Hawkeye, Vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon

Hawkeye, Vol. 1: My Life As a Weapon by Matt Fraction illustrator David Aja (Marvel Comics) ISBN: 978-0785165620

Plot Summary

This is the trade paperback collecting the first 5 issues of Matt Fraction's run on the least super of the Avengers.  Instead of capitalizing on the over-the-top alien killing adventure of the movie, Fraction takes the character in completely the other direction.  His Hawkeye, never wears his costume, goes by Clint Barton more often than by his nom de guere, and his big adventure is protecting his tenement building form the violent landlord.  This first chapter sees Barton saving a dog who jumps in front of a bullet for him.

Critical Evaluation

The story is extremely simple: Clint Barton manages to find himself in trouble through his own bad luck.  Almost every chapter begins with the phrase "This looks bad."  But the book looks anything but.  Aja's minimalist take on the character and on the comic book format is absolutely breathtaking.  Each page feels like a work of art.

The simple and beautiful artwork coupled with Barton as a sort of sad-sack John McClane figure are appealing even to readers not typically drawn to super hero comic books.  The lack of tights and awkward body positions (not to mention the fact that most of the women in the book dress like actual women) is refreshing to readers of comic books, and perhaps even more appealing to people who didn't read them.  The book is fun.  It has the verve of comic books from the 1960s without being corny: brilliant.

Reader’s Annotation

What does Hawkeye do when he's not with the Avengers?  Apparently, he pays his rent on time, and gets himself into really bad situations.

Information about the author

From the author's webpage: 

Hi there. I'm a writer.  I write comic books mostly.  I write a book called CASANOVA. It's kind of a superspy/science fiction thing. Kind of.  I write SATELLITE SAM. That's about sex, death, and live television.  I write SEX CRIMINALS. it's about sex and crime. And the impermanence of the spacetime continuum.  I'm writing FANTASTIC FOUR and its sister book FF at the moment for Marvel Comics.  I also write a book called HAWKEYE, but I tend to call it HAWKGUY, because that's what my kid calls it and it makes me laugh.  I live in Portland. No, the other one. (Fraction, 2013).

Genre

Comic Book/Trade Paperback

Curriculum Ties

The book could be used in an art class.  Some art students are more interested in this kind of pop style than traditional portraiture, landscapes, or still lifes.  Using this as inspiration might be fun.

Booktalking Ideas

1.  For me, the art is the main selling point; it's absolutely gorgeous.

2. Focus on the "what-me-worry" hard luck personality: it's charming.

Reading Level/Interest Age

8th grade and up.

Challenge Issues

There is violence, strong language is rendered in comic book @#!s, there are some adult themes.

I would openly greet any patron who presented a challenge to the work, giving them ample time to detail their complaint.  I would listen attentively.  To respond to these challenges I would have some reviews of the work on hand.   I would be prepared to explain that as a public institution libraries "cannot limit access on the basis of age or other characteristics" (ALA, 1999).  I would have copies of the library's collection policy on hand.  I would be prepared to politely discuss that parents can control what their children are exposed to by coming to the library with them and examining books they check out.  If the Teen Advisory Group had written reviews of the work I'd have them handy.  While it may be of little comfort to certain parents, I would also be prepared to discuss my staunch support of intellectual freedom and abhorrence of censorship.  As a last resort, I would be sure to keep copies or a reconsideration form on hand.

Why did you include this book in the titles you selected?

The book was a gift, and I absolutely adored it.

References

American Library Association. (1999). Strategies and tips for dealing with challenges to library materials. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/copingwithchallenges/strategiestips 


Fraction, M. (2013). The life of the mind. Retrieved from http://mattfraction.com/