What do you think?
Rate this book
Hawkeye: Freefall #1-6
Hawkeye: Freefall
When a mysterious and ruthless new Ronin starts tearing a destructive path through the city, suspicion immediately falls on Hawkeye, but Clint has more to worry about than who's wearing his old costume. After a clash with the Hood ends badly, Hawkeye gives himself a new mission that will place him in the crosshairs of one of New York's most dangerous villains. Hawkeye's mission and Ronin's secret plans will set them on a collision course that only one of them will walk away from. Fan favorite Clint Barton returns in a brand-new series from Matthew Rosenberg (UNCANNY X-MEN, THE PUNISHER) and Otto Schmidt (Green Arrow).
COLLECTING: HAWKEYE: FREEFALL (2020) 1-6
COLLECTING: HAWKEYE: FREEFALL (2020) 1-6
136 pages, Paperback
First published January 5, 2021
12 people are currently reading
379 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Rosenberg
786 books161 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
"I haven’t always been a writer. My parents are writers and my brother is a writer, and I resisted that as long as I could. When I was 17, I hopped in a band’s van and I went on tour for a summer, and that was it, that was what I wanted to do. I ran a record label for 10 years, a small indie punk label. I did everything in music that you can do that doesn’t involve having musical ability. Eventually the music business, probably in a similar way to comics, will just start to break your heart, and I realized one day that I kind of hated music. I was resigned to thinking, if I’m going to be involved in music forever, I’m going to hate it for the rest of my life. I just stopped. I stopped having any sort of business with music, any involvement.
I read comics my whole life, so I just naturally fell back into another medium that is marginalized and hard to make a living in."
Source: http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles...
Writer of comics WE CAN NEVER GO HOME, SECRET WARS JOURNAL, OUR WORK FILLS THE PEWS, 12 REASONS TO DIE, & MENU.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
"I haven’t always been a writer. My parents are writers and my brother is a writer, and I resisted that as long as I could. When I was 17, I hopped in a band’s van and I went on tour for a summer, and that was it, that was what I wanted to do. I ran a record label for 10 years, a small indie punk label. I did everything in music that you can do that doesn’t involve having musical ability. Eventually the music business, probably in a similar way to comics, will just start to break your heart, and I realized one day that I kind of hated music. I was resigned to thinking, if I’m going to be involved in music forever, I’m going to hate it for the rest of my life. I just stopped. I stopped having any sort of business with music, any involvement.
I read comics my whole life, so I just naturally fell back into another medium that is marginalized and hard to make a living in."
Source: http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles...
Writer of comics WE CAN NEVER GO HOME, SECRET WARS JOURNAL, OUR WORK FILLS THE PEWS, 12 REASONS TO DIE, & MENU.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
January 29, 2025
"Okay, bad guys! Trivia time. Guess who's about to have a real bad night? . . . Oh, damn. It's me." -- Clint Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye, clearly NOT getting the drop on a roomful of malefactors
"Barton? You're just trying to become my nemesis, aren't you?" -- Parker Robbins, a.k.a. The Hood
One of the great and notable things about Hawkeye: Freefall - starring that non-superpowered bowman of the Avengers - was the effective humor deployed in the initial 80% of the narrative. The laughs arrived strong in a storyline that was sort of designed like a Broadway farce, with all sorts of misunderstandings, mistaken identities and slamming doors amongst the characters. In a nutshell, Hawkeye takes on the newest villain trying to make a name for himself in the Big Apple - The Hood, quoted above - but goes about it in such a haphazard yet well-meaning way that he brings a ton o' trouble into his orbit, and soon attracts the unwanted attention from a bevy of his super-allies and co-horts. (There were more Marvel character cameos than there are dollars in my wallet, just sayin'.) Things get increasingly more complicated for him and THEN the story takes a left turn onto serious street, concluding on the correct sobering note in a sort of pyrrhic victory. Who knew watching an action hero badly screw up his own life could make for such an entertaining graphic novel?
"Barton? You're just trying to become my nemesis, aren't you?" -- Parker Robbins, a.k.a. The Hood
One of the great and notable things about Hawkeye: Freefall - starring that non-superpowered bowman of the Avengers - was the effective humor deployed in the initial 80% of the narrative. The laughs arrived strong in a storyline that was sort of designed like a Broadway farce, with all sorts of misunderstandings, mistaken identities and slamming doors amongst the characters. In a nutshell, Hawkeye takes on the newest villain trying to make a name for himself in the Big Apple - The Hood, quoted above - but goes about it in such a haphazard yet well-meaning way that he brings a ton o' trouble into his orbit, and soon attracts the unwanted attention from a bevy of his super-allies and co-horts. (There were more Marvel character cameos than there are dollars in my wallet, just sayin'.) Things get increasingly more complicated for him and THEN the story takes a left turn onto serious street, concluding on the correct sobering note in a sort of pyrrhic victory. Who knew watching an action hero badly screw up his own life could make for such an entertaining graphic novel?
August 22, 2021
Ronin is back and causing strife for the villain of the week, The Hood (a nobody wearing a Doctor Strange-esque cape). People think it’s Hawkeye but it’s not. Or is it…? Who cares…
Otto Schmidt goes from drawing Green Arrow at DC to drawing the Marvel bow and arrows character with the always terrible Matthew Rosenberg writing to produce the worst Hawkeye comic I’ve read yet: Freefall.
The plot is so unnecessarily convoluted. The Ronin crap, the Life Model Decoy, the Skrull - all of it in service to what? Why does Hawkeye need Hood to think it’s not him ripping him off? He’s still fucking with the Hood anyway as Hawkeye so what does the pointless misdirection give him? It’s just lots of page-filling nonsense as more popular Marvel characters pop up to ask him if he’s Ronin or not. It. Doesn’t. Matter.
The explanation Hawkeye gives is a lazy piece of exposition to wave away the dumb plotting. Hawkeye’s motivation for fucking with the Hood was equally easy - I guess because Hood’s a crook and that’s it? It adds to the blase feeling I had when reading this - I couldn’t have cared less because Rosenberg is so bad at setting up a meaningful motivation or any kind of relationship between the characters.
Hawkeye has a pointless subplot about Night Nurse because, hoho, Clint’s bad at relationships, and a rubbish hacker kid stereotypical character is introduced for Hawkeye to have some sort of stake in the outcome or something - it’s so contrived. I don’t dislike Otto Schmidt’s art but it’s too cartoony to sell the seriousness of one of the supporting character’s deaths in the final act.
Hood is such a bad character. Multiple times he kills people he needs information from so he has to find other people to get that information from - we’re meant to fear someone this astoopid? It’s like Rosenberg knows nobody cares about this character so he introduces a better character - Bullseye - towards the end for Hawkeye to have a slightly more interesting (though it isn’t) final fight with. And the ending is rushed, predictable and anticlimactic.
I didn’t like anything about Hawkeye: Freefall. It was really boring to read, poorly written, conceived and executed, and a thorough waste of time. If you’ve not read it, I recommend Fraction/Aja’s Hawkeye run instead.
Otto Schmidt goes from drawing Green Arrow at DC to drawing the Marvel bow and arrows character with the always terrible Matthew Rosenberg writing to produce the worst Hawkeye comic I’ve read yet: Freefall.
The plot is so unnecessarily convoluted. The Ronin crap, the Life Model Decoy, the Skrull - all of it in service to what? Why does Hawkeye need Hood to think it’s not him ripping him off? He’s still fucking with the Hood anyway as Hawkeye so what does the pointless misdirection give him? It’s just lots of page-filling nonsense as more popular Marvel characters pop up to ask him if he’s Ronin or not. It. Doesn’t. Matter.
The explanation Hawkeye gives is a lazy piece of exposition to wave away the dumb plotting. Hawkeye’s motivation for fucking with the Hood was equally easy - I guess because Hood’s a crook and that’s it? It adds to the blase feeling I had when reading this - I couldn’t have cared less because Rosenberg is so bad at setting up a meaningful motivation or any kind of relationship between the characters.
Hawkeye has a pointless subplot about Night Nurse because, hoho, Clint’s bad at relationships, and a rubbish hacker kid stereotypical character is introduced for Hawkeye to have some sort of stake in the outcome or something - it’s so contrived. I don’t dislike Otto Schmidt’s art but it’s too cartoony to sell the seriousness of one of the supporting character’s deaths in the final act.
Hood is such a bad character. Multiple times he kills people he needs information from so he has to find other people to get that information from - we’re meant to fear someone this astoopid? It’s like Rosenberg knows nobody cares about this character so he introduces a better character - Bullseye - towards the end for Hawkeye to have a slightly more interesting (though it isn’t) final fight with. And the ending is rushed, predictable and anticlimactic.
I didn’t like anything about Hawkeye: Freefall. It was really boring to read, poorly written, conceived and executed, and a thorough waste of time. If you’ve not read it, I recommend Fraction/Aja’s Hawkeye run instead.
October 28, 2020
This was fun. Clint Barton is up to shenanigans for good reasons, causing tons of problems for himself and The Hood. Don't let those terrible Kim Jacinto covers fool you. The interior art is fantastic. Otto Schmidt's art is hyper kinetic and dynamic. I guess he really likes archers, having illustrated Green Arrow's latest run as well.
October 14, 2020
I really enjoyed this one; it really captured the spirit of Clint while still managing to put him in territory he's not trodden before. I was genuinely on the edge of my seat thinking 'where the heck is this going?' and I see the ending leaves Clint in a not-that-great place. There better be a follow-up on this one... if Clint's back to his normal status quo the next time we see him, I'll be very disappointed.
I really liked the artwork, too. One thing struck me as odd, though: has the Kingpin lost about twenty stone since we last saw him? Is this a change from another book I haven't read yet or did the artist on this book just forget Wilson Fisk is supposed to be HUGE? Answers on a postcard...
I really liked the artwork, too. One thing struck me as odd, though: has the Kingpin lost about twenty stone since we last saw him? Is this a change from another book I haven't read yet or did the artist on this book just forget Wilson Fisk is supposed to be HUGE? Answers on a postcard...
October 13, 2020
4.5 stars. I was pulling these as singles before the diamond shut down happened. So when this run resumed, I couldn’t remember all the details of the run so I decided to get the last two issues then sit down and read all of together. Man this was so dope!! Reading the first 4 issues that I had already read reminded me of how much fun and action packed this mini series was. It’s funny as hell, a lot of cool cameos, crazy fights, mystery, plot twists and Clints plans back firing on him over and over putting him in more and more ridiculous positions. The art was cool too. Kinda quirky and hyper active style that fit this crazy tale perfectly. With all the funny moments and hijinks, the book comes to a tragic yet real and crazy end that has you wondering where this really leaves Clint. Highly recommended.
February 21, 2025
I went into this looking for a good Hawkeye story, having previously read Fraction. This was good. Lots of humor. The artwork by Otto Shmidt was cool but not quite as good as his Green Arrow stuff. The only serious complaint I have against this was that the ending was kinda soft/ open-ended. It was not bad, though. Overall, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read, and I'm glad I picked it up.
Highly Recommend
Highly Recommend
January 26, 2022
65% | B- | Great
"He's really bad at this." "Yep."
This starts out really well, but as the plot progresses, it gets more and more bloated and overcomplicated. There are a lot of characters and it can feel a little overwhelming at times. Whilst it's nice to see all of the familiar faces making cameos, I feel like more time was spent on seeing how many Marvel characters they could drag in than the actual plot itself. That being said, it's the characters save this from being a forgettable bore. Clint is extremely likeable, with his inner monologues providing moments of wit and much needed humour. Rosenberg seems a lot more adept at characterisation than plot progression, creating very memorable portrayals that are, unfortunately, attached to underwhelming storylines. The art is also really good, giving off Fraction run vibes without becoming a clone of its predecessor. I recommend reading Fraction's Hawkeye before diving into this one.
"He's really bad at this." "Yep."
There's a new Ronin in town and he's set on destroying the Hood, a criminal with connections that manage to keep him out of jail. Who is under the mask and what connection do they have to Barton?
This starts out really well, but as the plot progresses, it gets more and more bloated and overcomplicated. There are a lot of characters and it can feel a little overwhelming at times. Whilst it's nice to see all of the familiar faces making cameos, I feel like more time was spent on seeing how many Marvel characters they could drag in than the actual plot itself. That being said, it's the characters save this from being a forgettable bore. Clint is extremely likeable, with his inner monologues providing moments of wit and much needed humour. Rosenberg seems a lot more adept at characterisation than plot progression, creating very memorable portrayals that are, unfortunately, attached to underwhelming storylines. The art is also really good, giving off Fraction run vibes without becoming a clone of its predecessor. I recommend reading Fraction's Hawkeye before diving into this one.
February 4, 2021
Clint Barton, the B-list Avenger Hawkeye, becomes obsessed with taking down the Hood, Parker Robbins, the C-list crime lord. Things become complicated when Barton has to convince everyone that he is not the ruthless vigilante running around in his old Ronin costume targeting Hood's operations. And I do mean ~everyone~ as this is basically a Marvel Team-Up book with everyone from Spider-Man to D-Man popping up in the six chapters.
It's all humorous good fun until things take a dark turn that could actually change Hawkeye's status quo -- unless the next writer says nah.
It's all humorous good fun until things take a dark turn that could actually change Hawkeye's status quo -- unless the next writer says nah.
February 21, 2025
The tone of this is very similar to Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye run—Hawkeye as smart-alec hot mess—which works for me.
The plot is complicated, which makes it more entertaining and makes it have more emotional impact. Despite the wry humour, there’s some real feeling and there are lots of consequences. Clint is trying to do good things, but everything gets messy.
Many other Marvel characters make appearances, including the Winter Soldier, Falcon, Captain America, Spider-Man and Luke Cage. Clint is romantically involved with Linda Carter, AKA the Night Nurse (now she’s a doctor, not a nurse); but her purpose in the story is mostly to be exasperated by Clint’s antics.
The art is good, with just enough detail.
Note added Feb '25: Watching the Hawkeye {MCU/Disney+} mini-series made me want to read this again, and what I've read and watched in the years since I first read this made me like it even more. It's a shame they didn't continue this storyline.
The plot is complicated, which makes it more entertaining and makes it have more emotional impact. Despite the wry humour, there’s some real feeling and there are lots of consequences. Clint is trying to do good things, but everything gets messy.
Many other Marvel characters make appearances, including the Winter Soldier, Falcon, Captain America, Spider-Man and Luke Cage. Clint is romantically involved with Linda Carter, AKA the Night Nurse (now she’s a doctor, not a nurse); but her purpose in the story is mostly to be exasperated by Clint’s antics.
The art is good, with just enough detail.
Note added Feb '25: Watching the Hawkeye {MCU/Disney+} mini-series made me want to read this again, and what I've read and watched in the years since I first read this made me like it even more. It's a shame they didn't continue this storyline.
January 2, 2022
I got to say I did not like this book. It is possible it was more that it was not to my taste then the book was bad, but I did not enjoy it.
Hawkeye has decided to take on The Hood. This has become a personal obsession with him. How far is he willing to go win this war? How many friends, relationships is he willing to burn and what lines is he willing to cross?
The thing that really annoyed me about this book is Hawkeye's personality just seemed extremely childish. His jokes, and tactics just came across as stupid. It was like he was trying to just one up his friends as much as his enemies. I think the night nurse said it best "you are not as stupid as you pretend to be. I wish you would remember that".
The other annoying thing is what is the point of "##%@*" instead of swear words? I know they are used in comics a lot but when you over use this in every other panel it just look stupid. Just use a different word.
I tried the series unfortunately I was not impressed, the only light I can see Hawkeye cannot fall much lower he has to be in the way up from here right?
Hawkeye has decided to take on The Hood. This has become a personal obsession with him. How far is he willing to go win this war? How many friends, relationships is he willing to burn and what lines is he willing to cross?
The thing that really annoyed me about this book is Hawkeye's personality just seemed extremely childish. His jokes, and tactics just came across as stupid. It was like he was trying to just one up his friends as much as his enemies. I think the night nurse said it best "you are not as stupid as you pretend to be. I wish you would remember that".
The other annoying thing is what is the point of "##%@*" instead of swear words? I know they are used in comics a lot but when you over use this in every other panel it just look stupid. Just use a different word.
I tried the series unfortunately I was not impressed, the only light I can see Hawkeye cannot fall much lower he has to be in the way up from here right?
March 22, 2022
There's a new Ronin in town with a vendetta against The Hood. Clint Barton assures everyone that it's not him, despite mounting evidence to the contrary. But how far will Clint go to prove his innocence, especially if it means burning all the bridges he's ever built as an Avenger?
Freefall is a great title for this - Clint's never been a character to really ride high, but he definitely hits rock bottom by the end of this series. It's one thing to be the hero, it's another to be your own worst enemy and not be able to stop yourself. Across these six issues, Clint goes from bad to worse as he attempts to stop The Hood by any means necessary - including time travel, LMDs, magic, and Skrulls. You can't help but root for him, but it's also kind of depressing seeing how far he's going to fall even as he does it.
Otto Schmidt's artwork is superb as well - he's no stranger to arrow fights after a run on the Rebirth Green Arrow title, and his fight scenes here are brutal as well as intricate. Sometimes his colouring gets a bit messy, but otherwise Freefall's a lovely book to look at.
Freefall is probably the closest Marvel have come to recapturing the old Fraction/Aja Hawkeye feel. It's not the same, and it's not trying to be, but it manages it even so. It's a sad tale, but one that will captivate you with just how insane it gets before coming to a devastating conclusion, and looking good all the while.
Freefall is a great title for this - Clint's never been a character to really ride high, but he definitely hits rock bottom by the end of this series. It's one thing to be the hero, it's another to be your own worst enemy and not be able to stop yourself. Across these six issues, Clint goes from bad to worse as he attempts to stop The Hood by any means necessary - including time travel, LMDs, magic, and Skrulls. You can't help but root for him, but it's also kind of depressing seeing how far he's going to fall even as he does it.
Otto Schmidt's artwork is superb as well - he's no stranger to arrow fights after a run on the Rebirth Green Arrow title, and his fight scenes here are brutal as well as intricate. Sometimes his colouring gets a bit messy, but otherwise Freefall's a lovely book to look at.
Freefall is probably the closest Marvel have come to recapturing the old Fraction/Aja Hawkeye feel. It's not the same, and it's not trying to be, but it manages it even so. It's a sad tale, but one that will captivate you with just how insane it gets before coming to a devastating conclusion, and looking good all the while.
May 3, 2021
Doesn’t take itself seriously in the least, and thank god for that.
Abuses the shit out of Clint - a dipshit extraordinare, so confidently incorrect he should have his own subreddit (say waitaminit)...
Why doesn’t everyone take the piss out of Clint like this? On the one hand, it’s a little at risk of becoming the “this guy talks to fish?” schtick with Aquaman. OTOH, not even Fraction did Hawkguy this dirty, and I kinda want a LOT more of this.
Clint gets himself SO far in over his head, and it’s amazing to watch him flail. This book pulls no punches.
It’s a blast.
Abuses the shit out of Clint - a dipshit extraordinare, so confidently incorrect he should have his own subreddit (say waitaminit)...
Why doesn’t everyone take the piss out of Clint like this? On the one hand, it’s a little at risk of becoming the “this guy talks to fish?” schtick with Aquaman. OTOH, not even Fraction did Hawkguy this dirty, and I kinda want a LOT more of this.
Clint gets himself SO far in over his head, and it’s amazing to watch him flail. This book pulls no punches.
It’s a blast.
December 6, 2022
Hawkeye: Freefall collects issues 1-6 of the Marvel Comics series written by Matthew Rosenberg with art by Otto Schmidt.
Clint Barton is on a mission to take down The Hood and his organization, but due to The Hood’s connections, he is unable to get anything to stick on him. Clint takes on new methods to try to bring down the gang boss but a wrinkle manifests when a new and ruthless Ronin appears on the scene.
This book was a TON of fun. It is filled with great action, humor, and some twists and turns thrown in along the way. Clint is not always the best at getting things done, but his heart more than makes up for some of his blunders and he always finds a way to succeed. Otto Schmidt’s art is extremely dynamic and fluid and is perfect for this story (And dare I say - better than his run on Green Arrow). I don’t see many people talk about Hawkeye books other than Fraction’s run which is a shame because I have been thoroughly enjoying reading through the Hawkeye books and they all have been good, but Freefall in particular is a book more people should read.
Clint Barton is on a mission to take down The Hood and his organization, but due to The Hood’s connections, he is unable to get anything to stick on him. Clint takes on new methods to try to bring down the gang boss but a wrinkle manifests when a new and ruthless Ronin appears on the scene.
This book was a TON of fun. It is filled with great action, humor, and some twists and turns thrown in along the way. Clint is not always the best at getting things done, but his heart more than makes up for some of his blunders and he always finds a way to succeed. Otto Schmidt’s art is extremely dynamic and fluid and is perfect for this story (And dare I say - better than his run on Green Arrow). I don’t see many people talk about Hawkeye books other than Fraction’s run which is a shame because I have been thoroughly enjoying reading through the Hawkeye books and they all have been good, but Freefall in particular is a book more people should read.
September 21, 2020
Some classic Clint moments in a brutal arc.
February 8, 2021
This comic fooled me, made me laugh, made me question, and many other things. Here we've got our favourite archer (beside kate) playing on the line or morality, which I enjoyed very much. The appearances from the other Avengers and friends was very fun and made the whole thing even more intense. One of my favourite reads.
March 27, 2021
I liked so much of this. Rosenberg's script is a delight and gives Clint all the cleverness and grit you could want while also dropping him into a surprisingly heavy plot full of surprising twists and exciting action. There's maybe a little too much happening for the story's own good, especially since it's not an ongoing series, sadly. But all of the many plot threads are a lot of fun independently and admirably work together to expand the story and Clint's place in it. You can feel how he's being pulled apart at the seams, and it gives the otherwise comedic writing a darker edge to it that I appreciated.
Otto Schmidt is one of my favorite artists working right now, and his angular, energetic style brings fluid, gritty energy to the story that flawlessly matches the tone of Rosenberg's script. Whether it's the tight, and sometimes brutal, action or the little smirks and expressions of the characters, Schmidt's linework and coloring is a treat from the first page to the last.
The resolution for this one-off story arc is unfortunately abrupt, though, and is not nearly satisfying enough. I like how the plot itself wraps up, but Rosenberg leaves Clint's emotional arc unceremoniously hanging. If this were an ongoing series, it would make sense to leave things as they are. But Rosenberg always planned this to be a miniseries, which makes it even more confusing that he chose to end things the way he does. Hopefully, he and Schmidt get to do a follow-up.
Otto Schmidt is one of my favorite artists working right now, and his angular, energetic style brings fluid, gritty energy to the story that flawlessly matches the tone of Rosenberg's script. Whether it's the tight, and sometimes brutal, action or the little smirks and expressions of the characters, Schmidt's linework and coloring is a treat from the first page to the last.
The resolution for this one-off story arc is unfortunately abrupt, though, and is not nearly satisfying enough. I like how the plot itself wraps up, but Rosenberg leaves Clint's emotional arc unceremoniously hanging. If this were an ongoing series, it would make sense to leave things as they are. But Rosenberg always planned this to be a miniseries, which makes it even more confusing that he chose to end things the way he does. Hopefully, he and Schmidt get to do a follow-up.
July 2, 2022
3,5*
Coming out a bit from nowhere-is there a prelude leading to this situation that I missed?-this small run is quite good. Totally in line with the famous-and brilliant- Fraction/Aja run of a few years back, Rosenberg’s plot nicely balances humor and action and leads Clint in a downward spiral of betrayal and compromissions which should call for a second volume apparently not in the making. I’ll admit it’s a bit convoluted but I enjoyed reading it anyway.
I wonder why Clint is so obsessed with the Hood though since I don’t seem to recall him being associated with Hawkeye.
My "concern" is the art. Do not misunderstand me: I like Otto Schmidt. Very dynamic and slightly cartoony it perfectly nails the humorous part of the plot but as it gets darker and more violent it seems less and less adapted to the situation.
When the Fraction/Aja team worked in perfect symbiosis, where the art and storytelling fitted the plot like a glove, there’s some kind of slight discrepancy here that somehow prevented me to fully take the story seriously.
And I still wonder why The Kingpin looks like Lex Luthor instead of the 6’7"/450 lbs monster he is supposed to be.
Coming out a bit from nowhere-is there a prelude leading to this situation that I missed?-this small run is quite good. Totally in line with the famous-and brilliant- Fraction/Aja run of a few years back, Rosenberg’s plot nicely balances humor and action and leads Clint in a downward spiral of betrayal and compromissions which should call for a second volume apparently not in the making. I’ll admit it’s a bit convoluted but I enjoyed reading it anyway.
I wonder why Clint is so obsessed with the Hood though since I don’t seem to recall him being associated with Hawkeye.
My "concern" is the art. Do not misunderstand me: I like Otto Schmidt. Very dynamic and slightly cartoony it perfectly nails the humorous part of the plot but as it gets darker and more violent it seems less and less adapted to the situation.
When the Fraction/Aja team worked in perfect symbiosis, where the art and storytelling fitted the plot like a glove, there’s some kind of slight discrepancy here that somehow prevented me to fully take the story seriously.
And I still wonder why The Kingpin looks like Lex Luthor instead of the 6’7"/450 lbs monster he is supposed to be.
September 20, 2021
4 stars *may change
guys is it bad to genuinely be a hawkeye fan
guys is it bad to genuinely be a hawkeye fan
February 12, 2021
Hawkeye: Freefall has become one of my favorite Marvel comics. It has the things I enjoy the most about the genre: humor, action, intrigue, character focus, and that feeling you're reading a really good heist story.
The story is self-contained, even if there are nods to continuity; it's not hinging on any past events, other than general knowledge of who Hawkeye is. In its basics, it's simple: Hawkeye wants to take down the Hood, and he'll do anything to accomplish it, including ruining his own life. Throw in some suspicions from friends and loved ones, an unhinged assassin who's no stranger to Hawkeye's get-up, and some costume-shenanigans, and you have yourself a great comic.
Schmidt's art enhances the story, working well to enhance the contrasts of Ronin and Hawkeye visually, and makes the superhero shininess work with nods to more classical art. Rosenberg really manages to set all the pieces in place early and the pay-off is worth it, even if it puts Hawkeye in a bad position for stories to come.
The story is self-contained, even if there are nods to continuity; it's not hinging on any past events, other than general knowledge of who Hawkeye is. In its basics, it's simple: Hawkeye wants to take down the Hood, and he'll do anything to accomplish it, including ruining his own life. Throw in some suspicions from friends and loved ones, an unhinged assassin who's no stranger to Hawkeye's get-up, and some costume-shenanigans, and you have yourself a great comic.
Schmidt's art enhances the story, working well to enhance the contrasts of Ronin and Hawkeye visually, and makes the superhero shininess work with nods to more classical art. Rosenberg really manages to set all the pieces in place early and the pay-off is worth it, even if it puts Hawkeye in a bad position for stories to come.
January 7, 2022
Freefall is a fun, fast-paced Hawkeye jaunt that requires you to not think too hard about why Hawkeye is so desperate to eliminate this D-list villain (The Hood??). The humor is Marvel film-level and the emotional moments towards the end hit home. I just wish I cared about the central conflict more.
Ronin's back in town and Hawkeye's got to stop him before this duplicate does something truly terrible (). Hawkeye runs through a string of encounters with other New York-based superheroes, so Freefall is a fun read for the cameos alone. There's some wheel-spinning and the pay-off is ultimately kind of wimpy. Freefall does conclude with a chastened Hawkeye, so we'll see if that's picked up in future volumes.
Honestly, in writing this review, I would have talked myself down to three stars, but the art by Otto Schmidt was perfect for the more humorous tone of the book. The expressions alone! Put him on more Marvel comics please.
Ronin's back in town and Hawkeye's got to stop him before this duplicate does something truly terrible (). Hawkeye runs through a string of encounters with other New York-based superheroes, so Freefall is a fun read for the cameos alone. There's some wheel-spinning and the pay-off is ultimately kind of wimpy. Freefall does conclude with a chastened Hawkeye, so we'll see if that's picked up in future volumes.
Honestly, in writing this review, I would have talked myself down to three stars, but the art by Otto Schmidt was perfect for the more humorous tone of the book. The expressions alone! Put him on more Marvel comics please.
April 6, 2021
This was so much fun! It was funny and entertaining. Loved the story and the characters that appeared. Really wish we were getting more issues.
April 29, 2021
Clint Barton, o Gavião Arqueiro, já foi o Ronin um dia. E agora, o Ronin está de volta à cena. E ele não é o Gavião Arqueiro. Ou será que é? O realmente está acontecendo com o maior arqueiro da Marvel é o que o roteirista Matthew Rosenberg e o desenhista Otto Schmidt vão tentar induzir o leitor a descobrir neste encadernado da minissérie Queda Livre. Rosenberg não tem uma fama muito boa com os super-heróis, principalmente por causa de sua fase nos Fabulosos X-Men, mas apesar do estilo prolixo, ele consegue conduzir de forma bastante interessante essa minissérie. Já os desenhos de Otto Schmidt são refrescantes e inovadores, com uma narrativa de quadrinhos fluida, que destaca os personagens. A minissérie também conta com um desfile de diversos super-heróis e supervilões da Marvel como o Soldado Invernal, Falcão, Viúva Negra, Homem-Aranha, Demolidor, Homem de Ferro, Capitão América, Harpia, Agente Americano, Radical e muitos mais nessa cruzada do Gavião Arqueiro contra o Capuz e seus asseclas. Um quadrinho que nos ganha pela simpatia impressa no personagem principal.
January 29, 2021
A fun story with a couple of HUGE MacGuffins and a surprisingly large body count, this is a semi-classic Hawkeye tale of chaos and mayhem, and features a major supporting cast including The Hood, Bullseye, Kingpin, Night Nurse, Spider-Man, Winter Soldier, Mockingbird and Falcon, among others. Hawkeye comes off as a little more ruthless here than recently, and that point is underscored by the ending. Nevertheless, this rockets from one emotional point to another quickly, and the art is in service to the action, leading the reader.
January 24, 2023
Love me the “i just ruined my life trying to go after a kingpin and accidentally got accepted by the underworld in the process” vigilante (this is directed at both Clint and Matt, kind of sad Matt didn’t have a bigger role)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2022
Definitely in the top 5 worst Avengers.
March 26, 2025
(3.5 ⭐)
May 28, 2021
Interesting story. Curious to see where it goes from here.
January 7, 2021
This is honestly one of my new favorite arcs!!! This was actually a really fucking good comic with solid pacing, storytelling, and weaving in of lore without being info dump-y. Genuine comedic moments that made me laugh for the entire first issue. It also had a face lift for the modern times by providing resources for the people affected by the Hoods drug trafficking instead of just cutting off the supply chain. Also they insulted Reagan which is neat
July 22, 2020
The fact this didn't get to be a full series is a CRIME. For shame, Marvel! I loved what Rosenberg did with Clint here and I'm glad any doubts I had were thrown out the window pretty quickly. Add Otto Schmidt's gorgeous artwork in the mix and it was chef's kiss all around.
(read as single issues)
(read as single issues)
March 19, 2021
Really, really good. This feels like Fraction's Hawkeye, at times, and that's a huge compliment. It's also a Hawkeye who is pushed further and goes further than most writers would be comfortable digging into. There's crazy fights, huge twists, and the potential for incredible fallout. It's funny and dramatic and an absolute joy to read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews