Confession time: as much as I love Matt Fraction's Hawkeye, I don't like how it has become THE characterization for Clint Barton in all 616 comics. Hawkeye is an interesting look at Clint's life as a loser when he's not being an Avenger. Like many others in the Marvel universe, being an Avenger, or just being a hero, gives characters like Clint purpose and pride.

It doesn't work as well when you bring Clint's non-hero life into his Avengers life. There's this strange disconnect between the mope he is in his non-hero life and the intelligent, heroic guy I've always known him to be as an Avenger. Yes, it grounds him and makes him more relatable, but Clint is SO MUCH MORE than "Aw, coffee," and it detracts from how competent and badass he can be when you bring too much of that into his heroics.

It's when "this looks bad..." starts to overpower the appearance of Clint's intelligence and competence that it doesn't work. There is little balance anymore because everyone is trying to capitalize on Fraction's specific story-based characterization of Clint.

Hawkeye vs. Deadpool is kind of a weird miniseries for me. While I gave it three stars initially because I enjoyed it as a whole, the more I think about it, the more I realized I need to give it 2.5 stars.

Because so much confused me:

- If Clint is deaf, why does he understand and respond to Deadpool and Kate (and anyone else) talking him when he ISN'T LOOKING AT THEIR LIPS? He explicitly states in the first issue that he can't understand what a kid is saying because the kid has a mask on and thus Clint can't read his lips. Poor art direction there.

- I read this in one go, so the art changes were a little jarring. Issue #1 had my favorite art (see images below).

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Spoiler

SO BLACK CAT IS JUST STRAIGHT UP EVIL NOW? What happened to her inhabiting the gray areas of the Marvel world? I didn't read Superior Spider-Man or Amazing Spider-Man, so I don't know what's going on in Felicia's head (I just know SpOck messed her up somehow), but I was a little surprised and upset to see how unabashedly bad she is in this. No wink-wink nudge-nudge to be seen.

- I guess I should read some recent Deadpool comics because I was so goddamn CONFUSED at his life status right now. Like, he's in a stable relationship somehow? With kids involved? WHAT? How did this happen??

- Still not sure why there was an issue 0 when it just...starts the whole story?

The good:

- Kate Bishop dressed as Hawkeye from M*A*S*H. Kate Bishop reacting to Deadpool's face. Kate Bishop firing an RPG and loving it.




KATE BISHOP.

- There were some fun moments, as I've said. The ending provides a sobering peek into Clint's mind, which I really liked.

Despite some of the things I didn't like or was confused over, this WAS fun.

I just.

What the hell is going on with Deadpool and Black Cat right now? I NEED TO RESEARCH THIS.