They’re your classic love story – she’s a former agent of S.H.I.E.L.D, he’s a former carnie act tricked into betraying his country by a Commie spy with good legs before turning good and joining the Avengers. They meet, they fall in love, they marry almost immediately, they avenge together, she gets assaulted by a man possessed by a former Marvel western hero, he leaves her, she returns to destroy the Vision, they get back together, she dies, she goes to Hell, and then she never died at all as that was really a Skrull impersonator.
Like I said, it’s a classic love story.
Jim McCann is no stranger to star-crossed lovers, having written for ABC’s One Life to Live prior to arriving at Marvel Comics – Bobbi Chase has nothing on Viki Lord. Having already written about the couple in New Avengers: the Reunion, McCann is launching their first regular series together this June, Hawkeye & Mockingbird. I recently had the opportunity to catch up with him to discuss this, and here’s how that conversation went.
First off, a more general question about your writing, and that's about your having previously written for One Life to Live. Clearly, there are soap opera-like elements in comics, and certainly more so when looking at complicated superhero relationships, such as the one between Hawkeye and Mockingbird. How similar, if at all, are the two for you in regards to writing, and, having had this previous background, is that part of the reason you were drawn to doing a relationship-heavy book like H&M?
I love serialized fiction in general, especially long-form. You have the challenge of taking characters who have been around for many years and then come up with a story that moves them forward, reveals something about them, while respecting and building on their pasts. That challenge is found in both soaps and comics (as well as any long-running TV series like Doctor Who for example, or film franchise) and so I do find myself drawn to those types of stories. On top of that, when you get the chance to do move a relationship between two characters (be it friends, lovers, or even enemies), then I am in heaven. I love writing duos for that reason, and Hawkeye & Mockingbird are by far my favorite pair in almost any medium. An aside, I find myself writing “Clint” and “Bobbi” in panel descriptions as opposed to their super hero names because I really like coming at the characters from within and under the mask. I don’t know, it’s just something I noticed while writing the most recent script and in doing interviews. Any therapists out there who want to chime in?
Looking at the first story arc, you will be bringing back the Phantom Rider, who essentially raped Mockingbird during the final issues of the Steve Englehart run of West Coast Avengers. The rape itself was more alluded to than anything else, and comics then were obviously far less likely to go deep into such an event, and writers since have largely forgotten it. Are you planning on directly addressing the issue of the rape itself?
I am dealing with it, yes. This series, to me, is all about action and consequence. That holds just as true for the heroes as it does the villains. Again, it’s a relationship issue with a history and a new twist, so I think that’s why, when looking at potential ways to start the series, I went that route.
Along those lines, the characterization of Hawkeye at the time - furious more about her allowing her assailant to die than the crime itself - doesn't really seem to fit the way the character has been portrayed since, especially considering his relationship with Moonstone during the Thunderbolts. Do you plan on revisiting the original event at all, and do you agree or disagree with how it was originally handled based on how you view the characters.
I’m going to revisit the emotions Clint & Bobbi went through, how it affected them, and the fall-out from it, but more importantly, I’m going to show how they have changed since then. And how they haven’t in ways. I think the issue of the assault was swept under the rug and the “You lied to me/Avengers don’t kill” argument took a greater role. I think that was a product of the times and now comics can take a more serious look at the psychological ramifications of events.
Speaking of Moonstone - Hawkeye and Moonstone clearly had an intimate relationship while he was with the Thunderbolts. Will this be brought up in the series, and might we see her pop up anytime soon?
It was touched upon in a line by Bobbi in New Avengers: the Reunion, but I would love to revisit a lot of Hawkeye’s flings, both before and after Mockingbird died. In the meantime, she plays a large role in Jeff Parker’s Thunderbolts series on sale now.
What West Coast Avengers teammates can we expect to see popping up here, if any?
Spoilers. I can say that I have a few characters I would like to use and one or two that are waiting in the wings for the perfect time to show up.
Lastly, one area that Hawkeye has struggled with in the past as a character with a solo title is his lack of a "rogues gallery." Do you have plans for all-new villains for the duo, or are there certain characters within Marvel that you see really filling that hole for him?
I want to beef up his rogues gallery for sure, as well as Mockingbird’s. Crossfire is a great example of someone that has played below his potential for some time, but if you look at his background, this guy should be a badass. So I’m taking that approach with him to create a true archenemy for the duo. Same with Phantom Rider. This first storyline is intense as far as evil deeds go. There are also at least three villains/groups that will be taking center stage in the first year or so of the series, at least one of which neither Hawkeye nor Mockingbird have faced before but are pretty big! This will be a wild ride for sure, and thanks to everyone who’s coming along!
