Hawkeye Limited Series #3 (November 1983)

Title: Beating The Odds

Cover: Mark Gruenwald, Bob Layton

Writer: Mark Gruenwald

Pencils: Mark Gruenwald

Inks: Danny Bulanadi

Background Assistant: Eliot Brown

Colors: Christie Scheele

Letters: Joe Rosen

Editor: Dennis O’Neil

Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

Cover Price: $0.60

Cover Date: November 1983

Release Date:  July 1983

Synopsis: Hawkeye and Mockingbird return to Mockingbird’s apartment from their mission at CTE, watched carefully from a nearby rooftop by two new villains Bombshell and Oddball.  The evil duo enjoys a brief moment of triumph when the apartment building blows up and they think that they’ve killed the heroes.  But, they soon spot Hawkeye and Mockingbird on the street below and realize that the heroes must have discovered their trap. 

With both heroes now homeless, Mockingbird declares that “All we have left is each other” and throws herself at Hawkeye.  Her sentiment is clearly not reciprocated and Hawkeye breaks the embrace after an awkward pause.  The heroes find an 8-Ball in the wreckage of Mockingbird’s apartment, concluding that it may be a clue to the culprits of the bombing and setting off to find their assailants.

After withdrawing Mockingbird’s last $97 from the ATM, the hard-luck heroes buy a set of arrows for Hawkeye at a local sporting goods store and then jump on the subway so that they can stake out the location that they identified during their search of CTE in the previous issue.  In true Marvel Universe style, the heroes bump into Steve Rogers on the subway, who offers to help his fellow Avenger.  Hawkeye declines out of pride, leaving Mockingbird guessing about Steve’s alter ego.

As Hawkeye and Mockingbird get off the subway, they are taunted by Oddball who hurls an 8-Ball at them and the chase is on.  The heroes run through the subway station after Oddball, who hurls an array of dangerous and deadly balls at them.  Mockingbird is ambushed and blasted unconscious by Bombshell and Hawkeye falls victim to her as well after an arduous and often humorous pursuit of Oddball through the subway system

The issue ends with the villains carrying the unconscious heroes out of the subway to their boss who apparentlys wants to use Hawkeye and Mockingbird in some kind of experiment.  To  be concluded next issue in Last Rites!

Source:  Kraalo Archives, Marvel Comics