Review by Ian Keogh
Private Eye is a very welcome value for money package, albeit in slightly smaller than normal trade format, of Kelly Thompson’s first two volumes of Kate Bishop as Hawkeye. As originally issued, they can be found as Anchor Points and Masks.
Thompson starts with Kate not greatly successful at running an investigations agency in Los Angeles. She’s established as impatient and impetuous, yet with a firm idea of the dividing line between right and wrong, while not afraid to tell people what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear. At first Thompson produces a mildly amusing comedy drama with personality high on the agenda. However, having introduced characters and setting, Thompson really steps up to the plate. There’s a succession of finely plotted and frankly hilarious moments, yet also the time to deal with real world issues like stalking, and to take them seriously despite the general tone.
It greatly helps that Thompson is matched with Leonardo Romero as artist. He’s able to sell the funny moments and the action, while never trivialising what’s serious and delivering an expressive cast, looking good when talking or occupied in more energetic activities. In turn, Romero’s pages are given a final gloss by Jordie Bellaire’s intuitive colouring. The three chapters illustrated by Michael Walsh have a looser style to them, but are equally good, and both artists have an eye for a stunning image.
The deeper into the collection we head, the more Kate’s family issues come into prominence. Her father is wealthy, but negligent, while her mother has long been missing, and Kate decides it’s time to investigate. No-one, though seems to want to supply proper answers. As that’s going on Thompson keeps things fresh with minimal appearances from other Marvel characters, although Jessica Jones is well used, and investigation plots with surprising outcomes strong enough to merit the Private Eye title. This series is an undervalued gem.
Given there’s a second Hawkeye collection in this format, Team Spirit, the expectation might be that it features Thompson’s conclusion to the series, but it doesn’t. Find that as Family Reunion.
