Nighthawk (DC Comics)

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Publication information
Nighthawk
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Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Western Comics # 5 (September/October 1948)
In story information
Alter ego	Hannibal Hawkes

Nighthawk is a fictional character, a cowboy in the DC Comics universe. His real name is Hannibal Hawkes and he first appeared in Western Comics # 5. In his secret identity, he worked as a travelling repairman. He had a sidekick named Jim Peyton.

He was shown as dying during Crisis on Infinite Earths, although this has been retconned twice to fit in with the later revelation that he was a reincarnation of Prince Khufu -- who would later be reincarnated as Carter Hall, the Golden Age Hawkman. Current continuity has it that he was shot by a criminal named Matilda Roderic, who was presumably a reincarnation of the evil priest Hath-Set, who is apparently destined to kill Khufu in every life. Roderic's descendant is the current Hath-Set.

The Hawkman retcon also revealed he was the partner and lover of the Western heroine Cinnamon, who was the reincarnation of Khufu's wife Chay-Ara.

Nighthawk appears in Guy Gardner #24 during the Zero Hour incident. He sported white sideburns at this point in time. His group of allies, which includes El Diablo and Bat-Lash, were forming to take on the villain Extant and several men Extant had brainwashed. Nighthawk calls this group the 'Rough Bunch' on more than one occasion. The time-lost heroes Steel, Supergirl, Guy Gardener and a version of Batgirl show up to help in the fight.

A modern-day version of the character appears in the Western-themed Robin Annual # 6, as a mercenary. He worked with Robin and the modern day Pow Wow Smith to track down the modern day Trigger Twins. They have a literal main-street showdown in a western themed tourist attraction located near Gotham City.