Eric Ratcliffe and Jim McCann Discuss
Hawkeye and Mockingbird #2
Welcome to another edition of Staves and Arrows! Yeah I know it's been a few weeks since the issue came out but I had a few problems attaining mine. So I apologize and promise that the column will never be this late again. This edition of the column has Jim and I discussing all things issue 2, how readers reacted to him at San Diego and just what is going on with the crossover to Black Widow. So let's jump right in!
Eric Ratcliffe: So Fury had Mockingbird cut off all her ties before setting up her life as Mockingbird or was it when she first joined SHIELD? Little confused on that one.
Jim McCann: Mockingbird actually asked Fury to cut all ties. On paper "Barbara Morse" was declared dead. This flashback happens after she is shot and put into a coma in Marvel Team-Up 95 and when she is revealed to be alive and active as a free agent in the first Hawkeye mini-series. All her family knew was that she was recruited into SHIELD and for some reason (having to do with Bobbi's father), Susan Morse didn't approve of her daughter becoming a spy. So, all these years, she thought Bobbi was dead.
Eric: So why is it that when Bobbi came back from the Skrull planet she wouldn't have wanted to reunite with her family? Was she worried for their safety?
Jim: After returning from the Skrull world, Bobbi didn't trust *anyone*. She'd left her family and Fury had wiped all connections between her and her family in Georgia (which is why none of her enemies could find them- Morse is a rather common name), so she wasn't about to walk in and say "Hey everyone, I'm alive! Oh, and I've been on an alien planet for the past 3 years. And was really alive for 5 years before that." Talk about an awkward moment. LOL She's always been concerned for her family, to the point of lying to Clint about them back in West Coast Avengers days. And this issue proved she was right to be worried.
Eric: So to get right into that last page, Jim...does dead mean dead here? I'm really personally hoping things aren't as they seem.
Jim: That last page... well, we saw a shot fired by a sniper and then that incredibly powerful image that the art team of David, Alvaro, and Nathan delivered. You will have to wait until issue 3 to see what happens, but know this- alive or dead, that shot set a chain of events into motion and there is no going back now.
Eric: When will we be learning more about Bobbi's brother? I'm extremely curious about the character.
Jim: Bobbi's brother will be seen in an upcoming issue, but right now, when Bobbi gets near her family, they get shot, so it's best they stay away.
Eric: Are you attempting to elaborate more on the [Phantom] Rider's powers?
Jim: The Phantom Rider has always had an interesting set of powers. I took a look at what all of them had and what a mystical spirit possessing Jaime to extract vengeance could bring to the table. I really wanted to create an interesting and unique character in this legacy of the Phantom Riders.
Eric: So Crossfire is an inventor? Or does he outsource building those robotic contraptions? (Totally just wanted to say contraptions by the way)
Jim: Crossfire's a great villain because there's so much that's been established about him, but rarely has it all been used together. Cross Technological Enterprises (CTE) was funded by his cousin, but it was actually William Cross that helped design the weaponry and mind-control technologies that were produced by the firm. The new Death T.H.R.O.W.S. are the next step in a smart soldier he used in the past called Magnum-Z's, but Death T.H.R.O.W.S. sounds much cooler.
Eric: The scene with Bobbi and Clint outside the restaurant is certainly interesting. I say that because of Bobbi basically telling Clint that he didn't have a family. Obviously she's acting on image there but it really feels like the twisting the knife into the gut kind of thing.
Jim: Bobbi told Clint he doesn't have a family- present tense. She's reacting to the position that Clint has put her in. She knows of Clint's history, but her point is more that he doesn't have to worry about these things because they are all dead. That's why Clint counters with reminding her about Barney- trying to drive home the point that he believes in, which is that their families are better protected than hidden away or left behind.
Eric: So the other Phantom Rider is still currently alive and well in Texas?
Jim: He's...around. He was mentioned in issue 1 when Bobbi asked for someone to get Hamilton Slade (Jaime's father) on the phone to find out why they never knew he had a daughter. Where is he, what has he been up to, and what role if any does he play in this? We'll have to see.
Eric: Fortune is such a smug bastard. I think that's half the reason the character bothers me. But it's interesting to see Bobbi shoot him down right off the bat. She may be angry with Clint but pushing Dominic away was something I didn't completely expect. Was this to show that Bobbi is fully serious with working on her relationship with Clint?
Jim: I don't see Fortune as smug. He's cocky, yeah. And he's got a swagger to him. But he's got a lot he's hiding from Bobbi (and the audience). You get the first hints of that in this issue when he dismisses Bobbi talking about her relationship and he says that everyone he's loved is dead and the only life worth living for is your own. We're just starting to get peeks into his past. Bobbi knows there's more that what he's saying, and she trusts him. That said, she's not falling for his wily ways, especially not at that moment, when she was acknowledging what was wrong between her and Clint.
Eric: Twitchy is a wreck in those few pages; is everything okay with our favorite hacker?
Jim: Twitchy is always a wreck, but a functioning wreck. The thought of Bobbi's wrath over his involvement in finding her mother has him rattled, but he'll have his nerves back under some control in issue 3.
Eric: The phone call scene is some of the most tension building stuff I've read in a comic in a long time, what was the process behind writing that moment?
Jim: That call was a risky gamble and I was so happy it paid off. Bobbi & her mom needed that talk, Clint needed to get to Bobbi, and we needed to show the readers that all the players were in place but the real target was not the one our heroes thought. It was an homage to Hitchcock, and again, wouldn't have been possible without our art team. And while we're talking about them, I'd like to point out that the entire issue (flashback and all) was done in the rain, which is *not* easy to draw, ink, or color, so hats off again to these gents!
Eric: So this year was your first San Diego as a full-fledged creator with a book that is only 2 issues old, how was the reception from the fanbase?
Jim: Reception was fantastic. I couldn't believe it. The positive fan response to the book is both flattering and mind-blowing at the same time. And the people at the con were so wonderful. To hear cheers for the book was awesome. Plus people were also interested in RETURN OF THE DAPPER MEN, so it's really wild to see people excited about things I write, not just about the awesome characters I get to play with.
Eric: We had a lot of updates from you over the weekend via Twitter and Facebook but I have to say the best one was mini Hawkeye. What was the story there with that little guy?
Jim: Kid Hawkeye is AWESOME! Mario (his name) is the sweetest kid and his parents are great. He was baby Thor last year. The incredible part- he had the costume PERFECT, down to the collapsible bow. His mom used David Lopez's online sketchbook from Marvel.com to create it. Kid Hawkeye rules!
Eric: Has voting closed yet on the name for the letters page?
Jim: Voting on the letters column has closed and the winner will be revealed in issue 3!
Eric: So for readers that don't know, starting in October? There is a crossover with Black Widow where you get to work with Duane whose last name I'm not even going to try and write. There is a new Ronin in town and they are going after the spies of the Marvel U. Who pitched this crossover?
Jim: So, yes- WIDOW MAKER, a 4-part crossover between Black Widow by Duane Swieczynski and Hawkeye & Mockingbird, told in 2 months. It's a race around the world to stay alive and find out who the new Ronin is, why Ronin wants them dead, and some huge developments for all three title characters! The crossover was something we all wanted to do, so Duane and I threw out a few different ideas that could evolve from what we had both been doing and what would help move our stories forward after the crossover. And so WIDOW MAKER was born.
Eric: How is it bouncing off ideas on another writer?
Jim: It's great bouncing ideas off of Duane. He's a genius when it comes to espionage and noir, so I am learning so much from him. Plus, collaborating is a lot of fun!
Eric: Admit it though, you totally just wanted to write Tasha.
Jim: Writing Natasha, especially with Clint, is awesome, not going to lie!
Eric: So what can readers look forward to next issue?
Jim: Next issue is explosive. Literally, the most explosive yet. Fights, bombs, and killer robots. Plus one of my favorite pages yet!
Join us next month for issue #3!
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Eric Ratcliffe is a young writer/pop culture journalist/interviewer currently working on pitching a project named the Hunter chronicles. When not reading his weekly stack Eric can be found watching DVDs, playing on his 360 (gamertag: Zack Hunter) or just surfing online trying to find a scoop or two. Brand new to the Comic Related family, Eric is a fun new voice. Eric shops at TJ's Collectibles. Visit them on the web at www.tjcollect.com!
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