Hawkeye #2 Review

Kate’s new case is getting more frustrating and more weird the deeper she digs. Is it good?

Hawkeye #2 (Marvel Comics)

As Kate unsuccessfully tries to get Mikka’s stalker arrested, she’s learning that there is a lot more than meets the eye with him; not only is he not working alone, but a mysterious group on campus called Take Back Control (TBC) might be behind this and other weird group violence. Though the police are unable to help her, Mikka’s ex-girlfriend, her hacker Watson-type, and a neighborhood guy named Johnny step up to offer their assistance.

But things get hairy when Kate decides to infiltrate the group.

Is It Good?

The story is starting to pick up pace and delve into some serious issues, while staying light and T+ appropriate. I like that they show not only examples of what online harassment looks like (and the attitudes behind it), but also how difficult it can be to prosecute and what women face when they try to report it.

Hawkeye doesn’t have time for your sexist nonsense.

The art team does a bang up job again in this issue, especially in the action scenes. I can always tell what’s going on and who is fighting who, and Jordie Bellaire’s colors emphasize that, even in the night scenes. Things are dark, but not too dark to suss everything out.

My one nitpick with this book is an ongoing one I have with Kelly Thompson’s writing – she tends to overwrite. Sometimes with dialogue, but in this book, it’s Kate’s interior thoughts that can get a bit excessive, and awkwardly quippy. The final panel in the book is a good example of this. But again, this is a nitpick in an overall strong book.

I’m definitely excited by the inclusion of lots of diverse characters and it seems like they are setting up the police detective, Johnny, and Ramone to be important players in the story as it unfolds. I think it’s important to point out that like Ms. Marvel, this is the kind of easy, non-showy diversity that comics should do – making a character a person of color, having them drop into the convo that they are gay — this doesn’t have to be a big deal or stop the flow of the story, and that’s exactly what the team successfully does here. I really appreciated seeing that.