Hawkeye Comic Costume initially appeared on the scene in 1964. While he has maintained a stable traditional outfit, he has worn various others, including those that served as inspiration for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Even though he is frequently ridiculed for attempting to keep up with superheroes while wielding a bow and arrow, Hawkeye has been a member of the Avengers since 1965, having initially appeared as a talented antihero a year earlier. During the years that followed, he had numerous transformations, even gaining and losing powers of his own, and wore an enormous variety of outfits to match.
The truth is that, while comic book fans may believe Clint Barton has only had a few minor variations from his original costume, the truth is that his closet is stuffed with an enormous variety of outfits, not the least of which is due to his penchant for adopting new identities at the drop of a hat. An examination of Hawkeye’s comic book costume history is presented here.
Hawkeye Comic Costumes for the Premiere and the First Season
Hawkeye made his comic book début in Tales of Suspense #57 in 1964. After becoming a member of the Avengers, he primarily remained in the group with which he is most frequently linked. He is dressed in a blue and purple costume with various embellishments.
Hawkeye also wears a cowl, which has seen modest alterations in terms of the mask size and the decorations on the forehead during the series. Occasionally, he will have an “H,” and other times, he will not, but for the most part, these are minor changes. However, the character underwent a significant transformation in Avengers #98 (1972).
Following his stint as Goliath, Hawkeye began dressing in a tunic with purple boots and a headband, but he did not wear pants as a result.
In Avengers #109, a year after this appearance, the character’s appearance was changed again. Clint wanted to get back to fundamentals after experiencing yet another heartbreak, so he opted for a more classic appearance to reflect this.
This is the outfit that Hawkeye has worn the longest and in the most consistent manner, though he has undergone a few modifications. He wears short sleeves or no sleeves at times, while at other times he has one or both arms completely covered with a jacket.
Costumes and Identities that are Not Yours
Hawkeye has remained primarily an archer throughout his career, even when he goes by a different moniker. The Golden Archer was a persona he adopted in order to persuade Steve Rogers to become once again a hero, which resulted in Captain America’s stint as Nomad on the run. He sported a wig and a mask and a bright yellow and gold ensemble in the style of Robin Hood.
Later, when Wyatt MacDonald – the Hawkeye of another reality – donned the Golden Archer alias while working as a member of Squadron Supreme, the Golden Archer persona was given new life. Heroes Return,
which took place after the 1990 event Heroes Reborn, gave Clint another of his aliases: Longbow. Longbow was one of Clint’s many personas. A distinct edging on his purple tunic from his ordinary one distinguished him from the rest of the archers in this parallel universe. He was still an archer in this alternate reality. When he returned to the Marvel universe’s normal timeline, this look ended.
On the other hand, there have been instances in which he has adopted the appearance and fighting technique of other heroes, such as Hank Pym and Steve Rogers. Clint wore Pym’s old Goliath suit to save Black Widow after Pym rehabilitated and became the reformed Yellowjacket in order to save Black Widow.
He also used a serum that allowed him to gain weight and increase in stature. While he was known by the moniker Goliath from Avengers #66 (1969) to Avengers #98 (1972), his character was briefly revived in the 1990s as a recurring character in the Marvel Universe.
This costume consists of a half top with a mask, pants, and boots, and it can be shown in either blue, red, or a combination of the two colours. As a result of Steve Rogers’ death, the comic Fallen Son:
The Death of Captain America #3 (2007) depicts Iron Man pushing Clint to take up the mantle of Captain America. It was only for this one issue that he agreed, and only after having a run-in with Kate Bishop, did he realize that he had made a mistake.
Clint, who had just recently returned to life, was struck by the injustice of the world around him, prompting him to take on the identity of Ronin in New Avengers #27. (2007). Popularly known as Echo, Maya Lopez was the first person to wear the mantle.
Clint was granted permission to use the alias by her directly for as long as he required it to be used. This is one of Hawkeye’s most well-known personas, especially since it has found its way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, albeit under very different circumstances.
Clint would return to his Hawkeye guise in Marvel’s Heroic Age after aiding in the overthrow of Norman Osborn’s Dark Reign in the previous series.
Hawkeye’s Costumes from the 1990s
Hawkeye had a strange period in his life during the 1990s. He would occasionally appear in his typical uniform – or a version of it – but he would also appear in clothes drastically different from his usual attire. The first appearance of the primary blue costume with white and purple accents is in War Machine #18 (1995). An outfit reminiscent of his Goliath avatar from the
1970s would also emerge on occasion, with only a fitting collar, a quiver, and pants to distinguish him from the rest of the cast. At some point, during the run of Heroes Reborn (1996) and Heroes Return (1998), Rob Liefeld was involved in a redesign of the character, which resulted in a more modernized version of his traditional costume, as well as an alternate color scheme:
Hawkeye appeared in a gold suit with red boots and accents, as well as green bands. Later artists rapidly returned to the color purple as a recurring topic.
Hawkeye in the 2000s and Marvel’s Ultimate Universe
Hawkeye had some unexpected looks in the 2000s, and some of them have continued to impact his current style. While he was primarily dressed in his usual mantle in the 2000s, he did have other outfits. Hawkeye (2003) depicted the titular hero in a significantly more casual setting than the previous films. No mask; it was sleeveless and edgy, with no sleeves. Hawkeye’s transformation to his present design began with Marvel’s Point One (2011), which featured a significantly more comparable suit to his MCU ensembles.
In Marvel’s alternate-universe Ultimate imprint, a variation of Hawkeye and numerous new costumes made an appearance. Among these were Ultimates #7 (2002), Ultimatum (2009), and Ultimate Hawkeye (2009).
(2011). In this role, he was a sometimes reluctant agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., and his outfit became more tactical and aggressive due to his experiences. Following the death of his family at the hands of Black Widow, Ultimatum restored Clint to his all-purple appearance, albeit it also included a mask that covered his entire face, complete with an etched target on his forehead that he said was meant to assist his foes in finishing him off.
A primarily black costume distinguished ultimate Hawkeye with a red logo, a departure from the previous purple look – but purple would eventually return.
Clint the modern-day and Old Man Hawkeye
When it comes to recent comics, Hawkeye’s costume has adopted the functionality of his costumes from the early 2000s. The costume worn by Barton in the groundbreaking 2012 series Hawkeye, created by Matt Fraction and David Aja, has become a regular in the character’s wardrobe. He now wears black and purple instead of the red of Ultimate Hawkeye, and his symbol has been changed to fletching to reflect his abilities better.
Hawkeye has also been given a more mature appearance in Old Man Hawkeye, which retains a tactical appearance and does not feature any purple.
This outfit, set in the same timeframe as Old Man Logan, includes the use of a robe on occasion, allowing him to channel his inner Obi-Wan Kenobi on occasion. Because his tactical appearance is more in keeping with the down-to-earth tone of his current exploits, Hawkeye’s tactical appearance is likely to be his long-term suit for the foreseeable future. Even though his traditional debut outfit has a lengthy history in comic books, the transition towards MCU familiarity will keep new fans interested in seeing a dressed-down Hawkeye for the foreseeable future.
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