Summary
- Hawkeye didn’t start out as a hero, he originally targeted Iron Man but eventually joined the Avengers.
- Despite his lack of superhuman abilities, Hawkeye has proven to be a dedicated and invaluable Avenger.
- Captain America has always had Hawkeye’s best interests at heart, keeping a close eye on his former criminal past.
Hawkeye has been a staple among Earth’s Mightiest Heroes ever since he first joined the Avengers. Like many of his fellow heroes, Clint Barton didn’t exactly start out on the right side of the law, but he’s since proven himself to be a true hero despite a lack of actual superhuman abilities. Even so, there are many who still question his usefulness to the team – even among his fellow Avengers.
“Hawkeye and the Curse of the Crimson Crown” by Chris Giarusso – a short story featured in 2009’s Marvel Assistant-Sized Spectacular #1 – finds the Avenging Archer excluded from yet another team mission as a note from Iron Man himself mentions Clint’s perceived uselessness.
To add insult to injury, Tony even says, “You are only an Avenger because Captain America thinks it will stop you from being a bad guy or something.” But while this goofy story is played largely for laughs, there’s probably some real truth to this when it comes to Clint’s Earth-616 status as a premier Avenger.
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Hawkeye Didn’t Start Out A Hero
Barton Gave Iron Man A Run For His Money
First appearing in Tales of Suspense #57 by Stan Lee, Don Heck, and Sam Rosen, Hawkeye’s debut paints the future Avenger as a supervillain with Iron Man in his crosshairs. Eventually, Barton turns over a new leaf, joining Earth’s Mightiest in Avengers #16 by Lee, Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers, Stan Goldberg, and Artie Simek alongside Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch to fill out the roster known as “Cap’s Kooky Quartet.” In the years since, Hawkeye has generally been a mainstay of the team. But considering Barton’s past, it’s no surprise that Cap would want to keep an eye on him.
Hawkeye is far from the most powerful Avenger, but he is undoubtedly one of the team’s most dedicated stalwarts.
Since their initial time on the Avengers, Captain America and Hawkeye have always been close. In fact, following Captain America’s death after Civil War, Clint even temporarily took up Steve’s mantle to honor his fallen friend. With a bond this strong, it makes sense that Rogers would want to keep Hawkeye close, especially if he’s worried that his old friend could once again be swayed into a life of crime. And while a return to his criminal roots once wasn’t hard to imagine, both Cap and the fans now know that Clint Barton is a dedicated Avenger through and through.
Cap Just Has Hawkeye’s Best Interests At Heart
Hawkeye Has Proven His Mettle A Hundred Times Over
Hawkeye is far from the most powerful Avenger, but he is by undoubtedly of the team’s most dedicated stalwarts. Despite his checkered past, Clint Barton has inarguably come a long way, and he’s been instrumental in saving the Marvel Universe more times than fans can count. In fact, it’s often forgotten that the Avenger Archer was ever anything but a good guy. And even without superpowers, everyone knows that when it comes to the Avengers, Hawkeye truly does deserve to be counted among Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
Marvel Assistant-Sized Spectacular #1
,
Tales of Suspense #57
, and
Avengers #16
are all available from Marvel Comics.