2021 is a banner year for the MCU on Disney+. Not only has WandaVision kept MCU fans guessing for the past several weeks, but soon we'll see the return of Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Shortly thereafter Loki and Hawkeye on the streaming service. These new Disney+ series will introduce a slew of new characters. Today, we'll discuss two of the lesser-known characters -- Swordsman and Echo (and their first appearances) -- that we'll see in Hawkeye.

Hawkeye will premiere on Disney+ in late 2021.

Avengers #19: Origin of Hawkeye & First Appearance of Swordsman

Hawkeye will likely tell Hawkeye's origin story, a story first told in The Avengers #19 (August 1965). In Avengers #19, a young Clint Barton, then a young runaway, meets Jack Duquesne, a person who would later become the Swordsman. For a time, the Swordsman serves as Clint's mentor, teaching Clint how to wield swords and other weapons. Clint severs his relationship with Duquesne when he witnesses Duquesne committing a robbery. For a time, Duquesne becomes a villain, the Swordsman, and battles several Avengers in Avengers #19, including Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch, and Captain America. Since then, Swordsman has gone back and forth from being a villain to a superhero, and for a time, even serving as an Avenger.

While it's unlikely that Kevin Feige will adhere to the storyline in Avengers #19 in a strict way (e.g., I doubt Hawkeye and Swordsman will work at a carnival), I'm sure Swordsman will play an important role in Hawkeye's past. Considering that this Silver Age book contains Hawkeye's origin story and the first appearance of the Swordsman, it is surprisingly affordable. Slabbed, mid-grade copies have sold on eBay for just over $100 in recent months. You can find raw, mid-grade copies for around $65 to $75.

Tony Dalton will portray the Swordsman in Hawkeye.

Here Comes Daredevil #9: First Appearance of Echo

Another unique character confirmed for Hawkeye is Maya Lopez, or Echo. Echo represents the future of the MCU in many ways because she expands representation to diverse audiences; she's a person with a disability (she's deaf) and she's half Cheyenne and half Latina.

Like Swordsman, she will likely fill in a key gap in Hawkeye's history in the MCU; specifically, how he became Ronin after the Blip in Avengers: Infinity War. After brief involvement with the New Avengers, events eventually lead to her donning a suit, disguising her identity and gender, and becoming Ronin, i.e. "Masterless Samurai." Eventually, after some time, Echo hands the Ronin identity over to Hawkeye,

Echo's first appearance occurs in Here Comes Daredevil #9 (November 1999) and her first cover appearance occurs on Here Comes Daredevil #10 (February 2000). In late January, a CGC 9.8 copy of Daredevil #9 sold for $269.00 on eBay; raw high-grade copies are selling for $100.00 or less. This book is on fire; over the past two years, CGC 9.8 copies have increased in value by 48%. As for Daredevil #10, you can find raw, high-grade copies of this book for around $25 on eBay.

Alaqua Cox will portray Echo in Hawkeye.

What do you think we have to look forward to in Hawkeye? Let us know in the comments!

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