Nighthawk & Cinnamon

Hannibal Hawkes and Katherine Manser were two in an eternal line of reincarnations of the ancient Egyptian Prince Khufu and his wife, Chay-Ara. Slain by Hath-Set by a blade made of Thanagarian Nth metal, Khufu and Chay-Ara were cursed to be reborn forever. One day, these souls would also become the original Hawkman and Hawkgirl …

Thought he operated extensively throughout the American Old West in the Arizona Territory, most of the stories of Nighthawk's early years are shrouded in mystery. As best as can be determined, the legendary hero appeared riding out of the East, already clad in the ebony garb of his calling, fighting outlaws and rustlers with a righteous vengeance.

Nighthawk traveled the west in his alter ego of Hannibal Hawkes, "Fix-Em" Man, whose covered wagon home/workshop advertised that he could "repair, rebuild, and resharpen anything n the spot." The young craftsman moved restlessly from town to town, earning his keep with his skills and wits.

With his jet-black Stallion, Nightwind, Nighthawk proved a potent force for law and order, relying on his skill with the six-gun and lasso to battle injustice whenever he came across it. Eventually, Hannibal Hawkes took in a young orphan named Jim Peyton after outlaws had killed his uncle, a federal marshall in Flagstaff. The killers tried to murder the boy before the could turn them in, but Nighthawk intervened. In the course of doing this, Nighthawk was captured by the killers and only Jim's fast thinking and brave actions saved the lawman from death.

Hannibal Hawkes and Jim Peyton rode the wide-open often lawless territory together helping bring peace to the developing area of the nation. Nighthawk's fame spread, catapulting the masked crime fighter into the ranks of the Western legend. Before long, there was not a frontier town or settlement that did not know of his exploits.

Eventually, the young Jim remained in one of the string of towns to enter a school in Blue Blazes under Miss Pritchett, the stern school marm. After that, Nighthawk seemed to spend more time in his masked identity, relying less and less upon his life as Hannibal Hawkes. (Who's Who #16)

At some point after parting with Peyton, Nighthawk encountered Greg Saunders, the Vigilante (a 20th century hero who had been tossed back in time). Saunders spoke to Hawkes of the future and of St. Roch, Louisiana. This wide-open town held great appeal for Hawkes. Soon after arriving, he met 'Gentleman' Jim Craddock in a saloon. Craddock told Nighthawk that an innocent man was about to be lynched. (Craddock's death was eventually linked to Hawkes', and he became Hawkman's current foe, the Gentleman Ghost.)

This innocent man, Cyrus Evans, was a former slave whose elderly employer, Bois Garvey, had been murdered. Garvey had named Evans his sole heir in hopes the younger man would set up a museum with his valuable possessions. This left his greedy niece, Matilda Dunney, with nothing. Dunney, who may herself have killed Garvey, mobilized the community against Evans with accusations of murder. After Evans' arrest, Dunney hired outlaws to break him out of jail and hang him. Nighthawk and his newly-acquainted girlfriend, Cinnamon freed Evans (who did indeed found the Stonechat Museum). Dunney was apparently also a reincarnation — of Khufu's eternal enemy, Hath-Set.

According to legend, Nighthawk died saving innocents in St. Roch on March 6, 1911. He was shot through the head by Matilda Dunney, who by then had married into the Roderic family. In retaliation, Cinnamon killed Dunney, but was herself fatally wounded in the process. (Hawkman v.4 #7, 18)

NOTES: Nighthawk's ultimate fate has changed twice since the Crisis. He was originally obliterated by an anti-matter wave in Crisis #3 (June 1985). Then in Hawkman v.3, Vandal Savage claimed he hanged the Nighthawk, but Savage has made many outrageous claims. Perhaps he was in cahoots with Matilda Dunney, though.

There was probably no other successor to Khufu between Nighthawk and the first Hawkman. Nighthawk's place in this legacy was revealed in Hawkman v.3 #13.

His first tale was drawn by Charles Paris; the writer is unknown. Many of his later tales were by Gardner Fox and Gil Kane.

Katherine "Kate" Manser was born around 1860 and was soon orphaned when her widowed father, the sheriff of a small Wyoming town, was gunned down by a gang of fleeing bank robbers. The red-haired girl — nicknamed Cinnamon — could only watch in helpless horror. Now orphaned, Cinnamon grew to maturity in a county orphanage, her hatred growing within her.

Determined to avenge her father, Cinnamon spent every available moment learning to use a six-gun and training herself to physical perfection. On her eighteenth birthday, Cinnamon left the orphanage behind and set out on the trail of her father's killers.

She gained a reputation as a fierce and determined bounty hunter, law enforcer, and expert gunslinger. She set out to find her father's killers, armed with a gun, a knife and a supply of shuriken that looked like sheriff's badges. (Weird Western Tales #48-49)

In her next recorded adventure, Cinnamon met the time-traveling Justice League. She teamed with the JLA and three contemporaries — Scalphunter, Bat Lash, and Jonah Hex — against the Lord of Time. (Justice League of America #198-199)

Cinnamon's quest for vengeance led her to St. Roch, Louisiana, where she tricked Emile Graydon (the final man involved in her father's death) into drawing on her. She gunned him down. Nighthawk, who was seated nearby with Craddock, shot Graydon's associate before he could retaliate. Though she denied she needed his help, the gunslingers were immediately drawn to each other. Reluctant at first, Cinnamon joined Nighthawk in rescuing Evans from a mob. They hid in his master's mansion, Stonechat House, until a judge arrived and ruled Evans innocent.

She also participated as a member of Nighthawk's "Rough Bunch," a loose affiliation of western heroes organized to fight Extant. (Guy Gardner: Warrior #24)

In 1879, Nighthawk was believed to have been shot and hanged by Matilda Dunney Roderic. Cinnamon vowed revenge on Matilda and in early 1899, the two women killed each other in a fatal gun battle. (Hawkman v.4 #7)

NOTES: Cinnamon's initial time period was around 1898. But this has changed with other events. Jonah Hex met Cinnamon sometime prior to 1878. (JLA #198-199) JLofA #198-199 was by Gerry Conway, Don Heck and Brett Breeding, featured during a battle against the Lord of Time.

Her first appearance in Weird Western Tales #48-49 (Sept/Oct-Nov 1978) was supposed to begin a new ongoing back-up series for Scalphunter, but it fell victim to the "DC Implosion" (a third story was lost to this). Her eight-page introduction was written by Roger McKenzie with art by Jack Abel and Danny Bulanadi. The second chapter was by McKenzie, Howard Chaykin and Bulanadi.

In the current DCU, there is a billboard appeared for a 'Cinnamon' musical (Wonder Woman #175).