Hawk’s Shadow

Heroic Sidekick

During the Silver Age, Luke Hatfield, Jr. dons a costume and adventures with his father ( ShadowHawk) and his mother (Lady ShadowHawkette) as their crime-fighting partner under the moniker “Squirrel.” The team is based out of a secret base known as the Shadowcave, and travels using their Shadowcar. Hatfield, Jr. even has a canine companion named Shadowdog.

During the Silver Age, Hatfield, Jr. learns from his father how to combat effectively using hand-to-hand techniques and how to incorporate many high tech gadgets into his fighting. He was also member of the Association of Truth and Justice, a team of heroes disbanded after the apparent death of its most prominet member, Astroman.

Squirrel’s crime-fighting with his family during the Silver Age of comics comes to a tragic end when he inadvertently kills Lady ShadowHawkette when he kicked Shadowdog for whinning. This traumatic event may have caused enough psychological damage to eventually transform the young crimefighter into a…

Psychotic Criminal

A darker and more vicious ShadowHawk emerges to fight crime. Enjoying the brutal style that this new vigilante uses after hearing about ShadowHawk beating up black gang members, Luke Hatfield, Jr. (now all grown up) decides to don a costume modeled after ShadowHawk. Unlike the unarmored ShadowHawk that his father adventured as, this new ShadowHawk wears bulletproof armor with many other apparent enhancements and even goes to such lengths as to break their backs. Hatfield, Jr., a white supremacist, begins only targeting black criminals and eventually meets ShadowHawk. The hero unmasks and shows Hatfield, Jr. that he is Paul Johnstone, the former district attorney. Hatfield, Jr. is shocked when he finds out that mantle of his childhood hero is now carried by a black man. Enraged at this, Hatfield, Jr. becomes the nemesis fully accepts the role as Hawk’s Shadow and vows to reclaim his father’s title from Johnstone and to purify the ShadowHawk legacy.

Hawk’s Shadow learns that Paul Johnstone’s mother is Mattie Woodroe, and attacks her during an interview. Although stopped by Johnstone, Hawk’s Shadow leaves the HIV-positive Johnstone drained and weakened. Johnstone was rushed to a hospital where he eventually dies as a result of the virus. The mantle of ShadowHawk is actually a “Spirit of Justice” and passes to several other hosts after Johnstone’s death.

After a viscious battle between Nocturn, who knew ShadowHawk’s identity, and Eddie Collins who is the new ShadowHawk, Hawk’s Shadow reemerges. Hatfield, Jr. takes advantage of his arch-enemy being severely wounded. Faster and stronger than before, Hatfield, Jr. is fueled by his desire to gain the Helmet of Heru, the piece of armor that gives ShadowHawk power. Through the Helmet of Heru, Paul Johnstone’s spirit channels through Collins’ body. Johnstone beats Hawk’s Shadow to near death, but Collins resumes control and turns the villain over to the authorities before he can kill him.

Disgraced Hero

In a battle with Komodo, Collins is defeated and Hawk’s Shadow attains the Helmet of Heru. Hawk’s Shadow then kills Komodo before the creature can kill Collins. Hawk’s Shadow claims the powers of ShadowHawk and begins to kill villains throughout the criminal underworld. Hatfield, Jr.’s vigilante behavior leads to the police hunting him down. Surprisingly, Luke Hatfield, Sr., the Silver Age ShadowHawk confronts his son and tells him to take the costume off because his vigilante “heroics” shame the ShadowHawk legacy.

Hatfield, Jr. becomes even more of a wreck, crazed from all of the recent stress. He is confronted by Collins, Blacklight, and Astroman and looses the Helmet of Heru to the former ShadowHawk.

Second Life as a Villain

The criminal kingpin known as Vendetta looks for a new brain for Komodo. Luke Hatfield, Jr.’s brain eventually is integrated into the new Komodo. He unhappily took up the role as the new Komodo, but it is unknown what happened after he got his new body.