Tales of Suspense #57
Tales 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.
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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 · 11 characters
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Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
A carnival marksman tries to become a super-hero, but after a misunderstanding with the police he falls in with the Black Widow. Hawkeye attacks Iron Man at the Widow's request, but when he accidentally injures his partner in the fight he flees to get her to safety.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).