10 Criminally Underrated DC Comics You Must Read

In the 1980s, a lot of characters were getting revised backstories, like the acclaimed Batman: Year One or The Man of Steel, and Hawkman was no different. However, instead of being a new backstory for Hawkman as it was written, it became a present day story which just muddled his origin, and that led to a lot of confusion for the character in the decades following.

Regardless of its convoluted context, Hawkworld is a brilliant three-part limited series that focuses on Katar Hol, one of the privileged aristocrats living in the skies of Thanagar, as a young police officer dealing with the scourge of the slums below. His morals get the better of him and he tries to buck the corruption in the system, leading to trials and an exile. It also introduced Shayera, Hawkgirl, as a young rookie to be his partner.

This is one of those books that should be as acclaimed as its contemporaries. Timothy Truman really brings his A-game, from the injustices set upon the lower class by an aristocracy, to societal changes too. The miniseries also led to an ongoing series by John Ostrander where Katar and Shayera relocated to Chicago, so double points for also getting a great juxtaposition that really builds on what this limited series does.