Polite Dissent

It’s time once again for the world’s preeminent Hawk-and-Dove-ologist to review a Hawk and Dove comic — this week, Hawk and Dove #2, the second issue of the “New 52″ series.

As the issue begins, a new avatar, Osprey, is introduced. Unfortunately, things aren’t going well for him. He’s been severely beaten and tied to chair. Soon the villain Condor, the Hawk look-alike who showed up in the final panel of last issue, emerges and taunts Osprey. Condor refers to himself as a “self-made man” and tells Osprey that he knows his secrets. He then introduces Osprey to his partner, a young woman. Speaking ritualistic words, she stabs Osprey, killing him, and absorbing all his powers — transforming her into a new “avatar” Swan. Condor and Swan decide now is the perfect time to hunt down Hawk and Dove.

Speaking of Hawk and Dove, they’ve managed to find one of mad scientist/anarchist Alexander Quirk’s secret labs, and are cleaning it out of his “Monsters of Mass Destruction” (i.e. zombies) with a little help from the Washington DC SCU. Both Hawk and Dove allude to the fact that they have plans for later that night, much to the surprise of Dove’s boyfriend Deadman.

As the evening rolls around, Hank grouses about having to get all dressed up in a tuxedo, even if it is for an award dinner in honor of his father. He’s in for a nasty surprise when his father reveals that he invited Hank’s ex-girlfriend, Ren (last seen in Hawk and Dove #28, and since then she seems to have gained six inches — in height as well as in bust), as well. Dawn arrives and everyone settles down to dinner. Ren excuses herself to use the facilities, but when she hasn’t come back in quite some time, Dawn becomes concerned. When she and Hank go to investigate, they sense danger and transform into Hawk and Dove just in time to discover that Condor and Swan have arrived — and taken hostages, including Hank’s father.

Since much of last issue was spent on exposition, this issue is able to focus more on action. Though only the second scene is traditionally “super heroic” in nature, writer Sterling Gates does a good job of keeping the storyline moving briskly. Despite introducing several new concepts (other avatars, “self-made” avatars), he doesn’t allow the story to bog down. Even the awards dinner scenes are interesting, which is more than I can say for any awards dinner I’ve attended.

Rob Liefeld’s art, initially, is improved. He had an inking assist on several of the pages, and there’s no doubt that those pages are better. Unfortunately, the art in the second half of the book really begins to suffer. It is especially unfortunate because almost all of these pages feature little more than conversation, and Liefeld has never been particularly good at the non-super hero scenes. His doesn’t-like-to-draw-backgrounds laziness is back as well. For instance, look at the diners sitting awkwardly at the awards dinner – diners who lack silverware, glasses, or any sort of table decoration. Also take a look at the scene where Judge Hall is kissing Ren’s hand – she’s missing a thumb and maybe a couple of fingers as well. My sense, from talking with friends and reading reviewed online (which, admittedly, is not an unbiased sample), is that Liefeld’s art is scaring away more readers than it is attracting.

On a scale of 1 to 5 deformed Captain Americas, with 1 being good and 5 being execrable, this art on this issue rates 3 deformed Captain Americas, worse than last issue.

Notes:
Hank is right to question Dawn’s fashion sense. That dress she was wearing to the awards dinner – that one with the plunging neckline – is not what one should wear to a Presidential dinner. What happened to the conservatively dressing Dawn from before?
Apparently the avatars are more or less human under their costume, at least that’s what we see with the wounded Osprey. Previously, Hawk and Dove’s quasi-divine nature would show through any damage in their costume (thick hair for Hawk, light for Dawn).
What’s up with Dove and Swan’s capes and the way they stick straight out from the shoulders? They look less like capes and more like Murphy Brown era shoulder pads.
I hope that’s not supposed to be President Obama held hostage in the final panel because it looks nothing like him.

All Previous Hawk and Dove Reviews

Tags: comics hawk dove condor swan sterling gates rob liefeld