REVIEW: Hawkeye #6

Or – “The Continuing Adventures Of Hawk-Guy!”

With most of Marvel’s titles coming out more often than just once per month, it’s getting a bit difficult to keep up with everything going on.  I still haven’t read even a single issue of Indestructible Hulk, and I’ve only skimmed #1 of the new Captain America series, but I unequivocally will NOT let myself fall behind on this book, Marvel’s best ongoing series in several years.  Will #6 hold up the winning streak?  Your Major Spoilers review awaits!

HAWKEYE #6
Writer: Matt Fraction
Artist: David Aja
Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth
Letterer: Chris Eliopoulos
Editor: Stephen Wacker
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $2.99

Previously, in Hawkeye:  Clint Barton is the Avenger known as Hawkeye in his day job, but when he gets home from saving the world, life isn’t quite as glamourous.  Having purchased an entire apartment building to get it out of the hands of unscrupulous thugs, Clint now has to deal with the problems of being a landlord and a regular person alongside being the least-powered member of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, not counting Jarvis.

“DID YOU CATCH THE FINALE OF DOG COPS LAST NIGHT?”

This issue opens with the traditional narration: “Okay…  this looks bad”, as Clint Barton and Tony Stark deal with a maze of wires, before Hawkeye impulsively cuts the green one.  Of course, since it’s NOT a bomb at all, but his home entertainment system, it’s a less successful move than one might expect, but it sets the tone for this issue nicely.  It’s all about the character work here, as Clint deals with expectations (Wolverine and Spider-Man are amazing in their brief appearance), with neighbors (a discussion about his super-hero name is a dead-solid perfect Abbott & Costello routine) and with his own failures.  The situation gets ugly, the track-suit Draculas return (they my best favorite characters ever, bro) and Kate Bishop once again provides the only real voice of reason in his life.  Clint’s trainwreck life is wonderfully realized, and seeing the hero dealing with his own failings is wonderful. 

“IT’S EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU THAT SUCKS…”

Aja’s art is simply amazing throughout the issue, as we see Clint’s new apartment in various states of disrepair across the space of a week, without ever losing the realistic feeling of an actual space.  The story is told out of chronological order, with multiple moments intersecting, as a knock at the door on the 14th cuts immediately to a scene of Hawkeye answering it on the 18th.  The story is a simple one, perfectly appropriate for the holiday, and I don’t think there’s a single page of it that isn’t worth reading and re-reading.  I’ve said for a while now that Hawkeye is Marvel’s best ongoing, and this issue supports that thesis just a little bit more, humanizing Clint Barton even more, and giving him a reason to try and gain some control over his life, while trying to avoid the spoilers for the season finale of “Dog Cops.”  It’s apparently Spidey and Wolverine’s favorite show…

THE BOTTOM LINE: WORTH IT FOR THE DOCTOR DRUID CAMEO ALONE…

Seriously, if you dig a story about a cool guy, you should read this book.  The story of Hawkeye trying to be as awesome in his home life as he is at “work” is a compelling one, and its fascinating to see a superhero who really IS just a regular guy.  (Batman, being a genius hyper-millionaire ninja, probably doesn’t count.)  Hawkeye #6 is another in a series of issues that are on-target, hitting the bullseye and other archery cliches as well, earning 5 out of 5 stars overall.  This is the kind of series that will be remembered years from now as a game-changer…

Rating:

DID YOU READ THIS ISSUE? RATE IT!

Reader Rating