RICO'S
SUPERHERO
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Once upon a time, outlaw-turned-adventurer Clint Barton was a valued member of the Avengers, Earth's Mightiest Heroes -- united to fight the foes no single hero could withstand. Dissatisfied with his role on the team, the master marksman parted ways with the planet's foremost defenders to help reform the wayward Thunderbolts, forsaking his fairy-tale existence for life outside the law! Real
name:
Clinton Francis Barton Height:
6'3" Weapons:
Hawkeye wields a number of custom-made bows -- including a longbow,
regular bow and compound bow -- and carries a quiver containing various
gadget-laden "trick" arrows. Many of his arrows incorporate
custom-designed devices to enhance their effectiveness. Hawkeye has
developed a modular system whereby certain custom arrowheads can be
attached to the shafts of standard target-point arrows to convert them for
special use. He stores these arrowheads in compartments on his
tunic-belts. History: Clint Barton's parents were killed in an automobile accident when he was 8 years old, and he and his older brother were placed in a state orphanage. At 14, Clint and Barney Barton ran away to join a traveling carnival. There, Clint apprenticed himself to the carnival's star attraction, the mysterious rogue known only as the Swordsman. Recognizing Clint's natural flair for archery, the Swordsman agreed to tutor him in the art. For four years, the youngster practiced with the bow and arrow eight hours a day. Soon, he became good enough to perform professionally as a trick-shooter under the name Hawkeye the Marksman. After witnessing the armor-clad Iron Man in action, Barton decided to emulate the hero by donning a colorful costume and using his archery skills to fight crime. But during his first public appearance, Hawkeye was mistaken for a thief and found himself battling the adventurer who had inspired his efforts. Weeks later, his attraction to the Russian spy called Black Widow led him to commit further criminal acts. However, Iron Man soon learned of Hawkeye's true intentions and sponsored him for membership in the Avengers, Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Hawkeye served as an active member of the Avengers for years, his archery skills complimenting the superhuman powers of his associates. During one of his frequent leaves of absence from the team, he married fellow crimefighter Mockingbird. Upon his return, Hawkeye was appointed chairman of a second squad of Avengers based on the West Coast. After his wife died in battle and the West Coast Avengers disbanded, Hawkeye wandered the country, eventually rejoining the core team. Long uncomfortable with his role as an Avenger, Hawkeye later approached the government's Commission on Superhuman Affairs with a proposal to infiltrate and verify the legitimacy of the Thunderbolts, former super-villains seeking redemption for past crimes. The Commission declined, threatening to charge Hawkeye
as an accessory if he pursued his plan. |
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Once
viewed as a criminal himself, Hawkeye empathized with the Thunderbolts'
plight. Despite the Commission's admonition, he sought to lead the wayward
adventurers -- hoping that his support would lend credibility to their
efforts at reformation. Hawkeye convinced the Thunderbolts that a federal
pardon would be forthcoming if only they could distinguish themselves as
heroes. Later, the team learned that Hawkeye had lied: Pardon for past
crimes never had been a realistic option. Still, armed with his knowledge
of the government's complicity in the development of misappropriated
mind-control technology, the archer was able to broker a bargain: his
incarceration in exchange for his teammates' exoneration.
