History
Shayera Hol, alias Hawkwoman was a law enforcement officer from the planet Thanagar and wife of Katar Hol, a.k.a Hawkman. She was a member of the Justice League.
She was born on Thanagar, a planet orbiting the star Polaris. Thanagar had a scientifically advanced civilization in which crime was virtually unknown. As an adolescent, Shayera joined the Thanagarian police force and was assigned to assist the force's most decorated officer, Katar Hol, in capturing the Rainbow Robbers. At first, Katar was furious at being assigned an inexperienced young woman as a partner, but he nevertheless became strongly attracted to her.
Together, they captured the Rainbow Robbers in their stronghold found behind a waterfall; while on the case, Shayera saved Katar's life and the two fell deeply in love. A few weeks later, Katar proposed to Shayera in front of the same waterfall. She accepted and they were married. Ten years later, the couple was sent to Earth in pursuit of the criminal Byth Rok. Upon reaching Earth, they were befriended by Midway City police commissioner George Emmett, who established cover identities for them as Carter and Shiera Hall. After capturing Byth and bringing him back to their planet, Katar and Shayera chose to return to study Earth's crime fighting methods, and they fought against evil as the superheroes Hawkman and Hawkgirl. Shayera renamed herself Hawkwoman in the early 1980s.
She maintained a rivalry with the museum naturalist Mavis Trent, who had her eyes on both Hawkman and Carter Hall.
As Hawkwoman, Shayera eventually joined her husband as a member of the Justice League. She was the first League member admitted as part of the League's vote to lift its prior twelve-member limitation[citation needed], which had effectively prevented the admission of more women to its ranks. Her membership set a precedent for the admission of Zatanna as the League's fifteenth member.
As Shiera, she first worked as Carter's secretary, but later became co-director of the Midway City Museum. Later, Thanagar had established itself as a military dictatorship bent on conquering other planets. Hawkman and Hawkwoman thwarted Thanagarian plans to invade Earth, destroying their own starship in the process. Hawkman and Hawkwoman remained on Earth, regarded as traitors by everyone on Thanagar.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Thanagarian Physiology: As a Thanagarian, Shayera Hol possesses several gifts that are common to members of her race, but set them apart from normal humans. A Thanagarian's life span is significantly greater than that of a normal human being. In the prime of her life, Shayera was actually older than many of Earth's senior citizens. A Thanagarian is also physically heartier than the average Earth human. They are stronger, with greater stamina and a greater resistance to pain. Thanagarians also possess enhanced senses.
- Enhanced Vision: Shayera's eyesight is more acute than a normal human and her range of vision is similar to that of a bird.
- Enhanced Hearing: Her auditory senses are also particularly acute and she can perceive sounds with greater clarity than the average human.
Abilities
- Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced): Shayera Hol is an expert at hand-to-hand combat and employs a wide range of weaponry as part of her crime-fighting arsenal.
- Multilingualism: Through the use of the Absorbascon, Shayera Hol is fluent in many Earth languages. Her unique physiology also enables her to verbally communicate with birds.
Paraphernalia
Equipment
- Nth Metal Enhancements: Through exposure to the Nth Metal. The metal is psycho-reactive, responding to the thoughts of its bearer and in its base form has a number of electromagnetic/gravitational properties.
- Artificial Feathered Wings: Flight through the use of Thanagarian Nth Metal wings; also direction controlled self-powered flight. Her wings allow her to control navigation and guidance during flight, though they can be "flapped" through use of shoulder motions.
- Nth Metal Belt & Boots: Hawkgirl flies by way of an anti-gravity Belt & boots constructed from Thanagarian Nth Metal its abilities are controlled mentally.
Notes
- This version of Shayera Thal (Earth-One), including all history and corresponding appearances, was erased from existence following the collapse of the original Multiverse in the 1985–86 Crisis on Infinite Earths event and later restored following the rebirth of the infinite Multiverse during the Dark Crisis of 2022-2023. Even though other versions of the character may have appeared, this information does not apply to those versions.
- Following the events of DC's miniseries, Crisis on Infinite Earths, the histories of Earth-One and Earth-Two are merged together. As a result, both Golden Age and Silver Age versions of Hawkman and Hawkgirl/Hawkwoman live on the same Earth. Initially, the Silver Age Hawkman and Hawkwoman were kept in continuity unchanged, and they briefly joined Justice League International. However, DC reversed this decision and rebooted Hawkman continuity after the success of the 1989 Hawkworld miniseries. Originally, Hawkworld retold the origins of Silver Age Hawkman and Hawkwoman. After becoming a success, DC Comics launched a Hawkworld ongoing series set in the present resulting in a complete reboot of Hawkman continuity. By doing so, several continuity errors regarding Hawkman and Hawkwoman's Justice League appearances needed to be fixed. The character of Sharon Parker was created to take Shayera's place in several stories which could not be reconciled with the new history.
Trivia
- Hawkwoman's physical appearance was inspired by Jean Ordwein Schwartz, a former employee of National Periodical Publications and wife of editor Julius Schwartz. [1]
Related
- 244 Appearances of Shayera Thal (Earth-One)
- 29 Images featuring Shayera Thal (Earth-One)
- 6 Quotations by or about Shayera Thal (Earth-One)
- Character Gallery: Shayera Thal (Earth-One)
External Links
- See Also Hawkgirl (Shayera Hol) for the DCAU version of this character.
Footnotes
  This character has been a member of the Justice League of America, or the Justice League in any of its various incarnations, sworn by a duty to act as guardians of America and the world by using their skills and/or superpowers to protect Earth from the clutches of both interstellar and domestic threats. |