Hawkeye #2

I didn't actually get to review Hawkeye #1, but I would have probably given it a very solid 8 out of 10 or so.  I thought it was a great introduction to the Clint Barton character for people who only knew him from the movie, but for somebody like me, who has loved the character for years, it didn't blow my mind.  Now, with this second issue, I'm hoping for something mind-blowing!

Hawkeye #2:

Summary: Hawkeye(the original, Clint Barton) and Kate Bishop(the Young Avenger named Hawkeye from when Clint was dead and/or a ninja...) have decided to head to a carnival that mainly rich villain-types were going to, since Clint had a bad feeling about it.  Sure enough, the carnival is led by the Ringmaster(of the Circus of Crime), and the Ringmaster does his regular modus operandi, hypnotizing the crowd and then robbing them.  Clint and Kate have some special glasses that negate Ringmaster's hypnotic hat(yes, his hat), and head out to take down the Circus.  Kate handles things very professionally, while Clint gets captured by a sword-thrower who had been trained by Clint's old trainer, the Swordsman.  Kate manages to rescue Clint, after whcih time she shoots the Ringmaster and some of his goons in the eyes(!!).  The sword-thrower then arrives on the scene, looking to take on Clint one-on-one.  Clint responds by banking an arrow off a wall, into the back of the sword-thrower's neck, taking him down(permanently?).  With that, Clint and Kate take the money the Circus robbed from the criminals and drive away on a boat, letting the money blow away in the sea.  Needless to say, the criminals, led by Kingpin(!), are NOT pleased by this turn of events.

Thoughts: Um, this comic just didn't do it for me...  I mean it was okay, but it wasn't great.  But it WAS a Hawkeye comic, so that makes anything better.  Sure, I don't know why the likes of Kingpin and Hammerhead would be dumb enough to go to a show being put on by the Circus of CRIME, nor do I get why the Circus would want to make enemies with KINGPIN, of all people, but whatever I guess.  I was definitely happy to see Kate pop up here and become Clint's partner, because I AM a huge Young Avengers fan, but this issue was strangely lacking for me.  I can't really put my finger on it, but there was something missing here for me...  But hey, it IS Hawkeye, so that's still a huge boost, regardless of the story.

Score: 6 1/2 out of 10.

"And he'll never walk again..." Oh that wacky Hawkeye...