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Hawkeye: Kate Bishop
Hawkeye: Kate Bishop, Vol. 3: Family Reunion
Can Los Angeles really handle two Hawkeyes? Just as Kate Bishop reaches out to ask for Clint Barton's help with finding her dead mother, the senior bowman shows up needing help of his own. An unknown party is gunning for him - and their attack kicks off a wild chase across the City of Angels! Now, Hawkeye and Hawkeye must try their hardest to stay one step ahead, fully alive, and with minimal property damage...well, okay, with moderate property damage. But who has Clint and Kate in their sights, and what is their sinister agenda? The Hawkeyes are reunited and it feels so good!
COLLECTING: HAWKEYE 13-16, GENERATIONS: HAWKEYE & HAWKEYE 1
COLLECTING: HAWKEYE 13-16, GENERATIONS: HAWKEYE & HAWKEYE 1
128 pages, Paperback
First published May 22, 2018
About the author
Kelly Thompson
688 books887 followersKELLY THOMPSON has a degree in Sequential Art from The Savannah College of Art & Design. Her love of comics and superheroes have compelled her since she first discovered them as a teenager. Currently living in Portland, Oregon with her boyfriend and the two brilliant cats that run their lives, you can find Kelly all over the Internet where she is generally well liked, except where she's detested.
Kelly has published two novels - THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE KING (2012) and STORYKILLER (2014) and the graphic novel HEART IN A BOX from Dark Horse Comics (2015). She's currently writing ROGUE & GAMBIT, HAWKEYE, and PHASMA for Marvel Comics and GHOSTBUSTERS for IDW. Other major credits include: A-Force, Captain Marvel & The Carol Corps, Jem and The Holograms, Misfits, Power Rangers Pink, and the creator-owned mini-series Mega Princess.
Kelly's ambitions are eclipsed only by her desire to exist entirely in pajamas. Fortunately pajamas and writers go hand in hand (most of the time). Please buy all her stuff so that she can buy (and wear) more pajamas.
Kelly has published two novels - THE GIRL WHO WOULD BE KING (2012) and STORYKILLER (2014) and the graphic novel HEART IN A BOX from Dark Horse Comics (2015). She's currently writing ROGUE & GAMBIT, HAWKEYE, and PHASMA for Marvel Comics and GHOSTBUSTERS for IDW. Other major credits include: A-Force, Captain Marvel & The Carol Corps, Jem and The Holograms, Misfits, Power Rangers Pink, and the creator-owned mini-series Mega Princess.
Kelly's ambitions are eclipsed only by her desire to exist entirely in pajamas. Fortunately pajamas and writers go hand in hand (most of the time). Please buy all her stuff so that she can buy (and wear) more pajamas.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 205 reviews
February 12, 2019
A lot of Marvel solo hero character books have become:
1) Dial up the humor a few notches from the norm
2) Add some dollops of the meta-references
3) Keep it hip, always hip
4) Add patter, plenty of patter
5) Make Clint Barton a doofus
The archetype for this approach has to be Matt Fraction’s run on Hawkeye. Even Kelly Thompson in the goodbye letter (the book was canceled after this volume) addresses the monumental task of following up on Fraction’s creation. To Thompson’s credit, she does a decent job in this Kate-centric book – a worthy tribute to the original.
The last storyline is set up with Kate being transported to an island in the past to play a sort of “The Most Deadly Game” kind of dealio with a bunch of villains and a Clint/Hawkeye who has no idea who she is.
Kate has to walk a thin line to not do the butterfly stomping thing and alter the future.
Changing time lines and past and future events? Save that for the hack writers, Kate.
Things work out okay.
In the present, Kate deals with close calls…
…hangs with her Amazing Hawkeye friends…
…and works closely with the experienced Clint Barton.
Did I mention run-ins with Madame Masque and her underlings?
Bottom line : I like Kate as a character, so it’s sad that her book had to end, but you could read this in tandem with the Mockingbird books and feel, for better or worse, a sisterly relationship between the two books.
Plus frozen peas…
1) Dial up the humor a few notches from the norm
2) Add some dollops of the meta-references
3) Keep it hip, always hip
4) Add patter, plenty of patter
5) Make Clint Barton a doofus
The archetype for this approach has to be Matt Fraction’s run on Hawkeye. Even Kelly Thompson in the goodbye letter (the book was canceled after this volume) addresses the monumental task of following up on Fraction’s creation. To Thompson’s credit, she does a decent job in this Kate-centric book – a worthy tribute to the original.
The last storyline is set up with Kate being transported to an island in the past to play a sort of “The Most Deadly Game” kind of dealio with a bunch of villains and a Clint/Hawkeye who has no idea who she is.
Kate has to walk a thin line to not do the butterfly stomping thing and alter the future.
Changing time lines and past and future events? Save that for the hack writers, Kate.
Things work out okay.
In the present, Kate deals with close calls…
…hangs with her Amazing Hawkeye friends…
…and works closely with the experienced Clint Barton.
Did I mention run-ins with Madame Masque and her underlings?
Bottom line : I like Kate as a character, so it’s sad that her book had to end, but you could read this in tandem with the Mockingbird books and feel, for better or worse, a sisterly relationship between the two books.
Plus frozen peas…
October 24, 2019
Kate Bishop and Clint Barton - both Hawkeye team up to figure otu this mystery. They make a good private eye team. Madame Masque is still the villain of the piece. This is a family mystery about Kate's past.
What I don't like about the story is Kate is always sending her friends away. She doesn't have time for them in this volume and saying "No time, just go away". It got really old.
I tell you what, they can take on a lot of bad guys all at once. It's impressive.
This series is growing on me and I enjoyed this volume. I want to read the next one.
What I don't like about the story is Kate is always sending her friends away. She doesn't have time for them in this volume and saying "No time, just go away". It got really old.
I tell you what, they can take on a lot of bad guys all at once. It's impressive.
This series is growing on me and I enjoyed this volume. I want to read the next one.
September 17, 2018
... Aaaaaaand another one of my favourite books gets twatted by the cancellation stick. Only the good die young, they say, but does it have to happen so damned often?
October 17, 2022
First up, a killer Generations issue where current Kate travels back in time to meet Clint Barton for the first time. He's pretty much just a douche back then and Kate calls him out on it. They're on an island where the best archers are all puller out of space and time. Yeah, it doesn't even try to make sense with that and it's OK. The villain for the main story comes out of this. Kate and Clint teamup in L.A. to stop Eden and Madame Masque. There's a top of great quips and some character moments with Kate's screwed up parents. It's everything you could ask for in great comics.
December 22, 2021
Fun and breezy and throwback-y to the Matt Fraction run, what's not to like?
I'm glad I didn't finish this until just now as it would have spoiled some of the stuff that goes down in the Hawkeye show on Disney+.
Now on to the finale!
I'm glad I didn't finish this until just now as it would have spoiled some of the stuff that goes down in the Hawkeye show on Disney+.
Now on to the finale!
May 9, 2019
Hawkeye ends it's run similar to how it started, fun.
As Kelly says in the back of this volume, she tried to followup Hawkeye Investigations with one of the best, if not the best, Hawkeye series of all time. Matt Fraction struck goal with his fun. Lemire had a solid followup. Kelly did an admirable job here but it's hard not to judge it when it follows so soon after.
Saying that, this volume is pretty fun. We have Kate and Clint teaming up. So they are hawkeye duo that shoots and whoops ass. A lot of funny moments, good emotional payoff for Kate here, and pacing is really well done. I thought the art was still great too. The first issue is from Legacy one shots is decent enough. The ending kind of goes out on a bit of a whimper too but I'm eager to see what Thompson got cooking up with west coast avengers.
Overall pretty good. I wish I could say great but I can't. Still, if Hawkeye fan, there's some fun moments to be had. A 3 out of 5.
As Kelly says in the back of this volume, she tried to followup Hawkeye Investigations with one of the best, if not the best, Hawkeye series of all time. Matt Fraction struck goal with his fun. Lemire had a solid followup. Kelly did an admirable job here but it's hard not to judge it when it follows so soon after.
Saying that, this volume is pretty fun. We have Kate and Clint teaming up. So they are hawkeye duo that shoots and whoops ass. A lot of funny moments, good emotional payoff for Kate here, and pacing is really well done. I thought the art was still great too. The first issue is from Legacy one shots is decent enough. The ending kind of goes out on a bit of a whimper too but I'm eager to see what Thompson got cooking up with west coast avengers.
Overall pretty good. I wish I could say great but I can't. Still, if Hawkeye fan, there's some fun moments to be had. A 3 out of 5.
September 17, 2018
3,5 stars.
What I liked about this?
- Seeing Clint and Kate working together again. I loved their chemistry and this book (minus one little scene).
- Seeing more action scenes that showcase Clint and Kate's talents. This series was pretty great at showing that they're more than just archers
- Eden has a semi compelling reason for what she was doing
- Clint was Clint. I've missed him. (Although, I had no clue what was being referenced with him because I refuse to read Secret Empire and I didn't read Walker's book with him)
What I didn't like?
- This just reminded me of the first volume in that the conclusion didn't really wow me. It was a little lackluster because it seemed pretty similar to a finale Kate already had. It also reminded me of Kate breaking into her father's office in the last volume which made the large action see here a little less memorable.
- Once again, I feel like this ended without me truly learning anything more about Kate's friends. I get the feeling Thompson was told to wrap things up but we had three volumes and I still feel like I didn't get to know them any better. Part of that is not giving them enough focus but I can't really blame Thompson for that because Marvel has a history of cancelling books early. Like way early. It really is quite sad.
- I don't understand why we had to have that cover and gimmick of Clint kissing Kate. No one wants that. Selling that issue that way is odd because, as I said before, no one wants that. Then we get Kate being upset that Clint found it gross which I get was supposed to be humorous but it just wasn't to me. It's odd because a similar thing with an unwanted kiss happens in West Coast Avengers and I just don't get why??? It bugged me because, that issue was sold on that cover and it was just a gimmick. I remember so many of my friends, who were reading this issue by issue, being really mad about it.
So, this was just okay. The good was pretty good and the rest of it was kind of meh for me. I wanted to rate it higher because of the chemistry between Clint and Kate (platonic!) that I enjoyed but I felt like the ending was too rushed to really enjoy.
It's a shame because, if Marvel wasn't so worried about profits, this could have been a lengthy, enjoyable series.
What I liked about this?
- Seeing Clint and Kate working together again. I loved their chemistry and this book (minus one little scene).
- Seeing more action scenes that showcase Clint and Kate's talents. This series was pretty great at showing that they're more than just archers
- Eden has a semi compelling reason for what she was doing
- Clint was Clint. I've missed him. (Although, I had no clue what was being referenced with him because I refuse to read Secret Empire and I didn't read Walker's book with him)
What I didn't like?
- This just reminded me of the first volume in that the conclusion didn't really wow me. It was a little lackluster because it seemed pretty similar to a finale Kate already had. It also reminded me of Kate breaking into her father's office in the last volume which made the large action see here a little less memorable.
- Once again, I feel like this ended without me truly learning anything more about Kate's friends. I get the feeling Thompson was told to wrap things up but we had three volumes and I still feel like I didn't get to know them any better. Part of that is not giving them enough focus but I can't really blame Thompson for that because Marvel has a history of cancelling books early. Like way early. It really is quite sad.
- I don't understand why we had to have that cover and gimmick of Clint kissing Kate. No one wants that. Selling that issue that way is odd because, as I said before, no one wants that. Then we get Kate being upset that Clint found it gross which I get was supposed to be humorous but it just wasn't to me. It's odd because a similar thing with an unwanted kiss happens in West Coast Avengers and I just don't get why??? It bugged me because, that issue was sold on that cover and it was just a gimmick. I remember so many of my friends, who were reading this issue by issue, being really mad about it.
So, this was just okay. The good was pretty good and the rest of it was kind of meh for me. I wanted to rate it higher because of the chemistry between Clint and Kate (platonic!) that I enjoyed but I felt like the ending was too rushed to really enjoy.
It's a shame because, if Marvel wasn't so worried about profits, this could have been a lengthy, enjoyable series.
May 26, 2018
Good! Sad to see that this series got canned (Thanks Marvel...) cause it really was something! So the story continues from the last volume with Kate Bishop trying to find her mother while enlisting the help of Clint Barton, who has his own set of problems to deal with. Kelly Thompson really does continue the same level of quality Matt Fraction set when he was writing Hawkeye, while adding her own style! I mean its just solid straight forward writing: there's no tie ins, editorial agenda's, pretentiousness writing nobody understands; no its just a good Hawkeye story! But aside from that, the humor excellent, I love the banter between Kate and Clint and all round this was a great series! Although based on that ending, I'm pretty sure were going to see a new Hawkeye series at some point!
January 31, 2021
I really wish that Kelly Thompson's Hawkeye: Kate Bishop series wouldn't have been cancelled. Kelly Thompson does a great job with Kate, and Clint too as we find out here. There's so much more I'd love to see from this series. Her unofficial finale, Hawkeye: Kate Bishop, Vol. 3: Family Reunion, was a lot of fun. It's been a great ride.
November 29, 2022
Hawkeye Vol. 3 Family Reunion collects Marvel Comics issues 13-16 and Generations: Hawkeye & Hawkeye written by Kelly Thompson with art by Stefano Rafaelle and Leonardo Romero.
Clint Barton is being hunted and has come to the West Coast in order to hire Kate Bishop to discover his attempted assassin. Along the way, Kate recruits Clint’s help in her battle with Madam Masque and her family drama.
Family Reunion brings Thompson’s run on Hawkeye to a close. I thought this whole run was pure comic fun. It has solid writing, humor, drama, and action throughout with top notch art. If you were a fan of Faction’s run, definitely give this volume a read!
Clint Barton is being hunted and has come to the West Coast in order to hire Kate Bishop to discover his attempted assassin. Along the way, Kate recruits Clint’s help in her battle with Madam Masque and her family drama.
Family Reunion brings Thompson’s run on Hawkeye to a close. I thought this whole run was pure comic fun. It has solid writing, humor, drama, and action throughout with top notch art. If you were a fan of Faction’s run, definitely give this volume a read!
May 30, 2018
A fun little end to a great series that was cancelled way too soon.
World: The art is great, the art has been great since the start of the series and it’s the same here. The characters are full of emotion, the framing and style wonderful and the colors a different but same play on Fraction’s run is a wonderful thing indeed. The world building is good, it’s a finale for the run and it’s all the pieces that this creative team has had since starting Kate’s run. It’s all her friends, all her enemies, all the past with Clint and it is all at play here and it’s a wonderful thing. There is a rushed sense to the world but it’s normal cause Marvel cancelled this book just when the pieces of the past with Kate’s parents were going to be something bigger. Oh well.
Story: Wonderful but not enough. I loved the Generations issue, it was jarring yes but it was also so full of character beats that it reminded me why I love Kate and Clint together as a team so well. Then we get into the final 4 issue arc and it’s just great. A lot of emotions, a lot of character interaction and dialog and a rushed plot. Yes a rushed plot, because this should have been a 5-6 issue arc and a lot more of Kate’s family and past should have been the focus, but Marvel cancels this series and it makes no sense. This was one of their best and most diverse series and Kate was written so well that it is a shame that this book ended. I love this story and I want more…
Characters: Kate is a brilliant character, what this creative team has done with her and to separate her from the amazing Fraction run is astounding. They didn’t try to do the same and they didn’t try to do a 180 but they did side step enough to make Kate feel so very different from Clint that you will love her just as much, if not more, than Clint. She’s just a fun character to read. Her friends are great, but this arc didn’t really have time for them, and the mystery of her parents was drama character gold, but we also didn’t have enough time with them. In the end the character work in the past stood out and allowed this final arc to flow but the banter and the chemistry from previous arcs was not as present here…thanks Marvel.
I really love this series, and I wished it had gone on forever and forever…thanks Marvel.
Onward to the next book!
World: The art is great, the art has been great since the start of the series and it’s the same here. The characters are full of emotion, the framing and style wonderful and the colors a different but same play on Fraction’s run is a wonderful thing indeed. The world building is good, it’s a finale for the run and it’s all the pieces that this creative team has had since starting Kate’s run. It’s all her friends, all her enemies, all the past with Clint and it is all at play here and it’s a wonderful thing. There is a rushed sense to the world but it’s normal cause Marvel cancelled this book just when the pieces of the past with Kate’s parents were going to be something bigger. Oh well.
Story: Wonderful but not enough. I loved the Generations issue, it was jarring yes but it was also so full of character beats that it reminded me why I love Kate and Clint together as a team so well. Then we get into the final 4 issue arc and it’s just great. A lot of emotions, a lot of character interaction and dialog and a rushed plot. Yes a rushed plot, because this should have been a 5-6 issue arc and a lot more of Kate’s family and past should have been the focus, but Marvel cancels this series and it makes no sense. This was one of their best and most diverse series and Kate was written so well that it is a shame that this book ended. I love this story and I want more…
Characters: Kate is a brilliant character, what this creative team has done with her and to separate her from the amazing Fraction run is astounding. They didn’t try to do the same and they didn’t try to do a 180 but they did side step enough to make Kate feel so very different from Clint that you will love her just as much, if not more, than Clint. She’s just a fun character to read. Her friends are great, but this arc didn’t really have time for them, and the mystery of her parents was drama character gold, but we also didn’t have enough time with them. In the end the character work in the past stood out and allowed this final arc to flow but the banter and the chemistry from previous arcs was not as present here…thanks Marvel.
I really love this series, and I wished it had gone on forever and forever…thanks Marvel.
Onward to the next book!
June 7, 2018
This Hawkeye series is obviously more character than plot driven.
Yet Kelly Thompson managed to attain a strong alchemy. The characters, their interactions, monologues and dialogues, all participate in making this book a good book, even without a strong story (some powered gal is after Hawkeye-Clint for stuff that happened during Civil war).
It’s light, it’s fun, emotions are well dealt with and we see promises of things to come when the series hit the stands again next august. I just hope Kelly Thompson will be in again.
Very cool art by Leonardo Romero.
Yet Kelly Thompson managed to attain a strong alchemy. The characters, their interactions, monologues and dialogues, all participate in making this book a good book, even without a strong story (some powered gal is after Hawkeye-Clint for stuff that happened during Civil war).
It’s light, it’s fun, emotions are well dealt with and we see promises of things to come when the series hit the stands again next august. I just hope Kelly Thompson will be in again.
Very cool art by Leonardo Romero.
September 7, 2019
'I think the root of the word "family" is even something about trouble. I mean, I may have made that up, but it totally should be.'
AN ARC INVOLVING TIME TRAVEL AKA MY FAVORITE KIND
I enjoyed this volume so much! Even though this was my first time reading a comic featuring Clint Barton, he's so much better than the mess that's currently in the MCU it's not even funny. I just loved the dynamic that Kate and Clint have and they just work so well together. A genuinely amazing team-up all-around and when you add in some messed up time travel fun, even better.
KAAATE, I love her so much and the flashback scene with her Mom 😭 All the references to Kate's costume having hip holes cracked me up. ALSO, THE PEAS ahaha. Really, the humor in this is excellent. I even liked Johnny in this because he was being adorable and Kate and him had a couple of awkward moments LOL
Just they really shouldn't have made
Of course, I have to mention Marvel cancelling a series (yet again) but I'm glad there's West Coast Avengers to look forward to because the main arc is far from over
The artist for the first two issues was different and so the art just didn't do it for me eh, but then we got back to the pastel yet bright and quirky art that I've come to associate with Kate Bishop and all was good
Favorite quotes: 'I can't help it, this Madam Masque minion costume really chafes!'
'...You know. It really does. Masque is an even more diabolical villain than I thought.'
AN ARC INVOLVING TIME TRAVEL AKA MY FAVORITE KIND
I enjoyed this volume so much! Even though this was my first time reading a comic featuring Clint Barton, he's so much better than the mess that's currently in the MCU it's not even funny. I just loved the dynamic that Kate and Clint have and they just work so well together. A genuinely amazing team-up all-around and when you add in some messed up time travel fun, even better.
KAAATE, I love her so much and the flashback scene with her Mom 😭 All the references to Kate's costume having hip holes cracked me up. ALSO, THE PEAS ahaha. Really, the humor in this is excellent. I even liked Johnny in this because he was being adorable and Kate and him had a couple of awkward moments LOL
Just they really shouldn't have made
Of course, I have to mention Marvel cancelling a series (yet again) but I'm glad there's West Coast Avengers to look forward to because the main arc is far from over
The artist for the first two issues was different and so the art just didn't do it for me eh, but then we got back to the pastel yet bright and quirky art that I've come to associate with Kate Bishop and all was good
Favorite quotes: 'I can't help it, this Madam Masque minion costume really chafes!'
'...You know. It really does. Masque is an even more diabolical villain than I thought.'
May 6, 2018
[Read as single issues]
God damn it Marvel, stop cancelling all the really good books!
First up, Kate travels to the past to help past!Clint against a villain who can pull people through space and time in one of the few Generations one-shots that's actually worth reading. The villain here, Eden, then comes back to haunt the pair in the present day as she and Madame Masque team up to ruin both Hawkeyes' lives while Kate's family drama continues to escalate.
This is just...so good, you guys. Kate on her own? Perfect. Throw Clint into the mix? Double perfect. Their different approaches to problems ring really true here, and their knack for bumbling their way out of trouble comes across really well too. Kate's supporting cast feel a bit forced here, but I think Thompson probably had more story to tell with them that she didn't get a chance to, so she wanted to tie up their plot threads in case she didn't get a chance elsewhere. The ultimate conclusion to Kate's family antics is loaded with potential that I hope gets realized too.
Leonardo Romero returns for these issues, with Stefano Raffaele on the Generations one-shot. Romero had the difficult job of making Hawkeye a visually distinct book after the David Aja/Annie Wu/Ramon Perez era of the book, and he has done a bang up job making this stand out.
Everything about this book really hit the target. Yes, it deserves a pun to go out on.
God damn it Marvel, stop cancelling all the really good books!
First up, Kate travels to the past to help past!Clint against a villain who can pull people through space and time in one of the few Generations one-shots that's actually worth reading. The villain here, Eden, then comes back to haunt the pair in the present day as she and Madame Masque team up to ruin both Hawkeyes' lives while Kate's family drama continues to escalate.
This is just...so good, you guys. Kate on her own? Perfect. Throw Clint into the mix? Double perfect. Their different approaches to problems ring really true here, and their knack for bumbling their way out of trouble comes across really well too. Kate's supporting cast feel a bit forced here, but I think Thompson probably had more story to tell with them that she didn't get a chance to, so she wanted to tie up their plot threads in case she didn't get a chance elsewhere. The ultimate conclusion to Kate's family antics is loaded with potential that I hope gets realized too.
Leonardo Romero returns for these issues, with Stefano Raffaele on the Generations one-shot. Romero had the difficult job of making Hawkeye a visually distinct book after the David Aja/Annie Wu/Ramon Perez era of the book, and he has done a bang up job making this stand out.
Everything about this book really hit the target. Yes, it deserves a pun to go out on.
August 4, 2018
I am super bummed this got canceled
November 13, 2022
Like a television series that’s wrapped its third season without realizing they just filmed the series finale, the Hawkeye team clearly had a bigger story planned – but they didn’t realize it wouldn’t came to fruition. (At least, not in the way they expected. More on that later.)
Hawkeye was one of several recently cancelled series – including America, Iceman, Gwenpool and Luke Cage – with minority leads and creative teams of women and people of color. Marvel’s chief creative officer Joe Quesada insisted that the cancellations were due to sales, but it’s unclear these books were given a fair shot (Iceman, who came out as gay, was cancelled before the first paperback was published) while some titles, like Spider-Man and Avengers, will *always* have high sales.
This frustration is compounded with Family Reunion’s story: things happen, but there are no high stakes. In the first issue (with an appropriately old school feel), Kate finds herself in an alternate universe with a retro Clint Barton and all of Marvel’s archers. The issue feels like a one shot but it actually introduces the primary villain, Eden, with convenient powers (with someone’s blood, she pulls anyone through time and space). Kate returns to Los Angeles and reunites with Clint; Eden is after him, and the reason has been done a thousand times. She is not an engaging villain and the only scene with emotional residue is only there to remind us that Kate is still searching for answers about her mom.
The highlight of the volume, as usual, is Kate and Clint’s
respectful and playful banter. Thompson’s dialogue reflects Fraction’s Hawkeye in the best ways, but it is seriously undermined when Masque (in a clone body of Kate) kisses Clint for no reason, and then he brings it up to Kate creating awkward tension. The issue’s bizarre cover also shows Kate and Clint kissing. Romance never seemed in the cards for these two, so it’s jarring, and then dropped and ignored throughout the rest of the book. My guess is Marvel wanted a cover to boost sales and Thompson was forced to fit it in - if that’s true, then it sucks.
At least it’s only one scene, and the action sequences with Kate and Clint working together, are also Romero’s best in this volume.
The final fight between the villains and the Hawkeyes is entertaining, but also empty. Kate’s father joins the fray at some point (he apparently has powers), and readers find out some things about Kate’s mother, but Kate herself is no closer to any answers. When Eden threatens Kate with seeing her mother in exchange for Clint’s life, she makes the choice we all know she will – it’s not exactly character development. And everyone escapes custody, a classic superhero trope, but not satisfying for the reader.
Clint finally joins Kate in Los Angeles, and he barely has time to interact with Kate’s new friends, who make an even smaller appearance than last time. Just like the second volume, their lines are pretty much interchangeable, and Kate and Johnny’s attraction to each other still makes no sense. It feels strange that the book spends so much time on Clint and Kate fighting Masque and Eden, but then tries to end on Kate’s relationship with Clint and her friends. It’s as if Thompson is trying to end on the Fraction-era Hawkeye theme, but there’s no payoff.
Additionally, my favorite secondary characters are left out in the cold. Detective Riviera, who was fantastic with Kate in volume 2, barely gets any screen time here. And the second, of course, is LUCKY. Lucky got a criminally small amount of time, he didn’t get to finish his pizza and he didn’t bite any bad guys. (We see him inside the apartment during the final battle and that’s it for the finale.) What the heck!
This volume of Hawkeye had the potential to set up a fantastic fourth volume. It is a shame that Marvel didn’t see the value in the series to let it continue.
There is, thankfully, some hope. Kate Bishop and Clint Barton (along with Johnny) returned this year in a reboot of the classic West Coast Avengers – and with them are several other cancelled heroes, including America Chavez and Gwenpool - written by Kelly Thompson. Perhaps we’ll get a follow up with her plans for Kate and her parents. At least this isn’t the last we’ll see of Kate, Hawkeye, and goddammit, Lucky the Pizza Dog.
Hawkeye was one of several recently cancelled series – including America, Iceman, Gwenpool and Luke Cage – with minority leads and creative teams of women and people of color. Marvel’s chief creative officer Joe Quesada insisted that the cancellations were due to sales, but it’s unclear these books were given a fair shot (Iceman, who came out as gay, was cancelled before the first paperback was published) while some titles, like Spider-Man and Avengers, will *always* have high sales.
This frustration is compounded with Family Reunion’s story: things happen, but there are no high stakes. In the first issue (with an appropriately old school feel), Kate finds herself in an alternate universe with a retro Clint Barton and all of Marvel’s archers. The issue feels like a one shot but it actually introduces the primary villain, Eden, with convenient powers (with someone’s blood, she pulls anyone through time and space). Kate returns to Los Angeles and reunites with Clint; Eden is after him, and the reason has been done a thousand times. She is not an engaging villain and the only scene with emotional residue is only there to remind us that Kate is still searching for answers about her mom.
The highlight of the volume, as usual, is Kate and Clint’s
respectful and playful banter. Thompson’s dialogue reflects Fraction’s Hawkeye in the best ways, but it is seriously undermined when Masque (in a clone body of Kate) kisses Clint for no reason, and then he brings it up to Kate creating awkward tension. The issue’s bizarre cover also shows Kate and Clint kissing. Romance never seemed in the cards for these two, so it’s jarring, and then dropped and ignored throughout the rest of the book. My guess is Marvel wanted a cover to boost sales and Thompson was forced to fit it in - if that’s true, then it sucks.
At least it’s only one scene, and the action sequences with Kate and Clint working together, are also Romero’s best in this volume.
The final fight between the villains and the Hawkeyes is entertaining, but also empty. Kate’s father joins the fray at some point (he apparently has powers), and readers find out some things about Kate’s mother, but Kate herself is no closer to any answers. When Eden threatens Kate with seeing her mother in exchange for Clint’s life, she makes the choice we all know she will – it’s not exactly character development. And everyone escapes custody, a classic superhero trope, but not satisfying for the reader.
Clint finally joins Kate in Los Angeles, and he barely has time to interact with Kate’s new friends, who make an even smaller appearance than last time. Just like the second volume, their lines are pretty much interchangeable, and Kate and Johnny’s attraction to each other still makes no sense. It feels strange that the book spends so much time on Clint and Kate fighting Masque and Eden, but then tries to end on Kate’s relationship with Clint and her friends. It’s as if Thompson is trying to end on the Fraction-era Hawkeye theme, but there’s no payoff.
Additionally, my favorite secondary characters are left out in the cold. Detective Riviera, who was fantastic with Kate in volume 2, barely gets any screen time here. And the second, of course, is LUCKY. Lucky got a criminally small amount of time, he didn’t get to finish his pizza and he didn’t bite any bad guys. (We see him inside the apartment during the final battle and that’s it for the finale.) What the heck!
This volume of Hawkeye had the potential to set up a fantastic fourth volume. It is a shame that Marvel didn’t see the value in the series to let it continue.
There is, thankfully, some hope. Kate Bishop and Clint Barton (along with Johnny) returned this year in a reboot of the classic West Coast Avengers – and with them are several other cancelled heroes, including America Chavez and Gwenpool - written by Kelly Thompson. Perhaps we’ll get a follow up with her plans for Kate and her parents. At least this isn’t the last we’ll see of Kate, Hawkeye, and goddammit, Lucky the Pizza Dog.
May 26, 2019
What is this “generations” crap? I remember this announced as an event of sorts, after Marvel pulled away from the editorial direction of more diverse heroes - and specifically non-cis-White-Male inhabitants of some of the oldest (and let’s face it, fossilised-into-status-quo-patterns to the point of total boredom) characters - Ms Marvel, Thor,
And yes, Hawkeye.
I read this book’s attempt to honour the old variety of the original hero with this mantle, and I didn’t much care for it while I was reading it - it felt terribly fan-Service-to-the-incels and pointless in the overall arc of Kate’s storyline.
But as I’m writing my thoughts, I realised how subversive it really was - Kate encounters a Hawkeye from his early days, and he’s a complete tool, blockhead, no-fun-and-no-finesse character - exactly like he was in the 70’s and 80’s. It’s pretty brilliant of Kelly Thompson to not place the original Clint on a pedestal, or otherwise revere this shitty character - and kudos to her editor for not rejecting this out of hand.
Alright, weird rant out of the way, I enjoyed the hell out of the rest of the book. Thompson writes so fluidly that I’m hearing these characters in my head like actual people, not stilted cutouts. They’re screwy, messy, quippy and all-round worth watching. I want to see this kind of fun go on for a long time.
And some folks are pissy about this book because it feels like Fraction/Aja’s Hawkguy? When all we could cry about when that book ended was how much we wanted MUCH more of the same? Sometimes I don’t even, people...
Make this a regular part of my comics diet and I’ll be around forever. Reminds me of how liberals eat their own - comics nerds get wound up about books ending too soon, then just as spun when someone else does a good job creating something in the same vein. Are we also pissy because not all champagne was crafted in France? Someone copied the original potato chip? There were too many good MCU movies? I DIDN’T THINK SO.
Kelly Thompson can warp my mushy brain anytime.
And yes, Hawkeye.
I read this book’s attempt to honour the old variety of the original hero with this mantle, and I didn’t much care for it while I was reading it - it felt terribly fan-Service-to-the-incels and pointless in the overall arc of Kate’s storyline.
But as I’m writing my thoughts, I realised how subversive it really was - Kate encounters a Hawkeye from his early days, and he’s a complete tool, blockhead, no-fun-and-no-finesse character - exactly like he was in the 70’s and 80’s. It’s pretty brilliant of Kelly Thompson to not place the original Clint on a pedestal, or otherwise revere this shitty character - and kudos to her editor for not rejecting this out of hand.
Alright, weird rant out of the way, I enjoyed the hell out of the rest of the book. Thompson writes so fluidly that I’m hearing these characters in my head like actual people, not stilted cutouts. They’re screwy, messy, quippy and all-round worth watching. I want to see this kind of fun go on for a long time.
And some folks are pissy about this book because it feels like Fraction/Aja’s Hawkguy? When all we could cry about when that book ended was how much we wanted MUCH more of the same? Sometimes I don’t even, people...
Make this a regular part of my comics diet and I’ll be around forever. Reminds me of how liberals eat their own - comics nerds get wound up about books ending too soon, then just as spun when someone else does a good job creating something in the same vein. Are we also pissy because not all champagne was crafted in France? Someone copied the original potato chip? There were too many good MCU movies? I DIDN’T THINK SO.
Kelly Thompson can warp my mushy brain anytime.
June 17, 2018
Kelly Thompson brings her "Kate-Eye" series to a solid end. Having established Kate in LA, bringing Clint into the picture allows for an excellent expansion of the comic. (Kate's supporting cast largely fades away as a tradeoff, but that's a tradeoff I'd happily take.)
The comic opens with one of those Generations comics, and it's about sharp-shooters being brought to a mysterious island across time and space, which is all kinds of bizarre, and makes me wonder how much stranger the rest of the Generations were. With that said, it's a good lead-in to the last arc, which mixes that, Madame Masque, and the mystery of Kate's parents into a rather nice whole.
There is a bit too much running about and fighting, which drags this volume down from a perfect score. There are also a lot of unanswered questions, most notably who was trying to kill Clint, and what exactly is up with Swordsman and Eden, but I can accept that, and it's clear that some of the questions will be answered in the future.
Overall, 4.5 stars, and it's great that Thompson will be able to continue this story in a new West Coast Avengers which looks like it'll have a rather delightful cast (including, of course, Hawkeyes).
The comic opens with one of those Generations comics, and it's about sharp-shooters being brought to a mysterious island across time and space, which is all kinds of bizarre, and makes me wonder how much stranger the rest of the Generations were. With that said, it's a good lead-in to the last arc, which mixes that, Madame Masque, and the mystery of Kate's parents into a rather nice whole.
There is a bit too much running about and fighting, which drags this volume down from a perfect score. There are also a lot of unanswered questions, most notably who was trying to kill Clint, and what exactly is up with Swordsman and Eden, but I can accept that, and it's clear that some of the questions will be answered in the future.
Overall, 4.5 stars, and it's great that Thompson will be able to continue this story in a new West Coast Avengers which looks like it'll have a rather delightful cast (including, of course, Hawkeyes).
December 3, 2018
Another fun breezy Kate Bishop book. Even time travel can't wreck it. Even Clint Barton can't wreck it. I have to assume the writer is just a genius or I'm just a sucker for this character. Or something. There's silliness here. And the continuity is messy. But it's still a fun book.
September 17, 2018
4 stars | Hawkeye squared, ftw!
November 30, 2018
Yay the dynamic duo, at it again! I really missed seeing Kate and Clint making faces at each other, taking on bad guys, and just generally being awesome.
July 15, 2019
Finishing off this series. Sad to see it end. Love Kate Bishop.
April 6, 2022
This was the conclusion I needed in order to feel like this three-volume journey was worthwhile.
October 8, 2019
Unfortunately, the final book of the Hawkeye: Kate Bishop run. I would've liked to have seen this book go on longer, as it seemed there was still more story that could be told. As it stands, though, this three volume series does tell a complete story. You get to watch Kate's transformation from uncertain and broke somewhat private investigator to... more established broke and confused private investigator. But really, it's a lot more than that. By this volume the team really seems to have come into its own and the writing is much more punchy and sure. The art, likewise, is obviously more comfortable with the guest-artist of particular note in the first issue.
Kate is after her mom. Is her mother dead or alive? Did her father kill her mother? What about Madame Masque, what is up with her? And who is this new villain and problem that Clint has dropped on her lap? Why are we suddenly up against Boomerang and Lady Bullseye? Will Lucky save the day?
This book is fast paced, but it still has great moments of vulnerability from Kate and Clint both. The first issue in particular was beautiful for that, and set a precedent for their partnership that was deeply touching and moving. They need each other, and it's great to see that in the book.
So, overall? This series has been a worthy followup to Fraction and Lemire's Hawkeye run. I'm glad I gave it a shot. I hope Kelly Thompson gets to write more Bishop in the future. She gets the character note for note and isn't afraid to play on old tropes in fun and inventive ways.
Finger-guns.
Kate is after her mom. Is her mother dead or alive? Did her father kill her mother? What about Madame Masque, what is up with her? And who is this new villain and problem that Clint has dropped on her lap? Why are we suddenly up against Boomerang and Lady Bullseye? Will Lucky save the day?
This book is fast paced, but it still has great moments of vulnerability from Kate and Clint both. The first issue in particular was beautiful for that, and set a precedent for their partnership that was deeply touching and moving. They need each other, and it's great to see that in the book.
So, overall? This series has been a worthy followup to Fraction and Lemire's Hawkeye run. I'm glad I gave it a shot. I hope Kelly Thompson gets to write more Bishop in the future. She gets the character note for note and isn't afraid to play on old tropes in fun and inventive ways.
Finger-guns.
May 12, 2020
4.25 stars. This was really good. Starts of with one of the Generations one-shots. Kate find herself on and island with these marksmen hunting each other where she runs into a younger Clint who doesn’t know her yet. Pretty cool issue for a one-shot. Then into the main story we go where Clint has come to Kate for help as someone has been after him. Turns out to be the villain from the opening one-shot. She wants to kill Barton and through a failed plan by Clint, she ends up teaming up with Madame Masque. Seeing both Hawkeyes teaming up again and kicking ass was awesome. Wish this series had gotten to keep going as Kelly Thompson was doing her thing here. I guess I’ll go get a bag of frozen peas to put on my hurt heart that this run is over.
September 23, 2018
I so wanted to hold off on reading this, but I just couldn’t. Kate Bishop is amazing, and though I’m disappointed about the cancellation of the series, the ending was open-ended but a very fitting end.
Also, I just found out that the “surprise” Kelly Thompson talked about in the end is that she’s writing a Jessica Jones series! I NEED IT NOW!
Also, I just found out that the “surprise” Kelly Thompson talked about in the end is that she’s writing a Jessica Jones series! I NEED IT NOW!
January 17, 2022
What's better than one Hawkeye? Two Hawkeyes! Having read the previous comics now, I get the story better. It's lots of fun and I wish my library had more, because I want to continue the story.
Original Review:
Oh, I adored this comic. I randomly picked it up at my library and I did not regret it at all. It was funny, full of witty banter, and two Hawkeyes. I loved it.
Original Review:
Oh, I adored this comic. I randomly picked it up at my library and I did not regret it at all. It was funny, full of witty banter, and two Hawkeyes. I loved it.
April 6, 2018
Two Hawkeyes are always better than one
June 19, 2018
Nothing like a Hawkeye and Hawkeye team up.
August 13, 2018
Extremely sad that this series is at its end, but ecstatic for what’s next for the Hawkeyes in wca
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