To successfully make a shot, you gotta follow and master basic steps. Your stance is the foundation. Where you draw your strength. Nock the arrow and grip. Realize you are wielding a weapon. Mindset. Focus solely on your goal, regardless of your surroundings. Be in the now. Set up and draw. Inhale and prepare for what you are about to do. Anchor and hold. There is no going back.
Aim. All that remains is you and your target. Release and follow through. Master those and you hit every time. One last step. Feedback.
Basically...take responsibility for the outcome. For every shot.
- Hawkeye
Hi guys,
last week I was fortunate enough to be able to add the Hawkeye Premium Format statue to my collection and I have been very happy with it ever since.
As fellow fans and collectors you will probably know that once you are hooked, you are in for life and Hawkeye is my latest treasure.
I have been thinking about this statue for awhile because I liked it since Sideshow released the first pics.
This statue from Sideshow is a different beast than the statue of Hawkeye which will be released by XM Studios shortly. I like the Sideshow version however for what it is and do not blame the statue for what it isn't.
The cool thing about Hawkeye is that he managed to become a respected and valuable member of the Avengers without cool superpowers, without a high-tech armor or without having Odin as his father.
Clint is his own man and all he needs to do his magic are his bow and arrows. Give him those and he is ready to roll with the big boys no matter is they are Thor, Captain America or Iron Man.
In my eyes Clint proves very convincingly that we can all be a superhero if we believe in ourselves and put ourselves to it. That's all it takes and that's all there is to it. It is really is not necessary for example to be first bombared by gamma rays after the explosion of a nuclear bomb.
What I have also liked about Clint is that he is a vulnerable hero. With that I mean that Clint relies on his bow and arrows but he can only take a limited number of arrows with him in his quiver.
I always wondered what Clint would do in a fight after he has run out of arrows? Hulk will always have his titanic strength and endurance whereas Iron Man can normally always rely on his suit.
But Clint is just a man with a bow and a limited number of arrows. This means that Clint has to make sure that every shot counts and that no arrow gets wasted.
To fight next to Thor with these limitations and still be able to pull your weight on the battlefield is amazing; to become a famous Avenger and one of the key members of the team is nothing short of absolutely fantastic.
You think Hawkeye is the weakerst member of the Avengers? Just try your luck against him and let me know how it felt when you were taken down faster than you ever thought was possible.
Once Hawkeye has chosen a target, he will hit it, no matter the odds, no matter the difficulty of the shot, no matter the pressure. He is a marksman in the truest sense of the word and I believe the word 'missing' never made it into his dictionary.
That's the kind of man Clint is and I believe Sideshow managed to capture the essence of the expert archer that Hawkeye is in this statue.
Clint is captured in polystone just after he shot an arrow at his target and you can see the satisfaction on his face since he already knows the target is going to be hit exactly where he wanted to.
The statue furthermore has a distinct dynamic look and feel which is caused not only because off the arrow Hawkeye just fired but also because of Hawkeye's stance.
When I look at the statue I can vividly imagine Hawkeye coming in fast running and jumping towards this ideal spot where he stops just for the briefest of moments to take a shot which will take down yet another target. Hawkeye is standing still for the shot but the vibe of the statue just tells you that barely a second later he is gone already to find the next spot where he can shoot his next arrow from.
This makes this an exciting, dynamic and action packed statue for me. Look at it silently and you can almost hear the soft murmur of the arrow which Hawkeye just shot moments ago.
Look at it a little bit longer and you can almost hear the explosion when Hawkeye's explosive arrow hit Ultron in the chest.
Wolverine is commonly accepted as being the best there is at what he does, but I think the same can and should be said about Hawkeye as well. The man simply never misses and if you think you can outrun or dodge his arrows, you bettter rethink your strategy fast and thoroughly.
Hawkeye is no saint and he has had his fair share of problems in life. He is a man just like you and me and he has had to deal with an unlucky hand of cards in life more than once. Hawkeye has struggled and stumbled but always found his way up again. He has beaten the odds and despite everything he has been through, he is still around to tell the tale with his head up high.
I hope you will enjoy the pictures which I have posted below; hopefully they will do this piece justice and make you understand why I like this statue so much. A big
THANK YOU! goes to
Barry for helping me to add this statue to my collection. Thank you Barry, it was a genuine pleasure to meet you again!
Have fun but please be careful not to give Hawkeye any reason to aim his arrows on you!
My verdict
Statue Number: 611/1000
Release date: 2012
Artists: Tony Cipriano and Matt Beutler (Sculpt), Kat Sapene (Paint); Tim Hanson (Costume), Seth Rinaldi (Design),
Kristafer Anka and Walter O'Neal (Art Print), The Sideshow Collectibles Design and Development Team
Statue size: 20" H (508mm) x 8.0" W (203.2mm) x 16.00" L (406.4mm)
Product Weight: 11.00 lbs (4.99 kg)
Sculpt:
10/10
I think the sculpt is one of the highlights of this statue since it perfectly manages to combine the dynamic and action packed flow of Hawkeye being in frantic action with a unique and exciting museum pose. Hawkeye is standing still after having just shot one of his arrows but at the same time it is very easy to imagine that in the next blink of a second he will be on the move again to a different spot ready to take down yet another opponent with a next shot. The sculptor somehow managed to include an incredible dose of excitement and action in Hawkeye's pose and I find that absolutely fantastic.
The concentration, focus and determination of a master archer are impressibely combined with the heart and soul of a superhero fighting for a world which would otherwise be an easy prey.
Hawkeye does not have any superpowers and still he is more than able to pull his weight when compared to his famous fellow Avengers. His muscular body is impressively sculpted and shows that Hawkeye is in the best possible shape and ready to go the distance.
Hawkeye is the best there is at what he does but that is not the only way in which he makes a difference.
You can take away his bow and arrows but you will not be able to take away his fighting spirit or his will to keep on going for the good cause no matter the odds stacked against him.
This heroism and courage is what I see when I look at this sculpt. This is not merely a statue of a hero fighting on the side of the angels; no, this is the statue of a man willing to go the extra mile, a man fearless enough to take a stand and stay put even when the odds against him are overwhelming and everything around him seems lost.
Hawkeye's strength, skill and heart shine through in and are highlighted by this sculpt and in my humble opinion that is a great accomplishment.
Giving a perfect '10' is not something which I want to do easily but looking at this sculpt I just cannot think of anything that I would have liked to see differently. Everything I look for in a great sculpt is all there and the sculpt is like a puzzle of which the separate pieces perfectly fit together. The sculpt shows us the essence of what Hawkeye really is: a self-assured and confident superior archer, a superhero and a proud and valued member of The Avengers.
Paint & Mixed Media:
9/10
The paintjob on this statue is in eyes nothing short of outstanding.
I like the colours which really pop and add to the appeal and look of the statue.
This applies to both the paint of Hawkeye's costume as well as the colour of his skin on his arms and in his face.
Especially Hawkeye's eyes are impressively painted and everytime I look at the statue I get the feeling that I can really look into Clint's eyes and see the focus and satisfaction after he has hit his target exactly where he wanted to.
I could not find any spot where the paintjob was sloppy or downright inadequate and am happy with the way the statue turned out.
The mixed media on this statue are nice as well: you can for example form Hawkeye's cloth in the front and back of the statue exactly how you want it and depending on the effect which you would like to achieve, this can really add to the illusion of Hawkeye being in action.
If there is one thing which I I think could be improved it would be the colour of Hawkeye's bow. I dig the design and purple colour in itself but the current paintjob is giving the bow a rather plastic look. The way I see it Hawkeye would only use a bow made out of the very best materials and the bow he is holding does not look one bit like a high tech bow made out of extraordinary light but extremely strong carbon fiber.
A little bit more attention for the look of the bow would have made an already great statue even better.
Design:
9/10
The design of this statue is solid from left to right. I like the dynamic stance of Hawkeye and love the illusion created that Hawkeye just shot off an arrow. It is as if you can really hear the whistle of an arrow flying through the air just moments before its impact on Hawkeye’s target.
The base plays a very crucial part of in this regard since it is so much more than just a base on which the statue is placed. The 7unique design of the stony rubble on the base allows Hawkeye to take his shot from a very dynamic stance and as the base really adds substantially to the overall appeal of the statue. If Hawkeye would have been standing with his two feet placed close to each other on an even surface, it would have taken away much of the dynamics and excitement the statue currently offers.
I also like the fact that you can see the shafts of Hawkeye’s arrows in his quiver. You cannot take the arrows out of the quiver nor can you rearrange them, but they are there which I think is great since they are a cool and essential part of Hawkeye’s equipment.
I have been thinking if it would have been a good idea if Sideshow would have opted to display Hawkeye with an arrow on his bow ready to be shot away; just like for example the Bowen Designs FS.
I do think this would have made for a cool display but I do not think Sideshow necessarily made a mistake by not going that route. The design Sideshow has chosen really stimulates your imagination by creating the illusion of Hawkeye having just shot an arrow and as such it requires a more active participation from the viewer than if an actual arrow on the bow was shown.
Production & Build Quality:
8/10
The statue feels solid and sturdy andf I have no doubt that when treated with care this statue will not succumb to the rigors of time. The statue is securely attached to the base through a peg under his right foot and a magnet under his left foot. The same goes for Hawkeye’s head, his left hand holding his bow and his quiver which are attached to the statue with (strong) magnets.
Unless you would pull of a really crazy stunt, Hawkeye is going nowhere and his not going to fall apart.
There are two things which I would have preferred to see differently however. First off the string on Hawkeye’s bow is a bit loose. It’s tight enough not to hang down but I would have preferred the string to still be a bit tighter. After all it takes considerable strength to pull the string of Hawkeye’s bow back and as such the string on his bow should definitely not loose.
The second thing which I noticed is that the left ‘eye-flap’ of Hawkeye’s mask is closer to his head that the right eye-flap (for lack of a better word). I would expect both eye-flaps to be symmetrical but that is not the case. I do not think Hawkeye’s mask to be designed like this so this could be either an oversight during production or something which was caused by the styrofoam innerbox in which the statue was shipped.
It does not bother me enough yet to try and correct it with a hair dryer, but I do think it’s a pity.
All in all this is a righteous statue with a reassuring build quality which you will be able to enjoy many, many years to come.
Overall rating:
9.00/10 –
Defintely recommended; a great and awesome statue!
Background Information
Go out, fight hard, screw up. Save the world a few times...Just keep taking the shots, okay?
- Hawkeye
Clint Barton was orphaned at an early age when his parents died in a car accident and was sent to a children's home with his brother Bernard.
He and his brother ran away to join the Carson Carnival of Traveling Wonders, and the pair worked as roustabouts. While a member of the circus,
Hawkeye was trained by the original Swordsman (Jacques Duquesne) and Trickshot.
Clint's life, however, would forever be changed after he stumbled onto the Swordsman counting the money he had just robbed from the carnival.
The Swordsman offered Clint to become his partner in crime, but Clint rejected his mentor, sparking a fight that ended when the Swordsman left him for dead
after he fell from the high wire. Barney, too, abandoned him, in disbelief that Clint passed up such an opportunity.
Trickshot stepped up his role as Clint's mentor, later asking him to join him in raiding a criminal named Marko.
However, Clint severely injured one of Marko's guards and discovered him to be his brother, Barney.
Repelled by the consequences of his actions (and his mentor's role in prompting them), he abandoned Trickshot and parted on bad terms.
His natural archery abilities honed to an expert level, Clint wandered the country, working in various carnivals or otherwise making money out of the costume and persona of "Hawkeye".
One day, when witnessing Iron Man save the lives of some people at the carnival, he decided to become a costumed crime-fighter himself.
But as luck would have it, on Hawkeye's first night on patrol, he was mistaken for a criminal by the police and hunted down.
He soon met the Black Widow, who was working at the time as a costumed villain for her country, and she easily seduced the hot-headed adventurer,
making him think it was in his interest to defeat Iron Man. He attempted to do so according to her prompting on several occasions, but soon wised up, regretting his decision.
Instead, he hoped to join Iron Man's team of Avengers.
As a way of proving himself, he broke into the Avengers Mansion and convinced their butler, Jarvis, to play the role of a victim so he could display his powers.
Iron Man vouched for Hawkeye, and he joined the new line-up that included Captain America, the Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver.
Real Name: Clinton Francis "Clint" Barton
Citizenship: U.S.A. with a criminal record, pardoned
Place of Birth: Waverly, Iowa
Education: High school (unfinished)
Physical Attributes:
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 230 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Blond
Powers: None
While Hawkeye has no superhuman powers, he is at the very peak of human conditioning. Clint is an exceptional fencer, acrobat and marksman, having been trained from childhood in the circus
and by the criminals Trick Shot and Swordsman. Clint definitely possesses considerable strength since there are not many people who can use Hawkeye's 250 pounds-force (1,100 newtons) draw weight bow
and draw back the string to launch an arrow.
Abilities: Hawkeye is a world-class archer and marksman. His above average reflexes and hand-eye-coordination make him the most proficient archer ever known.
He is also trained to throw knifes, darts, balls, bolas and boomerangs.
Hawkeye is a natural athlete and he has been thoroughly trained by Captain America in tactics, martial arts, and hand-to-hand combat.
Hawkeye excels in the use of ranged weapons, especially the bow and arrow, and carries a quiver containing a number of customized "trick arrows".
In his role as Ronin, Barton shows great proficiency with the katana and other melee weapons. He has gained a reputation for being able to "turn any object into a weapon",
and has been seen using items such as tin plates, coins, sticks and other debris to great effect against his enemies.
He also has extensive training as an acrobat and aerialist.
Hawkeye is a highly capable and charismatic team leader and a shrewd combat strategist, albeit sometimes reckless.
Clint is also talented weapon designer, particularly well-versed in variations on basic traditional weaponry such as arrows, blades and hand-thrown projectiles.
He has designed and crafted crescent darts, boomerangs, throwing irons, bolas, axes, custom arrows and bows.
Besides being an experienced motorcycle rider, Clint is also one of the of the most proficient and daring pilots of the Avengers' supersonic Quinjets.
Weapons: Hawkeye uses bow and "trick" arrows such as: flares, explosives, putty, sonic blasts, buzz saws, electrical discharge, suction cups, tear gas, smoke bombs, bolas, nets, rockets, and boomerangs.
Paraphernalia: Hawkeye once wore a type of armored suit, offering him protection against most conventional attacks.
Hawkeye is also known to use a "Sky-Cycle" as his mode of transportation. The Sky-Cycle is modelled after a commercial snowmobile and is fitted with anti-gravitational technology.
It is voice-operated and has an auto-pilot steering system.
The gigantic tension before the shooting of an arrow, and the total relaxation seconds later, is my way of connecting to the universe.
- Paulo Coelho
Rainer
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Nothing can stop The Juggernaut... NOTHING!
