Hawkeye #2 (Marvel)
From February 2016
writer: Jeff Lemire
artist: Ramon Perez
To call Jeff Lemire one of my favorite active writers would probably be an understatement. He's been writing some of my favorite comics for years now. If anyone could follow up Matt Fraction's Hawkeye with something with even a slim chance of being as clever, it would be Lemire.
(Never mind that it would've been perfectly acceptable to keep the same numbering. Uh-uh. Not Marvel. Not these days. DC at least let a bunch of its New 52 series actually reach fifty-two, consistently-numbered consecutive issues. Marvel now has seasons, which only makes sense for the dedicated monthly readers.)
Lemire even keeps Clint Barton and Kate Bishop working alongside each other in-tact. I love that. I've been a fan of Kate since she debuted in Young Avengers. If any of those characters were going to extend their shelf lives, I'm glad it was her. It doesn't hurt that she's following in the footsteps of a less-than-giant. (As if to punctuate that, Marvel recently had Clint murder the Hulk, and so that's probably the end of him.)
In true Lemire fashion, however, he's not just content to keep things the way Fraction had them, but have a look at the future, with the past and future converging. It shouldn't work but it does.
I love that the art keeps general pace with the Fraction era, too. I mean, that's Marvel really letting a good thing continue, in the best possible way. Bravo, Marvel.
(As if to punctuate that, Marvel recently had Clint murder the Hulk, and so that's probably the end of him.)
ReplyDeleteActually I think CBR mentioned that he'll be part of a new "Occupy Avengers" team so I don't think that's the end of him.