Hawkeye often seems to get categorized as one of those heroes that people simply forget about, but Disney has recently attempted to change all that with their own TV show, based on the MCU character of the same name. In fact, it was that same MCU that gave Hawkeye much more mainstream exposure, as opposed to the realm of comic books.
As a result, lots of people continually get a lot of things wrong about the character, especially those who have never read the comics. There's more to the character's lore than many realize, and it goes beyond just his stint as a Marvel hero, and a S.H.I.E.L.D. operative.
He Wasn't Always A Good Guy
In his introduction in Tales of Suspense #57 in 1964, Hawkeye was actually a villain, albeit a reluctant one. He remained so for two more issues of that comic book, although it seemed the writers had much more in store for the character. He went from being a villain to joining the Avengers in his fourth comic book appearance in 1965, courtesy of Avengers #16.
Since then, he has become a lasting member of the team, which has raised him to superhero status. Much like Captain America, his lack of supernatural or cosmic powers did little to hold him back as one of the unit's most capable members.
He Learned Archery In The Circus
Hawkeye actually first learned how to use a bow and arrow as a circus act. He was trained by another circus performer named the Swordsman, who effectively turned Hawkeye into a master archer. He took those skills and became a star attraction with the circus. It wasn't until after he saw Iron Man that he thought about using his skills to help others.
This runs contradictory to what many casual fans might think about his abilities. Many think that Hawkeye was born a crack shot, or that his uncanny abilities are the result of some inherent superpower, but it was actually patience, perseverance, and training that got him there.
He Had Another Superhero Identity
Although comic book fans know Clint Barton as Hawkeye, he didn't always use that alias, at least not in the comic books. In fact, he has also taken on the identity of another superhero known as Goliath. After Clint got involved with Dr. Hank Pym, he learned all about Pym Particle, which can generally make someone shrink, or get bigger.
Clint used the particles for the latter and became Goliath, a superhero name formerly belonging to Dr. Pym himself. He did not become Hawkeye again until after the end of the Kree-Skrull war in Marvel Comics.
He Left The Avengers For The Defenders
It was after Hawkeye's brief stint as Goliath that he switched to a different superhero team. After he got into a fight with Vision over the affections of Scarlet Witch, he jealously quit the Avengers. He then got into a fight with Daredevil over Black Widow. Hawkeye bounced around all over the place, helping out where he could, but never belonging to any one team.
However, he wound up hanging out with Doctor Strange, one of the first 10 members of the original Defenders, where he decided to join them for a very short time. After a few issues, he returned to the Avengers, where his real loyalty lies. He's always been an Avenger at heart, in spite of his occasional problems with the group.
He Was Married To Mockingbird
After meeting Bobbi Morse, aka Mockingbird in the Marvel comics universe, Clint wound up falling in love with her. The two got married and went to Los Angeles to set up a West Coast version of the Avengers. Unfortunately, the union didn't last for long.
The two had their issues, like any couple, but they stayed in love until Mockingbird sacrificed herself to save her husband. After that, Hawkeye separated himself from the world in order to try and deal with the remorse.
He Broke Into The Avengers Mansion
Hawkeye was not asked to join the Avengers, nor was he recruited under special circumstances. Instead, to rid himself of his villainous status, he broke into the Avengers mansion with the help of butler Edwin Jarvis. There, he confronted the Avengers, including Iron Man.
It was he who wound up sponsoring Hawkeye, after seeing that the latter really wanted to change, and become a hero. He eventually became part of a second Avengers team headed up by Captain America, and the rest is history.
He Has Single-Handedly Defeated Several Supervillains
In the comic books, Hawkeye has been shown to single-handedly take down his share of bad guys. For instance, when the other Avengers were down for the count, he took on, and beat the Collector, all by himself.
He also took down Egghead on his own and became the leader of the Thunderbolts, training them to fight various villains. Most MCU fans probably think he's one of the weaker members of the team, but they're underestimating what the character is truly capable of.
Bullseye Was Once Hawkeye
Several other people have donned the Hawkeye moniker over the years, including the supervillain known as Bullseye, best known for his blood feud with Daredevil. At one point, Norman Osborn praised him for his service after the Skrull invasion. In doing so, Osborn had him join the Dark Avengers and gave him the costume and name of Hawkeye.
His saving people usually resulted in others losing their lives, which didn't make him particularly worthy of the Hawkeye moniker. The stint was short-lived, and Bullseye moved on from the role.
He Joined The DC Universe's Justice League
For a brief time during a crossover event, Hawkeye was a member of the Justice League alongside Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman. As expected, this meant that he developed a bit of a rivalry with another archer, Green Arrow.
In truth, his involvement with the Justice League only lasted for a single page, but it's still something that few fans know about the character. Since both Marvel and DC have copied each other's characters over the years, this was an interesting nod to both properties.
He Disobeys Orders
In the MCU, Hawkeye is a relatively straight arrow (no pun intended) who follows orders for the sake of the mission, and rarely goes off on his own. In the comic books, he's more of a rebel, even after spending so much time with the Avengers.
He likes to question authority and usually has reservations about orders that his leaders give him. He even rebels against Captain America at one point. Although he has grown throughout his stories, that history of questioning authority remains as part of who he is.
He Did Have Superpowers
A common misconception about Hawkeye is that he has never had any superpowers. While that makes him even more impressive given the company he keeps, it wasn't always the case. At one point, he was friends with Dr. Hank Pym, the man who created the Pym Particles, and he used them to get superpowers and become the superhero Goliath.
Those superpowers allowed him to grow and shrink in size, much like Ant-Man. Pym Particles also powered up his arrows and gave him a way to sling a barrage of them in an enemy's direction. It wasn't on par with many other superhero abilities, but it did amp up his existing abilities.
He Romanced The Wasp
In the MCU, Hawkeye had never actually met Wasp, as she was a relative newcomer to the movies. The character of Wasp comes in many different and powerful variants in the comics, and in those timelines, she knows who Hawkeye is. They even had a short romantic relationship with each other, and spent some time together as members of the Avengers, too.
This is probably something that will never happen in the movies, so fans of that particular coupling should probably forget it ever happened. Clint is married to an original character in the MCU, while Wasp followed her own romantic path with the current Ant-Man.
He's Actually Got A Bad Temper
Another detail about Hawkeye that the MCU fails to show to fans is his temper. In the comic books, Hawkeye is often hot-headed and quick to react in anger. In one comic story arc, Scarlet Witch accidentally altered reality, angering Hawkeye to the point that he shot her in the back with an arrow.
Later, he learned that Daredevil was in a relationship with Black Widow, and got jealous, picking a fight with him. Hawkeye frequently gets angry and lashes out without thinking of the repercussions of his actions.
Hawkeye Is Also A Girl
As previously mentioned, Hawkeye was not always Clint Barton. Not only did Bullseye once take up the title, but another character in Marvel Comics also carried on as Hawkeye for some time - Kate Bishop. When Clint initially met Kate, she was already adept with a bow. Hawkeye eventually left behind his identity to become Ronin, and Kate took his place.
This concept has since been canonized in the MCU timeline in Disney's Hawkeye TV show, which has not been the ratings hit the network had hoped for. Nevertheless, it has been responsible for some of the best quotes from the character of Kate Bishop, thus far.
He Is Mostly Deaf
When Hawkeye and Mockingbird went up against a villain called Crossfire, he used a sonic arrow to stop the villain. That act damaged his eardrums and left him 80 percent deaf. However, he continued to take down bad guys, regardless of his hearing impairment.
Clint remained hearing impaired for many years in the comic books, although his hearing was restored later by Franklin Richards, who recreated the Avengers in a new universe. He remembered Clint Barton as someone with full hearing, so that's how Hawkeye was reborn.
He's Got Mad Acrobatic Skills
Regardless of what most people think, Hawkeye is capable of so much more than just launching an arrow at an enemy with a bow. He's also extremely acrobatic, which is why the comic book art of Hawkeye often features him jumping into the air, doing a somersault, and landing on his feet while firing his bow.
It's likely that much of his acrobatic ability is innate, but that skill is probably the result of his early days with the circus. It's also been refined over the years as a superhero who has had to rely on dexterity and agility to stay one step ahead of opponents more powerful than himself.
He's A Skilled Fighter Without A Bow And Arrow
Hawkeye isn't just good at archery. He's also capable of using a variety of weapons, and he excels at hand-to-hand combat, thanks to his knowledge of battle tactics, and martial arts. When Hawkeye took up the title of Ronin, he showed off his skills with a katana, as well as other melee-type weapons.
He isn't just a one-trick pony, either. Hawkeye can fight with whatever he can get his hands on, including coins, rocks, and sticks, which means he's far more versatile a fighter than many fans realize.
He’s Stronger Than Most Archers
The strongest of men would probably have a bow draw weight of around 70 pounds, but Hawkeye can easily handle upwards of 250 pounds, making him one of the strongest in the world. In reality, a 250-pound bow weight is highly unrealistic, but Hawkeye is a superhero, so some suspension of disbelief is warranted.
This inherent strength also translates into his hand-to-hand combat techniques, allowing him to hang in a fistfight longer than regular humans. Despite his thin and fit appearance, he can tackle opponents much larger and beefier than himself, and win.
His Relationship With Black Widow Is Darker Than Most Think
Black Widow considers Hawkeye to be one of her best team-ups, but in the comics, she actually used her beguiling skills to manipulate him into doing her bidding, which involved helping the Russians take down Iron Man. Hawkeye loved her and even saved her life after Iron Man nearly eliminated her.
She responded to this affection by running away, proving that the two had a much unhealthier relationship than the one depicted in the movies. It's probably best that Clint was already married with a family in the MCU, as adapting this storyline would be difficult.
Iron Man Was Once His Enemy
Before Hawkeye became an Avenger, he and Iron Man were enemies. This had a lot to do with Black Widow manipulating Hawkeye from the start. The Russians wanted to take down Iron Man, so Hawkeye spent a lot of time fighting at Black Widow's side.
Once Hawkeye approached the Avengers to clear his name, Iron Man became his sponsor on the team. After that, the two were both friends and allies. Captain America: Civil War was loaded with lots of funny scenes, but Clint's refusal to join Iron Man's side was one of the darker elements alluded to in the comics. He again sided against Iron Man in Marvel Comics' Civil War II storyline, proving these two have a complex relationship that most fans aren't aware of.