I was so uneven about Hawk & Dove leading up to the relaunch. I loved them in Brightest Day and I think Dove is a strong character that has a lot going for her in the grand scope of things. I just wasn't sure if the new series would be something I would enjoy. I took the chance and I think a lot of readers should too. It is a perfect mix of action and exposition that gets everything done right. The only complaint I have that might bother new(er) readers is….who the heck is Boston? I know who Deadman is, barely, and thanks to Brightest Day I know his real name is Boston Brand. But in this issue he is referenced as Boston by Dove and Deadman by Hawk. There really isn't anything telling the reader that this is the same guy their talking about and there is nothing told about who this guy is or why he is there. Small quibble but can be a big detractor for a few people. I'll say Hawk & Dove is up there with Static Shock as an underdog deserving your time. Read Full Review

Overall, Im looking forward to some great storytelling in Hawk and Dove that should more than make up for the lack of great art. Sterling Gates made Supergirl into the most dynamic and interesting character in the DCU during his stint on her book, odds are hell do something similar with Hank Hall and Don Granger aka Hawk and Dove. Read Full Review

And then there's the art. Rob Liefeld's style is easy to mock for its grossly inflated anatomy, intensely rigid facial expressions, and overabundance of pouches and shoulder pads. But though the former two flaws are readily apparent, there's no denying the sheer energy that Liefeld's pencils bring to the book. The coloring also helps smooth over some of his inconsistencies. Hawk and Dove is very '90s-esque in some ways. It's crafted very much like a summer popcorn film, and it's not ashamed of it either. That's exactly the sort of superhero book where Liefeld's style is most appropriate. Read Full Review

Rob Liefeld cut his teeth on these characters years ago, and having him back is a real coup" or it would be if his artwork had improved in the past 25 years. But even now, these pages are full of terrible anatomy, unrealistic poses, and the same two faces cut and pasted on one character after another. The book looks awful, and as much as I want to know what will happen with these characters, I'm pretty much ready to content myself with Wikipedia updates until someone else takes over the art chores. Read Full Review

Either way, you're not getting any of that in this comic, and I'm sure nobody reading a Rob Liefeld comic wants that. Read Full Review

The writing was ok, with the characters feeling too simple as Hank went from angry to whiny and then back to angry while Dawn was simply passive and remote the entire time. I'm also not sure what elements are still pulled from the previous DCU as there is no mention of Hank's death and resurrection, but Deadman and Dove are still dating, and this mostly confuses me. I guess I'll take another look next month, but so far Hawk and Dove barely gets 2 out of 5 stars from me. Read Full Review

The one aspect of the story I found interesting was Gates' decision to link Dawn Granger to Hank Hall's past, to a time before they met and before they became super-hero partners. That's a compelling hook, and it promises a much more interesting interpersonal conflict than the bickering and nitpicking that passes for friction in the first act of the book. Still, that's not nearly enough to get me interested in this series on an ongoing basis. Read Full Review

I hope the book gets more interesting because this one is looking lackluster so far. Read Full Review

Since Hawk was brought back to life in "Blackest Night," we've seen the duo in "Brightest Day," "Birds of Prey," and now here. And in all three, I've gotten the distinct feeling that no one has the slightest idea what to do with these characters. All of these comics have read like someone was assigned Hank and Dawn, rather than any particular desire to write about them. Perhaps it's time to retire them for a while if this is the best we can get. Sterling Gates have each done much better in their careers, but this isn't something to be proud of. Read Full Review

Sorry, Mr. Gates. I'll be happy to give you another shot at some point in the future, but you crapped out this time. Read Full Review

Ultimately, there are fertile conflicts and potent characters in Hawk and Dove, but so far overdramatic dialogue and one-note drawing are holding it back. Were Gates and Liefeld were late to the office the day they assigned who would produce which book? Did they draw the short straw? For these creators to meaningfully explore themes of war and peace, life and death, they need to convey what always lies at the heart of these issues: real human emotions. Read Full Review