Well, it doesn't, instead giving us the strongest issue of the book since the first couple. It's a collection of scenes moving the characters forward, as they deal with their choices in the opening arc: Hawkeye struggles with having carried out a vicious revenge on Crossfire; Bobbi's brother Ben quite reasonably tells her that if she won't give up the costumed life, she should keep the heck away rather than endanger their family. There's a strong Savage Land scene that acts as a prelude to Dominic Fortune revealing his secrets, and one of the best Captain America - well, Steve Rogers - inspirational speeches in a long while. By issue's end, the groundwork is laid for the Widowmaker mini-series which takes up where this apparently cancelled book leaves off.
Where Clint snaps out of his funk and remains likable, Bobbi remains as ... complicated as ever. Why anyone would want this damaged/hard-faced woman as friend, lover or colleague, I have no idea, and hats off to writer Jim McCann for not softening her.
The best scene in the book has the newly imprisoned Crossfire suggesting to an unseen, silent Clint that he's not so far from psycho killer Bullseye. Artists David and Alvaro Lopez help sell the moment with intelligent layouts and moody finishing. Many pages use variations on the nine-panel grid, drawing the reader into the often understated drama.
Mind, I did wonder why one panel suggests Clint is staring at Jessica Drew's tits - I think maybe it's showing how he's trying not to look at Jessica's face, as he keeps seeing her as a Skrull, but he might have, you know, focused on a jar of pickles.
Paul Renaud provides another spiffy cover, happily ignoring the contents of the issue.
If this is indeed the final H&M for now - which is surprising, given how it was touted as a big hit when #1 appeared - I'll be sorry. A consistent creative team gave us a deep look at two of Marvel's most compelling characters, and while the initial tale went on too long - finally becoming the title's only story - I was hoping for many more. Thanks for a pretty great ride, folks.
According to an interview with Tom Brevoort, this book hasn't been canceled ... yet.
ReplyDeleteBrevoort: Is it cancelled? No. Is it going through some changes? Yes. Might it be cancelled in a little while? That's always a possibility, I'm not going to lie to you. But right this moment, there's more to come after Widowmaker from those characters and that creative team.
Jim McCann posted this on a forum:
I can't say what happens after Widow Maker (I mean, I *can*, but that would ruin the surprises), which is why I've stayed off the boards, but I did need to step in and clear this up.
You guys are awesome! Buy Widow Maker, especially if you like Hawkeye & Mockingbird, and keep an eye peeled for what's coming next. (I REALLY wish I could type more, but I can't-- I'm VERY excited, though)
The best thing you can do is keep supporting these characters with the next issue & with Widow Maker.
Thanks everyone and keep reading!
Jim
Mart, you said: Did I read the end of last issue incorrectly? I swear there was a strong indication this month's comic would flash back to Clint and Bobbi's break-up conversation in the desert.
Jim McCann, I think, changed his mind between issue #5 & #6: "There's more to the break-up than what you saw. When issue #6 [in stores this week] begins, about two weeks have passed, so we'll see what the split means for both of them and we'll see each of them questioning themselves. We'll get insight into what was talked about, but we're not going to flash back and fill in those three hours," McCann revealed. "I thought back and forth about it and decided that it was more interesting to see people talk about it with others than it is to see what their actual conversation was. Because then you see what they took away from it as opposed to just what was said. Instead, you're seeing what their personal reactions to it are a week or two later and how that's affecting everybody around them as well."
Thank you so much for all this extra information, it leaves me a tad more optimistic. Good on Jim McCann for going ahead after seeing a possibly better way to go (I think he's right, unsurprisingly!).
ReplyDeleteSo, roll on Widowmaker ...