Hawkman # 17

Let's just say that Katar doesn't make a last-minute appearance. Instead, the three Hawks, along with Animal Man, struggle to take down old Hawk-foe, the shape-shifting Thanagarian named Byth. There is an unexplained feat of strength by Hawkman in the climactic fight scene but it isn't too jarring to the main story.

This is a fast-moving and fairly entertaining comic, not bogged down by too many flashbacks or tortured introspection. After an uphill battle, Byth is taken down in a way that is both obvious and unexpected, much like Indiana Jones gunning down the swordsman in Raiders of the Lost Arc. Fans of Animal Man will be glad to see that he plays a substantial role in the story and isn't relegated to a walk-on.

Characterization is not ignored either. We get to see the differences and similarities between Hawkgirl and Hawkwoman: both feisty and combative women, but each in her own way. Shayera is still a hardazz but she softens in this story, becoming more likable than she has been in years. The sudden bond that she develops with Kendra seems a little forced but it seems appropriate and may be the sign of an emerging "Hawk-family," much like the Bat-family, the Team Superman and the Cyclone Rangers who have become fixtures of other titles.

As mentioned earlier, Katar Hol does not return and there is no sign that he will ever come back. But the door is left open for a possible resurrection, which should please some fans.

Morales and inker Michael Bair turn in another well-detailed, beautifully-rendered work. The details and backgrounds are lush without getting distracting. The layouts in the first few pages could use some improvement but that doesn't keep "Hawkman" from being one of the best-drawn books in the market today.