It’s possible that the first time you saw Clint Barton, you thought that having a good aim wasn’t enough to be a major character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, the interpretation of Jeremy Renner during these last ten years has been key in the superhero franchise. Not only did he play an essential role in The Avengers, but he’s even had his own TV series dedicated to him on Disney Plus. Hawkeye’s first season has already come to an end, and if you liked it, you may now want to cheer yourself up with the comics . And the usual doubts arise. Where should I start reading?
The best order to start reading Hawkeye
Clint’s first appearance was in 1964’s Tales of Suspense #57 . The character was created by Stan Lee and Don Heck. However, starting with a comic from almost 60 years ago is not very suitable if you do not have experience in the world of comics. Even more so if we absolutely lack context. Therefore, it is best that you start with these five stories about this famous sniper. Once you’ve read these issues, you can feel free to go even further back and see the character’s early development.
Hawkeye Vol. 1 (1983)
Skipping his time in The Avengers a bit, this number corresponds to the first time we see Clint Barton alone . The tone of this comic is very different from what we have recently seen in the movies or in his television series, but without a doubt, this Hawkeye adventure is worth it.
Clint is head of security at Cross Technological Enterprises, and he even has a motorcycle that flies. Things take a turn for the worse when he discovers there is a plot to pit the various Marvel heroes against each other using a machine capable of manipulating brains. It is a dark thriller , where there are many changes of pace. It delves a lot into the moment in which the character loses his addition due to an accident when manipulating his arrows, just as he begins his sentimental relationship with the Mocking Bird.
Hawkeye Vol. 4 (2012)
Here you will find the reason why Disney has decided to make a series with Clint and Kate Bishop. All the elements of the first season of the television series are in this issue, even the poor one-eyed dog. Basically, it’s about Clint’s life when he’s not actively being an avenger, and his run-in with the Eastern European mob who’s dressed in very fashionable tracksuits. If you have seen the series, you can even start with this book.
All-New Hawkeye (2015)
Following the foundations established by Matt Fraction, David Aja and Annie Wu in 2012, Jeff Lemire and Ramón Pérez took over with an adventure of the two Hawkeyes . Clint and Kate embark on a SHIELD mission . to retrieve an asset from Hydra. The two think that it is a weapon, but when they arrive, they discover that the asset is none other than three children with superpowers , creating a whole moral debate.
Hawkeye Vol.5 (2017)
Yes, we already did a compilation of how to start reading Kate Bishop, but you are going to allow us this extra on the heroine because she is so directly related to the Avenger. In this volume, the shooter separates from Clint and lives an adventure in Los Angeles where she tries to become a private investigator without much success. The play is full of internal monologues and moments in which Bishop tries to get to know herself.
Hawkeye: Freefall (2020)
It deals with practically the same theme as the six-part miniseries , that is, everything that is triggered when someone shows up in the Ronin suit. But still, it’s worth checking out.
