Hawkgirl # 59
DC Comics
WRITER: Walt Simonson
ARTIST: Renato Arlem
COVER: Howard Chaykin

Blackfire, the villainess from Teen Titans and the Rann-Thanagar War arrives on Earth, hunting for Hawkgirl and also hinting that she has already killed Hawkman. For those who have been following the "Rann-Thanagar War,", "Infinite Crisis" and "52", this story should be crucial as it finally reveals details of what happened to the Hawks during the missing year. Simonson shows some nice old-school tendencies in this issue, using "thought balloons" and giving Kendra a chance to show that she is far from helpless, even without her wings or her ancient weapons. He even brings back a character who originally appeared in the Batman-Manhunter crossover in Detective Comics some three decades ago. But while his story is interesting and adds more layers to his characters, it lacks a sense of urgency and excitement. Even the confrontation between Kendra and Blackfire doesn't seem to get the blood really racing. We don't really get a chance to feel the anger and desperation that Kendra must be going through. The art, while luxurious and detailed, also fails to make the story exciting-- or even much fun. This comic really needs a more kinetic style and faster-moving stories. After all, hawks are suppose to be swift, predatory creatures.