Tales of Suspense #57 (September 1964)

The First Appearance & Origin of Hawkeye (Clint Barton)

A Note from the Shop Keeper (Or: Why We Are Here)

There is something inherently absurd about the fact that an adult human being—presumably with bills, a tax footprint, and dentist appointments—will willingly part with hard-earned legal tender to own thirty-two pages of sixty-year-old newsprint depicting a man in a violet leather cowl shooting suction-cup arrows at a walking iron radiator. And yet, here we are.

If you are reading this, you already know that Tales of Suspense #57 is one of the pillars of Silver Age Marvel history. You also know that you want it. Let us get through the details together so you can return to pretending you bought this as an "investment."

The Story Recap (In Which Bad Decisions Are Made)

Stan Lee and Don Heck bring us the maiden voyage of Clint Barton, a carnival archer known as "The Marksman" who possesses world-class precision and remarkable lapses in judgment.

After witnessing Iron Man rescue a crowd, Clint concludes that the logical response to seeing a high-tech armored superhero is to craft a purple outfit, make a quiver of trick arrows, and patrol the streets himself. Naturally, on his very first night out, a burglar flees the scene, leaving a sack of stolen jewels at Clint’s feet. When the police arrive, they make the reasonable assumption that the grown man lurking in the dark wearing a mask and holding stolen diamonds is, in fact, the thief.

While fleeing the authorities, Clint runs into the Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), who is lounging in the back of a chauffeur-driven limousine like a glamorous Soviet headache. Clint falls hopelessly in love within four seconds. Natasha—recognizing a useful idiot when she sees one—convinces him that if he really loves her, he will murder Iron Man for her. What follows is a romantic tragicomedy of trick arrows, high-voltage armor, Soviet espionage, and severe career miscalculations.

Collector Significance

• Key Silver Age Debut: First appearance and origin of Hawkeye (Clint Barton).

• Essential Character Arc: Features early appearances of the Black Widow before her hero redemption arc, establishing the iconic Hawkeye/Black Widow partnership.

• Silver Age Marvel Holy Grail: An essential key issue for any serious Iron Man, Avengers, or 1960s Marvel collection.

Exhaustively Honest Condition Report

Estimated Grade: 1.5 (Fair/Good) to 2.0 (Good) (Approx. 1.8 GD-)

I believe in brutal honesty, because nothing ruins a afternoon quite like opening a cardboard mailer to discover a comic book that looks worse than described. This copy has lived a full, somewhat chaotic life since 1964:

• Front Cover: Shows heavy, honest wear. There is a pencil/ink notation reading "2 for 54" near the top-right green box—placed there decades ago by a newsstand clerk who had no idea this paper would outlive his store. The top right corner and top edge exhibit paper loss and chipping that look suspiciously like someone got impatient opening a box in 1965. Expect color-breaking creases, surface scuffing, and general age soiling.

• Spine & Binding: Moderate spine stress with color-breaking ticks and a mild spine roll. Both staples remain firmly attached to the cover and centerfold, holding the book together with admirable mid-century resolve.

• Back Cover: Features significant foxing, age-toning, and surface dirt. There is a noticeable brown moisture stain hugging the bottom corner/edge—a artifact, no doubt, from someone’s ring of iced tea during the Johnson administration.

• Interior: Complete and fully readable. Pages have aged to a mellow cream/off-white tone. The panels remain vibrant, and Don Heck’s artwork is entirely intact without missing cutouts or coupon clippings.