Sean Whitmore
11-13-2005, 08:08 PM
Hawkman is one of the characters who appears to be everywhere these days, so I decided to nail down his recent appearances and see if I could come up with a credible timeline of events. Aside from a few hitches, it works out pretty well. But if I'm overlooking anything (and I'm sure I must be), please let me know.
(And before anyone suggests I'm putting too much thought into this, hush up, this is how geeks have fun for free :) )
JLA #107-114
Carter is part of a Justice League task force gathered to battle the Crime Syndicate and the Qwardians.
For the sake of ease, I'm putting this before Identity Crisis. Because Batman was nice, Hawkman wasn't homicidal, Flash wasn't whining, and Green Arrow wasn't Mister Moral Superiority of the DCU. Oh, and Kyle wasn't there.
Hawkman #32-33, JSA #65-66
Carter teams up with the Atom, and then Batman asks him and Kendra to investigate the Monolith. Meanwhile, the JSA (minus Carter) rescues Hourman II from the time stream.
Pretty self-explanatory. Atom + Batman asking for help = before Identity Crisis.
Identity Crisis #1-7, JSA #67
Carter and the rest of the "Mindwipe League" battle Deathstroke and search for Sue Dibney's murderer.
Hawkman #46 (flashback), JSA #68-72, Superman/Batman #13,
The Atom appears to say goodbye to Carter. The JSA travel back in time to defeat Per Degaton. Carter and the JSA meet the new Supergirl on Paradise Island.
The JSA mission effectively cancels itself out and takes up no "real" time, and Carter wasn't involved anyway. Superman mentioning that the heroes only get together at funerals, plus the fact that Atom is absent and Kyle hasn't left Earth to find Parallax yet, puts this shortly after Identity Crisis.
Green Lantern Rebirth #1-6
Carter and the JSA join forces with the JLA to battle Parallax.
The battle against Parallax only lasts a few hours at most.
Countdown to Infinite Crisis
Carter is one of the heroes that helps the Blue Beetle investigate a shipment of stolen kryptonite. Later, he and Kendra are said to be "available" for a mission to Rann.
This is the sticking point to the whole timeline. Here it sounds like Carter is on the next ship to Rann, but he doesn't even HEAR about this war for at LEAST a few weeks. Any way you slice it, it still doesn't gel with the fact that Adam Strange came to Earth in Rann/Thanagar #1 to recruit Carter personally. It's a mistake, plain and simple, that comes from trying to tie advertisements for four different mini series into an actual story.
So, we have to suspend a lot of disbelief. Considering how much of an asshole J'onn was being that day, I surmise that he faked the transmission from Adam Strange just to get rid of Beetle. It's simply a cosmic coincidence that Rann was ACTUALLY having a war at the time, unbeknownst to anyone. :D
No, huh? Okay, then try this. Early into the hostilities, Rann and Thanagar reached a very tenuous ceasefire. Adam called J'onn back to tell him things were under control. Then things inevitably went to hell again, and Adam came to Earth to get Carter.
Hawkman #34-41
Carter battles zombies, meets Golden Eagle, and is attacked by a team of old enemies, who trick him into hurting Kendra. With the help of his son Dr. Fate, Carter fakes his death and goes into hiding.
From start to finish, the events of these issues take place over the span of only 4-5 days.
Hawkman #42-45, Supergirl #1
Green Arrow and the JSA attend Carter's funeral. Kendra and Golden Eagle search for Carter's murderers, while Carter secretly deals with them himself. Meanwhile, the JSA and Supergirl battle Solomon Grundy and do little else. When the Eagle reveals he was the mastermind behind the plot, Carter returns and messes him up royally.
Carter is thought dead for a period of three weeks, giving Kendra time to heal and Carter time to find his enemies. A lot of Carter-less JSA appearances can be stuck in here as well.
JSA #73-75, The OMAC Project #1-3
Carter joins Captain Marvel and the JSA as they travel to Kahndaq to curtail a rampaging Spectre. Meanwhile, Batman investigates his missing satellite and Booster Gold sets out to reform the "Giffen League".
This was a tricky one that would have fit in much better earlier, but Dr. Fate gets zapped by the Spectre early in this story, and he had to be around for Carter's "resurrection".
Superman #219, Action Comics #829, Adventures of Superman #642, Wonder Woman #219, The OMAC Project #4
Superman badly injures Batman under the control of Max Lord. Carter and other members of the JLA bring Superman back to the Watchtower. Superman defeats the JLA and returns to Earth, and Wonder Woman follows. Immediately after Diana kills Max, Carter, John Stewart, and the Flash respond when Brother Eye blacks out all power on the Eastern seaboard. Meanwhile, Booster and Guy Gardner find and recruit Fire. J'onn heads for Russia to assist Rocket Red in battling the OMACs.
A little juggling is required here, causing me to list OMAC Project #4 in two places. Take its placement here to mean everything before J'onn gets to Russia.
JSA #76, The OMAC Project #4-5
Carter and the JSA encounter their first OMAC. Fire and Metamorpho tell Power Girl about Blue Beetle. J'onn arrives in Russia and is defeated by the OMACs. The "Giffen League" (minus Power Girl) arrives to help.
See? Little confusing, right? Well, Booster recruited Fire in OMAC #4, which means for Fire to recruit Power Girl, JSA #76 has to take place after. Point of interest: Carter's fight with the OMAC takes place "a month" since the battle with the Spectre in Kahndaq.
JLA #115-116
The "Mindwipe League" battles the Secret Society of Super Villains after Despero restores their memories.
Again, some trickery is required here to make everything fit. Catwoman fights Firefly in #115, placing this part of the story before his death in OMAC Project #6. On the other hand, Zatanna knows about Max Lord's death when she goes to see her in #118, placing it after OMAC #6. Luckily, after the League confronts Batman in the cave, an unspecified amount of time passes before J'onn returns to the Watchtower and encounters Despero.
The OMAC Project #6
The OMACs emerge en masse, killing costumed heroes and villains alike (including Firefly). A loose team of heroes (not including Carter) draw them into battle while Batman deactivates a large percentage of them with an EMP. Footage of Wonder Woman killing Max Lord is made public.
This could easily occur during the time period in "Crisis of Conscience" when the League are watching over their loved ones.
JLA #116 (last scene), 117-119
J'onn encounters Despero in the Watchtower, while Carter and the League defeat the Society in Metropolis. The League finds Despero in the Batcave, and after he is defeated, Batman kicks everyone out.
Again, an unspecified amount of time passes between Despero's defeat and the Watchtower exploding. Most likely a LONG time, considering everything Batman and Superman get into before Infinite Crisis #1.
Hawkman #46, The Rann/Thanagar War #1
Carter and Kendra fight more OMACs, and then chase after a mysterious Phoenix monster that is sent to them. Adam Strange arrives and helps them defeat it, and asks for Carter's assistance in their war with Thanagar.
Carter references the "JSA files" on OMAC, no doubt taken from their battle in JSA #76.
JSA #77
Alan Scott and Airwave are recruited by Donna Troy.
Relevant because Carter and Kendra are officially listed as having left for Rann.
The Rann/Thanagar War #2-6
Carter and Kendra become embroiled in the war between Rann and Thanagar, which ends with the latter planet's destruction.
JLA #119 (last scene)
While J'onn is investigating recent world events, the Watchtower is destroyed with him in it.
Hawkman #47-49, Infinite Crisis #1
Although the "war" over with the destruction of Thanagar, fighting still continues. Carter and Kendra continue to assist the forces of Rann. Meanwhile, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman investigate the destruction of the Watchtower.
SEAN
(And before anyone suggests I'm putting too much thought into this, hush up, this is how geeks have fun for free :) )
JLA #107-114
Carter is part of a Justice League task force gathered to battle the Crime Syndicate and the Qwardians.
For the sake of ease, I'm putting this before Identity Crisis. Because Batman was nice, Hawkman wasn't homicidal, Flash wasn't whining, and Green Arrow wasn't Mister Moral Superiority of the DCU. Oh, and Kyle wasn't there.
Hawkman #32-33, JSA #65-66
Carter teams up with the Atom, and then Batman asks him and Kendra to investigate the Monolith. Meanwhile, the JSA (minus Carter) rescues Hourman II from the time stream.
Pretty self-explanatory. Atom + Batman asking for help = before Identity Crisis.
Identity Crisis #1-7, JSA #67
Carter and the rest of the "Mindwipe League" battle Deathstroke and search for Sue Dibney's murderer.
Hawkman #46 (flashback), JSA #68-72, Superman/Batman #13,
The Atom appears to say goodbye to Carter. The JSA travel back in time to defeat Per Degaton. Carter and the JSA meet the new Supergirl on Paradise Island.
The JSA mission effectively cancels itself out and takes up no "real" time, and Carter wasn't involved anyway. Superman mentioning that the heroes only get together at funerals, plus the fact that Atom is absent and Kyle hasn't left Earth to find Parallax yet, puts this shortly after Identity Crisis.
Green Lantern Rebirth #1-6
Carter and the JSA join forces with the JLA to battle Parallax.
The battle against Parallax only lasts a few hours at most.
Countdown to Infinite Crisis
Carter is one of the heroes that helps the Blue Beetle investigate a shipment of stolen kryptonite. Later, he and Kendra are said to be "available" for a mission to Rann.
This is the sticking point to the whole timeline. Here it sounds like Carter is on the next ship to Rann, but he doesn't even HEAR about this war for at LEAST a few weeks. Any way you slice it, it still doesn't gel with the fact that Adam Strange came to Earth in Rann/Thanagar #1 to recruit Carter personally. It's a mistake, plain and simple, that comes from trying to tie advertisements for four different mini series into an actual story.
So, we have to suspend a lot of disbelief. Considering how much of an asshole J'onn was being that day, I surmise that he faked the transmission from Adam Strange just to get rid of Beetle. It's simply a cosmic coincidence that Rann was ACTUALLY having a war at the time, unbeknownst to anyone. :D
No, huh? Okay, then try this. Early into the hostilities, Rann and Thanagar reached a very tenuous ceasefire. Adam called J'onn back to tell him things were under control. Then things inevitably went to hell again, and Adam came to Earth to get Carter.
Hawkman #34-41
Carter battles zombies, meets Golden Eagle, and is attacked by a team of old enemies, who trick him into hurting Kendra. With the help of his son Dr. Fate, Carter fakes his death and goes into hiding.
From start to finish, the events of these issues take place over the span of only 4-5 days.
Hawkman #42-45, Supergirl #1
Green Arrow and the JSA attend Carter's funeral. Kendra and Golden Eagle search for Carter's murderers, while Carter secretly deals with them himself. Meanwhile, the JSA and Supergirl battle Solomon Grundy and do little else. When the Eagle reveals he was the mastermind behind the plot, Carter returns and messes him up royally.
Carter is thought dead for a period of three weeks, giving Kendra time to heal and Carter time to find his enemies. A lot of Carter-less JSA appearances can be stuck in here as well.
JSA #73-75, The OMAC Project #1-3
Carter joins Captain Marvel and the JSA as they travel to Kahndaq to curtail a rampaging Spectre. Meanwhile, Batman investigates his missing satellite and Booster Gold sets out to reform the "Giffen League".
This was a tricky one that would have fit in much better earlier, but Dr. Fate gets zapped by the Spectre early in this story, and he had to be around for Carter's "resurrection".
Superman #219, Action Comics #829, Adventures of Superman #642, Wonder Woman #219, The OMAC Project #4
Superman badly injures Batman under the control of Max Lord. Carter and other members of the JLA bring Superman back to the Watchtower. Superman defeats the JLA and returns to Earth, and Wonder Woman follows. Immediately after Diana kills Max, Carter, John Stewart, and the Flash respond when Brother Eye blacks out all power on the Eastern seaboard. Meanwhile, Booster and Guy Gardner find and recruit Fire. J'onn heads for Russia to assist Rocket Red in battling the OMACs.
A little juggling is required here, causing me to list OMAC Project #4 in two places. Take its placement here to mean everything before J'onn gets to Russia.
JSA #76, The OMAC Project #4-5
Carter and the JSA encounter their first OMAC. Fire and Metamorpho tell Power Girl about Blue Beetle. J'onn arrives in Russia and is defeated by the OMACs. The "Giffen League" (minus Power Girl) arrives to help.
See? Little confusing, right? Well, Booster recruited Fire in OMAC #4, which means for Fire to recruit Power Girl, JSA #76 has to take place after. Point of interest: Carter's fight with the OMAC takes place "a month" since the battle with the Spectre in Kahndaq.
JLA #115-116
The "Mindwipe League" battles the Secret Society of Super Villains after Despero restores their memories.
Again, some trickery is required here to make everything fit. Catwoman fights Firefly in #115, placing this part of the story before his death in OMAC Project #6. On the other hand, Zatanna knows about Max Lord's death when she goes to see her in #118, placing it after OMAC #6. Luckily, after the League confronts Batman in the cave, an unspecified amount of time passes before J'onn returns to the Watchtower and encounters Despero.
The OMAC Project #6
The OMACs emerge en masse, killing costumed heroes and villains alike (including Firefly). A loose team of heroes (not including Carter) draw them into battle while Batman deactivates a large percentage of them with an EMP. Footage of Wonder Woman killing Max Lord is made public.
This could easily occur during the time period in "Crisis of Conscience" when the League are watching over their loved ones.
JLA #116 (last scene), 117-119
J'onn encounters Despero in the Watchtower, while Carter and the League defeat the Society in Metropolis. The League finds Despero in the Batcave, and after he is defeated, Batman kicks everyone out.
Again, an unspecified amount of time passes between Despero's defeat and the Watchtower exploding. Most likely a LONG time, considering everything Batman and Superman get into before Infinite Crisis #1.
Hawkman #46, The Rann/Thanagar War #1
Carter and Kendra fight more OMACs, and then chase after a mysterious Phoenix monster that is sent to them. Adam Strange arrives and helps them defeat it, and asks for Carter's assistance in their war with Thanagar.
Carter references the "JSA files" on OMAC, no doubt taken from their battle in JSA #76.
JSA #77
Alan Scott and Airwave are recruited by Donna Troy.
Relevant because Carter and Kendra are officially listed as having left for Rann.
The Rann/Thanagar War #2-6
Carter and Kendra become embroiled in the war between Rann and Thanagar, which ends with the latter planet's destruction.
JLA #119 (last scene)
While J'onn is investigating recent world events, the Watchtower is destroyed with him in it.
Hawkman #47-49, Infinite Crisis #1
Although the "war" over with the destruction of Thanagar, fighting still continues. Carter and Kendra continue to assist the forces of Rann. Meanwhile, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman investigate the destruction of the Watchtower.
SEAN