Who's This? A winged fury.
The facts: I basically send you to last week's Hawkman profile, because everything that's true of Katar Hol is true of his wife. Partners since the beginning, they share the same publication fate. Let's note, however, that she only changed her name from Hawkgirl to Hawkwoman in World's Finest Comics #272 (October 1981), while the Hawks were relegated to a back-up in that title.
How you could have heard of her: This version of Hawkwoman is the Hawkgirl of the Justice League animated series, which arguably gave her a higher profile than Hawkman in the 2000s, where she spread her wings without him. She had, of course, appeared in Super-Friends in the 70s, but only in 5 episodes.
Example story: Hawkman #6 (January 1987) "A Lion in the Streets" by Tony Isabella, Richard Howell and Don Heck
Hawkman is dying in the hospital, so it's a great time to do a Hawkwoman spotlight. Quick recap of pre-coma: The villain Lionmane turned the Midway City Zoo into an alien jungle and nearly killed Katar with a spear to the gut. The doctors struggled with his alien anatomy, and now his only chance lies in Thanagarian mind over matter. This is all independent of a secret Thanagarian invasion going on in the background AND the Legends event that makes calling in superhero back-up impossible - big day in Midway. But will Shiera leave her husband's side. Bronze Age angst stands in the way.
She's right to worry about Thangarian assassins - they're already in the hospital, up to no good. But maybe a surprising ally can take the pressure off. The Gentleman Ghost apparently has a thing for Hawkwoman - well, who doesn't? - and he pops in from the afterlife to help. He'll stay by Katar's bedside where Shiera goes off to fight Lionmane.
So finally, 15 pages in, Hawkwoman is finally allowed to get into some action. And not a moment too soon. Not only is the deadly alien jungle spreading out of the zoo, Lionmane is having a strange effect on the city's population, making them turn feral. So she leads the city's special crimes unit into the fray...
One of them gets too close to the beast, however, and Shiera has to try and tranq Lionmane! It doesn't work. What DOES work, is the villain's power vacuum, the same he used on Hawkman.
Is there anything Lionmane can't do? How about survive falling from a great height?
Okay then, how about... breathing in outer space?
We never really get there. It's just that the cold saps his power and he returns to his Dr. Jekyll self. Everything below also returns to normal, and it's with a broken nose that Shiera returns to Katar's bed. Guess what? He made it.
As I've said before, it's not a Hawkman & Hawkwoman story if there isn't sexy time built in. The relationship is more important than any of the superhero action. I know it, you know it and Isabella thankfully knows it.
Who's Next? Flash's hottest Rogue.
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