For his next trick, Matt Fraction radically alters the base ten numeral sequence forever. Is it a commentary on the futility of comic book numbering? Or perhaps a subliminal code unlocking the mystery of unlimited awesome. Hey, he has to find a way to top ‘Pizza Is My Business’ somehow.
Written by Matt Fraction
Illustrated by Annie Wu• The adventures of Lady Hawkguy out west continue as Kate helps a reclusive and Sixties-damaged pop music genius find his lost masterpiece.
• Madame Masque, meanwhile, finds HER. By which we mean starts trying to kill her again.
• Also the cat needs cat food and there’s none to be found. What’s THAT about?
• Hey not for nothin’ but you guys gotta try these Cronuts!
“Hawkeye” #16 (or Hawkgal #3, as I like to think of it) continues Kate’s adventures in L.A., and it’s all kinds of win. What begin as a simple, but surprising, detour in the Clint Burton whirlpool of futz has taken on a life of its own.
Fraction has gifted Kate with her own quirking supporting cast that rivals Clint’s. Evil Bellhops are the new Tracksuit Mafia, bro. Likewise, just as David Aja defined the world of landlord Clint Barton, Annie Wu has cemented a distinct visual style for Kate. With “Hawkeye” #16, Fraction and Wu solidify the same painstaking level of craft seen in the series’ early issues, but with a tonal shift as big as the move from east coast to west.
While most of Clint’s stories are fairly depressing with an unrepressed glimmer of hope, Kate’s tale is one of unbridled teenage enthusiasm. Taking a page from the other Kate book, “Hawkeye” #16 looks to the power of music for its inspiration, in the form of a wayward musician born out of the Summer of Love.
To be honest, the issue’s “case,” which involves the unauthorized distribution of a man’s life long work, isn’t terribly gripping. The mystery results in an anti-climax, and the dilemma never manages to coalesce the way last issue’s quest for a flower did. Actually, the case is more of a scaffold by which the issue’s more important themes are built.
This is a feel good story, a romantic tale of love, accomplishment, and finally finding one’s place in the world. Fraction’s charm and wit, seen in darlings like “FF” and “Sex Criminals,” bleeds from the page. From big hilarious exchanges (Kate’s attempt at piracy in a library) to small moments that play with the graphic medium (upside down word balloons), smile-inducing moments are just a page turn away. That is, until Fraction pulls the rug out from under everything.
Back to Wu’s art, what more can be said than, “wow”? Her loose, scratchy style is wonderfully dynamic, made all the more striking by Matt Hollingsworth’s colors. However, it’s her faces that stick with you. I’d say it’s in the eyes, the eyes that feel so full of definition and emotion, but it’s more than that. Every cocked eyebrow, every wrinkle, every smirk, every smile is carefully orchestrated. Wu’s work feels like animation, in spite of the fact that these are static images we’re dealing with. While David Aja may reign as the definitive “Hawkeye” artist, Wu brings something truly special to the table.
If you would’ve told me a year ago that “Hawkeye” would take over three months away from Clint Barton to follow Kate Bishop in L.A., I would’ve been pretty bummed at the prospect. That said, if you had told me back in the summer of 2012 that one of the best super hero books in decades would be a Hawkeye solo title, I would’ve laughed in your face. Once again, Matt Fraction has managed to surpass expectations, giving us the stories we never knew we wanted.
Still, I’m pretty excited to get back to Hawkguy.
Final Verdict: 8.9 – Buy
