Preamble
It feels like forever since I last read a volume of Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye. I have been enjoying him in other titles, hanging out with Deadpool and being corny. But yes, it is time to see Clint Barton in his own title! Wait, what Hawkeye: L.A. Woman is about the other Hawkeye!
Situation Report
Kate Bishop has had it with New York and Clint Barton. So she goes out West to California. But once she is there she finds her credit cards rejected, her car repossessed and an inability to access her father’s vast fortune. All of this is due to a grudge that Madame Masque holds against Kate. So Kate does what every young hero with a nemesis does; she house sits a trailer, babysits a cat and becomes L.A.’s newest hero for hire. Kate finds herself brought into the lives of her clients and neighbors while trying to stay alive by avoiding Madame Masque’s crosshairs. And what Kate finds about Madame Masque’s influence includes Bishop family members, a decades long conspiracy, S.H.I.E.L.D., and Flynt Ward The Weed King!
Level Seven Analysis
I do like Kate Bishop. But I was shocked to find out that Barton really was not in this volume at all. He appears at the beginning as Bishop walks out on New York and Barton’s life. But really this is Kate’s story. And it is a story that even us unpowered Agents can relate to. This is a story of Kate attempting to step out on her own and stand on her own feet. She does not have dad’s money or the protection of an Avenger. No, Kate has to navigate this crisis alone or at least mostly alone. And it does feel like a coming of age story as Kate makes new friends and enemies.
I do like the characters that Fraction introduces us to. Kate becomes very close to two gay men who live near her. Now some could easily write these two men as stereotypes and they would feel like caricatures. No, these gentlemen feel like real people with real problems and relationships. You feel for them and cheer them on when they attempt to face Kate’s crisis beside her. Now Detective Caudle, a L.A. police officer who would love to see Kate leave, does feel like a caricature at times with his gruff tough as nails attitude. But Fraction plays up the stereotype so he can break it down, allowing you to see behind Caudle’s defenses. Though Kate does much to break down his shields. The Kate/Caudle interactions were some of my favorite. I honestly found all the characters including Madame Masque to be interesting under Fraction’s pen.
Conclusion
Clint Barton is coming back right? I guess the big question would be does he need to? Hawkeye is everywhere right now in the Marvel 616. Kate Bishop is not. I guess they never promised us which Hawkeye just a Hawkeye with this title. And while I do want to see Barton under Fraction’s watch again soon, Kate Bishop did an admirable job holding together this title even if it was temporary.
S.H.I.E.L.D. Roster
Clint Barton/Hawkeye, NAME REDACTED, NAME REDACTED
S.H.I.E.L.D. Associates
Kate Bishop/Hawkeye
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