Shortly after Haynes parole, the circus came to town.  The star of the show was the world-renowned Aeros the Acrobat.  One evening when Carter Hall and Shiera Saunders were in attendance, Aeros completed his signature triple somersault act and then suddenly disappeared.  The crowd thought it was part of the act but newspapers the next day reported that the circus has reported Aeros missing.   To the public's shock, a series of daring robberies began a few weeks later staged by what appeared to be Aeros the Acrobat.   

As word reached Hawkman and Hawkgirl, the suit up to patrol for the Acrobat.  The Acrobat in the meantime has decided to exact revenge on those who convicted him, starting by murdering the local District Attorney.  Patrolling the skies, they hear gunshots and see the Acrobat and his entire gang making an escape.  They swoop in but the Acrobat obscures their sight with a smoke bomb and the flee into an abandoned theatre.   When the Hawks follow, they are ambushed and captured by the gang.

Hawkman asks Aeros why he would turn to crime but the Acrobat reveals his true identity as Gyp Haines.   He had staged the disappearance of Aeros and forced him to train himself and his mob.  Afterwards, they murdered the Acrobat and started the crime spree.  Before leaving the theatre, the string the Hawks up by their feet and leave them to die.   After the leave, Hawkman managed to swing himself through a glass window onto the roof and use the cut glass to break his bonds.  After freeing Hawkgirl, they take off in pursuit of the Acrobat.

The Acrobat, in the meantime, has plotted a train robbery.  Using a helicopter, his men form a human chain which he climbs onto the moving boxcars.  As he makes his way forward, Hawkman and Hawkgirl swoop from the skies and catch him by surprise.  The Acrobat is quickly overpowered and his men, lacking the expertise of their leader, surrender quickly to be rescued from the human chain.  Gyp Haynes is shortly back in the Big House (Flash Comics #89).