VHS Is Lower Quality Than DVD
David Aja is a man who damn well knows how to draw a cover. While there are so many out there that try and shove as much as they can into a single image, Aja gives us such elegant minimalism. I mean, this cover is a VHS tape and some lines that represent sound levels. But it's so compelling, especially in this day of DVDs and Blu Ray. What's on 'The Tape?' Why is it on a freaking VHS tape? Ever since they first released this cover it's compelled the hell out of me. David Aja isa freaking genius.
Which is why it's such a shame that he's not on art duties this issue. I mean, Javier Pulido delivers some solid fill-in work, but it's nowhere near Aja's level. The colors are basically the same, but the lines are thinner and more defined, it's not exactly a great balance. I also just really didn't like how he draws Clint's face.
But honestly, the artwork wasn't the only thing wrong with this issue. Don't get me wrong, this was by no means 'bad,' but it lacked compared to the first three issues. The pacing was a little off, especially when it came to the action. There was a pretty neat fight in the taxicab, but otherwise it seemed like this issue was trying to avoid showing the actual action. Things especially got really funky when Clint kept getting knocked out.
The thing is, this still has a really good plot. It's amazing that this issue can be so interesting when 'Hawkeye' doesn't even use his bow, much less don his costume. Things get a little hectic at some point with all the documents and IDs and whatnot, but the core of it is that The Tape in question would cause a massive scandal that would threaten to destabilize much of the government and superhero structure of the US in the Marvel Universe. It's on a VHS because.... honestly that really IS more secure in today's aforementioned world of digital data and DVDs. The final page has a brilliant twist to the first Hawkeye arc to run longer than a single issue and leaves me excited for more.
In Conclusion: 4/5
The flow and structure just wasn't as solid as the other issues, and Javier Pulido's artwork just wasn't as solid as Aja's. This issue wasn't bad, it just wasn't as good as I had hoped. But Hawkeye is still one of the best series Marvel has going right now.
