All-Star Comics #5, DC Comics, June/July 1941
Wonder Woman, Storm, Supergirl, Batgirl, Emma Frost, She-Hulk, Phoenix, Dazzler and all the other female superheroes owe a lot to Shiera Sanders a.k.a. Hawkgirl.
It can be argued that the positive response to Hawkgirl empowered DC to create an original female heroine (as opposed to the female equivalent of a male hero like Hawkman) a short 6 months later in Wonder Woman.
Shiera Sanders actually first appeared in the Flash Comics #1 (Jan/40). Flash #1 featured the first appearance of Hawkman and in that issue a dashing archeologist named Carter Hall has a dream that he is Khufu, an ancient Egyptian prince. Princess Chay-Ara is Khufu’s lover. Waking from his dream Carter goes on to meet Shiera who just happens to look exactly like Chay-Ara.
Carter Hall goes on to become Hawkman and Shiera Sanders becomes his girlfriend. A year and a half later in All-Star comics #5 Shiera becomes Hawkgirl.
The All-Star Comics run actually produced 3 of the most important comic books ever published within a short 6 issues. All-Star #3 ($80,000.00 Overstreet guide value in 9.2 grade) contains the first appearance of the Justice Society of America and All Star Comics #8 ($65,000.00 Overstreet guide value in 9.2 grade) contains the first appearance of Wonder Woman (seem by most as the most important female super hero ever created).
The Overstreet Price Guide shows a $3283/$5742/$8200 split at the 8.0/9.0/9.2 grades.
Strengths that make this comic book a good long term investment are:
– One of the most historically important Super Hero comic books ever published
– Embedded in DC’s All-Star run which is extremely collectible and historically significant
– A seemingly low 9.2 grade value of $8200.00 is due for a correction
– Wonder Woman got the secretary job at the JSA not Hawkgirl
Walter Durajlija is an Overstreet Advisor and Shuster Award winner. He owns Big B Comics in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
