. In Dark Days: The Forge by James Tynion IV, Scott Snyder, Andy Kubert, Jim Lee, and John Romita Jr., his origin now harkens back to his classic origin where he’s the Egyptian Prince Khufu with extraordinary visions. Now, he remembers his other lives across various worlds and universes and some even exist at the same time. Hawkman doesn’t have the simplest history, but no one can say he’s not interesting.