Secret Origins (1986) 11 (2)

Secret Origins (1986) 11

Feb 1987

The Secret Origin of the Golden Age Hawkman

by Roy Thomas, Luke McDonnell, Tony DeZuniga, Mary DeZuniga, Carl Gafford, Robert Greenberger

Amateur archaeologist and collector of ancient weapons Carter Hall (in 1940) receives a new item to add to his collection. It is a crystal blade. He starts to feel light headed when he examines it. He sits down, falls asleep, and dreams that he is the reincarnation of Prince Khufu of Egypt who lived more than 2500 years ago.

Khufu and Princess Shiera, his girlfriend, are captured and executed by Hath Set, priest of Anubis. Carter Hall soon discovers that Hath Set and Shiera have also been reincarnated. Carter is briefly reunited with Shiera but then she is captured by Dr. Anton Hastor, the reincarnation of Hath Set and an expert in the field of electricity. Hastor is preparing to kill Shiera in a ritual sacrifice when Carter Hall, dressed in a hawk themed costume breaks in to his estate and interferes with Hastor’s plans. 

Thoughts

Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics 1 (Jan 1940). I found scans of the story from the original issue online and it is more or less the same story as presented in this issue of Secret Origins. There is no real explanation provided as to where or how he came up with his Hawkman costume. The same is true for the Nth metal which allows him to fly.

The next appearance of Anton Hastor was in All-Star Squadron 11 (Jul 1982). Shiera would eventually become Hawkgirl. 

This story is not great but more or less standard fare for these Golden Age origin stories. The only big improvement in the Golden Age stories (over the originals) is the artwork.

Secret Admirers

The letters page gets a new name!

Six letters fill the two pages allotted for this section. All of them are in response to Secret Origins 6. All the letters are positive about the secret origin of the Golden Age Batman. The same is not true of the feedback on the secret origin of Halo. Most of the complaints there seem to have to do with her new costume.

Roy Thomas fills half a page with notes about the origins of the Golden Age Hawkman.