This week Hawkeye: Freefall #1 and Birds of Prey Huntress TP come out. In honor of these archers, I am going to talk about what makes them and their fellow huntsmen so endearing.
Marvel Archers
The Clint Barton of today is much different from the Clint Barton pre-2010s. I’ve spoken before about how incredible Matt Fraction and David Aja’s run is. I will not go in depth on it, but I will mention what stands out about this version of Hawkeye. The titular hero is a disaster of human being but manages to capture the heart of what makes a superhero. This creates a highly relatable and hilarious character.
Establishing this version of Barton has lead to great team ups. Hawkeye vs Deadpool highlights how breakable yet determined Hawkeye is. Tales of Suspense: Hawkeye and the Winter Soldier reminds readers that Hawkeye is an optimist who can find comedy and hope in the toughest of situations, even when he has a self deprecating sense of humor.
Fraction and Aja’s run also features one of my favorite heroes: Kate Bishop. She finally received her own comic, written by Kelly Thompson and drawn by Leonardo Romero. In this run, Bishop is on her own in LA, giving new life to the noir genre. What stands out about Bishop’s Hawkeye is her persistence, independence, and positivity. She has no powers and less training than most heroes, but she proves she is one of the best out there. Hawkeye: Kate Bishop has a heroine who earns for herself, fights for what is right, and has fun being a hero.
In West Coast Avengers both Hawkeyes come together again. The comic provides plenty of humor and relatable moments. In particular, it is when these two archers fight side by side super-powered heroes that readers see how strong they truly are.
DC Archers
Meanwhile, DC Comics has their own pair of archers: Oliver Quinn AKA Green Arrow and Helena Bertinelli AKA Huntress. While Green Arrow has plenty of solo runs about the careless millionaire turned crime fighting vigilante, Huntress has predominantly been featured in team up comics, most notably Birds of Prey.
I’m very excited to have a trade paperback that focuses on Bertinelli going up against the Bat-Family and G.C.P.D. She’s only got her wits, a crossbow, and the help of the Question. For both of these DC heroes, they tackle street level crime, unlike heroes like Wonder Woman and Superman. This grounds Green Arrow and Huntress and reminds readers that they are complicated people willing to get their hands dirty for the greater good.
Despite being utterly human, fans still love these archers. They do not have powers, but they make up for what they lack in personality and morality. Clint Barton, Kate Bishop, Oliver Quinn, and Helena Bertinelli bring a level of realism to the world of comics. Sometimes that adds comedy, sometimes it adds tragedy, and sometimes it adds both.
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