Avengers: Endgame comic book character highlight: Clint Barton

Image Source: Marvel Digital Comics

Before Clint was Ronin, there was Echo

Collecting: New Avengers 11-13 and 26-64 (2004-2011)

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Back in New Avengers No. 11, Captain America went to Matt Murdock for help when the Avengers had issues involving the Hand and the Japanese criminal underground. Matt said he couldn’t help but knew someone he could. He recommended a former enemy, friend, and lover named Echo. She created the persona of Ronin to terrorize the criminals of Japan. Echo was soon left alone to fend for herself, while the superhero Civil War was going on in America. She looked at this as an opportunity to continue her time as Ronin on her own.

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Echo was later killed and resurrected by the leader of The Hand, Elektra (who was a Skrull at the time). A message was sent out to the renegade Avengers, and they made their way to Japan to help their former teammate. Along with the Avengers was their newest member, Ronin. This is where Clint Barton comes in.

Clint was back from the dead (he died in Avengers Disassembled and came back during House of M) and looking for a purpose in life. He couldn’t trust Tony Stark after what happened during the superhero Civil War and went back to thank Dr. Strange for helping him. While at Dr. Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum, Clint meets Luke Cage and the rest of the renegade Avengers, who were on their way to save Echo. Before Clint joined them, he said he wasn’t Hawkeye anymore. Wolverine then showed him Echo’s mask, and Clint Barton became Ronin.