06 April 2012 - Super Powered Fiction

The cover to "Hawk and Dove #7"

This comic has probably been quite disappointing for me since Rob Liefeld took over as writer. Sterling Gates had quite a handle on the comic overall, and since last issue, this comic has depressed into an era of terrible plot structure and characterization.

The issue starts off with an almost unrecognizable (in characterization) Dove. She is out partying in her normal life as Dawn Granger. Hank Hall/Hawk has apparently been forced to take her off to these dance clubs. She has been needing to release her anxiety and depression since she broke up with Boston Brand/Deadman which was when the comic began to go downhill. While Hank confronts her about what she has been doing and they then settle their differences, they are attacked by the Hunter. He is apparently the object of their conquest, and then randomly, another avatar shows upon the doorstep of Hawk and Dove. Apparently, Hawk and Dove have moved in together. The Hunter is working for another avatar, and seeks to destroy all followers of the hawk. After she convinces the duo, the plot moves back to the Hunter where he meets with his avatar D’khan.

The writing for this comic is unbearable almost throughout the entire comic. Liefeld uses a third-person narration, and tells us both the origin and nature of the duo of Hawk and Dove as they fight the hunter. Not only does this take away from the action but we do not get any idea what the titular characters are even thinking. Furthermore, he depicts the villain as one dimensional, and he takes (what I read in an interview with Gates) as his future plot points (if he were to be the writer), and executes them in his own fashion like he is trying to shove something down his readers’ mouths. His art is ok. The writing has obviously caused him to have to rely on other artists (Marat Mychaels, Adelso Corona, Jacob Bear, etc) in the comic, and it is quite obvious. Unfortunately, we do not get fully his great art style that his defined this comic for theprevious issues. While his look and characterization of Damian Wayne in the previous issue made me think it was Dick Grayson, this comic continues what was terrible about his premiere issue, and brings plenty more of that.

GRADE: D-.