Darkhawk fans got the promise of a new chapter in the character's life thanks to his 30th Anniversary one-shot, Heart of the Hawk #1, and now we have a glimpse at what's next for the fan-favorite Marvel hero. The next era for Darkhawk will begin in a brand new Darkhawk limited series this August, and at the helm are writer Kyle Higgins and artist Juanan Ramirez, which will also feature an absolutely stunning character redesign from Pepe Larraz. It will also pave the way for a new person in the armor, as Chris Powell sacrificed himself at the end of Heart of the Hawk, and now a new character named Connor Young will inherit the mantle.
As you can see in Marvel's designs from Larraz on the next slide, the suit looks gorgeous, featuring a black, silver, and red color scheme and wings made out of pink energy emanating from the suit. His gauntlets also boast red compartments that glow when his energy claws are unsheathed, and he looks deadly as ever.
In a new interview, Higgins was asked why this is the time for a new Darkhawk. "I wouldn't say the decision to introduce a new heir was so much about it being 'time,' so much as, it's a direction that I was really intrigued by," Higgins said. "The last six years, from Power Rangers to the Winter Soldier to Ultraman and now Radiant Black, I've really fallen in love with building contemporary superheroes, with origins for our times. This current generation. And so, thinking about a character like Darkhawk, who was always designed through contemporary Everyman lens, it made sense to think about what a teenager right now might be like. And then, taking things one step further, what a teenager who is destined for greatness and can't wait to achieve it, so he can give back to his community... what it's like when that path is seemingly shut down. For good. What do you do then? How do you reinvent yourself and find purpose? When the thing you were meant to do, you no longer can?"
There are some Tokusatsu vibes in the suit and approach, and quite a few elements of Darkhawk fit quite naturally in the genre.
"There are some elements that are similar, aesthetically at least," Higgins said. "A staple of the Tokusatsu genre is the transforming hero archetype —Super Sentai, Kamen Rider, Ultraman — and Darkhawk, with its body swap dynamic, certainly fits that mold. I also find that I really respond to the more soulful and spiritual components to a lot of Tokusatsu. And I think, when you have cosmic elements, those two can be a nice mix. So, we may touch on some of that in Darkhawk. Plus, different weapon manifestations, forms and tons of magenta energy. We're going to have fun in New York City. Especially when a certain contemporary web head swings by..."
As for the new character holding the mantle, there's a lot to explore with Connor Young, who is on his way to a lucrative NBA career when he gets a sudden medical diagnosis that turns his world upside down.
"As we celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Darkhawk -- and Chris Powell -- my approach to the mantle and the book in general comes from the same place that some of my other recent superhero work comes from: building something new and contemporary, while staying respectful to what's come before," Higgins said. "And, to stay true to the spirit of the concept, pushing it in ways that take full advantage of its potential. Hopefully, when it comes to Darkhawk, we'll be taking the body-swapping-with-an-android-but-still-controlling-it-with-your-consciousness-despite-not-being-genetically-compatible, in some pretty different new directions. And at the core of that, is Connor Young. And the sudden medical diagnosis that upends his entire life."
"The Darkhawk technology, the android, its weapons, etc. all have a sci-fi cosmic touch. But first and foremost, Connor is going to be focused on what he knows and cares about: Earth. New York. Woodlawn Heights. His dad and his friends. And now, also, navigating this life-changing diagnosis," Higgins said. "But, that's where the cosmic and the grounded start to come together: the way the Darkhawk technology work, a user doesn't actually transform into Darkhawk. What happens, is that they instantly transport and swap places with an Android, which the user — in the case of humans because of their biology and incompatibilities with the technology — still controls with their consciousness."
"So what happens when that user has a neurodegenerative condition? How does it affect his abilities? His ability to sync with the android? Are there enhancements? Detriments? What does it mean for his multiple sclerosis? All of that is at the root of this new Darkhawk," Higgins said.
As for the new design, it modernizes an already fantastic look, and Higgins believes that look is what has allowed Darkhawk to remain a fan favorite.
"The Darkhawk design is bold and striking. There's a reason why the character has really lasted over the last 30 years, despite appearing infrequently. And I think a big part of it is how memorable his look is. In my opinion, the look of a new superhero is 90% of the battle to creating a character that has the potential to stand the test of time. To become potentially iconic, they have to look iconic. Darkhawk is that for me. So, in approaching the modernization of the Android armor, Pepe Larraz was kind of enough to grace us with his immense design talents. The results speak for themselves — they're so ridiculously cool. Juanan, I've known for some time, and have worked on a few small projects together that never quite came to fruition (yet). So, when Marvel included him as an option for Darkhawk, I was really excited by the prospect of building this with him. It's been so much fun," Higgins said.
What do you think of the new suit? Let us know in the comments or as always you can talk all things Marvel and Darkhawk with me on Twitter @MattAguilarCB!