David Walker, Ramon Villalobos and Tamra Bonvillain come together to blow the lid off of what you think superhero comics can be with “Nighthawk” #1. Read on for our review but be warned, there are some minor spoilers within this review.
Written by David Walker
Illustrated Ramon Villalobos and Tamra Bonvillain
Straight from the pages of Squadron Supreme comes the most brutal super hero in the Marvel Universe in a hard-hitting new ongoing series! Marvel is pleased to present your first look inside NIGHTHAWK #1 – the new ongoing series from fan-favorite creators David Walker (Power Man And Iron Fist) and Ramon Villalobos (E is for Extinction). He is Chicago’s lethal vigilante – dispensing swift and vicious justice to those who truly deserve it. But when the city’s shadiest power brokers begin turning up dead – each murdered more gruesomely than the last – Nighthawk must ask himself the hard questions. Does this killer deserve to be caught? What does he want? More importantly, what does the killer have to do with Nighthawk? To answer those questions – Nighthawk might have to look in the mirror first. The mystery begins here! Don’t miss one minute of the bone-crunching action when NIGHTHAWK #1 comes to comic shops and digital devices this May!
I started this review off with a bold statement because “Nighthawk” #1 is a bold comic book. In all honesty, I’m shocked this is a book that Marvel put out. This isn’t because of it’s quality but because it examines real issues facing Black Americans in a way that doesn’t over-sensationalize them for simple headlines. Instead, Walker, Villalobos and Bonvillain begin a timely story with a hero who actually feels like someone who cares about the people he’s decided to protect.
I’ll be honest and say that before this issue, I have never read a single story featuring Nighthawk. I only know of him in passing thanks to the Earth shattering saga that was Jonathan Hickman’s “Avengers”/”New Avengers” run along with the current “Squadron Supreme” title. He’s a Batman-esque character, at least on the bare surface. He’s much more than this and “Nighthawk” #1 does so much to quiet the comparison because it puts an emphasis on the issues and not as much on the narcissism of the man in the mask.
“Nighthawk” #1 takes place in Chicago. It opens with Nighthawk kicking the holy hell out of a bunch of white supremacists. He’s helped by his partner, a tech genius named Tilda Johnson who doesn’t let him walk all over her. Tilda works behind the scenes ensuring his missions go smoothly. As all this is going on, the police in Chicago (a city in racial turmoil) are investigating murders being committed by a new serial killer who targets white men in power.
As a debut, Walker does a lot more than some recent launches have done. It’s extremely important for a first issue to not only bring us into the story but give us more than the bare minimum. Through the interaction between Tilda and Nighthawk, we get to see what makes them tick and we get to understand their mission without needless voice overs that take away from the visuals. Tilda very much steals some of the show away from Nighthawk as she provides some much needed levity. This book thankfully tackles some serious issues but Tilda allows you to have a place in the story as a bystander. She’s intelligent, she’s funny and she’s the foil to Nighthawk that he needs.
“Nighthawk” #1 introduces the bigger issues taking place in many cities across America right now. Since the riots in Ferguson, police brutality has stepped into the forefront of domestic issues. People of color are hurting and standing up for themselves. Superhero comics should reflect the world we live in. The heroes should be looking out for the persecuted and that’s what “Nighthawk” #1 begins to show us. This creative team holds nothing back in regards to tackling these issues and even though Nighthawk is incredibly wealthy, he is concerned with the people suffering in his city. He is actively trying to make things better but is coming up against the kind of ignorance you’d expect him to and he has to deal with the lack of empathy that people in power have. What’s even more interesting is the way that Nighthawk is characterized. Walker does not shy away from making Nighthawk angry. His anger is justified, as is the anger of protesters and activists across the world right now. What is so special about how this anger is addressed is that the anger itself doesn’t make Nighthawk weak. It makes him more loyal to his cause and to do better. Where his faults come in are in his execution. His violence could be what does him in. He could get caught, he could make mistakes. As a person, Nighthawk is not examined too deeply. We see mostly his vigilante side and that’s fine for the debut. It’s what should be focused on. There’s time to explore the human side more and I’m very excited to see it happen.
Continued belowNow obviously the biggest draw for me with this book was the art team of Ramon Villalobos and Tamra Bonvillain. Not only do they have a great back and forth on social media but they’re very much in sync with each other in this book. One of the most striking things about Villalobos’ Nighthawk design are the eyes. Nighthawk almost wants you to see him coming. He’s not hiding from you or trying to make sure you don’t remember what he looks like (if you live). Bonvillain adds a glow to his eyes that adds a level of menace that any vigilante should want to capture. Villalobos is clearly inspired by Frank Quitely but he has such a more visceral style. He lets loose in these action scenes with such great detailing. The angles used allowed Villalobos to focus in on the brutality of Nighthawk and visually it becomes something Marvel has never really published before. Even in the quieter scenes, Villalobos shines with excellent expressive characters and non static body language. Bonvillain’s use of neon pinks in the earlier action scenes adds extra energy to them and there’s almost a music video feeling that comes through. The action moves faster and it brings something more out of Villalobos’ pencils.
“Nighthawk” has the potential to be something incredibly special if constant reboots and events don’t derail it. This series is tackling serious issues in a way that no only makes it more important than other superhero titles but it keeps itself rooted in the superhero genre through it’s gorgeous art. This is a series that demands your attention and you should give it that.
Final Verdict: 8.7 – A great debut by a team that understands the subject matter and doesn’t shy away from being brutally honest.
