History Comicbook / Hawkman

* MythologyGag: In the ''Hawkworld Annual'', the time-traveling Katar and Shayera disguised themselves as the Golden Age Hawks, the only the Thanagarians resemble their Silver Age incarnations in the Post-Crisis universe.

* NoNameGiven: [[spoiler:Katar and Shayera's son and daughter in ''ComicBook/TheDarkKnightStrikesAgain''. The son was called Hawkboy.]]

* CanonWelding: In the 2018 series, it was revealed that Carter Hall and Katar Hol are the same person, Katar being one of Hawkman's many past reincarnations from throughout space and time and vice-versa for Shayera Hall/Kendra Saunders and Shayara Thal.

Hawkman's feature in Flash Comics ended when that book was canceled in 1949. He continued to appear in All-Star Comics until that book was cancelled in 1951, bringing DC's Golden Age of superhero comics to an end. During UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks, he was reinvented, this time as Katar Hol, a law enforcement agent from the planet Thanagar (conveniently inhabited by HumanAliens) who came to Earth (along with his partner and wife Shayera) to study Earth's crimefighting techniques, and they assumed the identities of museum curators Carter and Shiera Hall. They also acted as superheroes (using their Thanagarian uniforms) and became known as Hawkman and Hawkgirl (later renamed Hawkwoman). They soon joined the {{Justice League|OfAmerica}}, the modern version of the Justice Society, and even met the ''original'' Hawks during the League's team-ups with the Society (which was established as having existed in the [[AlternateUniverse parallel universe]] called Earth-2.)

* StrawCharacter: During UsefulNotes/{{the Bronze Age|OfComicBooks}}, the ''JusticeLeagueOfAmerica'' writers, who were staunch liberals, used Hawkman as a somewhat thuggish conservative counterpoint to ComicBook/GreenArrow.

%%* {{Ninja}}: Shadow Thief

* SpotlightStealingSquad: Hawkgirl receives far more attention and exposure than Hawkman himself, given her prominence in the ExpandedUniverse including her role in ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'', the DCAU, and ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow''

In 2011, the entire DC Universe was rebooted, erasing all the history (good or bad) of most characters including Hawkman. Hawkman had his own self-titled book which established him as CArter Hall... before Rob Liefeld came on as writer and retconned him into being Katar Hol. Hawkgirl (Kendra Saunders again) is featured in James Robinson's ''[[{{ComicBook/Earth2}} Earth-2]]'', but isn't connected to the Hawkman mythos, being neither a reincarnation or alien. Katar would eventually die in the ''Death of Hawkman'' miniseries. The ComicBook/DCRebirth event ''ComicBook/DarkNightsMetal'' reintroduced the reincarnating Hawks, both having operated as Hawkman and Hawkgirl in the past. Carter was introduced as being lost in the Dark Multiverse while Kendra Saunders (this time with memories of her previous lives) disposed of her Hawkgirl equipment and became Lady Blackhawk. Carter will be the lead in the new ''Hawkman'' series will begin in June of 2018, while Kendra will be one of the main characters in a new ''Justice League'' series, now going by Hawkwoman.

* SpotlightStealingSquad: Hawkgirl, given her prominence in the ExpandedUniverse including her role in ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'', the DCAU, and an upcoming spinoff of ''Series/{{Arrow}}'' and ''Series/TheFlash2014''.

* SwissArmyWeapon: DCAU Hawkgirl's energy mace.

%%* WalkingShirtlessScene: Well, Flying Shirtless Scene.

* SpotlightStealingSquad: Hawkgirl, given her prominence in the ExpandedUniverse including her role in VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs, the DCAU, and an upcoming spinoff of Series/{{Arrow}} and Series/TheFlash2014.

In 2011, the entire DC Universe was rebooted, erasing all the history (good or bad) of most characters including Hawkman, hopefully ending the confusion for good. Hawkman had his own self-titled book, and Hawkgirl (Kendra Saunders again) is featured in James Robinson's ''[[{{ComicBook/Earth2}} Earth-2]].''

* WeddingRingDefense: Played with in one Silver Age story. Carter Hall points out to a nosy co-worker that while he and Shiera might resemble Hawkman and Hawkgirl, Hawkgirl doesn't wear a wedding ring and Shiera does. He ''doesn't'' bother telling the guy that Thanagarian women wear wedding ''earrings'' instead (and yes, Hawkgirl's outfit includes those).

** Thanagarians that use the AppliedPhlebotinum of "Nth Metal" to provide antigravity. That metal is usually carried in the belt, the wings themselves are typically attached to a harness and are only used to steer in flight. In some continuities, however, the wings are a part of their body.

* BadassGrandpa: The Golden Age Hawkman, although when he finally comes back for good, he now has the body of a much younger man.

* OurWerebeastsAreDifferent: Lion-Mane (a WereCat). An archaeologist/lion-hunter transforms into the Lion-Mane by the power of a meteor.

* SpotlightStealingSquad: Hawkgirl, given her prominence in the ExpandedUniverse including her role in VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs, the DCAU, and an upcoming spinoff of Series/{{Arrow}} and TheFlash.

* CoversAlwaysLie: ''Hawkworld'' Vol. 1 #3's back cover talks about the evils of the Thanagarian aristocracy and how Katar is the only one who can save Downside's alien population. [[spoiler: While Katar runs a secret hospital for Downsiders using black market supplies, Katar never does anything to end Downside's oppression and even rejoins the Wingmen at the end of the series to satisfy his vengeance against Byth. Although, in fairness, Katar then turns his finances and reputation as a Thanagarian Hero toward helping the Downsiders in the ongoing series... albeit him doing so by hiring JLA villain Kanjar Ro as his frontman, not knowing how corrupt Ro is.]]

Hawkman and Hawkwoman appear as members of the Justice League on the ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' series. Hawkgirl is a playable character in ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs''. Hawkman was also a recurring character in the late seasons of ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', played by Michael Shanks. Hawkgirl (Kendra Saunders version) and Hawkman (Carter Hall) also feature in the first season of the ''Franchise/{{Arrowverse}}'' spinoff ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'', played by Ciara Renee and Falk Hentschel, respectively.

* CoversAlwaysLie: ''Hawkworld'' Vol. 1 #3's back cover talks about the evils of the Thanagarian aristocracy and how Katar is the only one who can save Downside's alien population. [[spoiler: While Katar runs a secret hospital for Downsiders using black market supplies, Katar never does anything to end Downside's oppression and even rejoins the Wingmen at the end of the series to satisfy his vengeance against Byth.]]

* DirtyCop: Virtually the entire Wingmen force (especially post-''Hawkworld''), except for Katar and (DependingOnTheWriter) Shayera Hol.

* GrandTheftMe: The spirit of Hath-Set, Carter and Shayera's worst enemy (the one who killed them in their first life in Egypt), can possess any of his descendants. Because his genes have had over five-thousand years to spread, that means approximately half of the human race.

* LivingShadow: Shadow Thief.

* NonHumanSidekick: A large red hawk named Big Red often accompanies the Silver Age Hawks.

* RoguesGalleryTransplant: Most of Katar and Shayera's enemies (including Shadow-Thief, Lion-Mane, Fadeaway Man, etc.) now become Carter and Kendra's enemeis.

* SelfMadeOrphan: A drugged Katar Hol killed his father because his soon-to-be archenemy Byth told him he was smuggling weapons. Katar found out his dad was smuggling food and medicine to the oppressed lower-class citizens. Katar was around 18 at the time.

* SuperheroSpeciation: Only Hawkman (Katar Hol) was allowed membership of the JLA. It was many years before Hawkgirl (Shayera) became a member and broke the original twelve-member limit. Also, Hawkgirl sometimes uses a bow and arrows, which is Green Arrow's specialty.

* YouKilledMyFather: Katar actually killed his father, but he had no idea it was him. Byth tricked him into thinking he was selling weapons to the Downsiders.

* AffirmativeActionLegacy: Kendra Saunders was half-white and half-Latina, in contrast to previous, white Hawkgirls.

* AlternateCompanyEquivalent: To [[MarvelComics Marvel's]] [[ComicBook/TheFalcon Falcon]], or arguably Angel from the Comicbook/XMen.

* DropTheHammer: DCAU Hawkgirl's primary weapon is an energy mace.

* {{Expy}}: Hro Talak in the DCAU is basically Evil Hawkman. His name is even an anagram of Katar Hol.

** John Stewart and Shayera in the DCAU.

** Thanagarians (DCAU)

%%* BecauseDestinySaysSo
%%* BettyAndVeronica: Hawkgirl and Mavis Trent in the Silver Age.

* NotHisSled: In the ''Hawkworld'' mini-series, Katar Hol meets Shayera Thal, whom we know will eventually become Katar's partner and wife, and become Hawkwoman. Except in the second issue, she was [[DeathByAdaptation killed off]] in a bombing attack. Then by the third and final issue, Katar meets another redheaded woman who's joined the Wingmen, and revealed that she was adopted by Shayera's father who named her Shayera as well due to being reminded of his daughter. She also revealed that [[EarlyBirdCameo she was one of the orphans]] he met at the start of the first issue. In the ''Hawkworld'' monthly series, she was revealed to be the illegitimate daughter of the first Shayera (then 13-years-old and Commissioner Andar Pul.

* SecretKeeper: Commissioner George Emmett (he's gave Katar and Shayera their Earth names and jobs as museum curators)

%%* SecretWar: The Shadow War.

%%* WildChild: [[spoiler:Hawkboy and his sister.]]

* AlwaysABiggerFish: The first issue of the ''Hawkworld'' mini-series begins with a hawk feeding a lizard to her babies. Then the mother hawk ends up getting eaten by a humanoid alien lizard.

'''Hawkman''' is one of the oldest of Creator/DCComics' superheroes, having been created in 1940, during UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks. He's also one of the most infamous cases of ContinuitySnarl in the world of comics.

Hawkman and Hawkwoman appear as members of the Justice League on the ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'' series. Hawkgirl is a playable character in ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs''. Hawkman was also a recurring character in the late seasons of ''Series/{{Smallville}}'', played by Creator/MichaelShanks. Hawkgirl (Kendra Saunders version) and Hawkman (Carter Hall) will appear in the ''Series/{{Arrow}}'' spinoff, ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'', played by Ciara Renee and Falk Hentschel, respectively.

* DevelopementGag: One issue has Kendra Saunders, who recently donned the Hawkgirl mantle, bump into Zauriel, who was introduced to be the new Hawkman.