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Hawkeye: Blindspot #1-4
Hawkeye: Blindspot
Get it here: the past, present and future of the world's greatest archer - set to star in the upcoming AVENGERS movie! Hawkeye is left blindsided after the events of WIDOWMAKER, with a new vision of the world around him. To move forward with his new life, he must first reexamine how it all began. An all-new era for the Avenging Archer begins here as writer Jim McCann (WIDOWMAKER, Return of the Dapper Men) brings you a Clint Barton you've never seen before! Plus: a classic tale of marksmanship as Hawkeye faces off against Batroc, Oddball and the Taskmaster! Collecting HAWKEYE: BLINDSPOT #1-4 and HAWKEYE: EARTH'S MIGHTIEST MARKSMAN.
136 pages, Paperback
First published July 27, 2011
7 people are currently reading
226 people want to read
About the author
Jim McCann
199 books31 followersJim McCann is an award-winning writer of comic books, television, and theatre. He worked on several films and music videos before he was accepted into the ABC Daytime Writer Development Program. During that time he wrote for the popular ABC daytime drama One Life to Live. Upon moving to New York, he found a position at Marvel Comics, where he remained for six years, working in publicity and PR.
He wrote several critically acclaimed Marvel HAWKEYE series before branching out into creating his own comics and graphic novels, as well as other projects. His first graphic novel, RETURN OF THE DAPPER MEN, won the comic book industry's top award: Best Original Graphic Album. He has since gone on to create hit series such as the space-heist LOST VEGAS and the ongoing top-rated series MIND THE GAP, both published through Image Comics.
McCann earned his BA in Communication Arts, Electronic Media as well as a double minor in English and Theatre from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH.
He currently resides in Los Angeles, where he is represented by Chelsea Reed at CAA and managed by Stan Spry at The Cartel.
He wrote several critically acclaimed Marvel HAWKEYE series before branching out into creating his own comics and graphic novels, as well as other projects. His first graphic novel, RETURN OF THE DAPPER MEN, won the comic book industry's top award: Best Original Graphic Album. He has since gone on to create hit series such as the space-heist LOST VEGAS and the ongoing top-rated series MIND THE GAP, both published through Image Comics.
McCann earned his BA in Communication Arts, Electronic Media as well as a double minor in English and Theatre from Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH.
He currently resides in Los Angeles, where he is represented by Chelsea Reed at CAA and managed by Stan Spry at The Cartel.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
June 2, 2015
So at the end of Widowmaker, Clint gets smacked in the back of the head during a fight and says he's fine. This follows straight after, where he discovers that the many blows to his head he's sustained have affected his brain and he's going blind. So what we get here is all the Clint backstory you could want, almost (minus his relationships, anyway) - flashing back to his abusive parents, the various circus workers who took him in and screwed him over, Barney's betrayal, being introduced to the Avengers and butting heads with Steve, etc, plus his flipping out and trying to go solo to prove he can still do his job (while still butting heads with Steve). Loved his relationship with Steve and Tony, and I definitely see this as a precursor to Fraction's Hawkeye, with his depression and self-worth issues. I almost didn't read this after Widowmaker, but I'm glad I had the foresight to have it on hold already! I just wish the art had been better - Clint, Steve and Donald are virtually indistingushable, especially out of costume - all have the same blonde hair, square jaw and bodybuilder mass. Meh.
September 23, 2019
Such a solid story.
Blindspot, like Old Man Hawkeye, sees the unthinkable happening to Clint Barton. He's going blind. Unlike in Old Man Hawkeye, however, the problem is in his occipital lobe itself. Distances, noises, and hallucinations abound and soon enough Clint begins to realize that what's going on in his life is as scattered and strange as his sense of sight now is. People from his past are returning, and some of them have long been presumed dead.
This is a valuable volume for any Hawkeye fan. While he isn't as endearing as he is in Fraction's run of the character, he's certainly more true to how he's generally written.. in all of the maddening ways that implies. He's a less mature Hawkeye, more hotheaded, still running off on his own. Honestly, his interactions with Captain America alone make this book worth reading.
And, well, there's Barney...
The second story in this volume is a reprint of a classic era comic that sees Hawkeye versus Batroc the leaper. Hilarious? Oh, you bet. It's a fun little read though, and it certainly drives home the necessity of trick arrows in every quiver.
Blindspot, like Old Man Hawkeye, sees the unthinkable happening to Clint Barton. He's going blind. Unlike in Old Man Hawkeye, however, the problem is in his occipital lobe itself. Distances, noises, and hallucinations abound and soon enough Clint begins to realize that what's going on in his life is as scattered and strange as his sense of sight now is. People from his past are returning, and some of them have long been presumed dead.
This is a valuable volume for any Hawkeye fan. While he isn't as endearing as he is in Fraction's run of the character, he's certainly more true to how he's generally written.. in all of the maddening ways that implies. He's a less mature Hawkeye, more hotheaded, still running off on his own. Honestly, his interactions with Captain America alone make this book worth reading.
And, well, there's Barney...
The second story in this volume is a reprint of a classic era comic that sees Hawkeye versus Batroc the leaper. Hilarious? Oh, you bet. It's a fun little read though, and it certainly drives home the necessity of trick arrows in every quiver.
August 3, 2025
"You make your way in the world, sometimes trying to just be happy, even when everything around you sucks. And when that doesn't work... You find yourself wanting to make others happy. If you're lucky, you find something in these that makes you happy."
"You got some explain to do, Clint. You're not cleared for active duty, which means--- It means Captain America's grounded me can I snuck out."
"Just when you think you've proven yourself to everybody... You find yourself taking a new path. There comes a time when you just stop listening to what people are at are telling you and you start hearing what you want to hear. Hearing that voice in your head saying you're not enough, you're weak, You aren't wanted. You hope it'll go away. Instead, ignoring it or, worse, acting on it, only makes the problem grow."
"You got some explain to do, Clint. You're not cleared for active duty, which means--- It means Captain America's grounded me can I snuck out."
"Just when you think you've proven yourself to everybody... You find yourself taking a new path. There comes a time when you just stop listening to what people are at are telling you and you start hearing what you want to hear. Hearing that voice in your head saying you're not enough, you're weak, You aren't wanted. You hope it'll go away. Instead, ignoring it or, worse, acting on it, only makes the problem grow."
September 17, 2025
So this is where I start reading hawkeye comics. It's not bad, has some interesting moments. The villain works well and there's some interesting team dynamics from the avengers. I think what bothers me is how the issue of the comic is resolved a bit too simply. But all in all, it's interesting, good throwbacks and references to previous material to catch up new readers. The art isn't very dynamic nor exciting to look at, but it's alright.
July 6, 2019
McCann ha scritto alcune mini su Occhio di Falco sfruttando ogni volta una idea di fondo diversa, e in generale incastrandole bene nella storia del personaggio. Qui è penalizzato dai disegnatori, che cambiano ad ogni numero della mini e spesso non hanno abbastanza esperienza per dare quella continuità di stile che sarebbe necessaria.
February 12, 2018
flashbacks!! not as exciting as the Fraction arc (let's be real -- what could be?) but still very solid.
July 13, 2020
3.5 (rounded up). very cool art style & classic Clint humour.
January 3, 2015
Hawkeye goes blind because he got a blow to the head and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Seriously? Seriously!
I have several big problems with this, so let's make a list!
1. In a universe where heroes endure unbelievable amounts of physical trauma, I just don't buy this. It's not a problem for me that even those heroes without super strength and endurance usually walk away from things that should kill them or at least confine them to a hospital bed for months, that's just how comics work. But when you suddenly introduce real world consequences it becomes rather jarring.
2. No one can help him? Hawkeye is buddies with Dr. Strange, Reed Richards and Hank Pym and he doesn't even ask any of them for help? He was brought back from the dead by magic not so long a ago, so I just don't believe that nothing can be done.
3. You somehow cure this by stem cell transplant? WHAT? My knowledge about medicine is fairly limited, but I'm sure that's not how that works. Any kind of magic phlebtonium / technobabble explanation would have been better.
4. And worst of all: the story isn't even about his going blind. That's entirely incidental. It's actually about some half baked revenge plot that is so by the numbers and boring I don't even care anymore. Even the blow that started the whole going blind thing happens in another book.
Add to all this bad writing and bad art, where every character has the same face and and characters are randomly changing positions in the room they're in from panel to panel (especially bad in a story about a character who has just lost sight and relies on memories of people's positions in said room to fight them).
All this makes for a very disappointing book about one of my favorite Avengers.
I have several big problems with this, so let's make a list!
1. In a universe where heroes endure unbelievable amounts of physical trauma, I just don't buy this. It's not a problem for me that even those heroes without super strength and endurance usually walk away from things that should kill them or at least confine them to a hospital bed for months, that's just how comics work. But when you suddenly introduce real world consequences it becomes rather jarring.
2. No one can help him? Hawkeye is buddies with Dr. Strange, Reed Richards and Hank Pym and he doesn't even ask any of them for help? He was brought back from the dead by magic not so long a ago, so I just don't believe that nothing can be done.
3. You somehow cure this by stem cell transplant? WHAT? My knowledge about medicine is fairly limited, but I'm sure that's not how that works. Any kind of magic phlebtonium / technobabble explanation would have been better.
4. And worst of all: the story isn't even about his going blind. That's entirely incidental. It's actually about some half baked revenge plot that is so by the numbers and boring I don't even care anymore. Even the blow that started the whole going blind thing happens in another book.
Add to all this bad writing and bad art, where every character has the same face and and characters are randomly changing positions in the room they're in from panel to panel (especially bad in a story about a character who has just lost sight and relies on memories of people's positions in said room to fight them).
All this makes for a very disappointing book about one of my favorite Avengers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2015
Solid.
This reads like an introduction to the Hawkeye character, as though Marvel was planning to relaunch him--which I guess happened, although I don't follow comics' publishing too closely. Still, it's a good read because Hawkeye is an interesting character--a superhero because of his skill, not some secret formula or being born a God or something, and he keeps up with the Avengers--even leads them, despite his trouble with authority (which gives him empathy towards others).
As a recap, it's fine. As a contemporary story, it's . . . also fine. Hawkeye is going blind, which is the same as being exposed to his own kind of Kryptonite, and has to figure out who he really is. The tech solutions to many of the plot problems are far too easy. I also wish they didn't bring back supposedly dead characters to be villains again: this is a too-convenient plot structure of serial storytelling, especially comics, and needs to be resisted at all costs. Expand the character, don't just revisit the same old-same old: brother versus brother.
The additional stories included here to round out the TPB caused in me the seem realization that the ones in the Hawkeye-MockingBird-Black Widow TPB did: the late 1980s and early 1990s comic relied too much on exposition through dialogue--the newer story writers know that they don't need quite so much exposition an that it is possible to have the characters think things through rather than spout platitudes at each other, which is a relief.
I'll continue reading in Hawkeye.
This reads like an introduction to the Hawkeye character, as though Marvel was planning to relaunch him--which I guess happened, although I don't follow comics' publishing too closely. Still, it's a good read because Hawkeye is an interesting character--a superhero because of his skill, not some secret formula or being born a God or something, and he keeps up with the Avengers--even leads them, despite his trouble with authority (which gives him empathy towards others).
As a recap, it's fine. As a contemporary story, it's . . . also fine. Hawkeye is going blind, which is the same as being exposed to his own kind of Kryptonite, and has to figure out who he really is. The tech solutions to many of the plot problems are far too easy. I also wish they didn't bring back supposedly dead characters to be villains again: this is a too-convenient plot structure of serial storytelling, especially comics, and needs to be resisted at all costs. Expand the character, don't just revisit the same old-same old: brother versus brother.
The additional stories included here to round out the TPB caused in me the seem realization that the ones in the Hawkeye-MockingBird-Black Widow TPB did: the late 1980s and early 1990s comic relied too much on exposition through dialogue--the newer story writers know that they don't need quite so much exposition an that it is possible to have the characters think things through rather than spout platitudes at each other, which is a relief.
I'll continue reading in Hawkeye.
March 4, 2013
This was much, much better than I expected it to be.
When people are coming back from Clint Barton's past, you have to expect a certain amount of ridiculousness. His particular backstory just lends itself to that sort of thing, and even if it didn't, Clint himself is a bit of a snarker who doesn't much like listening to other people and will quite happily barrel into a trap if he thinks he can out-think the person setting it.
When people are coming back from Clint Barton's past, you have to expect a certain amount of ridiculousness. His particular backstory just lends itself to that sort of thing, and even if it didn't, Clint himself is a bit of a snarker who doesn't much like listening to other people and will quite happily barrel into a trap if he thinks he can out-think the person setting it.
August 10, 2012
It's taken me a while to get used to reading graphic novels. I have a difficult time with the comic sans font for some reason, and visually, I find both pictures and words confusing. However, I've been working on it, and decided to take a chance on Blindspot because Hawkeye is my favorite Avenger.
I wasn't disappointed. Moving back and forward in time, we see Clint as a young boy, his love of his brother, Barney, and Barney's rejection of his younger brother When an accident leaves Clint slowly losing his sight, he has to learn to depend on other senses to compensate and fight his foes.
I don't want to give away too much of the plot. The story and the artwork were excellent, with depth and shading that made the characters come to life. The story was about as credible as any superhero adventure can be. it touched my heart to see Clint's pain and anger at what is happening to him.
So, with my limited graphic novel experience, I still gave this a high rating because it satisfied my Clint Barton/Avengers need to read.
I wasn't disappointed. Moving back and forward in time, we see Clint as a young boy, his love of his brother, Barney, and Barney's rejection of his younger brother When an accident leaves Clint slowly losing his sight, he has to learn to depend on other senses to compensate and fight his foes.
I don't want to give away too much of the plot. The story and the artwork were excellent, with depth and shading that made the characters come to life. The story was about as credible as any superhero adventure can be. it touched my heart to see Clint's pain and anger at what is happening to him.
So, with my limited graphic novel experience, I still gave this a high rating because it satisfied my Clint Barton/Avengers need to read.
October 7, 2015
Primarily interesting for a take on Hawkeye's problems with health and vision, this continuity-filled tale reunites him with his brother Barney, created in a Roy Thomas story in avengers, and much of the Mark Gruenwald 1980s aspects of Hawkeye, including his sky cycle and a villain named Trick Shot.
My one cavil: Zemo blames Hawkeye for killing Egghead here - who I remember turning up and dying in 1974, in a Giant-Size Defenders story with Yellowjacket. Or, wait, did Egghead turn up with the Masters of Evil in 1980s Avengers run written by Roger Stern?
No-prize to the first to tell me the most recent appearance and apparent demise of the villain Egghead.
Also, you get an origin here for Hawkeye's shades.
Ok: mildly recommended.
My one cavil: Zemo blames Hawkeye for killing Egghead here - who I remember turning up and dying in 1974, in a Giant-Size Defenders story with Yellowjacket. Or, wait, did Egghead turn up with the Masters of Evil in 1980s Avengers run written by Roger Stern?
No-prize to the first to tell me the most recent appearance and apparent demise of the villain Egghead.
Also, you get an origin here for Hawkeye's shades.
Ok: mildly recommended.
June 11, 2012
Baby, I respect your pain, but it will never, ever be as bad as Steve Rogers. Or Logan.
I love this funny big brother-y relationship Steve and Clint have. I'm not crazy about the whole relative-back-from-the-dead deal, but whatever, it's plot. I love that Tony tries to help a brother out, and Steve tries to ground Clint knowing he would never succeed. There's more I love in this book than stuff I don't love, which is great, and frankly, a decent book about Hawkeye is all a girl can expect from the Marvel universe anyway.
I love this funny big brother-y relationship Steve and Clint have. I'm not crazy about the whole relative-back-from-the-dead deal, but whatever, it's plot. I love that Tony tries to help a brother out, and Steve tries to ground Clint knowing he would never succeed. There's more I love in this book than stuff I don't love, which is great, and frankly, a decent book about Hawkeye is all a girl can expect from the Marvel universe anyway.
September 3, 2014
Really like it, the plot is simple & solid.With the many flashback/history even a new reader can easily be introduced to Hawkeye. The art and coloring is excellent specially the ones shown during the flash back.
Easily the best of Hawkeye mini series written by Jim McCann(other being Hawkeye and Mockingbird & Widowmaker).
Easily the best of Hawkeye mini series written by Jim McCann(other being Hawkeye and Mockingbird & Widowmaker).
gave-up-on
December 9, 2015My Brief Bookshelf Overview: awkward-or-cheesy-writing, gave-up-before-finishing, story-not-intriguing-enough, unlikable-or-superficial-characters
Feels like a shitty DC comics origin story; tho only difference is that it's a Marvel comics publication.
Feels like a shitty DC comics origin story; tho only difference is that it's a Marvel comics publication.
May 22, 2015
This is not Fraction's Hawkeye but it's a good one. McCann's wrote a believable story around the consequences of the end of the Hawkeye and Mockingbird arc.
I like Hawkeye solo better than the duo with Mockingbird.
I like Hawkeye solo better than the duo with Mockingbird.
January 12, 2016
Not my favorite of Hawkeye books, though I am extremely spoiled by the Fraction series, so anything I'm reading now after that might have a hard time impressing. Still, a solid intro to Clint Barton. Worth the read.
Read
May 27, 2012Really enjoyed this one! First thing I've liked by Jim McCann. Makes me want to read more Hawkeye stuff -- he's awesome.
October 25, 2012
Amazing!!
November 13, 2013
My fucking favorite comic...I love Hawkeye, srsly.
February 8, 2014
Individual issues on marvel unlimited
July 22, 2014
We get to see more of Clint's backstory and his stubborn personality. Parts are over the top and somewhat awkward, overall a solid story.
September 20, 2014
It's backstory and snark and angst and made me slash Clint/Tony *gg*
August 4, 2016
The weakest of Jim McCann's Hawkeye stories. Hawkeye is going blind at the same time his brother is back from the dead. The story just feels kind of hokey to me.
January 17, 2015
Good storyline but him being deaf is way cooler
April 16, 2017
Blindspot is just the right blend of Hawkeye's attitude and his heart. His abillities are not given to him by science or mutation, but by hard work. This story is about that. hard work and fighting his genetic and environmental upbringing. Hawkeye is like everyone of us. Trying to do the right thing, trying not to do wrong, and trying to do it without hurting anyone. But alas, humans are not perfect and Clint isn't either. Mistakes are made, heartbreak occurs, life continues on.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews