Does Hawkgirl have any powers?

[Frank White]

If those wings are fake like everyone says then she really doesn't, and so far she hasn't used her talk to birds power, if she has it.

[Spider]

Originally posted by Frank White
If those wings are fake like everyone says then she really doesn't, and so far she hasn't used her talk to birds power, if she has it.

Huh? I've never read nor heard that her wings are fake. Aren't they part of her anatomy?

She has the power of persuasion--as in, please leave this Club ASAP or she'll persuade you to do so. :)

Hawkgirl: [Placing her Thanagarian wine down on the counter.] "Put it on my account."

Bad Guys: "Huh?"

Hawkgirl: "Put it on account!"

Bad Guys: "On account of what?"

Hawkgirl: "On account if you don't, I'll kick your tail from here to Thanagar." :) :)

[Clark J. Kent]

DISCLAIMER: Take all Hawgirl information I am about to give with a grain of salt. I am not 100% sure about the history of the comics version of Hawkgirl, and certainly am not sure about the way Timm and company may, or may not have, reinvisioned her for the JL animated series. If you find any evidence that contradicts my claims, please just post it, and I'll happily concede. :)

Hawkgirl's wings are not part of her anatomy; most people are correct in saying they're not "real." They are just part of her uniform, the way that Superman's cape is part of his. If I am correct, Hawkgirl's wings are just part of her Thangarian detective garb. It's her cop uniform. Our police wear blue, and on Thanagar, they wear wings. Once again, I'd like to reiterate that I may be incorrect on some of this information, but by and large, I think I am correct or, at least, pretty dang close.

And Hawkgirl has no known ability to communicate with birds. This is no different from how Batman does not talk to bats. It just so happens that her "gimmick" (if you can fairly call it that) is Hawks and she dresses like one. This does not mean, to my knowledge anyway, based on anything I've ever heard of the character, that she can communicate with birds. Aquaman can communicate with marine life, yes, but Hawkgirl can't communicate with airborne life.

I believe that this incarnation of the character's only powers are an extremely tough personality and physical ability, and her mace. I'm not sure if this version of the character, or if the comics' Thanagarian Hawkgirl, ever implemented the Nth metal before the tales of the Golden Age Hawkgirl and Silver Age Hawkgirl became intertwined in the recent Return of Hawkman series over in JSA.

Hope that helps, and I hope I'm right. :D

[Spider]

Originally posted by Clark J. Kent
DISCLAIMER: Take all Hawgirl information I am about to give with a grain of salt. I am not 100% sure about the history of the comics version of Hawkgirl, and certainly am not sure about the way Timm and company may, or may not have, reinvisioned her for the JL animated series. If you find any evidence that contradicts my claims, please just post it, and I'll happily concede. :)

Hawkgirl's wings are not part of her anatomy; most people are correct in saying they're not "real." They are just part of her uniform, the way that Superman's cape is part of his. If I am correct, Hawkgirl's wings are just part of her Thangarian detective garb. It's her cop uniform. Our police wear blue, and on Thanagar, they wear wings. Once again, I'd like to reiterate that I may be incorrect on some of this information, but by and large, I think I am correct or, at least, pretty dang close.

And Hawkgirl has no known ability to communicate with birds. This is no different from how Batman does not talk to bats. It just so happens that her "gimmick" (if you can fairly call it that) is Hawks and she dresses like one. This does not mean, to my knowledge anyway, based on anything I've ever heard of the character, that she can communicate with birds. Aquaman can communicate with marine life, yes, but Hawkgirl can't communicate with airborne life.

I believe that this incarnation of the character's only powers are an extremely tough personality and physical ability, and her mace. I'm not sure if this version of the character, or if the comics' Thanagarian Hawkgirl, ever implemented the Nth metal before the tales of the Golden Age Hawkgirl and Silver Age Hawkgirl became intertwined in the recent Return of Hawkman series over in JSA.

Hope that helps, and I hope I'm right. :D

Clark J. Kent,

Wow, that's very interesting. I didn't know much of that. I have read (not that this makes it authoritative) that Hawkgirl can talk to birds. I've seen this posted on at least two web sites, one of which has been posted here a couple of times by other members. Again, though, this isn't necessarily 'evidence.' Now I'd like to see her do it--perhaps in 'Fury' we'll get to see she and Wonder Woman do things we didn't think either were capable of doing. :)

[Clark J. Kent]

Originally posted by Spider
I have read (not that this makes it authoritative) that Hawkgirl can talk to birds. I've seen this posted on at least two web sites, one of which has been posted here a couple of times by other members. Again, though, this isn't necessarily 'evidence.' Now I'd like to see her do it--perhaps in 'Fury' we'll get to see she and Wonder Woman do things we didn't think either were capable of doing. :) Well, like I've said many times, I myself am not boasting to be the Hawkgirl Authority, although I have never heard about her bird-talking ability mentioned. But, admittedly, I haven't really researched her or read many past-issues with Shayera Thol (in fact, is that even the right spelling? :p )

If it is, indeed, one of Hawkgirl's powers in the books, I hope they leave out the power in the show. I think it makes Hawkgirl kind'a hokey, and (so far) she is the one character that JL hasn't dumbed down for me.

Besides, if they have seemingly eliminated Flash's ability to vibrate his molecules, and Diana's Lasso of Truth, I don't see why they would give Hawkgirl the ability to talk to birds. :D

But that's me.

Does anyone else know of the issues (and of what series) that Hawkgirl spoke with birds? I'd love to check that out.

[Spider]

Clark,

"... she is the one character that JL hasn't dumbed down for me."

They tried doing that, but Hawkgirl threatened to blow them to smithereens. ;)

Seriously, I appreciate your posts. If you find out anything about her powers, please let me (us) know. :)

[Ed Liu]

Howdy,

Well, as far as the comics go, there are 4 distinct versions of Hawkgirl/woman to consider:

- "Golden Age" Hawkgirl/Shiera Hall. Wife of Carter Hall, Golden Age Hawkman. Human woman reincarnated from an Egyptian princess.

- "Silver Age" Hawkgirl/Shayera Thal. This version was a police officer from Thanagar who came to Earth with husband Katar Hol/Hawkman to learn Earth police tactics.

- "Modern/Bronze Age" Hawkwoman/Shayera Thal. This version has the same basic backstory as the Silver Age Hawkgirl, except she's not married to Hawkman and has a bad attitude towards people and to her partner. According to canon, this version also REPLACES the Silver Age Hawkgirl.

- Post-modern Hawkgirl/Kendra Saunders. Vaguely related to Shiera Hall, the Golden Age Hawkgirl, and wears a jogbra as part of her uniform.

In all of Hawkgirl/woman's comics incarnations, the wings are artificial, and exist mostly to help stabilize and steer her flight. The real ability to fly comes from a mystical "Ninth metal" or "Nth metal" which was in the Hawks' boots (the only exception being the Hawkman between the Modern Age & the Post-modern Age). The comics also have it that Thanagar is a world with heavier gravity than Earth, making the Hawks stronger than an average human naturally. The Hawks also tended to use ancient weaponry, like bows, shields, and maces. No bird communication that I know of, though I just picked up the Hawkman Archive edition today, so I'll be able to say for sure after I read it. I think the Hawks did have a pet bird of some sort when everybody was getting pets, but he disappeared between the Silver Age and the Modern Age.

The JL version of Hawkgirl seems to be a cross of the Silver Age costume with the Modern Age attitude, and without Hawkman. The press materials also referred to her ability to communicate with birds, though we haven't seen it in action yet. We also know she's pretty durable, since she got thrown through a few walls in In Blackest Night without much effect. Other than that, we don't know the full extent of her powers (or if the wings are part of her body or not).

-- Ed/Ace

[Clark J. Kent]

Originally posted by Ace the Bathound
- "Golden Age" Hawkgirl/Shiera Hall. Wife of Carter Hall, Golden Age Hawkman. Human woman reincarnated from an Egyptian princess.

- Post-modern Hawkgirl/Kendra Saunders. Vaguely related to Shiera Hall, the Golden Age Hawkgirl, and wears a jogbra as part of her uniform.See, now you're dealing with my area of expertise. :D

In the Return of Hawkman arc (and the prelude to the arc,) over in the pages of JSA, we find that Kendra Saunders is Shiera, and that she has been reincarnated in countless lives. So your term, Ace, "vaguely related to Shiera Hall" is absolutely obsolete. Kendra IS Shiera. Check issues 20-25 for the exact details, and all other issues before 20 for hints and foreshadowing of this monumental plot twist.

While that info was not directly related to the topic at hand, I thought it didn't hurt to know. :)

[Spider]

Clark and Ace,

Great stuff. This is one of the primary reasons I read this Forum. I'm learning quite a lot. :)

And I *want* those wings to be real, dang it! :)

[warmachine04]

According to the cartoon network site, she has the ability to communicate with birds. I doubt that they mentioned this on their site without planning an episode or more with her using this ability. Beside, it's her tough fighting skills that make her stand out in the series. :)

[Ed Liu]

Howdy all,

Thanks for the Kendra Saunders Hawkgirl info, CK!

I also take back what I said about the "talking to birds" ability. In the very first appearance of the new Silver Age Hawkman and Hawkgirl, they learn everything about Earth via a doohickie called the Absorbacon while they're in orbit. Later in the comic, Katar says, "Since we've learned everything about Earth, we can speak the language of birds -- and birds are everywhere on this world."

Look, it was the 60's. Things were different back then. =8^).

A neat trivia note from the intro to the Archive edition is that Hawkgirl's hair color (the original was a brunette, I think) came from an attractive new employee at DC Comics named Jean Ordwein. She dated Joe Kubert, Silver Age Hawkman artist, but eventually married Julie Schwartz, editor at DC and supervisor of the Hawkman titles, among others.

-- Ed/Ace

[Clark J. Kent]

This is great. We're all learning something here. I can actually read the message board during class time and tell the professor that it has educational value. :p

[Toddman]

I'm no Hawkman/Hawkgirl expert either, but during the Justice League/Justice Society team-up featured in JLofA #195-197, the Golden Age Hawkman communicated w/birds during a battle w/The Monocle.

Now he didn't exactly strike up a conversation or anything, he just bellowed some kind of crazy "bird-call" and all of a sudden, a hundred birds were pecking the hell out of Monocle.

This was during a very cool JLA-JSA crossover that starred the Secret Society of Super-Villians led by the Ultra-Humanite.

Toddman

[SimonMoon5]

Originally posted by Ace the Bathound
I also take back what I said about the "talking to birds" ability.

It was a common feature of the Silver Age Hawkman comics to have Hawkman and Hawkgirl talk to birds. Presumably, they could've learned other animal languages, but they never did, afaik. For example, in the issue of Brave and the Bold in which Aquaman teams up with Hawkman, they each use their various talking to animals powers, and the main enemy is a hybrid of a sea creature and a bird.

In the Golden Age, Hawkman was able to speak to birds just because he was a smart guy who learned their language. In fact, several issues of All-Star comics featuring the Justice Society has the Society making use of the fact that Hawkman has taught the language of the birds to the other members of the Justice Society.

The Modern Age Hawkman displayed an ability to communicate with wolves (or at least one wolf) during the part where he discovered that he was half-Native American and therefore had all sorts of spiritual powers (since all Native Americans do, of course).

The current JSA-Hawkman has not displayed his ability to speak to birds. However, he is the Golden Age Hawkman with memories of the Modern Age Hawkman, so presumably he still can.

As for Hawkgirl...

In the Golden Age, presumably she could've learned the language of birds just like the JSA members did. In the Silver Age, she had the same abilities as Hawkman. The Modern Age Hawkwoman never communicated with birds and might have no such power. The JSA Hawkgirl has not shown the ability to communicate with birds to the best of my knowledge.

And her name is spelled Shayera Thal for what its worth. Thanagarian women don't take their husband's last name.

[Frank White]

Neat, so she really IS powerless. Makes her even better

[Joe Tully]

I want to think that she has at least some super strength and durability. Remember when she was smashed into the wall by the Manhunters on Earth in Blackest Night Pt 1? She just got right back up. And like someone else mentioned, CN's official JL site lists talking to birds as a power, so it'll probably show up at some point.

[KingKoopa]

Bah. The ability to talk to birds is nothing compared to the ability to talk with fish.

[Kesh]

Aquaman (tied up in the Hall of Doom with Wonder Woman):

"My ability to communicate with fish is of no use, Wonder Woman!"

Wonder Woman rolls her eyes.

:D

[BeastBoyWonder]

i read someplace the superfriends hawkgirl had an anti-gravity belt...possibly as part of her thanagerian cop outfit? maybe this is crap that's randomly appearing in my head...

[Spider]

Does anyone know *definitively* if Hawkgirl's wings are organic? I've read that they are, and I've read that they aren't. Does anyone have the inside scoop on this? I've found what others have written on 'past' incarnations of Hawkgirl very interesting, but I'm still uncertain about the current iteration.

Now we have her actually voicing some level of pain in War World (Pt. 2). This is a girl who can kick serious tail-- and who has gotten kicked, punched, thrown, batted, smashed, and pulverized (did I leave anything out? ;)) on occasion, yet rarely uttering whether or not she's actually feeling pain. So, GL sits on her wing, and *that* hurts her? This leads me to believe that her wings are organic, but I have to admit that I'm still unsure.

[Blade1225]

well, i'm no professor on Hawkgirl or anything but i think we should remeber two things:

1. Just because her wings aren't part of her, dosen't mean its not organic (i'm not saying i know for sure they are organic, but i mean since its part of their uniform, this could very well be a form of alien technology unfamiliar to earth, i mean, if a girl wears a leather dress, does that mean its part of her skin?)

2.Just because she got annoyed when someone bumped into her wing doesn't nessicarily mean its part of her. Someone who sits on Superman's cape and holds him back from moving can make him feel annoyed and uncormfortable.

[Spider]

Originally posted by Blade1225
well, i'm no professor on Hawkgirl or anything but i think we should remeber two things:

1. Just because her wings aren't part of her, dosen't mean its not organic (i'm not saying i know for sure they are organic, but i mean since its part of their uniform, this could very well be a form of alien technology unfamiliar to earth, i mean, if a girl wears a leather dress, does that mean its part of her skin?)

2.Just because she got annoyed when someone bumped into her wing doesn't nessicarily mean its part of her. Someone who sits on Superman's cape and holds him back from moving can make him feel annoyed and uncormfortable.

Blade,

You might be right about that. I hadn't considered a third alternative (i.e., the leather dress comparison). That's a good thought.

Also, she could have just been ticked off at GL-- I mean, he was getting kind of annoying there for a while. Perhaps it didn't hurt at all, and she was just being pretentious or intentionally temperamental given the circumstances. Of course, I'm just a tad biased here.... ;)