Jump to content

Barney Barton

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Caged halo (talk | contribs) at 18:57, 30 May 2011 (→External links). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Trickshot
Barney Barton as Trickshot in Hawkeye: Blindspot #2 (March 2011). Art by Paco Diaz.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceAvengers vol.1 #64 (May 1969)
Created byRoy Thomas
Gene Colan
In-story information
Alter egoCharles Bernard "Barney" Barton
Team affiliationsFederal Bureau of Investigation
AbilitiesHighly skilled archer, uses a variety of trick arrows

Barney Barton is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in Avengers vol.1 #64 (May. 1969) and was created by Roy Thomas and Gene Colan. Barney is the older brother of Clint Barton, the superhero known as Hawkeye. In Hawkeye: Blindspot #1 (2011), written by Jim McCann and illustrated by Paco Diaz, Barney Barton was re-introduced as a costumed supervillain called Trickshot after usurping the codename from Buck Chisholm.

Publication history

Barney Barton was introduced as Hawkeye's brother in Avengers vol.1 #64 (1969). The character would go on to appear in Hawkeye related storylines and titles in Avengers vol.1 #65 (1969), Marvel Super Action vol. 2 #26 (1980), Avengers vol.1 #228-229 (1983), Hawkeye vol.1 #1 (1983), Solo Avengers #2 (1988) and Hawkeye vol.3 #1-6 (2003-2004).

The limited series Hawkeye: Blindspot #1-4 (2011) saw Barney Barton return as a costumed supervillain known as Trickshot.

Fictional character history

Barney Barton was born in Waverly, Iowa. He lost both his parents at a young age when his father, an abusive alcoholic, lost control of his car and collided with a tree. Barney and his younger brother Clint were sent to an orphanage. They stayed there for six years before running away to join the Carson Carnival of Travelling Wonder as roustabouts.[1] The Swordsman, a member of the carnival with a popular swordplay act, selected Clint to be his new assistant. Feeling overlooked, Barney became jealous and bitter. Later, when Clint was severely injured at the hands of the Swordsman for discovering his embezzlement scheme, Barney condemned his brother for not remaining loyal to his mentor.[2] Barney, having had enough of the carnival, decided to enlist in the army. He suggested that Clint should join him and make a fresh start. Clint declined his offer. Barney told his brother that the offer still stood, and he would wait for him if he changed his mind. The next morning, Barney stood at the bus depot, waiting and hoping his brother would change his mind. When Clint didn't show, a sorrowful Barney got on the bus and left his old life behind. As the bus was departing, Clint arrived, having changed his mind. However, he was too late.[3]

Barney later became an FBI agent. His first assignment was to work undercover as a bodyguard for a criminal called Marko.[4] Unbeknown to him, Clint and his new mentor Trick Shot attempted to rob the criminal's mansion. Barney was shot with an arrow by Clint. When Clint learned what he had done, he refused to leave his brother's side and turns against Trick Shot. Trick Shot wounds Clint with an arrow and leaves.[5]

His next undercover assignment was to pose as a racketeer. He was approached by Egghead, who offered Barney a place on his villainous space-station in exchange for funds. When Barney declined the offer, Egghead (actually a robot sent by the real Egghead) attacked him. With his bodyguards slain, Barney went to the Avengers (whose ranks included his brother Clint, then using the Goliath identity) to help stop the supervillain. Barney and the Avengers battled Egghead and his robot soldiers inside the villain's space-station. During the battle, Barney sacrificed his life to destroy Egghead's deadly ray-projector.[6] After the funeral, Clint received a letter from FBI agent Allan Scofield revealing Barney's double life. The letter also revealed that Barney was aware of Clint's double life.[4]

Trickshot

Unbeknownst to Hawkeye and the Avengers, Barney's body was stolen by Egghead. Egghead discovered that Barney was still displaying faint vital signs and placed him in a healing chamber.[7] Later, Egghead was inadvertently killed by Hawkeye in a battle with the Avengers, leaving Barney suspended and forgotten in the healing chamber.[8] He was later discovered by Baron Zemo. Zemo, who held a personal grudge against Hawkeye, manipulated Barney to turn against his brother.[7] Barney and his new "benefactor" enlisted Hawkeye's former mentor Trick Shot (whose cancer had returned) to train him to be as proficient with a bow and arrow as his brother. Once the training was completed, Trick Shot was badly beaten and his cancer was allowed to fester. Barney then delivered a dying Trick Shot to Avengers Tower as a message to Hawkeye.[2] Later, while investigating his former mentor's death, Hawkeye was ambushed by his brother.[9] Declaring himself as the new Trick Shot (altering it to Trickshot), Barney subdued Hawkeye and delivered him to Baron Zemo.[7] Zemo had the brothers duel to the death. Hawkeye, despite going blind from a previous injury, managed to best Trickshot in battle. Before teleporting away, Zemo transferred Trickshot's criminal funds over to the "victor" Hawkeye, then taunted the hero for turning his brother against him. In custody, Trickshot agreed to a bone marrow transplant to save his brothers sight, but only so he could battle Hawkeye again in the future.[10]

Powers and abilities

Barney Barton is a highly trained former FBI agent and is a proficient marksman, exceptional athlete and skilled hand-to-hand combatant with incredible reflexes. He was later trained by Buck Chisholm, the same man who trained Hawkeye, to become a highly skilled archer displaying uncanny accuracy. As Trickshot, Barney uses a variety of razor sharp arrows, including trick arrows such as explosive arrows and bola arrows.

References

  1. ^ Avengers #65 (June 1969)
  2. ^ a b Hawkeye: Blindspot #1 (Apr. 2011)
  3. ^ Hawkeye vol. 3, #4 (Mar. 2004)
  4. ^ a b Hawkeye vol. 3, #6 (May 2004)
  5. ^ Hawkeye vol. 3, #5 (Apr. 2004)
  6. ^ Avengers #64 (May 1969)
  7. ^ a b c Hawkeye: Blindspot #3 (June 2011)
  8. ^ Avengers #228-229 (Feb. - Mar. 1983)
  9. ^ Hawkeye: Blindspot #2 (May 2011)
  10. ^ Hawkeye: Blindspot #4 (July 2011)

Barney Barton at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
Barney Barton at comicvine.com

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barney_Barton&oldid=431697752"