Hawkeye: Freefall #1 Review

by Nick Devonald on January 02, 2020

Writer: Matthew Rosenberg
Artist: Otto Schmidt
Letters: VC’s Joe Sabino

The first thing to strike me about Hawkeye Freefall is that it’s good fun. It doesn’t set out to tell some epic tale that threatens the whole Marvel universe and needs epic team-ups. It isn’t filled with deep morals and themes that resonate with the readers. It’s about having a damn good time and this is exactly what it does. It's actually quite refreshing to have a comic who's biggest aim is to just have fun.

We’ve got a new Hawkeye story that focuses very much on the titular character. He narrates the story and there are plenty of laughs as it goes on. Without going into too many specifics this is a tale of two parts, the first is focusing on Clint taking down Parker Robbins, the Hood. The second is about someone else wearing the Ronin suit, and Hawkeye getting involved with that.

While at first glance these appear to be separate stories, there is every chance at some point they will converge and end up being related. Or maybe not, it’s still early days. It could also just be an opportunity to see Hawkeye stretched as he battles on two seperate fronts. Time will tell.

I’ve mentioned in other reviews how difficult #1s can end up being, as they can end up being filled with exposition and focusing on setting the story up rather than just making the most of the first issue. We don’t have this problem here at all. Hawkeye is Clint Barton, and really that’s all that is needed going into this issue. It sets off running and doesn't really relent throughout. For me a good comic feels like it's over really quickly because the reader is swept along in the story and that's exactly what we get here.

A few things are explained as we go on, but having Clint as narrator explains a lot, and there isn’t any need for lengthy exposition. Readers without a lot of knowledge of Hawkeye, or perhaps only knowing him from the MCU, will get a good feel for the character and find themselves enjoying the story without being bogged down with questions or needing to google characters.

The art is good throughout, and Otto Schmidt does a great job of taking on all the artistic responsibilities. There are a few minor characters who only feature in a panel or two but Schmidt does such a great job drawing them we get a real feel for their character. He is great at drawing postures and facial expressions which really tell a lot about the characters. The action scenes are fast and frantic exactly as they should be. All the different settings are well drawn and a glance is all that's needed to know where we are.

This comic is great fun from beginning to end. Hawkeyes narration is filled with plenty of humour and you don’t need to be well versed in the character to follow what’s going on. We’ve got an interesting setup which takes a good look at the corrupt justice system, as well as a mystery to solve in Ronin’s reappearance. Recommended.

Our Score:

9/10

A Look Inside