Hawkeye - Annual #1 - A Review

Sorry, Clint Barton fans! Once again your regularly scheduled comic book has been subverted!  For Hawkeye Annual #1 focuses upon Clint's sidekick/partner/something, Kate Bishop!

This issue is all about Kate striking out on her own in Los Angeles.  Without her mentor.  Without her team.  Without her rich dad.  Sadly, Kate is about to discover how difficult things can be when you're all alone and - suddenly - without resources.  For Madame Masque - whom Kate was not exactly gentle to in Hawkeye #4 & Hawkeye #5 - is out for revenge and has ample power to make Kate's life difficult.    


It's redundant for me to speak of Matt Fraction's writing on this series at this point.  Either you hate his knowingly smart subversion of the classic action movie cliches or you love them.  I love them.  I love how Kate isn't fooled for a moment by Madame Masque's attempts to win her confidence in disguise and is portrayed as being smart and competent enough to cope with a revenge-minded villain far more easily than she is sudden destitution and joblessness. 


I likened Javier Pulido's previous Hawkeye work to the second coming of Jack Kirby.  Seven months later, I stand by that statement, though this issue has little of the dynamic action that usually defines the term Kirbyesque.  Yet there is a smooth simplicity of function to Pulido's artwork that is reminiscent of The King and the book maintains a classic Marvel feel throughout. 

Hawkeye #5 - A Review

If I were a stereotypical film critic, I'd describe Hawkeye #5 as a non-stop thrill ride.  Thankfully, I am not a stereotypical film critic, so I won't say that even though it's an accurate description.  This book is so much more than that, building off the standard action hero tropes and blowing them away with its' own comedic style. 



Trying to describe the story of this issue is pointless, as it all amounts to one glorious extended action sequence.  Matt Fraction's plot of a tape depicting Clint Barton assassinating an infamous terrorist being auctioned off to the highest bidder is entirely incidental to the madness which ensues, including Clint's sidekick deciding to recover the tape on her own by impersonating Madame Masque.  The artwork is equally manic.  Javier Pulido depicts this issue with a Mighty Marvel style that would do Jack Kirby proud.  The use of perspective and close-ups is quite good throughout.



The only flaw this issue has is the same ultimate problem with all two-part comics.  You do have to have read Hawkeye #4 to really appreciate the set-up of this issue's situation.  With that caveat, I have nothing but nice things to say about this issue in particular or Hawkeye as a series.  

Hawkeye #4 - A Review

Hawkeye #4 switches out artist David Aja for Javier Pulido to no ill-effect.  Pulido's style can only be described as Kirbyesque but not in the usual way that word is used.  Pulido's layouts are effective in their simplicity, with lots of close-ups on the characters who are speaking, as they look out directly toward the reader.  I'm not familiar with Pulido's previous work, so I don't know if the style is an artistic affectation for this story in particular or if he was chosen to draw it because of his regular style.  Regardless, it's an effective choice given that the basic story concept would not be out of place in a 1960's Nick Fury comic.


Matt Fraction's script however, despite having all the trappings of a Nick Fury comic or even a James Bond novel, reads like a modernized satire of those stories. (Try as I might, I can't recall James Bond ever forcing the SPECTER agents who captured him to give him a cavity search.) The plot, such as it is, focuses upon a mysterious video cassette.  And what is on this tape?  Nothing less than footage of Hawkeye, in costume, assassinating the world's most wanted terrorist on orders from SHIELD! With the reputation of The United States Government, The American Military, SHIELD, The Avengers and Clint's own life on the line, he has numerous motivations to make the journey to exotic Madripoor to try and buy the tape at auction.  But there are numerous villains who are interested in the tape as well and Clint with have to outwit them all with all the cunning, bravado and sarcasm he can muster.


All of this is gloriously funny and well-paced with a surprise on the final page that makes the book worth the reading, even if one isn't  a fan of superheroic send-ups and spy-game satires.  Gorgeous graphics abound throughout.  Truly, this is the best comic on the market involving an archer hero who doesn't really seem to do that much archery.