The DC superhero Hawkman has appeared in both Smallville and the Arrowverse. This is how the two versions of the character compare.
Thanks to Smallville and the ArrowverseThere have been two live-action versions of Hawkman, a major DC superhero and a longtime member of the Justice League. Both Hawkman and Hawkgirl are known to be reincarnated lovers from ancient Egypt in the DC Comics lore.
The first actor to play Carter Hall on the small screen was Stargate SG-1 actor Michael Shanks. He played Hawkman in Smallville the special Justice Society from season 9, and he reprized the role in three more episodes; met a sad ending in season 10 when he died saving Lois (Erica Durance). As for the Arrowverse’s Hawkman, he was played by Falk Hentschel alongside Ciara Renée’s Hawkgirl in the second crossover between The flash Y Arrow. Later, both characters became members of the original. Legends of tomorrow alignment, but only for a short time. Carter Hall died early and was replaced by a reincarnated Hawkman from the future. He remained on the team with Hawkgirl until the end of season 1.
Click the button below to start this article in quick view.
The DCEU Black adam will give fans another remake of Hawkman, but until then, the Smallville and the Arrowverse versions of Hawkman will remain the only live-action adaptations of the beloved DC Comics character. Both versions were based on elements of Hawkman’s comic backstory, but the two shows took the heroes in totally different directions. Smallville and the Arrowverse retained the most important aspect, which is the idea that Hawkman and Hawkgirl are involved in a reincarnation love story that dates back thousands of years. Additionally, both versions of Hawkman wore costumes that closely resembled the one belonging to his comic book counterpart. In fact, Smallville’s Carter Hall had what is arguably one of the most comical designs on the show.
A key difference between the two versions of Hawkman is where they were in their lives when they appeared on screen. In Smallville, Hawkman was an older and veteran superhero who had already lost his Hawkgirl and was now looking forward to seeing her again in the next life. This Carter Hall, who had run the Justice Society in the past, was someone who had already gone through a long career as a superhero. His knowledge and experience put him in a position where he was able to give valuable advice to Tom Welling’s Clark Kent, who was still growing in his role as leader of the Justice League. The Arrowverse used younger versions of Hawkman, but at certain points, they both had access to their old memories. Being deeply to Chay-Ara, he fought enormously to try to make her remember their bond and the tragedies they had been through together.
While Legends of tomorrow delivered a memorable narration of their love story, the problem some had with his character is that his arc was so focused on Hawkgirl and their connection, that it had little depth outside of their relationship. The character of Michael Shanks, on the other hand, received a great deal of praise and was widely regarded as a solid portrayal of the Justice League hero. His interactions with Clark made him a special addition to SmallvilleThe world, and his undying love for Hawkgirl and the confidence that he would find her again after reincarnation helped him appear to be an understanding figure.
About the Author
Reference-screenrant.com
