Polite Dissent

In Hawk & Dove #8, all of the plot threads introduced since the first issue begin to draw together.

As the story starts, Ren is in fear for her life. While working on a school project she accidentally photographed the assassin Copperhead in the middle of a murder. Now she is convinced that she is his next target. She can’t sleep and is having nightmare after nightmare.

Ren finally drags herself from bed and joins the rest of the gang at Suds, their usual campus hangout. The proprietor makes sure to single Hank out for a particularly cryptic comment…could it have something to do with his exposure to that mysterious black and purple energy last issue?

There is a sudden commotion outside as a giant robot has appears out of nowhere and cracks open an armored car full of gold. Sound familiar? No, it’s not Gauntlet from the first issue, but one of his the friends he mentioned: MAC. Hawk and Dove spring into action, but MAC proves to be a tough customer. Hawk, with the help of some heavy weaponry from the SCU, is able to slow him down, but it is Dawn who finally disables the robot.

After the battle, Captain Arsala asks Dove out on a date. Dawn is conflicted: she is clearly drawn to Arsala, but Donna and Kyle have been trying to set her up with one of their friends. Dawn and Ren are discussing the possibilities as they walk with Hank to his apartment.

The day’s events aren’t over yet: It seems that there’s a strange woman waiting for them in Hank’s apartment and she’s very anxious to talk to the three of them about their friend Kyle. And did I mention that she has a gun?

Notes:

• I know that the “accidental photograph of a murder” is a standard cliché, but it doesn’t really make a great deal of sense here. Copperhead is a grandstanding costumed murderer-for-hire. What does he care if someone photographs him? It’s not like his involvement is secret — the constriction marks and poison give him away. A photograph is just free advertising for him. Why would he go after Ren?
• Two new members of the SCU team are introduced. The first is Theresa Bua Trinh, the SCU sharpshooter whom Captain Arsala likes to call “Bullets.” She may be a great shot, but her method of holding a rifle would make Chuck Dixon cringe. The second character introduced is the SCU’s chief mechanic. His name is Kirby and he clearly resembles a certain classic comic book artist known for drawing fantastic machinery.
• For the people who have asked: Yes, Hawk and Dove did appear in Secret Origins #43 with a cover date of August 1993. This makes it contemporary with Hawk & Dove #3. The story in Secret Origins gives away a little too much of the plot yet-to-come in Hawk & Dove, so I’m going to wait for the story to catch up before I discuss this particular comic .