Hawkman's Hatchery of Hate: Cloaks and Fadeway Men

When Anton Lamont first appeared in Detective Comics back in 1979, perhaps readers had assumed this was the first appearance of the cloak of Cagliostro. In fact, it was not for in Flash Comics #82 in 1982, an Earth-Two twin of that same cloak first appeared. In that instance, it was Jabez Malone who succumbed to the power exuding from it. Allowing its wearer to disappear, with the Earth-One version providing an additional attribute of dimensional travel, both Jabez and Anton faced their world's Hawkmen. After one such clash, Jabez retired while archeologist turned criminal Anton returned to plague the winged warrior and his pal Batman. Not a good idea.

Much like a certain Gentleman name Jim Craddock, a charlatan with a flair for the flamboyant, there were many parallels between the rogues gallery of Carter Hall and Katar Hol. While Craddock originated on Earth-Two and, after four battled versus that world’s Hawkman and Hawkgirl aka Carter and Sheila Hall during the late 1940s.  This so-called “Gentleman Ghost” had subsequent clashes with Superman as well as Batman and Wonder Woman in 1951 following the dissolution of the Justice Society, which had been led by Hawkman.

Craddock then journeyed to Earth-One to battle the Thanagarian Hawkman and Hawkwoman aka Katar and Shayera Hol. Following three encounters with the Winged Warriors, he shifted his focus to Gotham City where he repeatedly matched wits with a younger Batman. 

James never had opportunity to meet his actual Earth-One counterpart, the Phantom Stranger arch-foe named Tannarak, who unlike the Craddock of America’s old west was an Egyptian from the turn of the twentieth century who sought immortality and lost love. Unlike Craddock, Tannarak would ultimately perish persisting in his problematic pursuits.