This is the Point Where You Begin to Care
The Good
I will admit, I read issues 1-3 and dropped it off my pull list since then. From what I was told after finally picking it up again.... I didn't miss much either. That left a sour taste in my mouth before I even opened the book.
I've been a Philip Tan fan since his short run on Green Lantern and was surprised he left the book. I do recall the art being beautiful and that was an initial draw for me on issue 1. So when the book opened to Joe Bennett, MY JAW DROPPED. I mean, what do you think of a hawk; elegant, mean, and large. Yet somehow, that described the art. Take away all text and it's still a great issue.
Writing itself was good too. Where do you go from a starting story arc that felt like it was going nowhere to something that can get traction? I felt like that was the underlining question. For me, a Hawkman series needs two things; brute action and to be history involved. We see the action, maybe the history lesson will come later. Not only that, I can tell it may go somewhere.
The Bad
I know this was Rob's jumping on point, but having him say "A hawk is a bird of prey. A hawk hunts and kills in order to survive" felt redundant to who Hawkman is. The series title itself says that for you, The SAVAGE Hawkman. We saw this once, let's try not to have it repeated for the rest of the run.
Also, Rob is a FANTASTIC artist... but not for the covers. His art says bright and highlighted as this book's tone is opposite of that. Sure he wears gold, but even that's not simmering all the time. If I saw this cover, I would think less of the book (as that was my first reaction). If Joe did the cover, I would no doubt stop and be intrigued.
Rating
4/5
- Keep up the great art
- Lets see the traction build as I know it will
- He's Hawkman, describing what a hawk is can go without from now on
