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Nighthawk is the name of four fictional comic book characters that appear in the Marvel Comics multiverse: A supervillain-turned-superhero in the mainstream Marvel universe (dubbed Earth-616), who was originally a member of the supervillain team the Squadron Sinister; and three superheroes from alternate universes. The three heroes each belong to a version of the team the Squadron Supreme (the Squadron Supreme of Earth-712 and the Squadron Supreme of Earth-31916 respectively).

Publication history

Original Nightawk

The first Nighthawk in Marvel Comics debuted in the final panel of The Avengers #69 (Oct. 1969), part one of a three-issue story by writer Roy Thomas and penciller Sal Buscema. This story arc introduced the supervillain team the Squadron Sinister, whose four members were loosely based on heroes in DC Comics' Justice League of America. Nighthawk was based on Batman.

Nighthawk appeared again as a villain in Daredevil #62 (March 1970). He then aids the superhero team the Defenders against his former teammates the Squadron Sinister in The Defenders #12-13 (Feb. & May 1974), reforming and joining the Defenders as an active member through issue #23 (May 1975) and Giant-Size Defenders #2-5 (Oct. 1974 - Jan. 1975)</ref> He went on to appear in two short solo backup features, one in Tales To Astonish vol. 2, #13 (Dec. 1980), the other in Marvel Team-Up #101 (Jan. 1981), in which he also teamed with Spider-Man in the lead feature. Nearly two decades later, he starred in a miniseries, Nighthawk #1-3 (Sept.-Nov. 1998) by writer Jim Krueger and penciler Richard Case.

Alternate-universe versions

Thomas and penciler John Buscema had meanwhile created an alternate-universe team of heroes called the Squadron Supreme in The Avengers #85 (Feb. 1971), using characters that shared names with those of the Squadron Sinister. This caused confusion in Marvel's production department, as the covers of The Avengers #85 and #141 (Nov. 1975) cover-blurbed appearances by the Squadron Sinister, when in fact the Squadron Supreme appeared in both issues. This Squadron Supreme starred in an eponymous, 12-issue miniseries (Sept. 1985 - Aug. 1986) by writer Mark Gruenwald and successive pencilers Bob Hall, Buscema, and Paul Ryan. Squadron Supreme focused on the exploits of the team in its home reality. Gruenwald, Ryan, and inker Al Williamson returned to the characters in the graphic-novel sequel Squadron Supreme: Death of a Universe (1989). The team later featured in a two-part story across Avengers/Squadron Supreme Annual '98 and the one-shot Squadron Supreme: New World Order (both Sept. 1998).

Five years, under the mature-audience Marvel MAX imprint, the 18-issue series Supreme Power (Oct. 2003 - Oct. 2005), set in a different alternate universe, incorporated yet another version of Nighthawk.

Fictional character biographies

Nighthawk (Earth 616 - Kyle Richmond)

The villainous version of Nighthawk first appears as a member of the Squadron Sinister, a group of supervillains assembled by the cosmic entity the Grandmaster to battle the champions of the time-traveling Kang - the superhero team the Avengers. It was revealed years later that the Grandmaster created the Squadron Sinister based on the already existing Squadron Supreme. The Avengers simply met the "copies" first. Nighthawk battles the Avenger Captain America but is defeated. After being abandoned by the Grandmaster, Nighthawk becomes a solo adventurer and encounters Daredevil, and after being defeated again decides to reform.

Nighthawk later resists an offer to rejoin the original members of the Squadron Sinister, who together with the alien Nebulon attempt to flood the Earth, but are stopped by Nighthawk and the superhero team the Defenders. Nighthawk then redesigns his costume and joins the active roster, and eventually becomes leader of the team.

Sometime later Nighthawk is apparently killed in an explosion, but is later revealed to have simply been in a coma. When the original Defenders become mind-controlled and form a new team called Order to enforce world peace, Nighthawk forms and leads a temporary team of Defenders to stop them.

During the events of Civil War, Nighthawk initially works with Captain America's Secret Avengers, but later defects to the pro-registration faction led by Iron Man.

Soon after this the cosmic entity the Grandmaster reappears and reforms the Squadron Sinister. An apparently resurrected Hyperion and new Dr. Spectrum try and coerce Nighthawk and fellow member Speed Demon into rejoining, but both are initially reluctant and they are now working with the superhero team the New Thunderbolts. Ironically, the New Thunderbolts become responsible for Nighthawk rejoining the Squadron Sinister. He quits in protest when former villain Baron Zemo joins and also learns that he was simply being used to finance team activities. Courtesy of a phenomenon known as the Wellspring of Power - an interdimensional source of superhuman abilities - the Grandmaster increases the Squadron Sinister's powers and they then battle the New Thunderbolts, as Baron Zemo also wishes to have control of the Wellspring. Zemo manages to defeat the Grandmaster, but in the ensuing chaos the Squadron Sinister scatter and escape. Nighthawk has yet to reappear.

Other versions

Kyle Richmond (Earth-712)

This version of Nighthawk is first encountered by four Avengers, who accidentally cross into the Earth-712 universe. The Avengers first battle then assist the Squadron Supreme against a global threat before returning to their own universe. Hyperion and the Squadron Supreme later battle the Avengers once again, who help to free the Squadron's Earth from the influence of the artifact the Serpent Crown. Nighthawk retires soon after this, and as Kyle Richmond runs for public office. He is eventually elected President of the United States, but unfortunately becomes mentally enslaved with the entire Squadron Supreme - with the exception of Hyperion - by the composite entity the Overmind, but are eventually freed by Hyperion and his Earth-616 allies, the Defenders.

The defeat of the Overmind leaves the planet in a post-apocalyptic state, and Hyperion decides to lead the Squadron Supreme in a move to take over their Earth and fashion it into a utopia. Nighthawk objects to this and secretly recruits superhumans known as the America Redeemers into the Squadron, who with Nighthawk eventually confront Hyperion and those members loyal to him. After a deadly battle in which several heroes are killed - including Nighthawk - Hyperion sees the error of his ways and disbands the team.

Neil Richmond (Earth-712)

Several years later a new Nighthawk confronts the Squadron Supreme when they return from a period of exile in the Earth-616 universe. Initially thought to be the son of the original, Neil Richmond is in fact the son of one of Nighthawk's old foes - the Huckster - and aids the Squadron against a group of corporations that are using the Squadron's own Utopia technologies to dominate the world in their absence. After successfully ending the threat, Nighthawk joins the Squadron Supreme.

Supreme Power

Ultimate Nighthawk

In The Ultimates Nighthawk is a non-powered human being and the leader of a version of the Defenders. Nighthawk's only attempt at heroics involves leaping from the shadows at a group of petty criminals - only to break his ankle and be severely beaten. He was also seen among the fighting heroes in The Ultimates 2 #12.

Powers and abilities

The Earth-616 Nighthawk was a very fit but not Olympic-level athlete, who courtesy of a potion possessed mild super-strength and increased agility and stamina under moonlight. This version also had several costume aids, such as a jetpack, lasers, artificial claw tips and projectile weapons.

The Earth-712 versions are physically superior, but lack superpowers. Neal Richmond is a genius and uses a variety of advanced weaponry to aid in combat.

Footnotes

1. Number confirmed by the Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe: Alternate Worlds 2005
2. Interview with Roy Thomas and Jerry Bails in The Justice League Companion (2003) pp. 72–73
3. Squadron Supreme #8 (of 12) (1986)
4. Avengers vol. 1, #85 & #141
5. Daredevil #62 (March 1970)
6. Defenders vol. 1, #13 - 14
7. Defenders vol. 1, #15 - 28
8. Defenders vol. 1, #75
9. Defenders vol. 1, #106
10. Nighthawk #1 - 3 (1998)
11. The Order #1-6 (2002)
12. Civil War #4 (2006)
13. New Thunderbolts #15-16 and Thunderbolts #102-108
14. The Avengers #85 - 86
15. The Avengers #141-144 & 147-149
16. The Defenders #112 -115
17. Squadron Supreme #1-12 (Sept. 1985 - Aug. 1986)
18. Squadron Supreme: New World Order (1998)

References

• Revolving Door of Death 13 - The Peculiar Resurrection of Nighthawk
• Nighthawk III at The Unofficial Handbook of the Marvel Universe
• Nighthawk I at The Unofficial Handbook of the Marvel Universe

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