Broken Frontier

The Avenging Archer gets the spotlight in Marvel's new mini-series. Every good superhero team has more members than an Olympic village, so it makes sense that their many members need an occasional moment to shine, or in this case, a mini-series to shine. Solo Avengers ran for 20 issues in the late ‘80s, before being renamed Avengers Spotlight and finishing with the 40th issue in 1991. Most of these issues featured Hawkeye in the main story with one of his fellow Avengers in a back-up tale.

Marvel must be getting nostalgic this year (it is the 50th anniversary of Fantastic Four #1 after all) as they’re bringing back Solo Avengers. Well Avengers Solo, to be precise.  Jen Van Meter (Hopeless Savages, Black Lightning: Year One) pens the main tale about Clint Barton, archer extraordinaire, as he sets his sights on a mystery propelled by the discovery of a corpse at the doorstep of Avengers Mansion, which also includes The Trapster, otherwise known (and mocked) as Paste Pot Pete.

Jim McCann (Hawkeye and Mockingbird, Return of the Dapper Men) pens the bonus tale in each of the five issues which follows Avengers Academy and their teacher Hank Pym as they journey beyond the school gates for a fantastic adventure.

BROKEN FRONTIER : What do you think about Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye in The Avengers film?

JEN VAN METER: From what I've seen, I think he's a terrific choice - a nice combination of charisma and toughness. I'm really looking forward to the Avengers movie.

BF: Will your series focus solely on Clint, or will a few of his Avengers pals drop by?

VAN METER: We'll see Cap and Iron Man a little, and their presence will be felt, but I took the 'solo' element very seriously and tried to build a story that was really about who Clint is when he's away from the Avengers, their influence and their settings.

BF: Why does Hawkeye deserve the spotlight?

VAN METER: You mean besides the awesomeness? When I found out I'd gotten this job, I started hearing "Hawkeye is my favorite" everywhere; the guy has a LOT of passionate fans. I think he's got a terrific complexity; here's this guy who has all this bravado and cavalier charm, but he's also got this history of seeing himself through others' eyes, looking for a response - from other heroes, villains, his romantic attachments - to confirm his identity to a degree. It seems very human, and people respond to that. He's also a lot of fun; he's bad-ass in a fight but he brings a sense of eagerness and joy to it, too - he loves his job.

BF: Why did you choose to put Clint in a mystery/thriller story rather than a typical superhero tale? Although I assume there’ll be some fisticuffs.

VAN METER: There's loads of action, more than I've ever written before! But yeah, it has a mystery or thriller feel to it. The plot and structure came out of me trying to come up with something that would both demand Hawkeye not draw in the other Avengers and also that would shine a light on him from a different angle, as it were. I couldn't remember seeing him cast in a detective role before, and I thought it would be a little uncomfortable for him - might ask him to engage people and situations a little differently and maybe surprise himself a little.

BF: What’s the format of the series? Is it two self contained tales each issue?

VAN METER: Yeah. My story and Jim's are independent of one another. Double the fun!

BF: What does Roger Robinson bring to the series?

VAN METER: An extraordinary talent! Roger has a fantastic eye for action and he's really helped me to imagine a coherent set of visual elements that pull the whole story together. Scripting a fight or something, I mostly think about these things in fairly simple terms; I know how I want them to feel more than I can visualize how to achieve it. Roger has been turning in these pages that capture exactly the feeling I was after while building so much more depth with the details he contributes - it's really marvelous stuff. When I got to meet him at San Diego, we discovered we share a fondness for the look and feel of cyberpunk and noir, and that helped us both, I think, to talk about what we're doing here in a way that enriches the story. I love how he talks about the objects we have to establish - Hawkeye's SkyCycle, a new costume, a room - he wants to really consider the history and purpose of the things the characters interact with and design toward that; it makes the world richer and more alive.  

BF: The Trapster is an unexpected choice for the villain. What makes him such a threat?

VAN METER: Timing and determination, friend.  He's not the only, or the worst, villain in the piece, but he's not a joke. He's a very smart guy when it comes to chemistry and engineering, and it seems to me he's got the kind of insecurity, the desperate need for a recognition he doesn't get, that can make a person very dangerous. I was drawn to him, too, because he's kind of a warped mirror of Hawkeye; he's a non-powered guy working in a world full of crazy-powerful heroes and villains, and it seems like he wants that same confidence and dash that gives Hawkeye his edge.

BF: Can we expect new Hopeless Savages tales soon?

VAN METER: Absolutely. I'm working on a story that'll be published as a single graphic novel--its working title is Hopeless Savages: Break.  The majority of the art is being done by the fantastic Meredith McClaren, and some of the artists from the earlier books will be coming back for the usual flashbacks. It's a road trip story, and that's forcing me to try some new things with structure, but I think fans of the earlier material will be pleased. 

BF: Jim, you’ve written Hawkeye before. Now you’re focusing on Hank Pym. Which Avenger is next?

JIM MCCANN: It depends on who they let me write next! I'd love to return to Mockingbird. The Avengers are my favorite team, so really writing any of them would be fantastic!

BF: I take it you have a soft spot for Clint, seeing as you’ve tackled him before. Will he show up in your story, or is it solely focused on Hank Pym?

MCCANN: Clint's hands are full in the main story of Avengers Solo. I'm playing with Hank Pym and two of the Avengers Academy, as well as Tigra. However, some other very familiar faces will show up in a surprising - and deadly - way.

BF: Is Hank a natural leader?

MCCANN: I'd say he's learning to be a natural teacher. I think he COULD be a leader, but he's more a mentor right now.

BF: Have you been reading Avengers Academy and how does your story fit into the ongoing series?

MCCANN: I have been reading (and loving) Avengers Academy. Christos Gage and I have very similar tastes and sensibilities, to the point where I absolutely envy his book. We spoke a lot before I started writing this story and it fits directly into their continuity - between issues 20 and 21.

BF: You and Janet Lee did a great job with Return of the Dapper Men and it’s good to see that it’s returning. How will the new OGN build upon the last one?

MCCANN: Thanks!  Janet & I are excited too! Time of the Dapper Men is part 2 in the overall Dapper Men trilogy. We'll see Ayden and Zoe grown a bit more, in their early teens, learning a lot of the lessons that come with that. They'll be facing a new threat, one that affects the entire planet they live on.  And they are going to need help. We meet some new characters and see a lot more cities than just Anorev.

BF: I know you had a small Dapper Men tattoo done earlier in the year. Have you got any more now?

MCCANN: Not since the last one, but I do have another, older one. I'll leave the speculation there.  :)

Avengers Solo #1 (of 5) premieres on October 26 from Marvel for $3.99.