Hawkeye: Freefall #3: Boyz in the Hood

This book is scaring me. Each issue gets better and better and better, and I’m afraid that one day I’m going to read the next issue and it’s going to stink. That day may come, but it’s certainly not this issue. Again, it’s so nice to have super-hero Hawkeye back, and back to his true character. Rosenberg does a great job again of crafting a story that’s heavy, mysterious, thrilling, laugh out loud funny, and charming all at the same time. In other words, he writes a great Marvel Comic. This issue is pretty heavy on the comedy, I actually laughed out loud in a few places. It’s typical Barton shenanigans, mishaps at every turn. We’re reminded why we love Clint Barton in the first place. He’s a regular guy just like us, and the harder he tries the bigger he screws up. This issue we meet a new supporting cast member who’s got a lot of potentials, and also there’s an explanation to a mystery that’s been playing out since the beginning. A lot of story this issue and next issue promises more.

The art by Otta Schmidt is what we’ve come to expect: detailed, fun and really kinetic. There’s a great deal of visual storytelling this issue and Schmidt excels at it. He gets the chance to draw a bunch of different characters this issue, and it’s really interesting to see how he does it. All his characters carry themselves a different way, from Avengers who stand tall and proud to the Hood’s henchmen, who are really insecure and have zero self-esteem. If there’s any justice in comics, Otto Schmidt will be a major player very soon!