The next several generations the Thanagarians spent rebuilding the planet but as time when by they overcame all challenges at home and began looking at the stars. They then began developing sophisticated spaceships and began a quest of interstellar exploration. During their travels they came across a number of lesser advanced races and as later generations did not share Kalmoran's views toward conquest the Thanagarians began building a vast interstellar empire. Instead of trying to live in harmony with these alien races the Thanagarians declared their planets protectorates of Thanagar and stipped them of their natural resources and treasures. A great number of the inhabitans of these planets were then brought to Thanagar to work as slaves in Thanagarian homes, cities and farms. These slaves were not allowed to socialize with the upper crust of Thanagarian society, unless made to work in the homes and offices of the extremely affluent.

     As a result a greatly divided society quickly evolved on Thanagar. The alien slaves were cast down into the filth in the lower level ghettos of the city, also referred to as Downside, while the Thanagarian masters lived in the idylic High Towers above where poverty, crime and suffering was virtually unheard of. Although some Downsiders are lucky enough to be given employment by the aristocracy or shipped back to their homeworlds, most Downsiders live a life of poverty and several thousand die of starvation or some of the deceases that plague the lower levels each day. It is estimated that about three billion offworlders live in Downside and one thousand new offworlders are brought in every day.

     Before conquering new planets it became customary to send invasion scouts to learn more of the aliens before the actual invasion was initiated. During the late 1930's Thanagarian Paran Katar was assigned as an invasion scout to the planet Earth. Paran was perhaps the greatest Thanagarion born for generations. With an interest in anti-gravity he studied metallurgy, biology, alchemy and sorcery in an effort to unlock its secrets. When he arrived on Earth he met a man by the name of Carter Hall. Hall was a multimillionaire archaeologist with a mutual interest in anti-gravity, or more specifically in the Ninth Metal used by the ancient Egyptians. Paran Katar as Perry Carter befriended Hall and helped him research the Ninth Metal of the pharaohs. This eventually that let Paran to unlock the key to the anti-gravity properties of Ninth Metal.

     When Paran returned to Thanagar his anti-gravity technology was used to create artificial wings and anti-gravity belts to form an elite airborne paramilitary police corps. These Wingmen were used to keep a close watch on the Downside aliens and put a stop to black market activity and other widespread criminal activity in the ghettos.

     Since Paran Katar had returned to Thanagar decades ago their observations of Earth had been scant however when an alliance of alien warlords including the Dominators and Khunds decided to invade Earth their attention was renewed. Thanagarian Wingman Fel Andar, the nephew of government official Andar Pul, was sent to Earth to gather information before the actual Invasion!. Arriving on Earth he began passing himself off as Carter Hall, Jr., the son of Carter and Shiera Hall and explained that he had been sent to Thanagar at an early age to study Thanagarian ways. As per his assignment he met and married an Earth woman who could join his as Hawkwoman when he took to the skies as Carter's successor to the role of Hawkman.

     Andar worked hard to create the image of a true hero and was able to convince both Superman, the Atom and the Martian Manhunter that he was telling the truth about his heritage and before long Andar and his wife Sharon were invited to joined the Justice League. When the alien invasion eventually broke out, Andar stayed in character until his wife Sharon overheard a conversation between Andar and the Thanagarian forces toward the end of the Invasion! In order to keep his secret he had to kill her. However, although he succeded in his task, Sharon managed to escape and get word to the Martian Manhunter before drawing her last breath. Knowing his secret had been blown Andar returned to Thanagar along with the retreating Thanagarian forces. Only a few members of the JLI ever learned the truth but they choose to keep quiet to protect the name of Hawkman.

     Following their unsuccesfull participation in the Invasion, Thanagar decided to open up diplomatic relations with Earth and Thanagarian Darl Klus was sent as Thanagarian Ambassador to Earth. Back on Thanagar former Wingman Katar Hol, son of Paran Katar, exposed a gunrunning conspiracy by Wingman Byth, a crime that Byth had framed Paran and Kater for ten years earlier. Katar was reinstated as a Wingman and honored as a hero of Thanagar. Byth however fled to Earth it was decided to send Katar Hol and his partner Shayera to Earth to bring him to justice. On Earth Katar and Shayera became known as Hawkman and Hawkwoman.

HISTORY (PRE-CRISIS)

     The planet Thanagar is a world in the Polaris star system, approximately three trillion miles from earth. It is probably larger than earth, as Thanagarians gain strength in our lesser gravity. The inhabitants are humanoid, and close to Homo sapiens in general appearance. Their planet, at the time Katar Hol and Shayera Thal joining the military, was a highly advanced science-based society, with no obvious problems of poverty, or civil or political unrest, and with all evidence pointing to a single government. The only crime exsistent on Thanagar is theft, prompted by exposure to an alien race called the Manhawks, who instigated the practice of stealing for the thrill of it among the planet's lesser lights. The invasion of the itinerant bird-beings, in fact, had the direct result of the creation of the planet's first Wingman, Katar Hol himself. In the aftermath of the equalizing plague, the takeover of the planet by Hyathis and its subsequent liberation by Hawkman, much of the science and technology of Thanagar was lost. The new government followed the lead begun by Hyathis' regime, and sought to conquer the universe. Their major project is the invasion of earth, and their job would be easier if they could capture the former knowledge of their world possessed by Katar Hol and Shayera Thal. Nonetheless, they possess two previously unseen pieces of deadly technology: the Distortion Field, which allows them to hide in the shadows in two-dimensional form and then appear as if from nowhere, and palm blasters, which fire disintegrating force beams of tremendous strength.It should be noted that there is two different perceptions of the Thanagarian peoples. When originally written, the people of Thanagar were very scientific, and had even a very peaceful planet with hardly any crime whatsoever.