2. Hawkeye #13 By Matt Fraction And David Aja (Marvel)
David Aja drew this issue - if you're in the know, that should be recommendation enough (though if you're in the know, you probably already bought this). For the rest of you, that's shorthand for saying that this comic looks AMAZING. Aja already won big at the Eisners this year for his work on this title and it's really well deserved as he pulls off another great looking issue. Hawkeye #13 ties together a number of the past issues. Grills' death is finally addressed, while Hawkeye #12 - the Barney Barton issue - and the ending of Hawkeye #11 - the Pizza Dog issue - work their way into the chronology of this issue, which is Clint's first starring issue in a while. Clint's having ex-wife problems, one of his tenants/friends, Grills, was unexpectedly murdered, the tracksuit mafia is still giving him grief (bro), and his homeless, wayward, but beloved, brother Barney has shown up on his doorstep. Aside from a few panels at the start where we see Black Widow and Spider-Woman, this issue - hell, this series - doesn't look like a Marvel comic, and it's the better for it. Sure, Hawkeye's a legit hero but Fraction takes the brilliant tack of really downplaying that side of his character in this series. As he says at the start of each issue, "this is what he does when he's not being an Avenger", and it's made for such entertaining comics, like this. While Fraction does jokey comics really well, and there are some good scenes in this one ("zzzsandwicheszzz"), it's primarily a very sad issue as Clint fumbles his way through Grills' funeral, awkwardly informing his elderly father of his son's death. We catch a glimpse of Kaziu - kind of a less-insane Joker but still downright evil assassin - though Clint's not going to face him yet, nor do anything about the tracksuit mafia (bro) who're the kind of bad guys I really want to hate if they didn't keep amusing me with their constant "bro" comments. Did I mention this comic looks amazing? Colourist Matt Hollingsworth does incredible things with a limited palette, continuing to help Hawkeye look one of the best titles Marvel is putting out, bro. It's minimalist, streamlined beauty - 'nuff said! Who knew that telling stories when Hawkeye's not being a superhero is the key to unlocking the true potential for this character? Fraction that's who and that's why he's the bro. This should be a TV series. No, screw that, look at Agents of SHIELD - they'd only mess up Hawkeye too if it went to the small screen. Thank bro we have the comics. The art...!