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Can you name all the superhero 'Hawks?'
Newsarama can name 16. Can you add any more?
As of Avengers #55, the Avengers have a new member. We're not going to spoil it right here, but we'll go as far as to say they're one of the many superheroes with some variant of the word "Hawk" in their name. And it got us thinking about all the rest of the comic book 'Hawks.'
For some, it comes at the beginning of their name, for most it comes at the end, but either way, Newsarama found 16.
Hawk heroes from DC
Hawkman: The first and most prominent 'Hawk' hero with his own family of spin-off characters, Hawkman dates back to 1940. Over the decades, there have been numerous incarnations of Hawkman, most of whom incorporate elements of ancient Egyptian mythology and its DC Universe connection to the warlike alien planet Thanagar.
Hawkgirl: Hawkgirl is almost as old as Hawkman, and she's the first incarnation of his classic crime-fighting partner. Like Hawkman himself, she's had multiple incarnations since the '40s, all of whom have the same connections to Egyptian mythology, alien planets, and resurrection.
Hawkwoman: Technically, Hawkwoman is the same character as Hawkgirl - at least in some of the character's many incarnations. However, thanks to the vagaries of the many retcons and reboots of Hawkman's origins, there have also been separate versions of Hawkgirl and Hawkwoman simultaneously co-existing in the DC Universe at times.
Hawk: Hawk is the superhero identity of Hank Hall, the ultra-violent 'Avatar of War' who is the superhero partner of Dove, the 'Avatar of Peace'. Hawk has a bizarrely convoluted history thanks to his transformation into the villainous Monarch in a dystopian future, as well as becoming the time-traveling villain Extant in other incarnations.
Firehawk: Firehawk is a semi-obscure DC hero dating back to the '80s. The daughter of a US Senator who was given her flaming powers by a mad scientist who hoped to recreate the abilities of Firestorm, the Nuclear Man. Firehawk became an ally of Firestorm, which has carried over through several reboots that have slightly altered her origins.
Blackhawk: Though the name 'Blackhawk' is usually given to just one guy, he's actually the leader of a whole group of superhero pilots known as the Blackhawks. Over the years, there have been a number of pilots to come and go from the group, but there's almost always a team leader using 'Blackhawk' as his own codename.
Lady Blackhawk: Among the many pilots to join the Blackhawks over the years, a few have stood out entirely on their own - particularly Lady Blackhawk, a name used by three different women who have joined the organization. The most prominent of those women, Zinda Blake, even had a stint on the popular Birds of Prey team.
Hawkwing: DC's 'Omniverse' includes the world of Earth-3, populated by inverted versions of popular DC heroes with their allegiances flipped, such as the villainous Crime Syndicate which includes evil versions of Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and more. Along with the main Justice League analogs of the Crime Syndicate, the roster has grown over the years to include numerous other inverted heroes, with Hawkman getting his own evil Earth-3 doppelganger in the form of Hawkwing.
Hawk heroes from Marvel Comics
Hawkeye(s): Thanks to the Avengers movies, everyone knows Earth's Mightiest Archer, Clint Barton, whose codename comes from his keen eyesight and extraordinary aim rather than a bird theme. And of course, there's also Clint's protege Kate Bishop, who shares the Hawkeye name.
Starhawk: An alien hero with a strange history based around time travel and living through numerous reincarnated lives, Starhawk is best known as a member of both the Defenders and the classic Guardians of the Galaxy. A very different version of Starhawk appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 played by Sylvester Stallone.
Darkhawk: A teen hero who uses an alien amulet to become an armored avian hero, Darkhawk is technically just one of a whole group of similar alien enforcers called the Parliament of Raptors. Darkhawk's original human host Chris Powell recently died, with a new Darkhawk named Connor Young taking his place.
Evilhawk: Since Darkhawk is part of a whole group of similar beings, it makes total sense that he has an enemy who shares his origins. In this case, Darkhawk's nemesis has the very literal name of Evilhawk, which pretty much sums up his whole deal.
Nighthawk: Nighthawk is essentially Marvel's take on Batman, created as part of a whole team of Justice League pastiche characters called the Squadron Supreme. As with many superheroes these days, there are multiple versions of Nighthawk who have existed over the years, but the current version recently joined the Avengers after clashing with them while under the influence of Mephisto.
Hawk heroes from other publishers
Hawks: If you've never branched out of American superhero comics into manga, you may have missed out on My Hero Academia, one of the most popular superhero comics currently being published worldwide. And if you haven't read My Hero Academia (or watched the anime adaptation), you haven't met Hawks, a winged hero who is one of the series' main characters.
ShadowHawk: ShadowHawk is the lead character of Image co-founder Jim Valentino's Shadowline imprint. Since his '90s debut, there have been multiple versions of ShadowHawk, including a humorous Batman parody named Silver Age ShadowHawk.
Red Hawk: Speaking of pastiche characters based on Batman, in Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming's Powers, that role is taken by the Red Hawk. A disgraced hero, Red Hawk's murder is one of the mysteries investigated throughout the series.
Hawkman is the oldest 'Hawk' hero on this list, and he's been part of some of the best Justice League stories ever.
