Tales of Suspense #57
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeTales of Suspense #57 is the origin and first appearance of Clint Barton as Hawkeye — a character who would become one of Marvel's most durable Avengers and a major presence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Unusually for a Silver Age debut, the issue frames its new character not as a straightforward villain but as a sympathetic misfit: a carnival marksman who aspires to heroism, is framed by chance for a crime he didn't commit, and is only steered into antagonism by Black Widow's Cold War manipulation. That morally complicated foundation made Hawkeye redeemable almost from the start, and less than a year later he crossed over to become an Avenger in a roster shake-up that was, at the time, unlike anything American superhero comics had attempted. The issue also marks the first pairing of Hawkeye and Black Widow, a partnership with decades of narrative mileage ahead of it.
In "Hawkeye, the Marksman!", a carnival sharpshooter with a knack for precision takes a bold step into heroics—only to find himself tangled in a web of mistaken identity and danger. When a clash with the police leads him to the Black Widow, he's drawn into a mission that pits him against Iron Man, forcing him to flee after an accidental injury to his ally. Written by Stan Lee and brought to life with crisp, dynamic art by Don Heck (pencils and inks), this 1964 issue captures the raw energy of early Marvel storytelling, with a cover by Heck that perfectly frames the stakes.
In "Hawkeye, the Marksman!", a young man named Parker, once a carnival marksman, takes up the mantle of a hero after a clash with the police leads him into the shadowy world of the Black Widow. With Charlie by his side, he’s drawn into a dangerous game of loyalty and deception when he’s ordered to attack Iron Man—only to find himself torn when the fight turns too real.
In "The Watcher's Power!", a band of space pirates sets their sights on a wealthy planet, confident the mysterious Watcher will stay out of their way. But when they strike, they unknowingly trigger a long-buried rule—because this planet is the one place the Watcher can act, and he won’t let his home world be threatened.
ComicBooks.com Value
Show all 22 grades ▾
This exact issue on ebay
CGC 8.5 ▾ $1,395–$3,975 2 listings
CGC 7.5 ▾ $1,250–$1,500 2 listings
CGC 7 ▾ $1,280–$2,000 3 listings
CGC 5.5 ▾ $650–$1,000 5 listings
CGC 5 ▾ $525–$1,895 7 listings
CGC 4.5 ▾ $425–$825 3 listings
CGC 4 ▾ $375–$535 6 listings
CGC 3.5 ▾ $385–$400 4 listings
CGC 3 ▾ $400–$594 2 listings
CGC 1.8 ▾ $200–$325 2 listings
CGC ▾ $158–$5,995 4 listings
Raw — FN ▾ $499–$625 2 listings
Raw / ungraded ▾ $39.99–$6,600 16 listings
More listings for this title
Read it digitally
Sell my copy
Have this issue — or a whole collection? Get a fair offer from us, skip the marketplace fees and the hassle.
We Buy Collections ▸History
The story was written by Stan Lee and drawn by Don Heck, with Larry Lieber scripting and illustrating the backup 'Tales of the Watcher' feature from a Lee plot. One notable production detail: Heck also drew the cover, which was unusual for 1964 Marvel — multiple sources note that this was the first major Iron Man cover not drawn by Jack Kirby or Steve Ditko, making Hawkeye one of the first prominent Marvel characters whose visual identity was entirely the work of neither titan. The story was released with a September 1964 cover date, on sale June 9, 1964, and carried the standard 12-cent cover price.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance and origin of Hawkeye (Clint Barton), created by writer Stan Lee and artist Don Heck — September 1964 cover date, on sale June 9, 1964.
- Hawkeye debuts as an Iron Man antagonist, not a hero; he is manipulated into fighting Iron Man by the Soviet spy Black Widow, whose true allegiances he does not know.
- This issue marks the first time Hawkeye and Black Widow appear together, establishing the pairing that would anchor decades of Marvel storylelling.
- The lead story is titled 'Hawkeye, the Marksman!' — the issue refers to him throughout as a 'marksman,' and multiple sources note the name 'Hawkeye' likely derives from James Fenimore Cooper's Natty Bumppo, a frontier hero nicknamed Hawkeye in The Leatherstocking Tales.
- Hawkeye's near-final costume — largely recognizable to modern readers — debuts here; it was designed entirely by Don Heck, who also drew the cover, which notably was the first major Marvel cover of the era not by Kirby or Ditko.
- The issue contains a second story, 'The Watcher's Power!', plotted by Stan Lee, scripted and drawn by Larry Lieber, in which Uatu's home world is unknowingly targeted by space pirates — the one planet where the Watcher is permitted to intervene.
- Hawkeye returned as a villain in Tales of Suspense #60 and #64 before making his heroic turn in Avengers #16 (May 1965), where he joined Captain America, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch in the first full Avengers roster overhaul.
- The main story has been widely reprinted, including in Marvel Collectors' Item Classics #17 (1968), Giant-Size Iron Man #1 (1975), Thunderbolts #39 (2000), Essential Iron Man Vol. 1 (2000), Marvel Masterworks: The Invincible Iron Man Vol. 2 (2005), The Invincible Iron Man Omnibus Vol. 1 (2008), the Hawkeye Epic Collection: The Avenging Archer (2022), and the Black Widow & Hawkeye: Broken Arrow collection (2024); a facsimile edition of the original issue was also published by Marvel.
Cast · 8 characters
Full credits
Reprints
↩ Reprints Journey into Mystery #26 (1955)
Reprinted in Fantastic! #29 (1967), Fantastic! #30 (1967), Terrific! #35 (1967), Marvel Collectors' Item Classics #17 (1968), Marvel Comic Annual #1970 (1969), Marvel's Greatest Comics #23 (1969), I Fantastici Quattro #62 (1973), Spider-Man Comics Weekly #84 (1974), Spider-Man Comics Weekly #85 (1974), Giant-Size Iron Man #1 (1975), The Avengers #8 (1975), Die ruhmreichen Rächer #57 (1977), Die ruhmreichen Rächer #58 (1977), Strange #132 (1980), Thunderbolts #39 (2000), Essential Iron Man #1 (2000), Marvel Masterworks: The Invincible Iron Man #2 (2005), The Invincible Iron Man Omnibus #1 (2008), Avengers: Hawkeye #[nn] (2009), Heroic Age Magazine #[nn] (2010), Avengers: Hawkeye #[nn] (2012), Marvel Masterworks: The Invincible Iron Man #2 (2012), Marvel's Captain America: The Winter Soldier Prelude #[nn] (2014), Marvel Masterworks: Marvel Rarities #1 (2014) + 7 more
Key issues in Tales of Suspense
Variants (1)
Reviews
Reader reviews
No reader reviews yet.