Avengers fans get to see the world’s mightiest marksman getting the recognition he deserves in his own Marvel Studios’ series exclusively on Disney+. Clint Barton’s Jeremy Renner stars in the new series “Hawkeye” alongside Hailee Steinfeld as comic favorite Kate Bishop as she takes the mantle as Hawkeye. Because this holiday season, the best gifts come with a bow.
“Hawkeye” Vol. 6, #17 (March 2014). Photo: Marvel Comics
What non-comic readers may not know is that the upcoming “Hawkeye” series on Disney+ is heavily inspired by an incredible comic series by Matt Fraction and David Aja and it is the “Hawkeye” comic you have to read before you watch the new Marvel series. This post contains affiliate links.
Hawkeye’ by Matt Fraction and David Aja, Omnibus Edition
The Hawkeye Comic You Have to Read Before You Watch the New Marvel Series
The first poster for the series was heavily influenced by David Aja’s cover aesthetic of the 22-volume comic series. by Matt Fraction and David Aja. There’s a huge similarity with the color palette and font choice that is undeniable.
The 2012–2015 comic run just recently became available in a paperback version, which makes it much more affordable for collectors and non-collectors alike to grab a copy.
Hawkeye by Fraction & Aja: The Saga of Barton and Bishop
Why You Need to Read “Hawkeye” by Fraction & Aja Before You Watch the Marvel Series
It’s not just the cover aesthetic that is inspired by the Fraction/Aja Hawkeye comic.
The first Hawkeye trailer has multiple Easter eggs and nods to the specific Hawkeye’ by Matt Fraction and David Aja, Omnibus Edition comic series, too, which is fun to watch for and see knowing the inspiration behind it. We’re not breaking down the whole trailer, but we’re sharing a few comic nods and telling you why if you only read one thing to get ready for Hawkeye, it should be this.
The show also includes many comic fan favorites like:
“Hawkeye” Vol. 4, #1 (August 2012). Photo: Marvel Comics
Lucky
Sometimes fondly called Lucky the Pizza Dog, we first met Lucky in “Hawkeye” Vol. 4, #1 (August 2012). In the comics, Hawkeye met Lucky (formerly known as Arrow when Arrow attacked his former owner Ivan (one of the Tracksuit Draculas) as Ivan was attacking Clint.
“Hawkeye” Vol. 4, #1 (August, 2012) Photo: Marvel Comics
Tracksuit Draculas and exploding “Trust A Bro” van
In the trailer, we see a van with the words “Trust a Bro” on it flip and explode. And the “bros” in tracksuits. This can be none other than the Tracksuit Draculas (aka Tracksuit Mafia) in the Hawkeye comic series. Also first featured in “Hawkeye” Vol. 4, #1 (August 2012), they use a disturbing amount of the word “Bro” and they are Clint’s nemesis, long before he adopted Lucky.
“Hawkeye” Vol. 4, #2 (September 2012). Photo: Marvel Comics
Undercover Superhero Crimefighting Duo
We see Barton and Bishop all dressed up at a gala-type event and they appear to be undercover. It feels reminiscent of the “Hawkeye” Vol. 4, #2 (September 2012) comic when The Circus of Crime returned to NYC as the “Cirque de Nuit” to inaugurate the Hotel Metropol. The duo teamed up to thwart The Circus but ultimately left them looking like they were the villains.
“Hawkeye” Vol. 4, #3 (October 2012). Photo: Marvel Comics
Cherry
We get a glimpse of Barton’s Cherry, a 1970s Dodge Challenger, who makes her first appearance in “Hawkeye” Vol. 4, #3 (October 2012). Barton purchased Cherry from a mystery woman named Cherry and was later stolen by the Tracksuit Mafia. Bishop helped Barton recover the car, but the Challenger was heavily damaged during a chase across the Manhattan Bridge.
“West Coast Avengers” Vol #3, #10. Photo: Marvel Comics
Eleanor Bishop
In the comics, Eleanor Bishop is supposedly dead before Kate Bishop takes the Hawkeye mantle. However, the Marvel Hawkeye Disney+ series has Eleanor alive and well in its series, which makes us question if she’s here for something larger. In the comics, we discover that Eleanor is puppeteering Madame Masque—a nemesis of Kate Bishop. We meet Madame Masque (Whitney Frost) in “Hawkeye” Vol. 5, #7 (June 2017), so it seems plausible that Marvel is setting the stage for something more than “just a parent” in the series.
My initial theory is that Eleanor will be revealed as Madame Masque, which would tie to numerous properties coming down the pike for the MCU over the course of the next 18 months or so. Madame Masque has comic ties to the Secret Invasion, Moon Knight, Doctor Strange, Wilson Fisk, Baron Helmut Zemo. What a great reveal if both Kate’s mother and stepfather-to-be in the “Hawkeye” TV series were villains?
“Hawkeye” Vol 4, No. 11 (June 2013). Photo: Marvel Comics.
What We Hope to See From the”Hawkeye” Comic
While we didn’t spot this in the trailer, I know I’m not the only one that hopes we get an episode, or at least a scene, as in “Hawkeye” Vol 4, No. 11 (June 2013) where we get the story from Lucky’s POV and his olfactory senses; Clint smells like coffee and Kate smells like flowers, cocktails, and pizza, at least as far as Lucky can describe. “Pizza is my Business” was the 2014 Eisner Award for Best Single Issue winner.
“Hawkeye” Vol 4, No. 11 (June 2013). Photo: Marvel Comics.
Read “Hawkeye” Comic Before You Watch the Marvel Series Because it is a GOOD Comic
Hawkeye is a great comic with a good story. Hawkeye isn’t your classic “superhero” with powers. He’s a normal guy, born Clint Barton, joined a circus (that’s not a joke!), and trained with Swordsman, and later joined the Avengers to fight crime while wielding his bow and arrow.
Photo: Marvel Comics
The comic series focuses heavily on the day-to-day versus the superhero aspect of their lives, so the style differs, but that makes it interesting and unique in a way. There’s plenty of action scenes, though, because interspersed in the day-to-day is fending off the bad guys and solving crimes, which is pretty chock full of murder and blood and such.
Photo: Marvel Comics
There is also great dialogue, comic panel with some epic banter and burns, and it’s one of my favorite comic runs ever.
About Hawkeye on Disney+
“This holiday season, the best gifts come with a bow.”
Marvel Studios’ “Hawkeye” is an original new series set in post-blip New York City where former Avenger Clint Barton aka Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) has a seemingly simple mission: get back to his family for Christmas. But when a threat from his past shows up, Hawkeye reluctantly teams up with Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld), a 22-year-old skilled archer and his biggest fan, to unravel a criminal conspiracy.
The series also features Vera Farmiga, Fra Fee, Tony Dalton, Zahn McClarnon, Brian d’Arcy James, and newcomer Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez. Helmed by Rhys Thomas and directing duo Bert and Bertie.
“Hawkeye” debuts exclusively on Disney+ on November 24, 2021.
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[…] Fraction/Aja “Hawkeye” comic series has heavily inspired this new Disney+ series, in both style and storyline. From the first trailer, comic fans have been excited about the […]