Review: Hawkeye #8
Posted By Ian Menard on February 28, 2013
It’s a classic story. The beautiful woman with hair down to here and legs up to there and morals… maybe somewhere over there… walks into his office and says “I need your help.” He knows it’ll cause him nothing but trouble, but how can he say no to those eyes? And so the intrepid P.I. (or in this case, Avenger) goes out to crack some skulls, find some maltese falcons, and maybe get a date with the Femme Fatale. And that’s exactly what happens to poor Clint Barton in Hawkeye #8: Penny (the red-head with the car and mafia problems) returns, kisses Clint in front of his ex-girlfriend, ex-wife, and potentially current girlfriend, begging him for help with the same tracksuit mafia that has been plaguing him since issue #1.
Against his better judgment, Clint then heads down to the mafia club and creates a diversion – with his fists. Meanwhile Penny steals a mysterious safe filled with something that can guarantee her safety. Of course, life being what it is for Hawkeye, no good deed goes unpunished, and he finds himself in the slammer, with a crime syndicate out to get him, and a bevy of women angry at him. To quote Clint, “OK, this looks bad.”
There are few comics on the stand as wonderful as Hawkeye. Last issue proved how well Fraction and Aja can handle sentiment and serious subject matter, but it’s nice to return to action and hijinks. While this series is typically very self-contained and stand-alone, it’s nice to see characters like Penny returning, and plots building that include the greater Marvel Universe like Mr. Negative and Kingpin.
Another highlight of the issue is the art. David Aja turns in consistently flawless work that perfectly captures the silliness, the grit, and the style of the book. Especially great is the 60s mod-fashion of all the women in Clint’s life. Another fun bonus to this issue is guest art by Annie Wu, who turns in fantastic full-page spreads of retro comic book covers in several genres. These were fun additions that added to the story with very few words.
At the end of the day, Hawkeye is an incredibly fun book that tells thrilling, one-off stories about America’s most underrated Avenger. It blends noir, pulp, and heist stories in a fantastically retro-yet-modern world. There is a lot of humor, and playing with tropes, not to mention an incredible amount of self-awareness. So, pick up an issue – any issue – and let it draw you in.
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I’m saving my pennies for the beginning of the month, when I can buy this thing. You’re making me look forward to it that much more.