FLY*

Regarding the Black Widow kerfluffle about the way she is treated in the film series (Part Two)

For some time now I, along with a few others, have been writing about the children of the Avengers (#youngeravengers). It started with one kid, Obi-wan (Ben) Parker, the son of Peter Parker and Carol Danvers, and now there are nearly 30. And when we decided to shuffle the team line-ups to accommodate them all I happened upon one brilliant thought. What if we gender-swap the original (movieverse) line-up?

An excerpt:

Carol stood. “I have an idea for Jamie’s team.” She tapped Jamie’s picture. “Cap.” Then Ginny’s. “Iron Man.” Slid Bianca’s photo next to the other two. “Hulk.” Next Cooper and Liv. “Hawkeye. Thor.” She tapped her fingers on the table. “I just need a boy Black Widow.” Natasha raised an eyebrow in amusement. Carol’s hand hovered over Jake’s picture but they’d already discussed moving him and he was more like James anyway. What she wanted was a spy. She slid Bobby’s photo into place. “Bam,” she finished, quite pleased with herself.

“The original line-up,” murmured Steve. He had to admit that was clever.

“Kate will love it,” opined Henry.

Jamie looked at the table. “You want me to have a team with Bobby Morse and five girls?” Speaking of sexual harassment seminars.

The adults glanced at each other. “Yes,” said Tony shortly.

—

Day #29: Your favorite series you would suggest to read
Hawkeye and Mockingbird

I expect everyone knows my favourite series overall is Brian Reed’s Ms. Marvel. And I do suggest everyone read it (though I also acknowledge not everyone will like it). But I want to suggest an ongoing and one that is simpler to jump into (and everyone is already reading New Avengers, right?). Hawkeye and Mockingbird has only just begun (it’s at issue 3), though the characters are classic and it is a sequel to their New Avengers tie-in (Reunion).

Hawkeye is a character I usually ignore or dislike. He’s been written too often as the smartass archer with a chip on his shoulder and the delusion that he was never awarded what he should be. Which is a character flaw I love in Anakin Skywalker. But I met Anakin as Vader and I fell in love with him in Return of the Jedi, when he chose his son over everything else and defined love for me (I was seven). Clint hasn’t had that redemptive story arc — he’s complained about being a disappointment to himself and others but he’s never seemed to do anything to make up for it, he just whined. Usually while acting smug and superior. And was sometimes rewarded for it. Like — oh, you’re right, you’ve grown so much, have a team to run. But it was always just said. He didn’t DO anything other than whine. Maybe I am not reading the right Hawkeye stories, but that has been my impression.

But a bunch of people I respect said that not only was this comic good but I personally would like it (and that Clint and Bobbi are secretly playacting Burn Notice, which I love). And they were right. I dig the storytelling, I love Bobbi, and this is the Clint I want to read. So as far as current Marvel series I am reading and enjoying and would suggest to others (and everyone is already reading New Avengers, right?), that’s my answer.