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Hawkeye #1: Review

Sep 1983
Mark Gruenwald, Mark Gruenwald

Story Name:

Listen to the Mockingbird

Review & Comments

Rating:
3.5 stars

Hawkeye #1 Review by (May 14, 2019)

Review: Ah Hawkeye! A hero in a class by himself. He likely is, as the villain says, the weakest, most vulnerable hero. Started out as an accidental bad guy, began his Avengers career by harassing Captain America, whom he knows outclasses him in every way. Is easily suckered by women, including twice in these four issues. And, as some wit once noted, he's a hero whose superpower became obsolete the day gunpowder was invented. So why does he seem to be a favorite of both Marvel and a multitude of fans? Because he's a regular guy who keeps slogging away even when the situation is too much for him. He's likely the most relatable of the Avengers, a fact recognized by Matt Fraction in his immensely popular run, showing “Hawkguy” as one of the ordinary types who populate a city. In anticipation of that epic series, many of those qualities can be seen here: Hawks is hoodwinked by a girlfriend, caught, trapped, mopes and has to be goaded into rescuing them by Mockingbird, doesn't know what to do about Sheila, is almost killed by a gang of punks while moping, loses all his stuff, is almost killed by a hit man until Bobbi saves him, fears being compared to Captain America, puts out great effort only to be caught, etc., etc. But he keeps going (aside from those times when he doesn't) and that's his big selling point. Spider-Man was supposed to be the relatable one but that hasn't happened for years (and that's including the Ultimate Universe) so they had to recruit Miles Morales and then an entire verse full of spiders. Hawkeye is the real deal, an ordinary joe who keeps plugging away. And sometimes they become heroes.

This miniseries, Hawkeye's first, is a halfway decent portrayal of his strengths and weaknesses and makes for a perfect introduction to the character.

Comments: First meeting of Hawkeye and Mockingbird. Recounts Hawkeye's origin. Jorge Latham first appeared in AVENGERS #233; this issue and the next are his only other appearances. Sheila Danning first appeared in AVENGERS #234; this issue is her only other appearance. Joe Rubinstein did some uncredited inking. The title comes from the name of a popular 19th century song.






 

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Hawkeye #1 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Hawkeye, now security chief of Cross Technological Enterprises on Long Island, is taking his new rocket sled on a test drive through the sky. He spots a trio of interlopers on CTE's roof and goes down to investigate: he fires three arrows simultaneously, containing a bolo, a net, and some glue and traps all three. Then we learn that the “baddies” are the sky-mobile's creator Jorge Latham and two colleagues, helping Hawkeye test his new toy. The firm's publicity director Sheila Danning arrives and she and Hawkeye go off on their date. Back at his apartment, Clint showers and changes, then, in response to her question, he recounts his history: Clint Barton, orphan with brother, joined circus, taught archery by his mentor the Swordsman, discovered mentor was crook, nearly killed for his trouble, inspired by Iron Man he decided to become a superhero, was mistaken for a villain and fought Iron Man, omits mention of Black Widow. Then Clint's emergency beeper goes off and he insists on going off to investigate. At the CTE warehouse he encounters a costumed lady adventurer called Mockingbird; they takes turns getting the drop on each other while she tells him that Cross is creating some sort of mind control device—and then the guards arrive and Hawkeye hands her over....

Returning home, Clint finds Sheila asleep and wakes her—but something is still bothering him and he returns to the warehouse. There he is surrounded by twenty guards intent on taking him prisoner; he shoots out the lights and takes several of them down in the dark until they reveal they have Sheila prisoner. Hawkeye surrenders and drop him into a storage tank with Mockingbird; he asks if Sheila is safe and then Sheila reveals that she is working with the baddies and her part was to keep him distracted—and then they start filling the tank with liquid industrial waste. Hawkeye sinks into a depression while Mockingbird nags him into trying to escape; with a cord and a rocket arrow-tip he summons his sky-mobile, snags it and they are pulled to safety. Dropping Mockingbird off, he crashes the sled into Sheila's office window; he threatens her but can't bring himself to hurt her. He just takes his bow and arrows and departs; as he goes by Mockingbird jumps aboard. The rest of the ride is quiet....



Mark Gruenwald
Brett Breeding
Bob Sharen
Mark Gruenwald (Cover Penciler)
Brett Breeding (Cover Inker)
? (Cover Colorist)


Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Hawkeye
Hawkeye

(Clint Barton)



> Hawkeye: Book info and issue index

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