Who knew the esteemed Steve Ditko drew Nighthawk, most notably of the Defenders, especially when it was an obscure back-up story. It landed up in Marvel Team-up #101, sporting a catchy Mike Netzer (Nasser) cover.
Marvel Team-up #101 The Specters of the Sixties are Back --Screaming for Nighthawk's Blood!
"Don't Let the Sun Come Up on Me"
Perhaps the title suggests a play on an Elton John song?
Following his adventure with Spider-Man, Nighthawk (Kyle Richmond) begins to wonder if he still has what it takes to be a hero. He decides to blow off some steam by firing his wing lasers at a building in the process of being demolished. This inadvertently puts a child in crutches at risk of being crushed by a collapsing wall.
The child trips and falls to the ground, prompting the horrified Nighthawk to come to her aid. Bracing the wall with his superior strength, he orders the girl to crawl to safety, however her disability and low-self esteem prevent her from accomplishing the task. Things become more dire when the sun begins to rise, making Nighthawk's powers begin to wane, making it harder for him to hold up the wall.
Convincing the child to try harder, she manages to crawl clear just as the wall collapses on him, burying him under tons of rubble. Having been saved by his reinforced wings, Nighthawk blasts himself free and checks to see if the child is okay. Seeing that she is, she thanks him for saving her life and he thanks her for reminding him of the merits of being a hero before flying off into the night sky.
Written by the great Mike W. (Batman) Barr.
Art by the legendary Steve Ditko.
The back-up story was reprinted, in the Essential Defenders #5, along with the main feature. Nice to see, I've enjoyed a number of these back-up stories in various comic books.
Live Large My Friends!
Thank You!
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