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A review by iffer
Hawkeye, Vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon by Matt Fraction
4.0
Just to get this out of the way...did anyone else think that it was odd that the color scheme for this reboot of Hawkeye was purple and mauve, in dots, no less? Was this supposed to specifically appeal to women and gay men?
In short, I enjoyed this version of Hawkeye, and will probably read more. Clint Barton is definitely a likeable character, since, like Spiderman, and unlike the rest of the Avenger team, he's a "regular" guy. While Spiderman is the dorky/nerdy guy, and Iron Man is the super rich genius playboy, Clint Barton is more of a stereotypical "normal" guy (albeit freakishly good with his bow and in peak physical condition because he was raised by carnies...) who really does seem like he's just trying to be a good guy and make the world a better place. While I would like playing Eurostyle boardgames with Peter Parker, I would also enjoy kicking back with Clint after work with a beer. Clint Barton also has a self-deprecating sense of humor, and I like how this comic version contains Clint's internal dialog about how things never quite go as plannned in a way that is sarcastic, down-to-earth and believable.
The choice of the teenage Kate Bishop, a member of the Young Avengers who also uses the name Hawkeye, is an interesting choice as a sidekick/backup, especially since it wouldn't be too difficult or out of the ordinary in comic books for it to go the way of the creepy older man/younger woman relationship (think Watchmen). I like the buddy banter dynamics between Clint and Kate, I'm interested to see more of them as a duo.
I loved the grittiness and style of David Aja's (first half), and it was refreshing to see art that didn't have such clean lines and a "shiny" texture in a Western superhero comic. I wish that the story arcs had been longer, but this is more due to the episodic conventions of Western superhero comics than a fault of the story or storytelling.
In short, I enjoyed this version of Hawkeye, and will probably read more. Clint Barton is definitely a likeable character, since, like Spiderman, and unlike the rest of the Avenger team, he's a "regular" guy. While Spiderman is the dorky/nerdy guy, and Iron Man is the super rich genius playboy, Clint Barton is more of a stereotypical "normal" guy (albeit freakishly good with his bow and in peak physical condition because he was raised by carnies...) who really does seem like he's just trying to be a good guy and make the world a better place. While I would like playing Eurostyle boardgames with Peter Parker, I would also enjoy kicking back with Clint after work with a beer. Clint Barton also has a self-deprecating sense of humor, and I like how this comic version contains Clint's internal dialog about how things never quite go as plannned in a way that is sarcastic, down-to-earth and believable.
The choice of the teenage Kate Bishop, a member of the Young Avengers who also uses the name Hawkeye, is an interesting choice as a sidekick/backup, especially since it wouldn't be too difficult or out of the ordinary in comic books for it to go the way of the creepy older man/younger woman relationship (think Watchmen). I like the buddy banter dynamics between Clint and Kate, I'm interested to see more of them as a duo.
I loved the grittiness and style of David Aja's (first half), and it was refreshing to see art that didn't have such clean lines and a "shiny" texture in a Western superhero comic. I wish that the story arcs had been longer, but this is more due to the episodic conventions of Western superhero comics than a fault of the story or storytelling.