Black Condor Gets His Wings Wrong
I just saw a product shot of the new Black Condor action figure… now with wings. But the wrong wings. Those are not Black Condor wings, those are Hawkman wings painted red. I get that sculpting the style of wings that connect from his arms to his back is probably a challenge, but that design is exactly what made him stand out. From behind, he actually looked like a bird. Hopefully some talented customizer out there fixes this and shares it with the rest of us. In the meantime, here’s a quick spotlight on this overlooked character.
Black Condor (Ryan Kendall), created by Brian Augustyn and Rags Morales, is the tragic result of the Kendall family’s centuries-long quest to create a “flying man” through the secret Society of the Golden Wing. Engineered by his grandfather, Creighton Kendall, Ryan was raised in isolation and subjected to increasingly cruel experiments, ultimately becoming the first successful subject. A final procedure left him in a coma, during which he realized the Society’s corruption. Upon awakening, he rejected both his name and their mission and fled to the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, near Philadelphia. There, he lived as a recluse until befriended by park ranger Ned Smith, who helped restore his humanity and inspired his identity as Black Condor. Gifted with telekinetic flight, enhanced senses, and psychic abilities, Black Condor became a reluctant hero, subtly guided by a spectral vision of the original Black Condor, Richard Grey, Jr.
Driven more by conscience than ambition, Condor battled threats like the Sky Pirate and fellow experiment victims such as the Shark, and crossed paths with heroes including Batman, Hawkman, and The Ray.
He briefly worked alongside Wonder Woman’s Justice League following Superman’s death but declined membership. He later joined the Leymen along side Red Tornado in Primal Force and eventually settled in Opal City, aiding Starman (Jack Knight), and Phantom Lady.
Alongside the Ray and Phantom Lady, he became part of Uncle Sam’s Freedom Fighters and served as a reserve member of the Justice Society of America. Black Condor was ultimately killed by Sinestro during Infinite Crisis.
His roll as Black Condor was passed to John Trujillo but he later experienced a brief, zombie-like resurrection during Blackest Night and fought in the climactic battles of Dark Nights: Death Metal.
Presumably, following reality’s restoration in Doomsday Clock, he returned to life alongside other Justice Society members and eventually joined the superhero agency Heroz4U under Red Tornado’s management, until the organization was shut down after the destruction of its Metropolis headquarters.
Black Condor has not appeared on a comic page since, and it would be a shame if this wrong-winged figure is the last we see of him. I'd personally like to think of him having an occasional adventure living in Opal City or head back home to the Pine Barrens.
Group Affiliations: Freedom Fighters, Justice Society of America Reserves, The Leymen (Primal Force), Justice League, and Heroz4U (One-Star Squadron)
First Appearance: Black Condor (1992) #1
Recommended Reading:
Black Condor (1992)
Justice League America (1987) #70-75
Showcase '94 (1994) #10-11
Hawkman (1993) #20
Primal Force (1994) #8-14
The Ray (1994) #20-21
Starman (1994) #56, 61-73, 75, 80
JSA: Our Worlds at War (2001) #1
JSA (1999) #49-50
Nightwing (1996) #140-146 (Creighton Kendall)
Blackest Night (2009)
Dark Knights: Death Metal (2021) #5
One-Star Squadron (2022)
