Hawkeye is one of the more underrated characters in Earth-616. He has some excellent runs that focus on a street-level perspective of the universe, showcasing parts of the world that are often entirely overlooked — or even outright ignored. The Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye helped change the view of the character and Hawkeye: Freefall updated him for the modern landscape, but it was the comics collected in Hawkeye: The Way of the Arrow that really defined Clint Barton.
Collecting issues #1-20 of Solo Avengers and Avengers Spotlight #21, the Hawkeye: The Way of the Arrow TPB brings together one of Hawkeye’s most exciting adventures. Returning to an era when Hawkeye was the chairman of the West Coast Avengers is a rewarding concept. It’s a way to return to a time of long, drawn-out arcs and books not written for the trade.
Every character gets an arc of their own. Mockingbird, Monica Rambeau’s Captain Marvel, Black Knight, Black Widow, and numerous other characters get their moment in the sun. Every story is a brilliant, almost entirely self-contained adventure that digs into every hero’s core. It’s an element that really helps to draw readers back to the years of the West Coast Avengers, but there are some faults to it.
Marvel Comics
Because not every issue is about the marksman, the marketing of Hawkeye: The Way of the Arrow is somewhat confusing. The only indication that this book will diverge from Clint Barton’s adventures is a blurb on the back of the book with an off-handed mention of the other stories. Anyone just glancing at the cover could instantly assume it’s a classic Hawkeye story, rather than a West Coast Avengers anthology. Roughly half the book is dedicated to non-Hawkeye characters, and it really is bizarre. Don’t expect this to be a Hawkeye solo — or even related to him with every issue!
The women-led issues also have a tendency for sexism — an unfortunately natural consequence of the era. Characters like Scarlet Witch and Mockingbird spend their entire half-issue thinking solely about their husbands. Captain Marvel and Black Widow are exceptions, but those initial stories are enough to put a bad taste in the mouth.
That said, the Hawkeye sections of the book are incredible. Hawkeye’s cheesy one-liners help him stand out among the crowd of Marvel heroes, and it really helps him feel like a true hero, despite being underpowered and overly targeted. His adventures are also compelling, and his personal stakes in the fighting make every issue and every villain feel essential to the overall narrative. It’s nice to see every villain of the week feel as relevant as they do.
Marvel Comics
This book itself is well worth the price. Every issue takes three times as long to read as a modern issue, and the art is vibrant and lends itself well to the storytelling. With nearly 500 pages, the book easily takes as long to read as a full-fledged prose novel. The cover art is also just as bright and colorful as the hero himself. Even after reading, it looks excellent on a shelf.
As such a street-level take, it’s fun to see Hawkeye grapple with everyday challenges like customs at airports and leading a show in a circus act. Every detail is thrilling. There’s literally a Scooby-Doo mask-removal moment. It’s fun to see Hawkeye’s day-to-day, and the story rarely features any major jumps. It allows for those small details to stand out, painting Hawkeye’s journey in a very unique way. It’s easy to see how Fraction would later take those elements to revitalize the character.
For completists, the book is a true complete reprinting of these initial adventures. Mistakes are uncorrected, letting modern readers experience this journey the same way that the original audience could. It’s fun to see a faithful replication of the original stories, and having them all together really paints a beautiful look at Hawkeye’s personal life. His personal villains, interesting backstory, and lovable supporting cast all shine in this story — just as much as the hero himself.
Older readers will enjoy the nostalgia of revisiting the West Coast Avengers, and newer readers will be thrilled by the arcs that made Hawkeye the hero he is. Hawkeye: The Way of the Arrow features self-contained stories that truly define every member of the Avengers’ off-shoot team. It’s always great to see underrated but fantastic stories earning reprints, and Hawkeye Epic Collection: The Way of the Arrow deserves the love and attention that this TPB will bring.
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