Hawkworld Book One: Flashzone 1989 NM-

Hawkworld Book One: Flashzone, originally published as part of a three-issue prestige format mini-series in 1989, completely reinvented the character of Hawkman for the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths DC universe. The story is a gritty sci-fi police procedural set on the planet Thanagar. 

Thanagar is a planet sharply divided into two societies: 

• The Towers: An opulent, high-flying aristocracy that rules over conquered worlds in decadence.
• The Downside: A poverty-stricken slum where millions of enslaved aliens and the wingless Thanagarian underclass live in fear and desperation. 

The protagonist, Ensign Katar Hol, is the son of a respected scholar and statesman. A man of privilege, he joins the Wingmen, the planet's brutal police force, with idealistic intentions. However, his experiences in the "Flashzone" (a hazardous section of Downside) quickly open his eyes to the deep-seated racism, corruption, and systemic injustice of his society. 

• Disillusionment: Katar begins to question the Thanagarian way of life and the legends of their conqueror history, particularly his hero, Kalmoran. He realizes his civilization is built on enslavement and has abandoned its nobler legends.
• The Mentor and the Fall: He works with a lower-class partner, Shayera Thal. He learns the true history of Thanagar's rebellion against their own former enslavers, the Polarans, and sees the brutal reality of how the current ruling class treats its subjects.
• Betrayal: In the course of his investigation, Katar uncovers evidence of corruption at the highest levels, involving the police commander Byth Rok. This leads to his own arrest for a crime he didn't commit (his father's murder), his conviction for treason, and subsequent exile to a penal island.
• Transformation: This exile forces Katar to learn survival skills and further challenges his beliefs, eventually leading him on a revolutionary path to become the hero known as Hawkman. 

The miniseries concludes with Byth Rok fleeing to Earth, with Katar Hol and Shayera Thal following him, which sets up the ongoing Hawkworld series. 

Creative Team 

• Writer/Penciller: Timothy Truman
• Inker: Enrique Alcatena
• Colorist: Sam Parsons