#setting this in the original west coast run. when bobbi died.

[izzysarchivedblogs]

sign: you do realize you don’t have to do this alone right? ~ for Clint

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE WHOLE WORLD ENDS ⸻ WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT HAS ENDED.

He stands there, a hollow man, caught up in his head and he doesn't know what to do. If steps out of that door, than that means he was laying Bobbi to rest. AND HE CAN'T DO THAT. How do you lay your estranged wife to rest? How do you bury her?

THOSE QUESTIONS ARE ON HIS LIPS, ON HIS MIND?

Clint doesn't even realize it himself, that he was staring into at the wall and he can't go outside. He can't take a step and join the rest, can't stand alongside his fellow Avengers, East and West, and go bury his wife.

Can't stop himself from wondering. . . . FILLS LIKE HE WAS GOING TO BE ILL. . . . He's caught off guard when someone finally goes to retrieve him. It can't be time, he doesn't want it to be time but that wasn't something that Clint got to decide.

Clint doesn't want to go out there, he doesn't want to see everyone or be seen by everyone; but he knows they all liked Bobbi too, loved her, and she was their sister, their family, their fellow Avenger.

The archer startles when he sees Wanda looking at him and he thinks for a moment that he might fall apart right then and there. JUST BY BEING SEEN. She signs to him, and he stares a moment longer before he forces himself to sign.

« I can't go out there » ⸻ « What do I do? »

[dustedmagazine]

Rare-Lee Referenced Konitz: An Annotated Appreciation

Lee Konitz died of COVID-19 related complications (pneumonia) on Wednesday, he was 92. While he had started slowing down in recent years, favoring a personal, if mildly controversial, dialect of vocalese over exacting excursions on his trusty alto saxophone, his intelligence and acumen as an improviser remained undiminished. Konitz matured as a professional musician at a time when bebop was challenging swing for stylistic primacy in jazz.

A coveted stint in Stan Kenton’s big band gave him sea legs, but rather than succumb to the pervasive spell of Charlie Parker, he opted instead for comparative obscurity under the demanding tutelage of Lennie Tristano. Teaming with equally eccentric Lester Young disciple Warne Marsh, Konitz quickly became a master of a fresh offshoot of melodic interpolation, the contrafact. Over an ensuing seventy years he would lend his horns (tenor and soprano also entered his arsenal on occasion) to all manner of improvisational contexts, amassing a discography staggering in both breadth and consistency.

Konitz was an illustrious, if usually unassuming, giant, not just to jazz, but to music in general, fiercely protective of his personal life, but unusually generous with his time and accumulated knowledge. Classics in his voluminous catalog, which numbers well into the triple digits, are many and varied. This brief, annotated list is meant as a complement, highlighting settings that are less celebrated, but less reflective of his unmitigated genius. Rest in peace, Lee.

Konitz Meets Mulligan (Pacific Jazz)

Schooling the classic Gerry Mulligan Quartet, one of the most popular and innovative ensembles in West Coast jazz, is no mean feat, but damn if Konitz doesn’t do just that on this congenial contrapuntal feast.

Konitz in Europe ’56 (Fresh Sound)

Nearly eighty-minutes of immersive, sometimes grainy air shots from Paris and Koln with Konitz in the company of a cavalcade of like-minded compatriots including: Lars Gullin, Bobby Jaspar, Hans Koller, and Atilla Zollar.

Tranquility (Verve)

Konitz in full Tristano-thrall, eschewing piano for fellow Tristanoite Billy Bauer’s plectrum. A cherub-faced Henry Grimes holds down the bass and a polite Dave Bailey brings brushes-leaning drums.

Live at the Half Note (Verve)

Something of a missing link in the Konitz oeuvre that captures him and Marsh across two sets at a New York club circa 1959 with an ace rhythm section featuring Bill Evans, Jimmy Garrison, and Paul Motian.

From Newport to Nice (Philology)

A hodgepodge of European concert captures from 1955 to 1980 with two cuts from a 1965 quintet featuring Misha Mengelberg and Han Bennink of special historical interest.

Peacemeal (Milestone)

Bartok tone poems and jazz standards meet fusion accoutrements as Konitz jockeys between acoustic and amplified horns backed by rhythm section outfitted with option of electric piano.

Zo Ko Ma (MPS)

Technically guitarist Atilla Zollar’s date, but also a conclave of equals with German trombonist Albert Mangelsdorff embodying the last consonant/vowel dyad in various couplings with bassist Barre Phillips and drummer Stu Martin.

A Buck Clayton Jam Session (Chiaroscuro)

Konitz is just one of the guys on this unbuttoned conference of long-in-the-tooth swing luminaries, fitting amicably into the Clayton-orchestrated framework and taking his allotted solo space with aplomb.

West Coast Sessions, Vol. 3 (Omnivore)

Konitz paired with one of his preeminent contemporaries on the alto, the perpetually star-crossed but brilliant Art Pepper in cooperative conversation. It’s Pepper’s date, but Lee is once again indispensable to the winsome outcome.

In Concert (India Navigation)

An inexplicably rare meeting with Chet Baker running down loquacious readings of standards. Beaver Harris in the drum chair makes it even weirder.

Sweet & Lovely (King)

Intimate and unpolished latter-day duets with Charlie Haden that are sometimes diffuse, but always honest and intimately affecting.

A Sixty-Year Reunion… How Cool is That? (Wave)

A London concert date from bassist Peter Ind’s private tape collection with Konitz congenially engaging his old colleague and a young drummer on a string of antique contrafacts.

Dig-It (Steeplechase)

Danish-financed studio date with another old colleague, tenorist Ted Brown, which finds the tandem reveling at length in the Tristano-influenced side of Konitz’s songbook backed by bass and drums.

RichLee (Steeplechase)

An “inside baseball” quintet studio session pairing Konitz with tenorist Rich Perry, an elliptical melodic improviser who is very nearly his equal.

On Broadway, Vol. 3 (Winter & Winter)

Paul Motian’s sublime working trio with tenorist Joe Lovano and guitarist Bill Frisell welcoming Konitz as guest on a tenfold program of musical-sourced standards.

Olden Times - Live at Birdland Neuburg (Double Moon)

Concert meeting with kindred spirit Kenny Wheeler’s working trio and preferable to the more popular, pastoral ECM studio date under the trumpeter’s name.

Some New Stuff (DIW)

Konitz coming off as the anti-Zorn while carousing figuratively with the Masada rhythm section (Greg Cohen and Joey Baron) on eleven originals.

Body and Soul: Dedicated to the Memory of Warne Marsh (Insights)

Japanese concert tribute to Konitz’s tenor alter ego with acolyte Gary Foster weighing in as agile frontline foil on another gathering of fertile contrafacts.

We Thought About Duke (Hat Hut/hatOLOGY)

Konitz as sideman to Austrian trumpeter Franz Koglmann, but no less essential on quietly radical reworkings of canonical ducal majesty.

Once (Incus)

Konitz in the improbable but eminently exciting setting of one of Derek Bailey’s free improvisational Company conclaves in London, May of 1987.

Unaccompanied in Yokohama (PSF)

Solo Japanese recital (guitarist Kazuo Imai shadows on two freely improvised tracks) with sound so intimate that it takes some getting used to, but Konitz is both relaxed and eloquent on his alto in front of a deferentially quiet audience.

Self Portrait (Philology)

Solo studio date celebrating Konitz’s attainment of septuagenarian status with the conceit that he overdubs his alto on up to four channels in the service of a handful of cherry-picked contrafacts.

12 Gershwin in 12 Keys (Philology)

Another experiment this time in the company of Italian pianistic confrere Franco D’Andrea tackling selections from the eponymous songbook in a dozen different keys.

Organic-Lee (Steeplechase)

Strange-lee, Konitz’s only full album with a Hammond B-3 organ, so of course he decides to dispense with any additional accompaniment. Gary Versace at the console makes for an inspired improvisational companion.

L’Age Mür ((Philology)

Konitz amongst the adoring Italians once again and a special date in that it pairs him in a quartet with his old friend trumpeter Enrico Rava on extended interpretations of standards sans piano.

Derek Taylor

[kurtty-drabbles]

Su/Lovecraft au (fighting)

N/A: Venus is back and Oh boy she has a problem to solve now.

@djinmer4 @dannybagpipesarecalling

Venus is the first creation of Zaorva, well, maybe the first Herald, not even Zaorva knew what was her first creation anymore. Venus was supposed to aid Zaorva in her chores, however, the woman is anything but a fighter and Cthulu's herald knew that and in the end, Venus was useless. In the end, Venus has no other chore to do.

Why HIM didn´t eat her? Venus doesn´t know and never dare to ask. Therefore, as much Venus is not a warrior, the red hair arrives in Earth easily, in flames and in the blood(somehow, it makes her think of her own creation, Zaorva  did pluck her out of the fire and her own blood) in the sand on a beach, again, this is very similar to her own creation.

It´s ironic she landed in a beach.

The animals in this planet, or to be more exact, all the species originated from this planet, noticed the woman covered in fire and lava, her primary skin and the humans are screaming in panic.

Easy to remedy this situation, at least. Changing her primary skin for the secondary, and now Venus is just a red hair wearing a loose white dress that is not hiding much. Suddenly, the panic turns into wolf whistle, much to her dismay.

(You hair is pretty, it looks like fire, the words of her master still ring in her mind. Is such a nice contrast with the water, I like it. Zaorva was never a fan of water, how ironic that she is crystal blue, well...she was.)

"Humans, don´t fear me, I came here to only bring the doomsday" some many don´t seem to register the situation or her words "Bring me the X-men"

"I´m the X-men" someone shout and it was copied by others.

"Oh, silly humans, I´m not here for games" rising her hand high she craft a small rain, a small rain of fire. "Let´s try this again, where is the X-men? Where is Kitty Pryde?"

Now the panic resurges as everyone runs away from Venus leaving the beach uninhabited as Venus begins to walk(the salt water touches her feet and the woman only shivers at that, maybe Venus never liked water either)

Fire follows her like a shadow as Venus is aimless looking and waiting for her big mission. Heralds of Zaorva, in general, avoid water at any cost, so, of course, Kitty Pryde is not here.

The West Coast Avengers show up back up by the regular Avengers. Venus only shakes her head, why waste time fighting, the end is closer, is better spent time with your loved ones.

America tries to fly and land a punch, however, Venus merely blocks her powers.

"Child, stay with your friends, stay with your girlfriend. The end is near" Venus replied as America is glued to the ground. Patsy and She-Hulk tried to attack as well. Pantsy was petrified and She-Hulk was thrown to the other side of the city.

Scarlet Witch tries her unfamous hex, it did cause some damage, moreover, the damage was quickly healed as the red hair gaze upon the Scarlet Witch.

" You knew this day would come, the end of everything, stop fighting Wanda, stay with your brother, with your sons and niece, stay with the man you love enough to bring him back. He is just a human now, stay with him...make the last days on earth pleasant, don´t make this a battlefield" Venus instructed as Wanda is no longer flying. "The end is here"

"Are you one of his Herald?" Wanda asks not daring to say his name, she may have used dark magic to bring Vision back(and making him human) but, not even this would qualify Wanda to speak the name of this Elderly God.

"No, count your blessings, If I was...you all would be dead" the Venus looks into Wanda´s mind and smiles pleased "I knew, a true herald of her wouldn´t be near water"

And with a snap of her fingers, Venus leaves the place untouched as the great heroines are defeated and impossible to counterattack. ___________________________________ Venus is not the one to be subtle, especially in this occasion, Storm sends a violent rain, and Venus admits, it´s a pain in the ass, and it made the mood sour as Venus makes a fire rain punish the weather witch(not killing) for the travesty.

"Why waste time fighting? Please, stop and enjoy the life you all have" Venus instructed as the other X-men didn´t seem to listen. "All I want to is to meet the one called Kitty Pryde," Venus asked one more time as a petite woman jumps from her hidden location and decides to attack her with the spells she knows causing little no damage.

Venus watches the woman as studying her spells. It´s a different aura in this woman, not a regular Herald, not even a half crafted one. The woman is not what Venus was expecting.

(I like that my creations are spontaneous, if I make always the same thing, it would be boring)

"Kitty Pryde!" Venus tries to speak as Kitty is using another spell, attacking, with blue eyes...the hue is a bit familiar. The spells did help her friends to take the new students to the safer house leaving Kitty and Venus alone.

"I´m here, the Avengers told us you are looking for me, are you one of his...servants??"

"God, why everyone thinks that?" Venus shakes her head"No, I serve" then she chuckles humourless "served a much greater deity, anyway, I´m here to see if you are a herald of her too, but, you don´t have the same aura as mine or the others"

"Herald? Why I would be a herald? Are you here to destroy earth too?" Kitty asked with her glowing eyes and hands and Venus steps back as this scene is too similar to be ignored.

(I´ll protect this planet, Venus, I like this one, I want to see how they will carry on)

"No, I could ever destroy a creation of Zoarva, however, HIM wants to destroy this planet and no one dares to fight HIM" Venus explained not minding if she sounds cowardly or not. No one who faces him is alive to tell how it went.

Venus didn´t realize she is shivering, until, Kitty brought it up, as the woman falls on the ground.

"I have to take you to him, he asked me and...please, don´t make go back there with empty hands" Venus pleaded. Kitty comes closer and sits next to her.

"Ok, let´s talk, I´d feel there´s something missing here, so, first tell me why,"Kitty almost used his name but no one likes when she does that, "HIM, wants to destroy the planet"

"Because...Zaorva is killed by Chtulu and HIM being the supreme leader of the intergalactic court, ruler of the Outer Gods, ordered this planet´s execution, it was here that Zaorva was killed" Venus is crying, hot tears evaporate as soon it dwell on her eyes.

"I don´t really believe in that story," Kitty said looking at Venus as she is a small toddler, it´s odd how a minute ago she is ready to fight this woman and now she wants to ease her pain. Maybe, just maybe, Bobby is right and Kitty is the big mom friend."How can anyone be sure she was killed here? Where is her body?"

"She vanishes into thin air...but she maybe didn´t die here, but, Chtuly did murder her and this planet was in the equation" Venus explained. Kitty hummed silently at that.

"And why HIM wants me?" Kitty asked and now Venus laughs weakly.

"It must be a misunderstood, he thought you were his Herald or one of his creations, but, since you don´t have the same aura as mine nor of the Elder Bairns...you are just a witch with a new set of powers, nothing more than that" Venus explained hugging herself to calm her hot tears. Kitty gaze upon Venus and then summons something.

"Is because of this?" Venus jumps into the air looking at the shield like never saw one before, and judging by the particular shield she is watching that may be true.

"You have her shield? How? where did you get it? Why did she give to you? Are you really a herald? Maybe an unfinished project...but you are so different from my aura"

"Calm down, I have questions too, ok, first, this shield is mine, I never take from any place, when my magic manifest...the shield appears as well, I was 4 years old with a shield that could be bigger than my family´s car or be at the size of my back-pack" Kitty answers "I have no clue this once belong to Zaorva, again, the shield obeys me and only me. Now, I have no clue about the Herald thing, I don´t think I´m...no one tells me what to do"Kitty jokes.

"Then how can you have her shield? When she dies the shield vanishes into thin air..."Venus explained confused at the mere sight of the shield present to her eyes.

"As I said, I don´t think she was killed here, and those little details, do matter, do the Outer Gods have trials?"

"Yes, but...HIM is the one who judges, he is scary" Venus said and Kitty nods.

"You don´t need to be afraid, in fact, you seem to be a very dedicated Herald and does not wish to destroy this planet, how about we try to solve this out?" Kitty suggested, "HIM is scary, but, the man is in love with Zaorva and sure he does not wishes to punish the wrong planet over the real culprits, right?"

(Are you afraid, Venus? Yes Don´t be, I´m with you)

"The Pheonix told us a funny story...but the Pheonix is always wrong" Venus speaks not giving more details to Kitty "be aware, you may talk to him but there´s no guarantee you may return...he´s manipulative at the best"

"I know, I saw him more than once, guess what? He does not frighten me" Then Kitty offers her hand to Venus to rose up.

"I can see what she liked this planet so much, everyone here is unique"

(Why you like earth so much? Because, everyone on this planet, is unique and special in their own way, that´s very precious to me, Venus)

[parabcllums]

⧼    diego luna, cis male, he & him   /   the war by syml   +   the beep of a coffee pot set to start at six am ( and the bitter taste of cold coffee poured hours later ). the feeling that blooms in your chest when you call your dogs name and hear the pitter patter of their four huge paws on hardwood floors, coming to greet you. bandaids and bandages and the fading greens of the deep bruises peeking past them, just now beginning to heal.   ⧽   ━━   let me tell you a thing or two about CLINTON FRANCIS “CLINT” BARTON. the hero for hire that goes by HAWKEYE is a professor of ARCHERY & GYM at paragon academy, and has sometimes been referred to as THE JESTER. they’ve always seemed very INNOVATIVE & BENIGNANT, though i’ve heard they can be pretty UNDEPENDABLE & OBSTINATE, too. they’re probably here to keep an eye on the kid they had with BARBARA MORSE. do you think if i ask real nice, they’ll give me an autograph? you can check out his stat page HERE and his pinterest board HERE.

 CONGRATULATIONS,             on the mess you’ve made of things.

SECTION ONE OF THREE : BULLET POINT HISTORY. trigger warnings for talk of child abuse and death.

clinton francis “clint” barton was born on june 18th, 1974, in waverly, iowa. his mother was edith, and his supposed father was harold - an abusive, alcoholic butcher shop owner who always kinda knew that clint wasn’t his kid, and let his feelings about that out with his fists. his older ( half ) brother was charles bernard - also known as “barney” - and over his early years, he would become the most important figure in clint’s life. as mentioned, harold was wildly abusive ; both to his wife, and to his sons. clint hated him, and he hated his mother - a weak willed woman who even now he harbors some degree of contempt for, left over from a childhood of her turning the other way and allowing harold do what he did.

he suffered through a lot, in a very short amount of time, and hospital visits were numerous for the youngest barton - coming to a head when one night, his father’s attack on him left him partially deaf in one ear. he didn’t want to invest in helping clint, so barney took it upon himself to not just teach clint some asl, but also to teach him how to protect himself. in his words, teaching clint to think of everything like a weapon - something to hit harold with, when he came knocking. the boys would hide out for hours at a time on the roof of their home or in the barn, and as both got older, tried to go toe to toe with harold on more than one occassion. things would have gotten worse for them, if it hadn’t been for the accident.

harold crashed the family car into a tree on his way home one night. edith was in the passenger seat. the two of them died instantly, and clint and barney were shuttled off fairly quick to a foster home. and then another. and then another. you get the picture. if they weren’t sent away because of being generally unruly, the boys found a way to run. eventually, that led to them running into a literal circus, which they proceeded to join, seeking out the family that they had never really have.

clint was obsessed with it all - the glitz and the glam isn’t exactly the right turn of phrase, but he lived for the adrenaline rush. he was a talented gymnast, and he eventually came under the wing of the original swordsman and trick shot, who built on barney’s earlier lessons of self defense, but honed his skill with weapons. he was good with a sword. he was better with a bow. and when barney tried to sway clint into caring about his future - into doing his GED, like him - they would argue. their relationship, deteriorating a little more each time.

eventually, clint discovered that the swordsman was embezzling money - and his moral compass, though dusty, kicked in. he would’ve turned him over to the police, had it not been for him proceeding to get the shit kicked out of him, and barney choosing to turn his back on him once and for all. barney joined the army and left - and after witnessing heroes on the news, clint decided that maybe he could use his talent ( at this point being a star attraction at the circus ) for good. he donned a costume, he went out making an attempt to fight crime - and the local authorities confused him with an actual thief, which only led to him deciding that if that was what people were going to view him as, he might as well be one. the black widow - natasha romanoff - enlisted him as a partner, and the two clashed with the betterknown costumed heroes on multiple occasions.

soon enough, clint got tired of that life, and he approached the avengers with a proposition. he would use his talents for them, instead, and... feel better about himself in the process? unclear. tony stark vouched for him, he joined a team with steve rogers & wanda and pietro maximoff, and though they were thought of as being lesser than the original avengers team... they all, clint included, proved themselves.

he fought with steve, resenting that he was leader and clint was not - but over time, learned to respect him. he operated as goliath, he left the avengers a couple times, he did a bunch of stuff and saved the world tons, and then on one such leave of absence where he became the security chief for cross technological enterprises, he was kidnapped ( alongside bobbi morse ) by crossfire as part of a master plan to kill the avengers ( first by killing him, and then by killing the rest when they showed up for his funeral ). the plan was to use hypnotic ultrasounds to force the two of them to kill one another, but clint stuffed a sonic arrow of his own creation into his mouth in a brief moment of lucidity and managed to disrupt the ultrasounds by deafening himself even more - allowing him to knock bobbi out and defeat crossfire, once and for all. this was a pivotal point in his life, not just because of being rendered 80% deaf and being forced to readjust his life to this. he also fell for bobbi, who felt responsible for what had happened to him and wanted to try and help. they met, they loved, they married within nine days - and their relationship, or lack thereof at times, has been continuous ever since.

he led the west coast avengers, he got stranded in ancient egypt, he fought his own brother who then died and cam back and died again ( and came back ), he and bobbi broke up, they got back together, it was revealed she was a skrull, the real bobbi apparently died, he took a break from being a hero to mourn, he rejoined the avengers, got killed by an exploding kree ship ( thanks wanda ), came back to life thanks to an altered universe, died again, came back again ( thanks wanda ), operated as ronin for a time after the apparent assination of captain america,  found bobbi safe and well ( ok, after a whole big skrull thing ), learned that his beloved ( ex ) wife had wanted to divorce him before she had gotten replaced by a skrull, became leader of the new avengers, saved the world a bunch, made mistakes, joined a new team, started sharing the hawkeye monikor with kate bishop, almost went blind, joined the secret avengers, started to lead them, fought against the x-men due to the whole phoenix force / hope summers thing, sacrificed himself for scarlet witch so that phoenix powered emma frost wouldn't kill her, almost died, got healed, moved into an apartment in brooklyn with a brand new purpose in life and.. that's kind of, really, more where we sit. there was a bunch of other stuff ( like all the civil war business, etc ), but i like to kind of ... come at things from a point after matt fraction’s hawkeye, where clint took on russian thugs and ended up buying an apartment building. not in that exact order. also with more details thrown in.

SECTION TWO OF THREE : HEADCANONS. trigger warnings for talk of miscarriage, depression and ptsd.

currently, clint is still in his... rediscovering exactly what he wants to be stage of life, and working for shield as an agent assigned to campus works for him. he still considers himself an avenger, still works under his alias and is still, you know, doing what he’s gotta do - but he’s taking days as they come

he and bobbi have a nine year old son named lark sein morse, and he’s... pretty much clint’s whole reason to get up in the morning, though there is a feeling that he’s closer to his mother than he is, him. they ( clint and bobbi ) are not currently together, and haven’t really been so as long as lark has been alive - though they were on again, off again a lot over the years, and clint will always sort of class her as the love of his life... even if they aren’t married. bobbi suffered a miscarriage early on in the first version of their relationship to one another - lark is their rainbow baby.

he suffers from post traumatic stress disorder from his childhood, and from... a lot of the things that have happened to him, over the years. he’s also heavily depressed, and has only really recently begun to seek out the kind of help that he really needs ( the fact that shield offers free therapists to people working for them? a huge plus )

he has a dog named lucky who he absolutely ADORES, but who gets swiped semi regularly by kate.

he’s also... actually pretty well off, though you would NOT know that just from looking at him. clint owns his apartment building in brooklyn and has a lot of money saved up from over the years. he could live a high class life, if he so chose, but he prefers to live modestly.

SECTION THREE OF THREE : WANTED CONNECTIONS.

friends :(

also . believe it or not. clint has been... a huge ladies man for a very long time, so by all means - past flings, past serious relationships, the whole thing.

bobbi morse !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

also nat romanoff

his two kids. they’re between the ages of 17 - 26, and he doesn’t know about them, though it’s ENTIRELY possible that they know / have been told who he is / to them, and i am rly into the idea of getting to play it out.

[studentsofshield]

Monday Recs for May 29 - Hawkeye aka Clint Barton

More Details:

Hawkeye is genuinely one of the best heroes in Marvel’s stable. He has had such a character arc through his years of adventures. First appearing as a villain under the influence of the Black Widow. Just like his accomplice, he was reformed. Captain America called on him to join his new team of Avengers when all the founders quit. Clint stayed through the Kooky Quartet era and quickly became one of the most consistent members of the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Clint Barton was often able to save the day despite his weak power set thanks to ingenuity and a more ambiguous sense of honor.

What held back Clint Barton for years though was his self-esteem. He always felt in the shadow of Captain America. This started to manifest in constant exits from the Marvel universe’s premier team of heroes. His old friends and duty would always call him back. With reflection and new responsibility, he was able to prove to himself that he was his own man. He met and married fellow hero Mockingbird in his first solo miniseries. This is also when he becomes partly deaf.

Together with his new bride, Clint lead the West Coast Avengers for years. He was finally able to move past his inferiority complex and become a true leader. Unfortunately, his wife “died” at the end of the West Coast Avengers run. Hawkeye served for a time as the leader of the Thunderbolts, being a reformed criminal himself.

Bobbi Morse was revealed to have been replaced by a Skrull and the real one was found during the Secret Invasion event. Following this, Jim McCann wrote a couple miniseries dealing with the reunion of these estranged lovers and partners. 

Today, Hawkeye is most known to casual and modern readers as the co-star of Matt Fraction and David Aja’s brilliant run on the title. This often delayed book brought Kate Bishop to the forefront alongside witty dialogue and poppy art. Oh, and Lucky the dog. Bro. The debatable “problem” though is that the Fraction run was so damn iconic and revered that future stories have been trying to mimic that feel, with less success. It also totally recontextualized Clint as a largely ineffectual, isolated street level hero instead of the man who once lead the Avengers for years.

Regardless, there are plenty of compelling stories to read of the man who can’t miss and hopefully many more to come.

Collection Information:

Hawkeye was a consistent member of the Avengers from 16 through 109. He then returned in Giant-Size Avengers 2 and stuck around that time until 147. Then back again for stints of 172-177 and 221-246, with his first series after 234. At this point, he leaves to kick off the West Coast branch and stays with that team through almost the entire run. He is back with the Avengers from 396-401 and then Vol 3 1-12 (also Heroes Reborn, but we don’t acknowledge that much). Hawkeye is with the Thunderbolts from Vol 1 20 to 75. He then rejoins the Avengers again with Vol 3 73 and stays around until his death. He’s since been an on and off member of the main Avengers/New Avengers team but hasn’t totally felt at home recently.

That was a big wall of text. Tracking all that material down in collected editions would be a big chore. If you need help figuring that out or picking the higlights, hit us up and we’ll be glad to help. 

His original miniseries is collected here. It also includes his first appearance, Avengers 189, and some older Mockingbird stories. There are premiere hardcover versions of this book as well.

The West Coast Avengers miniseries has been collected in paperback as well as hardcover. It is also included alongside the ongoing series in a set of two omnibuses (plus the John Byrne Avengers omnibus).

Only the first 10 issues of Solo Avengers have been collected. Hawkeye is the lead feature on all 20 issues. It then is retitled to Avengers Spotlight and Clint continues his spot from 21-34, 36.

Hawkeye’s second miniseries has only been collected in premiere hardcover to date. 

Though not featured on the recs list, Hawkeye’s third series (8 issues) has never been collected.

Jim McCann’s series following Mockingbird’s return have recently all been conveniently packed together in the Hawkeye: Avenging Archer paperback.

All of his Secret Avengers time in volumes one through three is memorable, but Nick Spencer really got the character’s voice right in Vol 2. Here are the trades for that run: -Reverie (1-5) -Iliad (6-11) -How to mA.I.M. a Mockingbird (12-16) This series will be approachable for fans of Hawkeye’s portrayal in the MCU by Jeremy Renner or the tone of Agents of SHIELD. Vol 1 is more connected to the mainstream Marvel universe and Vol 3 is more comedic.

Matt Fraction’s run is collected across four paperbacks. There is also an omnibus collecting the whole thing. However, the most cost effective way to collect the series is to grab the two oversized hardcovers. -Volume 1 (1-11) -Volume 2 (12-22, Annual 1)

Jeff Lemire and Ramon Perez basically just continued Fraction’s threads, for better or worse. That stuff is also in a hardcover, which is conveniently labeled Volume 3.

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► Clint Barton

Clinton "Clint" Barton was born to Harold and Edith Barton. He grew up working in his father's Butchers shop in Waverly, Iowa with his older brother, Barney. Their father was abusive, especially when he drank and continually beat the young boys; Barney taught Clint how to fight and helped him to improve his aim. Harold's drinking eventually cost him his life along with his wife when both died in a car accident. Clint and Barney were sent to numerous foster homes; while running away from one of them, they encountered and joined a traveling circus where the pair worked as roustabouts. While a member of the circus, Clint was trained by the original Swordsman and by Trick Shot. Clint later found the Swordsman embezzling money from the carnival. Before he could turn his mentor over to the authorities, Clint was beaten and left for dead, allowing the Swordsman to escape town. Clint's relationship with his brother Barney and Trick Shot soon deteriorated as well.

Clint adapted his archery skills to become a star carnival attraction, a master archer called "Hawkeye", otherwise known as “The World’s Greatest Marksman”. He spent some time as a member of Tiboldt's Circus. Witnessing Iron Man in action, Barton attempted to emulate him by donning a colorful costume and employing his archery skills to fight crime. However, during his first public appearance, Hawkeye was mistaken for a thief by police. The Black Widow enlisted him as her partner and they clashed with Iron Man on several occasions.

Although Hawkeye became romantically involved with the Black Widow, he was unhappy being a criminal. When he approached the Avengers and told them of his desire to reform, Iron Man sponsored his membership on the team. Barton formed, along with Captain America, Scarlet Witch and her brother, Quicksilver, an incarnation of the Avengers known as "Cap's Kooky Quartet." This was the lineup that succeeded the original after the four remaining founders took indefinite leaves of absence. At first regarded as less formidable than the previous roster, the new team soon proved themselves against the likes of Kang the Conqueror and Doctor Doom.

Hawkeye remained an active member of the Avengers for years, his archery skills and inventive trick arrows augmenting the superhuman powers of his associates. His carefree and rebellious personality meant that he sometimes argued with Captain America, believing he could make a better leader. Eventually, however, Hawkeye came to respect Cap more than any other Avenger, and became one of his staunchest supporters.

For a short time, Barton abandoned his Hawkeye identity and while taking Hank Pym's growth serum, operated under the name Goliath. After resuming his Hawkeye role, he also briefly became the Golden Archer.

Around this time, Hawkeye began a series of extended leaves of absence from the Avengers, often trying to establish an independent identity outside of the group. The first instance actually saw Clint resign on the grounds of wanting to prove he did not need a team to be effective only to almost immediately join the Defenders for several adventures (including opposing the Avengers)! He also ended up in the 1870s where he befriended Western hero Two-Gun Kid and with the help of the Avengers, defeated Kang. He brought the Western Hero along to the present and left the Avengers to team up with him.

During the course of another leave, Barton became security chief for Cross Technological Enterprises. While at Cross, he met Jorge Latham, an engineer who would design the Sky-Cycle as Barton's personal conveyance when he was incapacitated with a broken leg. Shortly thereafter, Clint also met and eloped with Bobbi orse, a.k.a. fellow crime fighter Mockingbird, when the two were kidnapped by Crossfire, a villain who wanted to use hypnotic ultrasounds to force superheroes to kill each other. Hawkeye and Mockingbird defeated Crossfire, but Barton suffered permanent hearing damage due to the ultrasounds and for a long time was forced to wear a hearing aid. Eventually, Franklin Richards would cure him of this injury when Clint was among heroes restored from an alternate reality.

Upon his return to the Avengers with his new bride, Barton was appointed to chair a new second team of Avengers based on the West Coast by then-chairman, the Vision. The team Hawkeye chose consisted of Mockingbird, his original inspiration Iron Man, Wonder Man, and Tigra. Hawkeye and Mockingbird acted as the guiding force behind the team. Barton hired his old friend from Cross Technologies, Jorge Latham, to act as the on-staff mechanic and to build a new fleet of sky-cycles. Hank Pym helped the team in a civilian capacity as the resident scientist.

One of the western team's adventures scattered them across time. While Hawkeye and most of the others were stranded in ancient Egypt, Mockingbird was in the Old West, held captive and rendered amnesiac by Phantom Rider (Lincoln Slade), posing as her lover. In a mountaintop battle between the two after her escape, Barbara allowed Slade to fall to his death. The couple separated after Clint learned of all this through the vengeful Rider's spirit.

Hawkeye later returned to the West Coast branch after they reorganized under United Nations jurisdiction, although Bobbi remained with the Great Lakes team. The West Coast team operated both independently and in conjunction with the senior East Coast team. One mission they were involved on was Operation Galactic Storm. Barton was initially relegated to remain on Earth as part of the "rear guard" team due to a "lack of raw power." With some timely aid from Hank Pym, he re-assumed his old Goliath identity, and took USAgent's place on Captain America's team bound for the Kree Empire. After Iron Man, against orders, led a group of Avengers to execute the Kree Supreme Intelligence, Barton was important in helping Captain America regain confidence in his leadership. Briefly maintaining the Goliath identity, Clint and Bobbi seemingly managed to reconcile.

After Mockingbird's apparent death, Hawkeye became a solo agent for a period of time. During which, Barton was commissioned to train a group of rebels known as the Shadows along with Sundance and Striker. He attempted to keep them from killing, but on one raid Striker killed a woman and injured her fiancee, a friend of James Rhodes. As War Machine, Rhodes investigated and was surprised to see Hawkeye among the rebels. A government-backed group led by USAgent also arrived adding further confusion between the "Brothers in Arms". The three were able to stop the conflict and were confronted by the mysterious Advisor.

After years of fighting alongside the Avengers, Hawkeye offered to lead the Thunderbolts. Sympathetic to their plight as criminals trying to redeem themselves for their past actions, he decided to help them become a legitimate superhero team. Hawkeye initially posed as the criminal Dreadknight to meet the team before formally introducing himself and his intentions. He also became romantically involved with Moonstone. As leader, Hawkeye led the Thunderbolts both alongside and sometimes against his former teammates in the Avengers.

Eventually rejoining the Avengers, Clint began a dallying affair with the Wasp, causing tension with her sometime lover, Hank Pym. When the Scarlet Witch had her breakdown that resulted in the breakup of the Avengers, Barton perished on an exploding Kree ship created by her crazed state.

The Scarlet Witch did not act again until sometime later when she altered time and space on a universal level: changing Earth's history to where mutants were the rulers while human beings were a minority. Barton was very much alive in this remade world and affiliated with an underground human resistance opposing the general mutant supremacy. Like all of the other inhabitants on the planet, though, Clint retained no memory of his previous life.

This changed, however, after X-Man Emma Frost restored his memories, hoping to recruit him to a direct opposition of reawakened heroes against Magneto and the Scarlet Witch. While this rebellious network incorporated more of his original Avenger teammates, Barton was at the time reluctant, preoccupied with the disquieting notion of his recent demise among his returned memories.

Eventually confronting and failing to kill Wanda Maximoff with one of his arrows, he brought up their shared history as teammates as well as his former romantic feelings for her, angrily demanding to know why she ended his life. This encounter did not last long as Clint's heightened emotional state renewed Wanda's own mental instability, causing her to once again erase him from existence.

Wanda then restored reality to its original state, only to remove the mutant genome from millions on Earth, remaking them as powerless mainline humans. Clint awoke inside the ruins of Avengers Mansion confused by the events. Leaving his "Hawkeye" wardrobe and equipment there, he set out to locate the Scarlet Witch, seeking Doctor Strange for assistance. Strange was the only person in the world to know of his revival at this time. Clint found her living as a gypsy in a small European mountain village. Spending the night with her, Barton learned she had no memory of her previous life and was evidently depowered. He left at dawn the next morning, heeding the warning of Doctor Strange not to attempt to revive her memories and possibly worsen her mental condition.

After the apparent assassination of Captain America, Iron Man approached Clint about taking up the shield. Barton proved himself to be one of the few who could wield it effectively, and considered taking up the mantle. He and Iron Man encountered the Young Avengers called Patriot and Hawkeye. They convinced him that wearing Steve Rogers' costume and wielding his shield would be wrong, and he allowed the unregistered young heroes to go free. Later, when Clint learned that Stark had given the shield to "Bucky" Barnes (Cap's WWII sidekick and the reformed Winter Soldier), he payed this new Captain America a visit to express his disapproval.

Barton revealed himself as the current user of the Ronin guise, joining the New Avengers. During World War Hulk, he was defeated by two of the Hulk's Warbound while trying to defend Rick Jones.

During the Skrull Invasion, Barton headed to the Savage Land with the New Avengers to investigate a crashed Skrull ship. There, both they and the Mighty Avengers came across many heroes from years past including a "Hawkeye" and a "Mockingbird". This "Hawkeye" was discovered to be a Skrull, but after Clint questioned "Mockingbird" of her miscarriage, he truly believed her to be his late wife. Teammates Luke Cage and Wolverine were more suspicious. This was justified later, when Clint was proven wrong by Mr. Fantastic, whose technology forced the Skrulls to revert to their true forms. Clint did not hesitate in shooting the Skrull Mockingbird impostor dead with one of Black Widow's firearms. Enraged by such deception, Barton became more dedicated to opposing the invading Skrulls without any second thoughts about killing them. During the final battle with the Skrulls alongside dozens of superheroes, he used his old bow and quiver of trick arrows (dropped by the wounded Kate Bishop) to kill several Super-Skrulls and to severely wound Queen Veranke, who orchestrated the entire invasion while posing as Spider-Woman. After the fighting, it was discovered that the people replaced by the Skrulls were alive and well, including Bobbi.

Reuniting with his wife, they were the first to be invited by Barnes to his Brooklyn safe house, offering it as a new base of operations for the fugitive New Avengers. The team’s first order of business became a search and rescue mission for the infant daughter of fellow teammate Luke Cage, abducted during the final Skrull conflict.

Clint was infuriated at Norman Osborn’s rise to power- especially at the allegedly "former" villain’s own Avengers group, secretly composed of super villains publicly masquerading in familiar heroic identities. Wanting to dissuade Osborn and his group from further sullying the Avengers' name and legacy, Clint and his New Avengers attempted to lure them into battle at the Hellfire Club's former headquarters. Instead, they were opposed by the Hood's crime syndicate, sent in place of the new "Dark Avengers."

Deducing Osborn’s corrupt politics, Clint went to the media exposing his identity, denouncing the Dark Avengers and revealing Osborn’s ties to the Hood. His final words were a message encouraging the American public to resist Osborn’s regime. This did not rest well with Clint’s teammates as none of them were comfortable with him starting a public flame war without their consent, growing concerned for their general safety. Despite this negative feedback, Clint remained on good terms with his friends.

Clint also learned that Bobbi did not consider him her husband any longer, having had intentions to divorce him just prior to her abduction years before, although they somewhat successfully revived their relationship. It is also noteworthy, however, that he remained distrustful and cautious of Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew) during this time due to Skrull Queen Veranke’s portrayal of her, reservations he apparently shared with teammate Luke Cage.

He was later unanimously voted as leader of the New Avengers, appointing Ms. Marvel as his deputy leader. He coordinated the team in aiding Doctor Strange in locating the next Sorcerer Supreme in New Orleans, opposing Dormammu, the Hood and Madame Masque in the process. Other adventures saw the New Avengers battle a rampaging Ymir alongside the Osborn’s Avengers , aiding the Hank Pym-led Mighty Avengers and Chinese nationalist heroes, People's Defense Force, against the powerful deposed Inhuman monarch, the Unspoken and escaping capture from the combined efforts of the Dark Avengers and the Hood’s Crime Syndicate, then commandeered by Doctor Jonas Harrow.

Steve Rogers put together a new team of Avengers. Clint joined the team and returned to his Hawkeye identity (although he encouraged Kate Bishop to keep the Hawkeye identity as well). He and Mockingbird were also members of the New Avengers, although Hawkeye later left the New Avengers when he received an Avengers priority call from the main team, claiming that he was only there to spend time with his wife.

Hawkeye aided Mockingbird and her anti-terrorist organization, the World Counter-terrorism Agency. Together, they thwarted Crossfire's illegal arms operation, and encountered Lincoln Slade's descendant, Jaime Slade, who later went on to become the new Phantom Rider. Crossfire and the new Phantom Rider teamed up to battle the heroes. This feud had its casualties with Mockingbird's mother being severely wounded and the death of Hamilton Slade, both at the hands of Crossfire. Hawkeye left the W.C.A. after it became clear that his relationship with Mockingbird had become too strained. However, he quickly rejoined after being informed by Steve Rogers that a kill list of international spies included Mockingbird.

Hawkeye and Mockingbird teamed up with the Black Widow to take on the mysterious new Ronin and the Dark Ocean Society. The new Ronin was later revealed to be Alexi Shostakov, the former Red Guardian and ex-husband of the Black Widow. During the final battle with the new Ronin, Hawkeye received a strong blow to the head, which proved to be more serious than first thought.

During the Asgardian Serpent and his Worthy's attack on Earth , Hawkeye developed feelings for fellow Avenger, Spider-Woman, after they battled Nul in Brazil. Since that time, they have displayed a very curious chemistry, much to the consternation of Mockingbird. Some of their "date/missions" have seen the couple in the midst of Spider-Island and a renewed campaign of Norman Osborn rallying the combined forces of H.A.M.M.E.R., Hydra, the Hand and A.I.M. against the heroes.

Captain America left the leadership of the Secret Avengers in the hands of Clint. He, in turn, recruited Giant-Man, Captain Britain, a new heroic Venom, and the original Human Torch to supplement the team's roster. He then led the Secret Avengers against the Father, a mad scientist seeking an android takeover of Earth.

During the controversial struggle against the X-Men over the impending Earthbound arrival of the cataclysmic Phoenix Force, Hawkeye was active in the Avengers' efforts of retrieving Hope Summers, whom they believed was the key to averting the crisis.

Some time following his adventures with Kate, Clint was approached by Bruce Banner, the hero also known as the Hulk. While he had been cured of his condition and hadn't turned into the Hulk in almost a year, he gave Clint a specialized arrow tip for him to use to kill Banner if he gave any indication that he was transforming into the Hulk again.

Months later, when the Inhuman precog Ulysses Cain had a vision that Banner was going to transform into the Hulk and kill everyone, a team of heroes went to Banner's secret lab and tried to calm him down. Beast revealed that Banner had been secretly experimenting on himself with dead gamma cells, but Banner protested the accusation. Seeing his rising level of anger and frustration, Clint, hidden in the bushes nearby loosed the arrow and killed Banner.

For killing Banner, Clint was put on trial for murder and was eventually acquitted. Plagued by guilt, Clint decided to leave the city behind and drive across the country on a journey of redemption, looking out to right the type of wrongs superheroes don't usually get involved in. During an adventure investigating the polluted water of an Indian reservation, Hawkeye encountered Red Wolf who became his partner.

Powers

As Hawkeye or Ronin, Clint possesses no superhuman abilities. Although, because of his abilities, Nick Fury's intel classified him as power level 4.

For some reason, he was affected by the Power Drainer. H.A.M.M.E.R. Agent Harrold recommended that Barton's DNA would be analyzed to explain it.

Master Archer: Barton has trained himself to become a master archer specializing in the use of regular bows, longbows, compound bows, and crossbows with near-perfect accuracy. He is capable of firing multiple arrows at a single target in a few seconds, hitting multiple targets in a few quick strokes, and directly hit small targets in the greatest of distances. Barton has even been known to hit an apple in the center of it. He practices a minimum of two hours per day to keep his skills honed.

Peak Human Condition: Clint's bodily functions at the Olympic-level athlete of a man his height, age, weight and build up exercise.

Master Marksman: He possesses very keen eyesight, and his accuracy is virtually unerring; he was trained in his youth by Trick Shot with throwing blades, balls, bolas, and boomerangs. He now has near-perfect precision with any aimed or thrown weapon. He can hurl objects with extreme speed and accuracy, both in direct aim and complicated rebounds/interactions.

Expert Acrobat: Barton possesses exceptional human strength, endurance, and stamina. He is an athletic person with very good reflexes and agility. For this combined with training as an aerialist and acrobat, it makes him capable of doing numerous complex acrobatic maneuvers.

Master Martial Artist: Barton is an excellent martial artist, having been trained in various forms by Captain America, who was arguably the world's greatest hand-to-hand combatant. On his first mission with Luke Cage's band of renegade New Avengers, Ronin proved to have come a long way from his old days of rarely ever using his martial arts skills. Throughout the battle against Elektra and The Hand, he demonstrated great skill in his overall martial ability, holding his own against nearly endless hordes of ninjas. This earned him a very respecting compliment from his teammate Iron Fist, one of the world's most top martial artists. It was revealed by Cap that Hawkeye has once defeated an elder of the universe with his luck and his wit.

Expert Tactician: As shown in his leadership of the West Coast Avengers and the Thunderbolts, Barton is a highly competent strategist, tactician, and field commander.

Cunning Fighter: Hawkeye is shown many of times as a smart and clever fighter. Cap said Hawkeye had once defeated an elder of the universe with luck and quick thinking. He was even able to outwit Bucky Barnes in training by using a joy buzzer on Bucky's cybernetic arm, though not able to defeat him.

Weapons Proficiency: Although he is not known to use melee weapons, Barton's incredible reflexes and hand-eye coordination allow him to easily master most weapons. He also received training in swordsmanship during his youth from the original Swordsman, who was considered one of the greatest experts in sword-fighting the world has ever known. Barton is skilled with swords, knives, nunchukus, staffs and is one of the few people to be able to properly handle Captain America's shield.

Trilingual: Not only is Hawkeye fluent in English, his mother tongue, but also in Italian and in American sign language.

As Hawkeye or Ronin, Barton possesses the normal human strength of a man of his age, height, and build who engages in intense regular exercise and is officially an athletic. However, for some reason to his strength which came from the Pym Particles that he uses, it gives him the ability to likely gain some level of peak human strength. The determination of his strength is when he was able to push a car off him with one hand, though it take several effort. As Goliath, his strength was varied according to the height he achieved: at 10 feet tall, Barton could lift (press) 1000 pounds, at 25 feet tall he could lift (press) 10 tons, and at 100 feet tall, Barton could lift (press) 50 tons. The higher Barton grew past 25 feet, the more of his strength he had to use simply to support his own enormous mass. While shrinking as Goliath, Barton retained his normal strength.

For a time, he was 80% deaf due to an injury sustained while in Crossfire's captivity, but his hearing was restored during his rebirth on Franklin Richards' Counter-Earth. He was again deafened by the Clown, who jammed Hawkeye's own arrows into both of Hawkeye's ears, causing damage to the middle and inner ears. He remained largely deaf, and used sign language, and lip reading to understand those around him, while using normal speech to communicate to them. He later started using hearing aids created by Tony Stark.

It was also revealed that as a child, abuse from his father left him partially deaf, but it's unknown if it was temporary or if it lasted until adulthood, with him successfully hiding it.

Verses

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