Hawkgirl

Hawkgirl is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, and was one of the first female superheroes. The original Hawkgirl, Shiera Sanders Hall, was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, and first appeared in Flash Comics #1 (Jan. 1940). Kendra Saunders was created by writer David Goyer, writer James Robinson, and artist Stephen Sadowski, and first appeared in JSA Secret Files and Origins #1 (Aug. 1999).

Publication history

Golden Age

Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, Shiera Saunders first appeared in Flash Comics #1 (Jan. 1940), in the same 12-page story in which Fox and Neville introduced Hawkman. Archaeologist Carter Hall has a dream that he is an ancient Egyptian prince, Khufu, who has a lover, named Shiera in the original story, or Princess Chay-Ara in modern retellings. The next day, Carter meets a woman named Shiera who looks exactly like the woman in his dream. Carter dons the identity of Hawkman and Shiera becomes Carter's girlfriend. Shiera first appears as Hawkgirl in All Star Comics #5 (July 1941), in a costume created by Sheldon Moldoff, based on Neville's Hawkman costume. During Hawkman's solo segment of the Justice Society of America story, Shiera dons a spare set of Nth metal wings developed by Hawkman, and masquerades as Hawkman in order to trick some criminals. Shiera continues to wear the costume and wings in later stories, eventually adopting the identity of Hawkgirl.