What do you think the result can be when you create a superhero comic with no super powers, no costumes, no grand epic battle, no explosions, no teams, and not a single use of the main character's signature weapon? A compellingly heart-felt and wonderful character study, it turns out.
It starts out with a scene from the Avengers movie - a generic, slow-mo 3D action scene that I distinctly recall yawning when I saw it in the theatre - and deviates in an opposite direction of the cinematic outcome. Clint's hospital stay and internal monologue had me immediately sitting up and taking notice, since it was making it clear that this wouldn't be the usual, same-old-same-old flawless heroics routine. What follows is a past/present flashback narrative that had me riveted throughout the 'landlord conflict', and weeping with a team-up and new side-kick at the end.
Clint's actions during his 'off duty' life feel more heroic because they ring true; fighting some sort of intergalactic menace is fun, but fanciful and intellectually abstract. But fighting to prevent people from being thrown out on the street, or saving the life of an animal in need are 'real', which give them a significantly greater emotional impact.
I love this book for *exactly* what it seems to be at the moment: a deliberately restrained, 'day in the life' ongoing character study that favors narrative over action, and eschews the usual tired spandex escapades we can see in a hundred other comics. Bonus points are also given for doing something that's so rare today, but I desperately want to see more of: actually telling a complete story in a single issue.
I don't know how long the creators will be able to maintain this balance without having it turn into just another face in the masked crowd. But for as long as they can, I'll be reading it.
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