Hawkman #1 (1964, DC Silver Age): The Winged Wonder's First Solo Series

By 1964, the Silver Age of Comics was in full bloom. DC's revival strategy was working beautifully: Flash, Green Lantern, and the Justice League had proven that superhero comics could thrive in the postwar era with scientific updates to the classic concepts. Hawkman was next, and the April-May 1964 launch of his first solo title represented both a creative triumph and a key collecting milestone.

Hawkman #1 from 1964 is a legitimate Silver Age key, representing the character's graduation from his try-out appearances in The Brave and the Bold to full solo-series status. For collectors of DC Silver Age books, it occupies an important place in any serious collection.

The Character's Silver Age Origins

The Silver Age Hawkman (Katar Hol) was a very different figure from his Golden Age predecessor. Where the original 1940s Hawkman was an Egyptian prince reincarnated in the modern day, editor Julius Schwartz and writer Gardner Fox gave the 1961 revival a science-fiction framework that fit the era's obsession with space travel.

Katar Hol was a police officer from the planet Thanagar, sent to Earth with his wife Shayera (Hawkgirl) to study crime-fighting techniques. They adopted the identities of museum curators Carter and Shiera Hall in Midway City, using anti-gravity Nth metal belts and ancient weapon collections to fight crime. The science-fiction premise let Fox and Schwartz blend adventure with genuine ornithology, as the Hawks' connection to birds became a recurring educational element of the stories.

Hawkman first appeared in Brave and the Bold #34 (February-March 1961). Try-out appearances in BatB #35-36 and #42-44 followed, along with membership in the Justice League beginning with JLA #31. The character's appeal was strong enough to justify a solo title, and in early 1964, DC committed to a monthly Hawkman series.

The Issue: Murphy Anderson's Finest Hour

Hawkman #1 (April-May 1964) carried two stories written by Gardner Fox with art by Joe Kubert on the cover and interior pencils by Murphy Anderson. The combination of Fox's intelligent plotting and Anderson's precise, detailed linework created a visual style unlike most DC books of the era.

Murphy Anderson was one of the great technical artists of the Silver Age. His clean, controlled lines and exceptional attention to detail in depicting both the human figure and the ornithological elements (real bird species, accurate wing anatomy) gave Hawkman a visual coherence that distinguished the series. Anderson's Hawkman has a noble, upright quality that feels appropriate for a character whose nobility is central to his identity.

The cover of Hawkman #1, featuring the hero in flight against a dramatic sky, is one of the more attractive first issues of the era. It lacks the kinetic chaos of some contemporary DC covers in favor of a clean, heroic composition that has aged very well.

The interior stories in this issue establish the Midway City setting, the museum curator identities, and the wing harnesses that allow human flight. The scientific explanations for Hawkman's powers were part of the Silver Age formula but Fox handled them with more grace than most, integrating them into adventure plots rather than stopping the story for a lecture.

Condition Realities: A 62-Year-Old Book

Hawkman #1 is a 62-year-old newsprint comic, and the challenges that face any book of this age are significant. Brittleness is the primary enemy: the newsprint used in 1964 had a high acid content that causes gradual yellowing and fragility over time. Books that were stored in humid environments are especially prone to tanning and brittleness.

The spine is another critical point. Silver Age DC books were often read many times and spine stress marks are common. A crisp, unread spine is a genuine rarity.

Here is a realistic grade guide with approximate current market values:

These values reflect the current market for unrestored copies. Restored examples carry significantly lower values (typically 50-70% discounts from equivalent unrestored grades) and should always be disclosed. CGC labels restored books with a purple label and a Restored designation.

White Pages vs. Off-White: The Paper Question

One of the most important secondary factors in Silver Age book valuation is page quality. CGC notes page quality as White, Off-White to White, Off-White, Cream, Tan, or Brittle. White pages on a 1964 DC book indicate exceptional storage conditions and are relatively rare. White pages can add meaningful value above an equivalent grade with cream or tan pages, as they suggest the book has remained in stable, low-humidity storage for six decades.

When evaluating Hawkman #1 on the secondary market, pay attention to CGC's page quality notation. A CGC 5.5 with white pages is a more desirable book than a CGC 5.5 with tan pages.

The Brave and the Bold Connection

For collectors who want the complete Hawkman Silver Age story, the companion pieces to Hawkman #1 are the Brave and the Bold try-out issues. B&B #34 is the most important, as it contains Hawkman's Silver Age first appearance and is itself a significant key issue. In lower grades, B&B #34 can be found in the $200-500 range; high-grade examples command much more.

Some collectors assemble a Hawkman run that begins with B&B #34 and continues through the Hawkman solo series. This is a meaningful and coherent collection with strong narrative logic.

Why This Book Is Undervalued

Hawkman #1 is frequently described in collector circles as undervalued relative to comparable Silver Age keys. The character has had a complex publication history, with multiple continuity revisions that have made him one of DC's more confusing figures for casual readers. This complexity suppresses mainstream interest and keeps prices below where they might otherwise be.

However, for collectors who know their Silver Age history, Hawkman #1 is a genuine first issue of a sustained DC series from the heart of the Silver Age, featuring solid creative talent and attractive visual design. These factors suggest potential appreciation as the Silver Age collector base continues to grow and fewer high-grade copies remain available.

Murphy Anderson's Legacy

It is worth spending a moment on Murphy Anderson specifically, because his work on Hawkman represents some of the finest sustained art of the Silver Age. Anderson (1926-2015) was one of DC's most versatile and technically accomplished artists. His inking on other artists' pencils was equally celebrated; his inks over Curt Swan's Superman pencils defined that character's look for a generation.

Hawkman allowed Anderson to be the primary visual voice, and the result is a series with a distinctive aesthetic identity. Collectors who appreciate Silver Age art often cite the Hawkman books as among the most visually rewarding of the era.

Collecting Strategy

For most collectors approaching Hawkman #1, CGC grades of 4.0-6.0 represent the sweet spot: books that are attractive and presentable in their slabs without requiring the premium expenditure of high-grade examples. The story reads cleanly, the cover art is visible and appealing, and the entry price is accessible.

Serious Silver Age collectors who prioritize condition will target 8.0 and above, where the book's visual quality truly shines and the rarity of well-preserved examples justifies the premium.

In either case, Hawkman #1 belongs in any serious Silver Age DC collection.

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