The Good

Comics without words -- or without many words -- are kind of a gamble. There's extra pressure on the art team to convey story without relying on verbal cues, and there's a big risk of readers missing the point. Comics told from an unconventional point of view -- like, say, a dog's -- are also kind of a gamble. There's a risk of cheesiness, of disruption from the usual series format, and of muddled storytelling. HAWKEYE #11 put it all on red, and won out on both of these. Where Pizza Dog is going, he doesn't need words.

David Aja is blowing my mind a little bit with his range. I've always enjoyed the art on HAWKEYE, but this issue took things to the next level. Pizza Dog's communication is almost clearer than words in its simplicity, and it's fascinating how well the story itself and incidental details are conveyed via symbols. The symbolic style is a great pairing with the book's flat colors; it feels completely in-place. I'm also delighted by how well Aja captures Pizza Dog's mannerisms; the facial expressions, ear perks, pizza distractions, and body positioning are so spot-on. (If he isn't a dog owner, I will be positively floored.)

Matt Fraction gets major kudos for giving up the verbal reins in this issue. He scripted this perfectly, and opted for only the most deliberate use of words. It's a great way to show off some really important developments in Clint's/Kate's arc, and what could easily have been a quirky Pizza Dog tale is actually one of the more critical pieces in the HAWKEYE story so far.

The Bad

I tried. I can't think of anything I don't like about this issue. (Except maybe that missing state line between Missouri and Iowa, but my goodness, that's nitpicky, and I'm not entirely sure it wasn't intentional.)

The Verdict

It's rare that I'll throw down the "best issue of the series" label so early in a series (I mean, how do I know that Fraction and Aja aren't just going to prove me wrong with Issue #12?), but oh my, this issue was incredible. It's not just the schtick of using the dog's POV, and it's not just the minimal-words thing; it's both of those, done well, and paired with truly expressive storytelling. There are so many ways this issue could have been cheesy and weird, but instead of making the Pizza Dog issue a one-off novelty, it's a fully-realized (and important) part of the ongoing arc.

Hawkguy neva disappoints!!!!!! Bro.

Kate Bishop>Pizzadog>Hawkguy

Kate Bishop is my favorite.

I'm so excited for this issue!!!!!!!! Hawkguy rules them all!

@missj: This book never disappoints.

Great review btw.

This was fun. Between this and FF, Matt Fraction's work is what I look forward to most every month. He's blessed with outstanding artists in both books: Aja's work here in particular is fantastic. It's always so cool when artists are willing to break free of the standard comic book tropes. This issue was half iconography and plan drawings. Love it.

this is one of the best comic book issues i have read in the last months. thumbs up to the creative team for delivering such an awesome issue. P.S. Pizza Dog is the best

I've been thinking for a while about which current ongoing is my favorite and it's always been between Batman and Hawkeye. It also switches depending on which one I read last, so for a least a few more weeks, Hawkeye is my super favorite book. This issue was just perfect.

I`m usually a bit of a lazy comic book reader, glancing at the pages, but this issue had me studying every singel panel for awesome little details. Really appreciated it!

Great issue! Now if somebody could just explain what happened in this issue (and in the last two) I'd be happy. Seriously. This series hurts my brain.

I haven't been following the characters in this series, do Kate and Clint have a strictly mentor/student relationship, or is there some sort of history there? Maybe I should check out the back catalogue...

Pizza dog!

This was really genius. Pitch perfect.

Although I don't understand why the Bros took the dog back with them after he attacked them. Unless that was a flashback. But it didn't seem like it.

Simply an amazing issue. Flawless execution of a great concept. Love the Aja/Fraction team.

My favorite part was the creative team credits on the cover were listed as Ruff, Ruff, Ruff. I laughed so hard.

It's supposed to be Mentor/Student relationship but... It's Clint, so there's a bit of tension.

I feel like I've seen this style of story before. It was executed well but it isn't as amazing as people are making it out to be. Definitely not the best issue of the series.

I honestly didn't think this issue was that great. Its placement is weird, as it feels too Slice of Life in comparison to the last issue. Also, I'd like to know the full details of what happened with Clint and Kate. I think it deserves that attention. That said, this issue was an interesting way to go, and I do still like that it tries to be different. It sends off Pizza Dog in a nice way, shows that he does his own thing and I'm interested to see if he and Kate get up to anything. It would be nice if the events surrounding Kate parting ways with Clint is elaborated upon though. I'd like to know exactly what was said.

Still, it's a good issue.

Half this issue looks like IKEA instructions, and it's STILL awesome!

Yup. I'm still sad about Grills.

@longbowhunter: I caught that after reading the issue. Very funny indeed!

@xspectregreyx: I have no doubt that number 12 will be the this comic from Clint/Kate's point of view.

This was such a great issue. Loved the concept of it.

This! I'm glad it wasn't just me. Loved the issue (and this is my favorite book) but that part just lost me. Why was he suddenly sleeping on the floor with the guys he was just fighting in the room?

It wasnt really a read, but damn just looking at pictures was never so good.

Pizza dog ftw !

wait..does this mean no more pizza dog?!

@mrfuzzynutz: I believe every other comic will focus on Kate. Aja will be drawing the Hawkeye issues and someone else will be drawing the Kate issues. So you should see Pizza Dog in the Kate issues.

I love how much experimentation we see in this series. Most of it connects, so it makes for a breath of fresh air. Unfortunately I do feel the story has suffered a bit with two experimental issues back to back.

Let's see, the story has pretty much been at a standstill since issue #9. We've seen relatively little movement in the plot at all. All this setup makes me think this new clown dude should play a significant role in this series. If Hawkeye simply beats him in a single issue, I'm going to feel a little shafted.

That being said, I also miss the brisk pace that this series used to have in the early issues. What happened to the 1-issue, 2-issue format that Fraction said he was going with?

Lastly, I really hope Kate isn't gone for good. She's one of the main reasons I like this book. And it's not like there's a lot of supporting characters here.

I'm sorry, but I keep trying this book, month to month, and it's average at best. Hawkeye is not an interesting character at all, IMO. Let the dog have his own book, it's better than the rest. Coming off the pull list.

This issue did nothing for me. In fact, the 2nd volume of this series (collected in trade) didn't even feel complete.