Two different versions of Hawkeye will appear in the upcoming Hawkeye Disney+ series. Clint Barton returns and MCU fans will finally meet Kate Bishop, who was the third incarnation of the character in the primary continuity of Marvel Comics. Kate is great, but there have been many more versions of Hawkeye in the comics over the years.
Some of them originate in Earth-616, the same as Clint and Kate, but others constellate the greater Marvel multiverse. They range from somewhat similar to the original Hawkeye to very different. Some of the best versions of Hawkeye actually combine attributes from other major heroes, both from Marvel Comics and surprisingly, DC Comics as well.
Clint Archer
Clint Archer originated from Amalgam Comics, a major and rare crossover between Marvel and DC Comics in the '90s. The crossover combined characters from both companies that shared similar qualities, like Hawkeye and DC Comics' heroic archer, Green Arrow. That made for one of the best Hawkeyes.
Clint Archer fused the two characters' backgrounds and costumes, making Clint an expert marksman who learned advanced fighting skills at a Tibetan monastery, putting him on par with superior martial artists like Batman or Shang-Chi, and far beyond the normal Clint Barton.
Cat's Eye
In the 2018 Infinity Wars comic book storyline in which Gamora warps reality with the Infinity Gauntlet, many characters were warped together. This created Cat's Eye, an amalgamation of Hawkeye and Hellcat. This version is one of the best because she is far stronger than Clint.
Cat's Eye not only has Clint's skill with archery but Patsy Walker's superhuman strength, stamina, and agility. The character appears in Infinity Wars: Infinity Warps #1 and is partnered with the Green Widow, a fusion of Black Widow and She-Hulk.
Old Man Hawkeye
Old Man Hawkeye is an older version of Clint Barton from the Old Man Logan dystopian future, one of the darkest future timelines in Marvel Comics. Clint teams up with Logan to try and save the future before it's too late. His raw determination makes him one of the best Hawkeyes.
Clint is blind in this timeline but maintains his fighting prowess. Despite his disability, he maintains his skill and commitment to fighting for what's right even when everything has gone wrong. With the new What If..? series, this is a version that could potentially show up in the MCU at some point.
Venom
Another great version of Hawkeye who is a bit of a fusion with another character is the Venom Hawkeye from the 2015 Secret Wars crossover. Clint has all the power of Venom and the skill of Hawkeye, making one of the most formidable versions of Hawkeye in Marvel Comics.
The story presents a different take on the Civil War comic book storyline. In this version, Clint fights on the side of Captain America against the registration of superheroes by the government. He runs up against King Ock, a fusion of Doctor Octopus and Kingpin.
Ultimate Hawkeye
The version of Hawkeye from Ultimate Comics is in some ways the basis for the MCU Clint Barton. He's a more modern take on the character, with a more grounded backstory. This version succeeds by removing some of the sillier aspects of the original comic Hawkeye.
The original Earth-616 Clint started off in the circus before becoming a criminal for a time. He then reformed and joined the Avengers. The Earth-1610 Clint Barton is an Olympic athlete wrongly accused of murder, He's recruited into a secret program by Nick Fury along with Black Widow.
Longbow
Queen's Vengence is an Avengers story arc from the late '90s that saw Morgan le Fay rewrite reality. Hawkeye becomes Longbow after the Avengers are thrown back into a Middle Ages setting. This is one of the best versions as it takes the Robin Hood ethos of the character to the extreme.
Hawkeye's original costume features a cowl, long tunic, and other design aspects that take some cues from Medieval times and his costume in this arc is very similar to the original. Longbow is one of the first to break free of the spell of Morgan le Fay, who is one of the most powerful magicians in the Marvel Universe.
Clinton Barton Jr.
Clinton Barton Jr. is a version of Hawkeye from What If? #114 and one of the best variants from the What If? franchise in the comics. Clinton Barton Jr. is the son of Hawkeye and She-Hulk and has the strength, skill, and cunning of both.
He originates from Earth-9811 in a story that asks what would have happened if the characters had never left Battleworld in the original Secret Wars. He has a fair shot at appearing in the MCU via the multiverse, especially with She-Hulk appearing in live-action soon.
Mutant X Hawkeye
Mutant X is Earth-1298, an alternate reality where Hawkeye is blind. Like Old Man Hawkeye, he remains a vital member of the Avengers and a serious threat to the bad guys. His skills are shown to be as sharp as they've ever been and they have to be given their enemy.
The Avengers are hunting down a group known as the Six, led by a deranged version of Captain America. This Captain America ultimately destroys all of the Avengers in this dark timeline, where the mutant Havok crossed over his universe into another.
Bullseye
One of the best versions of Hawkeye is also one of the worst. During the Dark Reign storyline, the assassin Bullseye becomes Hawkeye. With the lethal ability of Bullseye, one of the best Marvel martial artists, this is one of the deadliest versions of Hawkeye in the comics.
This comes about when Norman Osborn assumes control of the Avengers. He creates a new team by recruiting supervillains to take on the roles of former heroes. Clint Barton takes the fight directly to Osborn and the Dark Avengers, storming Avengers Tower all by himself.
Kate Bishop
Kate Bishop is one of the best versions of Hawkeye and perhaps the best outside of Clint Barton. This is in large measure to her youth and inexperience, but also her genuine desire to help other people. Unlike Clint, who was very high himself early on, Kate is learning as she goes.
She's a much more relatable character than he is, at least as he was in the beginning. Kate is going to appear in the Hawkeye series, and figures to be a prominent part of the MCU going forward.