Tony is a member of our group on Facebook and he has talked about it. He had a five-year plan for the Hawkman story, but Dennis O'Neill stepped in and told him to wrap it up in a year. Tony refused and stepped away. He has had strong words for O'Neill from time to time. Long story short.

That makes a lot more sense than what Denny printed in the comic. Just for O'Neill to leave the title a few issues later.