The Unsettling Slang of Warren Worthington III

Sure, it's usually Hawkeye who's the one uttering utterly unsettling slang in the Marvel Universe...the sort of talk that makes you step back a little from Mister Clint Barton. The kind of metaphor that probably is just taken out of context, right? You know, the slang that doesn't quite seem like it belongs in a comic book?

Well, fear no more: Clint Barton's cleaned up his act (Dying a couple times will do that to ya)! Maybe because he's too busy keeping track of what identity he is this week (seriously, this guy's just one codename short of a Hank Pym), but Hawkeye's been on his best behavior recently. But I'm afraid we can't say the same thing about millionaire mutant Warren Worthington III:


Panel from Champions #5 (April 1976), script by Tony Isabella, layouts by Don Heck, finishes by John Tartaglione, colors by Janice Cohen, letters by Irving Watanabe

Hey-oh! We're sure he's just referring to a plate of creamed spinach or corn or something, I betcha.

Anyway, there you have it: The Unsettling Slang of Someone Other Than Clint Barton for Once. No more laughing behind your back at you, right, Hawkeye?


Panel from Tales of Suspense #57 (September 1964), script by Stan Lee, pencils and inks by Don Heck, letters by Sam Rosen

Geez, Hawkeye, no!!

The Unsettling Slang of Mister Clint Barton, Part 8

Hey, we haven't done one of these in a while, have we? No, we haven't. So let's check in with the fearlessly frantic archer of adventure, Mister Oliver Qu Clint Barton, the high-flyin' Hawkeye! He's an Avengers extreme and the superhero voted Most Likely To Shoot You In The Butt With An Arrow three times running (losing in '79 narrowly to Beast during his Robin Hood phase). Not content with mastering the fine art of toxophilousity, Mister Hawkeye is also best known for shooting off his big mouth. Even during a tender scene with Wanda "No, I would never rewrite the world in my father's image and reduce the world mutant population to fewer than 200, why do you ask?" Maximoff, Clint's likely to spoil a sentimental moment with a discussion of religion:


Panels from Avengers #181 (March 1979), written by David Michelinie, pencils by John Byrne, inks by Dan Green, colors by Françoise Mouly (yes, that Françoise Mouly), lettering by Elaine Heinl
(Click to embiggen. Or, direct your tender eyes below:)


Whoa, that's a conundrum for the ages, Hawkeye. Maybe you should consult with one of the Avengers who knows a little more about religion, like, say, Thor. But in truth, take a poll of most ursines and I think you'll find very, very few are Roman Catholic...


Well. Whaddaya know! Like the proverbial stopped clock, Hawkeye's right at least twice a day. Ain't that the truth, Mister Barton?

The Unsettling Slang of Mister Clint Barton, Part 7

The interior monologue of a superhero tells you a lot about his or her personality. Captain America, in quiet moments of repose, is likely to think on the American people and how much society has changed since the 1940s. Spider-Man will likely consider his plummeting bank account, concerns over his grades or Aunt May, or what great power is accompanied by. Thor will muse on the hallowed halls and the great green fields of Asgard, and whether or not Loki is giving Highfather Odin a hotfoot at the moment. Tony Stark is plotting his smooth, smooth romantic moves with the suave attitude and sureness of Billy Dee Williams. And Hawkeye? Do you wonder sometimes if, even when he's just thinking, whether Hawkeye uses cringeworthy, unfortunate slang when he's pinned to the floor in a sticky mess of gooey Adhesive X?


Panel from Giant Size Avengers #3 (February 1975), written by Steve Englehart and Roy Thomas, art by Dave Cockrum and Joe Giella, lettering by "L. G. Peter," coloring by Petra Goldberg

Still, who's to say that gummed up in a sticky, gloppy trap like that, we wouldn't think the same sort of unfortunate slang? But Hawkeye's always a good sport about this blog ragging him. Say, Hawkeye: Why do you always use so much unfortunate slang, huh? What's the reason?


Panel from Giant Size Avengers #2 (November 1974), written by Steve Englehart, art by Dave Cockrum, lettering by Tom Orzechowski, coloring by Bill Mantlo

The Unsettling Slang of Mister Clint Barton, Part 6

Panel segments from Avengers/JLA #4 (March 2004),
written by Kurt Busiek, art by George Perez and Tom Smith, letters by Comiccraft

Ol' Hawkeye's words are fading out not because of poor scanner skills, but rather because he's being pulled back to his own comfy universe following the defeat of Krona. Just in time, too...I think there was a spatula reference coming up.

It only goes to prove...in any universe, Hawkeye's gonna say something that'll make you feel uncomfortable.

The Unsettling Slang of Mister Clint Barton, Part 5

One definition of a Clint Bartonism: words strung together that have never been spoken in that order before or since:


Panel from Secret Wars #8, (December 1984), written by Jim Shooter, art by Mike Zeck, John Beatty, and Christie Scheele

The Unsettling Slang of Mister Clint Barton, Part Four

Both panels in this post are from Avengers #102 (August 1973), script by Roy Thomas, art by Rich Buckler and Joe Sinnott

Bonus "Sometimes you can teach an old archer a new trick" panel!:

He move in space with minimum waste and maximum joy

He's a smooth operator
Smooth operator, smooth operator
Smooth operator


All panels in this post are from The Defenders #9 (October 1973),
written by Steve Englehart, art by Sal Buscema and Frank McLaughlin

Coast to coast, LA to Chicago, western male
Across the north and south, to Key Largo, love for sale



Face to face, each classic case
We shadow box and double cross
Yet need the chase



A license to love, insurance to hold
Melts all your memories and change into gold
His eyes are like angels but his heart is cold



No need to ask
He's a smooth operator
Smooth operator, smooth operator
Smooth operator



Coast to coast, LA to Chicago, western male
Across the north and south, to Key Largo, love for sale
Smooth operator, smooth operator





(For maximum results, start this up and read it again:)

The Unsettling Slang of Mister Clint Barton, Part 3

Panel segment from Avengers #109 (March 1973), written by Steve Englehart, art by Don Heck and Frank McLaughlin

Special bonus "sometimes it takes a handcapped man to say what we're all thinking but are too afraid to say" panel!::

Panel segment from Daredevil #99 (May 1973), written by Steve Gerber, art by Sam Kweskin and Syd Shores

The Unsettling Slang of Mister Clint Barton, Part 2

Panel from Avengers #105, November 1972, art by John Buscema and Jim Mooney

Special bonus unsettling-angle panel!:

Panel from Daredevil #99, May 1973, art by Sam Kweskin and Syd Shores

The Unsettling Slang of Mister Clint Barton

From Avengers #109. All dialogue guaranteed verbatim!