Review by Finn Miles
The Book: Half private eye, half super hero and all hero, Kate Bishop is the other eagle-eyed Avenger that goes by ‘Hawkeye’. She’s been on the West Coast for too long, but before she sets her sights on Manhattan, this Hawkeye’s got time for one more mission, right? It’s the perfect case: a jewel heist in a swanky resort… but when Kate realises that it’s most definitely a trap, you can be sure her stay at Resort Chapiteau will be a holiday she never forgets. In fact, it’s a triple threat!
The Review: Can the hero find a missing girl, survive her stay, and work out what it has to do with her family? Hawkeye’s on the hunt for answers in this high-octane thrill ride.
A product of an initiative by Marvel to push new editions of its legacy characters, Hawkeye Kate Bishop: Team Spirit attempts to further forge a new path out of the shadow of the Clint Barton, with the titular Kate Bishop embarking on further adventures as the newer female Hawkeye.
Of course, any character who takes on such a storied mantle is likely to be compared to their forebear, and Bishop has her work cut out for her, given the recent pop cultural ascension of the original following Jeremy Renner’s tenure during the golden age of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But with Hailee Steinfeld taking up the role of the female equivalent in the MCU, and increasing media attention on the character, can Marvel push Kate Bishop as a genuine alternative to the more familiar bow wielding savante? Or is such such experiment destined for failure?
First, it should be noted that Kate Bishop is not a particularly “new” character, at least not so far as being conceived as part of the new 2010’s wave of Marvel heroes, many of whom are similarly presented as successors, side kicks or tributes to pre established heroes. As a result, Bishop stands apart from the likes of a Miles Morales, Kamala Khan or Riri Williams, having made her debut in Allan Heinburg and Jim Cheung’s 2005 Young Avengers series, appearing in the very first issue.
Yet one does not have to be created as part of a movement to be recruited by it, and so we have writer Marieke Nijkamp and artist Enid Balam’s 2021 series, the first five issues of which comprise “Team Spirit”, after being collected into trade paperback form in 2022, furthering the increased focus on the character as a standalone protagonist in the decade prior.
Our story follows Kate as she navigates her role as part super hero, part private eye as she investigates a jewel heist at Resort Chapiteau, a vacation spot for the rich and powerful. The only problem? Kates family hails from the richest one percent, and she soon discovers that her client is no other than her own sister.
Of course, to say more would be to venture out if the bounds of a basic synopsis and spoil events, an especially egregious act in a story predicated on a central mystery that situates it as somewhat of a crime thriller.
What can be said, however, is that Marieke Nijkamp does a relatively good job at weaving what feels like a well-woven side adventure here, especially given that her roots are firmly rooted in the realm of young adult novels, having acquired the title of New York Times best selling author in that medium prior. In spite of this. there is nothing especially noteworthy here, the story often falling into that common mixture of tropes and cliches that have underlain super hero comics for over a decade now, despite being relatively inoffensive here.
Either way, it is perhaps not surprising that Japanese Manga seems to be capturing more interest globally than mainstream American comics, with their more finite continuities and trade paperbacks like Team Spirit, despite being on the cheap end of the comic trade paperback industry, costing almost three times the price of similarly-sized Manga volume. Nijkamp at least does her job with what she’s given, but the story told here is more of a brisk but competent distraction than especially riveting.
What is of greater note here is Enid Ballam’s artwork, which combines European and American sensibilities to form a stylised result that fits the zany nature of the overarching narrative, the kind of art one would imagine fitting well into the hijinks of a light-hearted heist thriller comprised of colourful twist, turns and quippy inner monologuing. This is furthered by the vivid colouring provided, depending on the issue, by Brittany Peer, Cris Petrr and Rachelle Rosenberg, all of whom bring Enid’s work to life in a way that is both fitting for the vibe of the books narrative and easy on the eye.
The result is that Team Spirit is elevated to the point of being a worthwhile read for anyone with passing interest in Hawkeye, be it Bishop or Barton taking up the mantle. For others, it is far from a must buy but still enjoyable and might particularly be of interest for those looking for something that crosses genre boundaries and features a more intimate story with its decidedly not world ending stakes and small scale elements.
An entertaining romp featuring the Young Avengers own avenging archer.
Finn Miles
• Hawkeye: Kate Bishop Vol. 1 – Team Spirit is available from all good bookshops (AmazonUK Affiliate Link) | ISBN: 978-1804910337
• Young Avengers Omnibus Volume 1 (Amazon UK Affiliate Link)
A mysterious new group of teen super heroes appears. But who are they? Where did they come from? And what right do they have to call themselves the Young Avengers?
The Young Avengers meet a familiar-looking teenage super human who just may be the key to their uncovering the truth about Wiccan’s parentage and secret origin. Meanwhile, Hulkling’s quest to discover the exact nature of his tie to the Avengers is interrupted when the Young Avengers finds themselves at war with one of the oldest and most powerful alien races in the Marvel Universe.
Collecting YOUNG AVENGERS (2005) #1-12 AND YOUNG AVENGERS SPECIAL (2005) #1
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Comics, Features, Reviews, US Comics
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