IPTAT: Avenging Arrow
Arrowsmiths - Part One
I’m putting together a team… multiple teams, in fact. Fictional heroes, villains, and everyone in between have formed unlikely alliances to answer a common calling: which group of kindred characters is the mightiest of them all? United by a shared theme, troops of four fabulous fictional characters will figuratively compete in a tournament of television, movie, and literature’s finest where only one foursome can be crowned kings and queens of popular entertainment. Join in on the roll call to learn more about these similar characters and delve into their individual histories. It’s time to assemble the analogous all-stars and find out who is the best, one team at a time.
The eight-team bracket will determine who is the most gifted (and potentially ruthless) squad of them all.
Team 7: Arrowsmiths
Archers assembled
Hawkeye/Clint Barton (Marvel comics)
Green Arrow/Oliver Queen (DC Comics)
Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games)
Legolas (The Lord of the Rings)
The bow and arrow is a classic weapon used in mythology, containing its use to this day across fantasy, sci-fi, action, adventure, and just about every setting you can imagine where it’d be effective to shoot something pointy from a springy string tool thing. These are technical terms.
1. Hawkeye/Clint Barton
First appearance: Tales of Suspense #57, September 1964
Popular entertainment of 1964:
A Fistful of Dollars - film starring Clint Eastwood
Gilligan’s Island - television series starring Bob Denver and Alan Hale, Jr.
A Single Man - novel written by Christopher Isherwood
Clint Barton, better known as Hawkeye, was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Don Heck for Marvel Comics. Originally introduced as a circus-trained master archer who is mistaken for a criminal, Barton starts as an antagonist to Iron Man before reforming and joining the Avengers. Despite lacking superpowers, his precision, grit, and rebellious charm make him a core team member and one of the most relatable heroes in Marvel Comics.
Over the decades, Barton has taken on several roles: leading the West Coast Avengers, briefly assuming the identity of Goliath after experimenting with Pym Particles, and mentoring younger heroes such as Kate Bishop, who also becomes Hawkeye. He’s known for his scrappy underdog personality, complex relationship with teammates (especially Black Widow), and habit of getting beat up but never backing down.
Hawkeye is canonically deaf or hearing-impaired in several comic storylines—a rare trait among superheroes—and often relies on hearing aids or specialized tech. He’s also infamous for his terrible aim in domestic life (constantly wrecking his apartment and forgetting his rent) despite being one of the world’s greatest marksmen. Additionally, the 2012 Hawkeye series by Matt Fraction and David Aja turned his everyday misadventures—especially with his dog, Pizza Dog—into one of the most acclaimed and humorous modern Marvel runs.
Played by Jeremy Renner in the live action films and streaming series, Hawkeye has hit the mark with a new generation of superhero fans. The Marvel Cinematic Universe explored an aspect of Barton’s lore where he took on the persona of Robin, a deadly ninja consumed with grief over the loss of his family.
Teaming up with other ace archers, Hawkeye should be able to hit the bullseye, but will they all seek out the same target or miss the point entirely?
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