Breathe in that Dust and Dried Blood: Old Man Hawkeye’s Set for a Return to the Wasteland.

nickmorphew (63)in #comics • 7 years ago

Source
When you’re treated to one of the best pieces of cover art I’ve seen in a long time, you’re forgiven for thinking the editor might be trying to mask something here.

Hawkeye is brought to life on the pages of Old Man Hawkeye #1 (March 2018) thanks to a gifted Marco Checchetto, while the story in this arc is written by Ethan Sacks.

Eek. That purple.

In our very first issue of the second ‘Old Man’ title to be released, we’re taken back five years before the events of Old Man Logan - still in the Wasteland - to a white-haired Clint Barton. The purple getup is largely forgotten (except for an historic nod), and we’re blessed to have the artistic choices of Andres Mossa providing some visually appealing hues from the longer wavelengths of the spectrum. The warmth of colour choices dries out your mouth and you’re almost able to feel the sand get up your nose. This place is arid and you’ll feel it.

As I was researching for this article, I was surprised to find that in his first appearance in Tales of Suspense #57, Hawkeye was written as a villain pitted against Iron Man! What you’ll get from the old man now is far more depth and nuance, aimed at an audience that appreciates character building without the silly fanfare.

Check out Clint’s Robin Hood-style browns as he attempts to please a crowd with his marksmanship. His costume change was a result of his jealousy of Iron Man. Find a preview here: Source

It’s inevitable that over the years we’re seeing characters change so much. One could argue that there isn’t a need to revamp the same character. Why not just create a new one? So it begs the question, why is Clint Barton given a second chance with Old Man Hawkeye? It probably has a lot to do with fans recognising a familiar name and ensuring a few easy sales. Seeing the quality of the cover, I would have bought it regardless of who he was called. It screamed

Look at this bad-ass! He’s kicking butt in a post-apocalyptic wasteland!

One of the things that this issue brings is realism. That in itself sounds a bit far fetched because really, we’re talking about a wasteland where superheroes were rounded up and the whole joint is run by supervillains. Clint is powerless inasmuch as Iron Man is powerless (without his suit of armour and his billions). He’s just a dude. No healing factor, can’t fly, nor is he really any stronger than a random gym-junkie. He has family issues and an ailing body. When your protagonist has the deck stacked against him, you want to see how he gets through it. After all, maybe Old Clint can help us cope with our own struggles.

The Yays!

In contrast to Silver Sable, the cover art and internals are all done by a single artist - Marco Checchetto. The lead up to the credits and story arc title is the best art in the book. There’s ton of killing and a real showcase of Clint’s prowess with his weapon of choice. Seven pages to ease into the dryness of the Wasteland – conveniently rained down upon with a few pints of blood. Thanks Mr. Sacks. The visual consistency is fantastic and an absolute delight on the eye. Clint’s pain is tangible and he’s got motivation for his actions that I’m hoping will be fleshed out soon (we’re given a few hints).

The Nays. Hrmphh

Clint’s daughter. Typical teen. While I’m not proffering up spoilers, there’s the introduction of a villain that I think has just been badly written for a long time and I’m hesitant to think this trend will halt here. Fingers crossed it's done right this time. I'm not holding my breath, though.

Verdict

Just to say thanks to Checchetto alone for his artwork, the public needs to buy this book. It’s a no-brainer for me on this one. You'll feel Clint's emotion through the writing and you'll be transported across the void and into the book. Take your time and savour the artwork.

Four arrows out of five for me on this title. Go get a copy!

All the best,

Nick.

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