When it comes to comic characters, many have abilities inspired by powerful animals. Such as Jayna the Wonder Twin, Wolfsbane, Squirrel Girl and Beast Boy, to name a few. One such race of characters not only possess hawk-like abilities but also happen to be aliens. Do you know who this is?
The Manhawks, created by Gardner Fox, Joe Kubert, and Julius Schwartz, made their debut appearance in Brave and the Bold #43 in 1962. These large, hawk-like alien beings are devoted to traveling across the universe stealing from inhabited worlds. These marauders have the ability to communicate telepathically, survive unprotected in outer space and fly over interstellar distances through hyperpace. Before they began robbing inhabited worlds, the Manhawks were engaged in a centuries-long war against the reptile race the Lizarkons. After the Lizarkons destroyed the Manhawks’ planet only a few Manhawks managed to escape.
While wandering through space, the Manhawks wear masks designed to resemble the faces of the dominant life form of the planet they are robbing. The eye-slits of each mask are equipped to shoot rays of a highly destructive laser beam, but can also shift their target into another dimension for a short period. After years of plundering, the Manhawks made their way to the planet Thanagar where theft was an unknown concept. The Thanagarian Katar Hol, later known as the superhero Hawkman, led a group of Thanagarians to capture the Manhawks. The Manhawks’ bad behavior caused some of the Thanagarians to start looting as well. As a result, Thanagar was forced to develop a police force.
Years later, the few remaining Manhawks made their way to Earth but were ultimately defeated by the superhero team of Hawkman and Hawkgirl. During the Brightest Day event, the new Hawkman and Hawkwoman encountered another group of Manhawks in the Hawkworld, a boarder linking Earth and Thanagar.