Hawkeye/Black Widow

[Seedzington]

So I would like to read both of these characters current titles, I heard they were some of the best marvel is putting out right now. I've never really read avengers related comics though I have an idea about these two characters and read most of their Wikipedia stuff. I decided in order to get a more modern feel for these characters before I read their current titles, I would purchase the blind spot trade and the widow maker trade. Is there any other trades you would suggest I pick up?

Also this thread doesn't just have to be about my question, talk a little bit about the characters !

[Derek Metaltron]

Not quite what you were thinking of maybe but if you are a fan of Widow and Hawkeye as a pairing (and if you like Jessica Drew/Spider Woman too) I would rec the New Avengers: Breakout prose novel, which takes a lot of liberties from the original story but actually works really well with those chracters, though it kind of reimagines it as their first encounter together since Widow isn't in SHIELD yet. And it has Spidey and Luke Cage being awesome. You can hear it as a Graphic Audio audiobook too.

[WonderBoy]

I'm not sure what exactly you are looking for so I'll just mention a few of Black Widow's best modern-ish storylines. For Black Widow, I would suggest a couple of her tpb. "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" is a great trade collecting two stories dealing with Natasha and another Black Widow trying to take over the mantle called Yelena Belova, it's a great espionage story and showcases off Natasha really well. Another great Black Widow series is called "Homecoming", and is about Natasha trying to track down whoever is assassinating fellow women from the Black Widow program. It's Natasha at her espionage best and I highly recommend it.

I'm no expert on Hawkeye though, and don't have much to suggest for him. A great trade did just come out called "Hawkeye, Avenging Archer" collecting stories mainly focused on him and Mockingbird. But Widowmaker is collected in that, along with some other great Hawkeye stuff, but it's Mockingbird I mainly bought it for.

[Seedzington]

Thanks Derek and Wonder boy.

That is basically what I was looking for I guess I didn't explain too well. Basically I want to read the current titles and was wondering if there were any series or arcs that are necessary for me to read for like a background on the characters. I know they both have long histories so obviously reading EVERYTHING about them would be pretty tough, but was just looking for some of the better stories.

Also given that I am intrigued by these two characters, would it make sense for me to look into Mockingbird related stuff as well? They seem pretty connected.

[hawkeyefan]

Thanks Derek and Wonder boy.

That is basically what I was looking for I guess I didn't explain too well. Basically I want to read the current titles and was wondering if there were any series or arcs that are necessary for me to read for like a background on the characters. I know they both have long histories so obviously reading EVERYTHING about them would be pretty tough, but was just looking for some of the better stories.

Also given that I am intrigued by these two characters, would it make sense for me to look into Mockingbird related stuff as well? They seem pretty connected.

I think you'll be fine just with those trades you mentioned, Blindspot and Widowmaker. Like you said, there are plenty of other stories you can check out, but I don't think there really are any that are essential to understanding the current runs. The current ones are pretty new reader friendly.

[t hedge coke]

Alisa Kwitney's novel is fantastically fun stuff.

The current Widow ongoing is one of the few times I've not really been excited for a Widow-focused comic. It just seems so leaden and vacant, with the occasionally fairly pretty, but sedate art. Especially compared to the great stuff Widow had going in hero solo, with Marjorie Liu, or the JG Jones and Devin Grayson stuff, going back to 90s, 80s, and earlier short runs or features that were really strong.

[JimRaynor55]

Hey, nice and to see another fan! Glad you asked, BTW.

Widowmaker and Hawkeye: Blind Spot are both part of a series of related titles that were published from 2010-2011. Blindspot actually follows up on the end of Widowmaker, though the connection is small. Blindspot, however is continuity heavy and refers to some Thunderbolts and Avengers stuff from years back, so it's not the best jump on point unless you do some research.

Here's the reading order:

New Avengers: Reunion - A fairly self-contained miniseries, though it spins out from the Skrull Secret Invasion.

Hawkeye & Mockingbird - A direct follow-up to the above. It was an ongoing title that didn't last very long, ending after its first arc which was collected as Ghosts. A very good read but also reliant on past continuity. The copy that I read provided a summary of past events, but be prepared to Google and Wikipedia some old West Coast Avengers stories.

Black Widow (2010) - Natasha's previous ongoing but short lived series. The first collected arc, The Name of the Rose is almost entirely self-contained and is a MUST read for any Widow fan. By most accounts, it's one of her best stories ever. All you need to know is that comic Natasha is a lot older than she looks. If you feel the need for all the backstory then read Black Widow: Deadly Origin beforehand, though it's not essential or nearly as good.

The second collected arc for BW 2010 is Kiss or Kill. It's a good read but not self-contained at all. Treat it as the true first three issues of Widowmaker.

Both Hawkeye/Mockingbird and BW were then canceled and merged into the Widowmaker miniseries. The backstory you'll need to Google to understand the villain of that story comes from the Black Widow story in the original Avengers title WAY back in the 1960s (#38-44), as well as issues #61-64 of Brian Michael Bendis's 1990s-2000s Daredevil series (which has been collected as The Widow).

I'd definitely recommend that Daredevil story, BTW. It spins off from previous events in that title but almost everything is explained until the very end when the 1960s Avengers suddenly matter. One of the simplest and most accessible Black Widow stories I've read. Nothing earth shattering, but it's pleasant in an understated and surprisingly lighthearted way.

Finally, after all of that comes Blindspot. It starts out accessible, but as I said above, it becomes really continuity heavy. Google is a must.

If you're a new fan, you could probably just jump into their current titles. I haven't read the latest Hawkeye yet, but I hear it's new reader friendly and highly recommended. Black Widow 2014 definitely is - it's written with movie fans in mind and assumes that you know little about her other than the fact that she has red in her ledger. Only issues #5-6 have anything that might need Googling (Daredevil #87-94 from the 1970s, which is actually a self-contained arc with some interesting bits of Widow history, though it's not a very good story IMO).

Hope that helps. It's not quite as complicated as I may have made it look!

[klynn]

I'll chime in and suggest the "Name of the Rose" TPB which collects Marjorie Liu's run from the 2010 Black Widow series. It is definitely my favorite contemporary Black Widow story. I also really enjoyed how Ed Brubaker wrote her in his first Captain America run (starting with the Death of Captain America arcs). You don't need to read these for the current series but both are excellent portrayals of Natasha.

The current series is quite good. Nathan Edmondson's writing is a little more restrained but the story's been picking up the last few issues. Phil Noto's art is outstanding.

[LifeIsILL]

Thanks Derek and Wonder boy.

That is basically what I was looking for I guess I didn't explain too well. Basically I want to read the current titles and was wondering if there were any series or arcs that are necessary for me to read for like a background on the characters. I know they both have long histories so obviously reading EVERYTHING about them would be pretty tough, but was just looking for some of the better stories.

Also given that I am intrigued by these two characters, would it make sense for me to look into Mockingbird related stuff as well? They seem pretty connected.

Old series would be Daredevil (when Widow was his sidekick), West Coast Avengers, Thunderbolts (when Hawkeye became the leader)

[Seedzington]

JimRaynor thanks so much. I'm definitely pretty OCD about continuity as you can see from my signature. I'm trying not be so crazy about that anymore and not feel like I have to read every single thing lol. Your list will really help though, I'll look into all of these suggestions.

[responsarbre]

If you're still looking for more to scratch your continuity itch, this post and also this post have all of the titles people suggested above and a few more issues and books and links you might find interesting - though you honestly should be fine starting with the new series!

But based on what you're looking for, I'd agree Marjorie Liu's run on Black Widow (Name of the Rose) and Jim McCann's run on Hawkeye (The Reunion/+ Mockingbird/Widowmaker/Blindspot) are great recent stories that give you a feel for the characters in modern continuity.

[WonderBoy]

I agree with what everyone else is sayings completely. Sounds like a great list of Natasha and Clint titles you have all recommended. I'd definitely pick up the Hawkeye 'Avenging Archer' trade which just released. It collects the series' mentioned (The Reunion, +Mockingbird, Widowmaker etc). And for Black Widow 'The Name of the Rose' is another great story, one of her best for sure. But apart from the fact that these are great stories featuring the chatacters, I wouldn't say it's essential to read them to get into her current series. It is pretty accessible for new readers, but I would still highly recommend reading the other stories from get a better idea of Natasha's past!

[Seedzington]

You guys And gals are all all amazing.