Hawkman is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in January 1940. While both notable versions of the characters were originally similar but different characters existing in parallel universes, the merging of both following Crisis on Infinite Earths led to numerous revisions to reconcile Hawkman's history and using each alter-ego's name interchangeably, marking Hawkman's reputation for a complex and confusing history.