Connect with us
'Hawkeye: Kate Bishop' #1 is full of mystery and sass
Marvel

Comic Books

‘Hawkeye: Kate Bishop’ #1 is full of mystery and sass

Just in time for her MCU debut, Kate Bishop returns to comics in an extremely entertaining first issue.

It’s been a while since Kate Bishop has starred in her own solo series, and Hawkeye: Kate Bishop‘s new creative team wastes no time in reminding fans of Kelly Thompson’s Hawkeye and West Coast Avengers (both of which I’ve reviewed in the past for AIPT) just why those books were so damn fun. We join Kate in the middle of an action sequence, which is excellently choreographed and illustrated by Enid Balam. It’s super easy to follow, but it also shows off just how creative Kate can be in the middle of a tussle. She’s firing off arrows and disarming guys, she’s using their momentum against them and straight-up clobbering them, and she’s doing all of this with the requisite amount of sass we’ve come to expect from the self-professed best Hawkeye ever.

Every scene is filled with fun visual gags, but the highlight for me would have to be Kate’s realization that her phone is becoming a distraction, and so she switches it over to “Superhero Mode” to keep it silent. Little touches like this go a long way toward establishing the playful tone that this miniseries will have. Add in some slapstick and a few other neat nods to previous storylines, and you have a book that I will be re-reading just to find all the little secrets it has tucked away. Brittany Peer’s colors pop right off the page, which is a must when you’re dealing with a purple-clad superhero and a sinister circus. Yes, this issue gets to some strange places right away, and it looks fantastic doing it.

Listen to the latest episode of our weekly comics podcast!
Hawkeye: Kate Bishop #1
Marvel Comics

Writer Marieke Nijkamp — who also wrote the excellent graphic novel The Oracle Code for DC Comics — catches readers up on Kate’s status quo in a quirky and exciting way, with the archer talking out her issues out loud as she fends off a group of thugs. Kate has always approached crimefighting as being a bit therapeutic, and this intro takes this to the next level. There are a few bits that feel like information overload — particularly when it comes to a couple of pages that feature spoken dialogue, narration boxes, and editor’s note captions all at once — but it’s still pretty digestible and fun.

In many ways, Hawkeye: Kate Bishop treads a fine line of being a new jumping-on point for the character and being deeply indebted to the character’s history. There are some lovely moments featuring Kate’s old supporting cast that I very much appreciated, but those are done in ways that don’t distract much from the new mission or the pacing of the story.

There are a few elements of Kate’s new case that are bit confusing, but that’s detective work for you! It’s likely that these bits will be filled in as Kate gets deeper into the case, and I’m already hooked. I’m just so happy see my favorite Hawkeye back in action and in the hands of a very talented team.

'Hawkeye: Kate Bishop' #1 is full of mystery and sass
‘Hawkeye: Kate Bishop’ #1 is full of mystery and sass
Hawkeye: Kate Bishop #1
Kate Bishop returns in a hilarious and action-packed first issue. Mystery and sass abound! What more could a Hawkeye fan ask for?
Reader Rating1 Vote
9
Does a good job of catching readers up on Kate's life and supporting cast
The action is fun and well-choreographed, showing everything Kate's capable of
There are a few gags here that genuinely made me laugh
There are a few bits of exposition that feel like overkill
8
Good

Join the AIPT Patreon

Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:

  • ❌ Remove all ads on the website
  • 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
  • 📗 Access to our monthly book club
  • 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
  • 💥 And more!
Sign up today
Comments

In Case You Missed It

WWE SmackDown preview, full card: March 1, 2024 WWE SmackDown preview, full card: March 1, 2024

WWE SmackDown preview, full card: March 1, 2024

Pro Wrestling

'Universal Monsters: Frankenstein' coming August 2024 'Universal Monsters: Frankenstein' coming August 2024

‘Universal Monsters: Frankenstein’ coming August 2024

Comic Books

AEW Rampage preview, full card: March 1, 2024 AEW Rampage preview, full card: March 1, 2024

AEW Rampage preview, full card: March 1, 2024

Pro Wrestling

Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in 'Blood Hunt' Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in 'Blood Hunt'

Marvel unveils the new villains Bloodcoven appearing in ‘Blood Hunt’

Comic Books

Connect
Newsletter Signup