Kendra Saunders finally gets another solo series after an extended gap with the debut of HAWKGIRL #1 from writer Jadzia Axelrod and artist Amancay Nahuelpan.

I really enjoyed Axelrod’s opening sequence where we see former teammates questioning Hawkgirl’s recent life choices, only to have her shoot them down and reclaim her own sense of identity and purpose. It’s a fun exchange that never gets too combative, while providing commentary on the recent reliance of only showcasing Kendra as part of a team rather than an individual.

If Axelrod’s approach to writing a character exposé continues throughout the entire miniseries, this run will be known for refocusing the narrative on who Kendra is and what she deals with on a day-to-day basis, rather than some of the past wild adventures that have become synonymous with Hawkgirl. I can see it being a divisive approach to the character, especially due to the rarity of her own solo titles, but it feels like a much needed moment of reflection given the troublesome events Hawkgirl has had to endure throughout her comic book history.

The art by Nahuelpan, paired with colors by Adriano Lucas and lettering by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, had a classic comic book feel to it, with a nice balance of character details, fleshed out backgrounds, and distinct breaks between scenes. Nahuelpan’s designs for Kendra outside of the Hawkgirl costume create an image of a physical specimen that appears second to none. Otsmane-Elhaou’s lettering muscles are on full display throughout the book as we are brought through multiple story arcs, watch an alien invasion unfold via sound effects, and are introduced to various characters with their own dialogue boxes. Lucas gets to play with some interesting color choices with the mainstream debut of Galaxy, a character that is “made of stars” and comes from Axelrod’s previous graphic novel, GALAXY: THE PRETTIEST STAR.

This was an impressive debut that didn’t try to over-explain Kendra’s origins or placate anyone. It was direct in what it wanted to do and has the makings of being a generational re-introduction of a character who will be visible in the new DC film universe in the near future. I’m bought into Axelrod’s vision and ready to go along for the ride.

Rating: 7.5/10