Hawkgirl #6 Review

Written by:Jadzia Axelrod

Art by:Amancay Nahuelpan
Colors by: Alex Guimaraes, Carrie Strachan
Letters by: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Cover art by: Amancay Nahuelpan, Adriano Lucas
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: December 19, 2023

Hawkgirl #6 brings Hawkgirl's standalone adventure to a close by navigating the treacherous oddities of Nth World to save Galaxy from Vulpecula's evil clutches.

Is Hawkgirl #6 Good?

All things considered, Hawkgirl #6 is one of the better issues in a troubled mini-series by Jadzia Axelrod. That doesn't mean this is a good comic (it's not), but it does mean this is the least bad comic in Axelrod's interpretation of the character. When last we left Hawkgirl, Vulpecula succeeded in opening a portal between Earth and Nth World to return home. The portal also pulled Galaxy and Hawkgirl along with Vulpecula, but Hawkgirl landed in a wasteland separate from Vulpecula and Galaxy. Now, readers jump forward in time to find Hawkgirl fighting Nth World's unsavory characters, befriending a sage made of stones, and eventually finding her way to Vulpecula to stop the Fox while healing the veil between dimensions and restoring order at the sacrifice of her "millions" of past lives. "Millions?" Yes, "millions." Math is hard at DC, apparently. Just go with it. "Wait! What about the maybe-trans-maybe-not college friend Axelrod was setting up as a love interest?" That's a good question. Axelrod doesn't conclude that thread or address it in any way. Axelrod introduces a college friend early one to create tension and drama and does nothing with her. This is one of many nagging inconsistencies with this series, but it's not enough to throw the crux of the issue off. What's great about Hawkgirl #6? To Axelrod's credit, Hawkgirl's finale accomplishes two interesting developments. First, Nth World is worth exploring as Thanagar's source of Nth Metal and a dimension where thought can become real. There's oodles of potential in that concept. Second, Axelrod constructs a scenario where Kendra disconnects from all past lives, untethering her from the burden of Hawkgirl. The way it's done is clumsy as heck, but the outcome is intriguing. What's not so great about Hawkgirl #6? The introduction of Nth World, all the characters Kendra encounters, and the progression to save Galaxy from Vulpecula is way too much way too fast. This finale is the very definition of rushed, and when you consider how much page space was taken up in the first few issues with pointless plot points, it's clear Axelrod didn't pace this mini-series properly. Frankly, Nth World looks to be the only positive aspect of this mini-series, so it boggles the mind why Axelrod didn't get there sooner instead of wasting time on men who turn into car part robots and gay bars. You get the feeling Axelrod learned how to write as the series progressed, which is a ridiculous waste of the readers' time and money. How's the art? The only reason Hawkgirl #6 is getting the score it's getting is due to Nahuelpan's spectacular art. Nahuelpan's character designs, action sequences, and the coloring team's output are outstanding. This issue may be the best written of the series, but the writing still doesn't come close to matching the art quality.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Bits and Pieces:

Hawkgirl #6 is possibly the best issue in a deeply troubled, poorly-written series. Axelrod introduces interesting concepts with the unveiling of Nth World and Kendra's new status quo. As a bonus, the art team's output is fantastic. That said, there are too many big concepts and expansive plot points that don't get enough time to develop, which means the series as a whole is poorly paced and wastes too much time in the beginning issues on inconsequential ideas.

5.5/10