Winter Soldier #11

A buddy book starring Hawkeye and Winter Soldier! What a concept! Ed Brubaker’s Hawkeye is still sarcastic, but he’s definitely a toned-down version. Winter Soldier has no time to ease up, making this a very tense team-up. It’s interesting; does Winter Soldier work well on his own? In this series, he’s gone from one team-up to another; Black Widow, Jasper Sitwell, and now Hawkeye. I think he works well in this context, as the brooding tough guy with someone else carrying the dialogue.

There is some nice AIM action as the two Avengers unload on the beekeepers. I love the volume of destruction these two guys bring down on this secret base.

On the other side, Leo and Black Widow make a pretty good team themselves. Giving them a techie to make cool equipment makes sense too. I’ve said Leo needs a more memorable costume. Having a personal inventor certainly makes that more likely.

Butch Guice almost pulls off the new Hawkeye costume. Instead of generic goggles or shades, he draws Hawk’s new eyewear as a clear version of his old mask. The corners point up, making this seem a lot closer to that classic look. The inks are a tad heavy, especially on characters’ eyes, but this book makes a great transition from spy to superhero.

Good