HAWKEYE #5

Finally, HAWKEYE delivers the high-action many readers have been waiting for. Action, in fact, is the top element in "The High, Hard Shaft: Part 5-For Your Sins," by Fabian Nicieza, Stefano Raffaele, and Scott Hanna. Having located a mysterious hidden temple in Laos, Hawkeye begins to wrap-up his investigation of a Vietnam War massacre.

There is no downtime in this issue. The narrative is tight and any deceleration of momentum is strictly prohibited. Thus, Hawkeye is finally given the opportunity to meet a challenge more in line with his Avengers status-fighting in a jungle that seems as densely packed with enemy archers as it is with plant-life. At the peak of this challenge is an immensely enjoyable scene where Hawkeye performs a borderline-ridiculous but classically-comic-book impossible shot.

With Hanna as inker, the art is less harsh while retaining Raffaele's edginess. Also, Raffaele's Hawkeye has evolved to become more appropriately bulky. But the most noteworthy art concerns the overlay of flashback and current-day action. The effect is that readers experience two stories at once, in a highly innovative and cinematic sequence. Lastly, the cover by Carlos Pacheco is commendable for beautifully reflecting the high energy of the book.

Overall: A-