Hawkeye Vol 1 – The Marksman of the Avengers

The marksman of the Avengers

With the recent hollywood success, it only made sense that Hawkeye would get his own book. Even though the character has a minor role in the Avengers, his own story can give readers an idea of what makes him a valuable member of the team. While the book isn’t as big or impressive as some of the other Avengers titles, it still does a good job of giving Clint Barton his own identity while showing that he belongs on the team.

The first issue forgoes the typical Avengers-level threats and instead gives Clint a chance to show his skills in more realistic scenarios. For example, he’s tasked with taking down a shady landlord who is harassing the tenants of his building. This is a nice change of pace, and it allows for some great action scenes that are far less cheesy than most superhero slugfests. Additionally, it allows the reader to see a side of Hawkeye that isn’t as jaded and cynical as other members of the Avengers.

Matt Fraction does a fantastic job of creating a gruff but likable hero. The character is instantly recognizable with his pragmatic attitude, empathy, and quick wit. This makes it easy for him to make the transition from the world of superheroes to the more grounded reality of his normal life.

The art in this book is also fantastic. David Aja delivers some of the best work of his career, and he is ably assisted by colorist Matt Hollingsworth. The two combine to deliver some of the most exciting comics that Marvel has to offer. The story moves at a rapid pace and is accompanied by some excellent narration from Hawkeye himself. This narration isn’t just a way to get us familiar with the hero, but it helps to strengthen the story.

Another highlight of this volume is the addition of Kate Bishop to the cast. Although she isn’t as prominent in the story, it is a solid introduction to her. Fraction and Kelly Thompson do a good job of capturing her prickly personality while showing that she can hold her own against the likes of Hawkeye.

This is a solid start to the series and one that is definitely worth picking up. However, it may be confusing for new readers since it doesn’t always follow the traditional comic book timeline. Despite this, the book does a decent job of placing the issues in chronological order. It does have some issues from the Young Avengers line that were published between Hawkeye #3-5, but the break between those stories and the rest of the book can be accounted for by the fact that the final issue of Young Avengers is in the same volume as Hawkeye #9. This book is recommended for anyone interested in seeing the early adventures of the Avengers’ second marksman.