All Of The Marvel Heroes Who Became Hawkeye

Clint Barton is the most famous person to take up the mantle of Hawkeye in the Marvel Universe, but he is far from the only person to go by that name. Often undervalued as a member of the Avengers and a hero in his own right, Hawkeye’s skills with a bow and arrow have proved essential to a number of battles through the years. From defeating the Collector to killing the Hulk, Hawkeye has truly earned his place among Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

Hawkeye was first introduced to the Marvel Universe as a villain who helped Black Widow steal technology from Tony Stark. After seeing the error of his ways, the expert archer joins the Avengers alongside fellow reformed villains Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. Even though he’s technically a good guy, Hawkeye still butts heads with his fellow Avengers, particularly Captain America. Clint’s naturally rebellious spirit causes him to question and argue with every decision Cap makes as team leader, creating a constant source of tension in the group. His rougher edges eventually smooth out, and he becomes an important member of the Avengers, as well as other teams such as the Defenders and Thunderbolts.

Throughout his history Clint has been the most consistent person to hold the Hawkeye title, but there have been others who have stepped up and taken on the position. The most notable of these is Kate Bishop, who first appears as a member of the Young Avengers. When Clint dies during the Avengers: Disassembled storyline, Kate is gifted with his bow and arrow and takes up the name Hawkeye in his honor. She keeps the name even after he returns to life, and the two of them work together in the pages of Matt Fraction and David Aja’s classic Hawkeye series.

Another notable character who takes on the Hawkeye codename is Bullseye. Even though he is not a hero, Bullseye gets to pretend he is one when Norman Osborn takes over as head of S.H.I.E.L.D. and forms a new Avengers team made up primarily of villains. This Dark Avengers team do fight a few villains, but are mostly used to establish martial law and carry out Osborn’s evil commands. Clint’s older brother Barney also briefly goes by the name Hawkeye during a second incarnation of the Dark Avengers.

Few other characters have taken on the codename Hawkeye in the main Earth-616 universe, but a few alternate realities have seen their own versions of the character. On Earth-9811, where the characters who assemble for the original Secret Wars never left Battleworld, Clinton Barton Jr. is the son of Clint and She-Hulk and goes by the Hawkeye name. In addition to his father’s expert marksmanship, he also possesses his mother’s super strength. In a pocket universe created by Franklin Richards during the Onslaught Reborn event, Logan is Hawkeye and has both Clint’s skills with a bow and Wolverine’s mutant powers. Additionally, in one section of Battleworld known as the Uncle Ben-a-Verse, where everyone has the face of Ben Parker, there is an Uncle Ben version of Hawkeye.

The upcoming Hawkeye show on Disney+ will feature Clint Barton and the live-action debut of Kate Bishop as Hawkeye. With characters in the comics constantly swapping codenames and powers, it is likely more characters will go by the name Hawkeye in the future.