Hawkeye Reading Order: Clint and Kate Bishop (2026 Guide)

Hawkeye is proof that a hero without superpowers can headline some of the best comics Marvel has ever published. He is a guy with a bow, a lot of trick arrows, and a talent for getting himself into trouble. That grounded, human quality is exactly why writers keep doing career-best work with him. There are also two Hawkeyes worth your time: Clint Barton, the original, and Kate Bishop, his sharp-tongued protege who is every bit his equal.

This is the Hawkeye reading order we actually recommend. It is arranged so each run makes sense on its own, with real creators, publication years, and the collected editions you can buy today. Read down the list and you will understand why “the guy with the bow” is one of the most beloved characters in modern Marvel.

First, the good news: the best Hawkeye is a perfect starting point

The great thing about Hawkeye is that the run everyone raves about, the 2012 Matt Fraction and David Aja series, was designed to be read cold. You need to know exactly one thing going in: Clint Barton is an Avenger who happens to have no powers. That is it. Everything else the book teaches you as it goes.

So you can start with the masterpiece and work outward, which is what we recommend. But if you want the fuller picture, this guide also covers Clint’s classic Avengers roots and Kate Bishop’s origins, in publication order, so you can slot in wherever you like. New to the publisher? Our Marvel reading order for beginners is a gentle first step, and our best Marvel graphic novels list puts these runs in context.

Stage 1: The origins — Avengers and the 1983 miniseries

Clint Barton debuted in Tales of Suspense #57 (1964) by Stan Lee and Don Heck, first as a misguided villain, then quickly reforming to join the team in Avengers #16. For decades he was the Avengers’ resident hothead and everyman, the guy without powers keeping up with gods and super-soldiers.

The best classic solo showcase is the 1983 Hawkeye limited series by Mark Gruenwald, which pairs Clint with the spy Mockingbird and sets up their marriage and the West Coast Avengers. It is collected in the Hawkeye and Mockingbird and Avengers: West Coast Avengers trades. This is optional background, but it explains a lot of who Clint is.

Stage 2: The masterpiece — Hawkeye by Fraction and Aja (2012)

This is the essential run and, for most readers, the starting point. Matt Fraction, David Aja, and colorist Matt Hollingsworth launched Hawkeye in 2012 with a simple pitch: what does Clint Barton do when he is not being an Avenger? The answer is a stylish, funny, melancholy street-level book about a well-meaning screwup trying to help his neighbors and mostly making things worse. Aja’s clean, inventive page design is a landmark of the medium and won multiple Eisner Awards.

Read it in order across four trades: My Life as a Weapon, Little Hits, L.A. Woman (which spotlights Kate Bishop), and Rio Bravo. This is also where the Clint-and-Kate dynamic that later defined the character on screen was truly cemented. If you read only one Hawkeye book, make it this run.

Stage 3: Meet Kate Bishop — Young Avengers (2005)

Kate Bishop, the second Hawkeye, first appeared in Young Avengers #1 (2005) by Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung. A capable, wealthy teenager with no powers but enormous skill and nerve, Kate earns the Hawkeye name and quickly becomes a fan favorite. The original Young Avengers run is a terrific, self-contained team book in its own right.

It is collected in Young Avengers by Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung: The Children’s Crusade and Ultimate Collection trades. Reading it gives Kate’s half of the Fraction run extra resonance, and it is a great gateway into Marvel’s younger-hero corner.

Stage 4: Kate goes solo — Hawkeye by Kelly Thompson (2016)

Kate got her own excellent solo series in 2016 from Kelly Thompson and Leonardo Romero. She sets up shop as a private investigator in Los Angeles, and the book is a breezy, witty, noir-tinged detective story that carries the visual playfulness of the Fraction run forward. It is one of the most purely enjoyable Marvel comics of its era.

Start with Hawkeye, Vol. 1: Anchor Points. It is fully accessible even if you have not read anything else, and it is an ideal jumping-on point for readers who came to Kate through the screen.

Stage 5: More Clint — All-New Hawkeye and Freefall

If you want more of Clint after the Fraction run, two follow-ups are worth a look:

All-New Hawkeye (2015) by Jeff Lemire and Ramon Perez — a more experimental, emotional book that plays with time and art styles, continuing the Clint-and-Kate partnership.
Hawkeye: Freefall (2020) by Matthew Rosenberg and Otto Schmidt — a return to grounded, street-level Clint, with a fun crime-thriller edge.

Neither is required, but both scratch the itch if the 2012 run leaves you wanting more of the same tone.

Stage 6: The alternate-future gem — Old Man Hawkeye (2018)

For something different, Old Man Hawkeye (2018) by Ethan Sacks and Marco Checchetto is a prequel to the famous Old Man Logan story, set in a bleak future where villains have won. An aging Clint, slowly going blind, sets out on one last mission. It is a moody, hard-edged Western in superhero clothing.

Content note: this one is violent and grim compared with the lighter mainline books. It is collected in two trades and stands entirely on its own, so it is a good change of pace once you know the character.

Reading order at a glance

Step	Run / title	Creators (year)	Best for
1	Hawkeye (limited series)	Mark Gruenwald (1983)	Classic Clint background
2	Hawkeye: My Life as a Weapon	Fraction and Aja (2012)	Best starting point
3	Young Avengers	Heinberg and Cheung (2005)	Meeting Kate Bishop
4	Hawkeye: Anchor Points	Kelly Thompson (2016)	Kate solo, noir detective
5	All-New Hawkeye / Freefall	Lemire / Rosenberg (2015-2020)	More Clint
6	Old Man Hawkeye	Sacks and Checchetto (2018)	A grim alternate future

Jump straight to step 2 for the masterpiece, then follow the threads to whichever Hawkeye you liked best. Every book on this list stands on its own.

Where to buy and how to collect

The Fraction and Aja run is collected in four affordable trades, or a single deluxe hardcover and omnibus for fans who fall hard for it. Kate’s solo series and the alternate-future books are easy to find in standard trades. Marvel’s digital subscription service carries essentially all of it, which is a low-risk way to sample before buying print.

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Where to go after Hawkeye

If you loved the grounded, character-first tone, our She-Hulk reading order covers a run in the same spirit, and cosmic fans should try our Nova reading order. For the flagships, see our Spider-Man reading order and Marvel reading order for beginners, or browse everything at the Marvel hub.

Frequently asked questions

Where should a beginner start with Hawkeye?

Start with the 2012 Matt Fraction and David Aja run, collected as Hawkeye, Vol. 1: My Life as a Weapon. It was designed to be read cold, it is one of the best superhero comics of its decade, and it needs no prior reading beyond knowing Clint Barton is an Avenger without powers.

Are there two different Hawkeyes?

Yes. Clint Barton is the original, an Avenger since the 1960s. Kate Bishop, introduced in Young Avengers (2005), is his protege and the second Hawkeye. The 2012 Fraction run features both, and Kate later stars in her own excellent solo series.

Do I need to read the Avengers first?

No. While Clint has been an Avenger for decades, the acclaimed solo runs are self-contained. The 1983 miniseries and his Avengers appearances are optional background, not required homework for the modern books.

Which Hawkeye comic is most like the show?

The 2012 Fraction and Aja run, especially the Clint-and-Kate dynamic, was the direct inspiration for the tone of the screen version. Start there, then read Kelly Thompson’s Kate Bishop solo series for more of the same charm.

Keep exploring with our Marvel reading order for beginners or the wider best graphic novels hub.