I thoroughly enjoyed the first issue of this series, but I haven't had a chance to read the second and third issues. So it was with some trepidation that I approach this fourth chapter of "The High Hard Shaft," figuring I'd be out of the loop. I was pleased to discover that while Nicieza maintains the darker, more mature, travelling-dogooder riff when it comes to the main character, he still finds space for an important comics storytelling tradition: exposition. This was a thoroughly accessible read, and the overall tone of the storytelling reminds me of a cross between Magnum P.I. and Indiana Jones.
Clint Barton tracks down Peppermint Candey once again, ready to offer her protection and curious to learn of the secret that's got her so scared. Peppermint's feeling rather desperate and not so receptive when it comes to altruism, though, and she's gotten herself a gun to fend off any potential attacks from Bailey or Belinda Mathius. Their henchman, Scully, tracks her down to, and after an explosive showdown, Barton opts to don his Hawkeye garb and get to the bottom of the mystery. To do so, he'll have to travel to Viet Nam, and it looks like he's going to have some company.
Raffaele's dark, sketchy artwork really brings mystery, tension and maturity to the story. Peppermint's fear really shines through in the artwork, and Dimagmaliw's moody colors remind me of the sort of muted, atmospheric tones we see from colorist Lee Loughridge. I really enjoyed the greyish blue that te colorist uses for the opening flashback sequence as well, and the new, dark color scheme for the title character's costume keeps the story from venturing too far into the super-hero genre. Where the art goes awry is with the cover. It boasts a vision of the super-hero, not the highway-bound rogue who serves as the protagonist in the story itself. The cover really doesn't give the reader an indication of what to expect from this book.
The most interesting element in this story is Scully, the hired muscle who's having second thoughts about his job. Nicieza presents the reader with what appears to be a typical, throwaway henchman type of character, and he's fleshed him out to the point that he's much more than a mindless thug. There are lines Scully is reluctant to cross, and he's torn between his ethics and his loyalty to his employer. He's no villain, but he's not a hero here either.
Again, I'm struck by the accessibility of this series. Nicieza not only fills the reader in clearly on the plot so far, but he doesn't require one to be intimately familiar with Hawkeye's background either. This has nothing to do with the Avengers or the Thunderbolts. Nicieza seems to treat Hawkeye as something of a clean slate, and it makes for a fresh take on a characer that so often has come off as a childish blowhard.
