The Mysterious Case of the Third Hawkman
Who is Fel Andar and how does he fit into the puzzle of the hawklore?
In the wake of the iconic comic event, Crisis on Infinite Earths (1987), DC Comics embarked on a significant reboot of its characters and their narratives in what would be known as the Post-Crisis era. This era saw the reimagination of the Silver Age Hawkman and Hawkwoman, Katar and Shayera Hol, whose adventures were thought to continue in Justice League International (1987). However, this assumption took an unexpected turn with the introduction of new characters in the form of spies Fel Andar and Sharon Parker, who had assumed the identities of the iconic winged duo.
The Unintended Hawkworld Reboot
The story begins with Tim Truman's Hawkworld (1989), envisioned as a three-issue miniseries to elucidate the origins of Thanagarian space officers Katar Hol and Shayera Thal (Thal is Shayera’s maiden name before marrying Katar Hol). However, the overwhelming success of Hawkworld prompted DC to use it as a launchpad for a complete reboot, erasing the Silver Age hawks from comic continuity as Hawkworld did better in sales compared to the Hawkman books Pre-Crisis.
The reimagination presented a stark departure from the original lore, featuring Katar and Shayera as newcomers to Earth, arriving decades after the formation of the Justice League. Katar & Shayera were no longer married, their bright colorful suits were replaced with cold grey armor. This posed challenges as the Silver Age hawks had already been incorporated into Post-Crisis storylines such as Power of the Atom (1988) by Roger Stern and of course, Justice League International (1987), necessitating creative solutions.
Replacing Identities Twice Over
In a complex maneuver, DC opted to first replace Katar and Shayera Hol on the Justice League of America with the Golden Age hawks, Carter and Shiera Hall. Subsequently, when the Justice Society of America was consigned to limbo in The Last Days of The Justice Society of America by Roy & Dann Thomas, Fel Andar and Sharon Parker assumed the roles of Carter and Shiera Hall in a layered substitution.
Unveiling Fel Andar's Complicated Past
And there’s still the question. Who is Fel Andar? That gets explained in the sequel series of Hawkworld, written by John Ostrander. Hawkworld (1990) #22 peels back the layers of Fel Andar's identity, revealing him to be Shayera's cousin from her father's side, thereby introducing familial ties to the character. This revelation is intricately woven into a narrative where Fel becomes entangled in a mission orchestrated by Shayera's father, Andar Pul, who is also his uncle, unearthing disturbing family secrets that involve Shayera’s deceased mother
In Hawkworld (1990) #23, we witness a flashback during the INVASION event at the embassy of the JLI where Fel is hunting for his ‘honey’ aka Sharon. Despite both of them faking their identities to get into the JLI, it turns out that Fel lied to Sharon, saying he was the youngest son of Carter Hall, the Golden Age Hawkman. He also lied to her about being human. The climax unfolds when Sharon confronts Fel, leading to a violent outburst where Fel, in a fit of rage, fatally shoots her with his Thanagarian blaster. The discovery of Sharon's lifeless body by Martian Manhunter and Amanda Waller exposes Fel's dark secret – he was a spy for Thanagar, betraying Earth by providing crucial intelligence for its potential subjugation. Despite the JLI's efforts to apprehend him, Fel escapes, returning to Thanagar, leaving behind a trail of betrayal and tragedy.
The Legacy Extends: Fel Andar's Son, Charley Parker
In a surprising turn, the Post-Crisis era introduced Charley Parker, the son of the morally ambiguous Fel Andar, in Hawkman (2002) written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray. Charley's origin story, steeped in complexity, deviates significantly from his Pre-Crisis counterpart. During Pre-Crisis, Charley was initially depicted as a member of Titans West and an orphaned boy with a deep admiration for Hawkman. Charley's fate takes a divergent path after an encounter with Matter Master, who grants him golden wings, leading him to embrace his dreams and adopt the mantle of Golden Eagle. Only after that, he died on Long Island as chronicled in New Titans #72.
However, in Hawkman (2002) #45, a narrative bombshell unveils an intricate backstory for Charley, intertwining with the enigmatic figure of Fel Andar. Born in 1947, Fel's origin traces back to two Thanagarian brothers, Andar Nal and Andar Pul, who arrived on Earth to study the planet. A significant twist occurs when Andar Nal, one of the brothers, falls deeply in love with an Earth woman named Naomi O'Neill. The union between Andar Nal and Naomi results in the birth of a son, Fel Andar.
Andar Nal's connection with Naomi O'Neill serves as a poignant departure from the typical Thanagarian narrative. Fel's dual heritage becomes a crucial aspect of his identity, navigating the complexities of being both Thanagarian and Earthling.
Following Fel's birth, Andar Nal, perhaps foreseeing the challenges of raising a hybrid child on Earth, makes the consequential decision to bring Fel back to Thanagar. This act sets the stage for Fel's eventual involvement in the Thanagarian War Council's plans for Earth.
As the limbo events with the Justice Society of America unfold, Fel is assigned a pivotal role by the Thanagarian War Council. Tasked with a mission to Earth as a spy, he is instructed to adopt the guise of Carter Hall Jr, the youngest son of Carter Hall. The narrative takes a dark turn as Fel, echoing the actions of his father, falls in love with an Earth woman named Sharon Parker. Fel begins to fear the idea of Thanagarian authorities viewing this romantic entanglement with suspicion, as he knows they’d probably consider it a potential betrayal of Thanagar.
In a disturbing twist, Fel's fear of reprisal from Thanagar leads him to manipulate Sharon's perception through hypnotic means. He induces Sharon into believing she is Hawkwoman, all while orchestrating the adoption of their son, Charley Parker, also known as Ch’al Andar, to shield him from the fallout of Thanagarian machinations.
The Post-Crisis narrative paints Charley as a product of Fel's machinations, with Fel being the catalyst for Charley acquiring his golden wings and escaping the fate he originally faced on Long Island Pre-Crisis. The Thanagarian authorities eventually apprehend Fel, bringing him back to prison in Thanagar. Charley harbors deep resentment toward the real Carter Hall, blaming him for his father's fate.
This intricate family drama sets the stage for the final arc, where Charley and Carter engage in a conflict that culminates in a brutal confrontation. Carter, beating Charley severely, sends him back to Thanagar in a bittersweet "father-son reunion." The entirety of Fel Andar's narrative, particularly about Charley, adds layers of complexity to the Hawkman lore, although the reception may vary among readers and for good reason. The only reason Fel Andar exists is because of a last-minute reboot where DC was willing to do anything to keep the hawks on the Justice League. There could’ve been other ways such as letting Fel instead pretend to be inspired by the hawks of the Justice Society, thus replacing the roles of Silver Age Hawkman & Hawkwoman without making it so convoluted. The solution was so simple but alas, it’s too late to change anything now. What’s canon is canon.