Vincent D’Onofrio’s Kingpin arrived in full force this week (along with newfound superpowers of his own for no apparent reason), we got an entire army of Tracksuit Mafia, Yelena came to terms with Natasha’s death and more or less became the official Black Widow, and Kate Bishop told jokes to round out Hawkeye’s six-episode season.
After the dust settled from the spectacle, Marvel Studios returned to its bread and butter: teasers and Easter eggs. In the show’s finale, Clint Barton gives his wife the mysterious Rolex that has been a plot point since Episode Four. When he hands the watch to Laura, it seemingly confirms the popular theory that she is a former SHIELD Agent, and not just any agent, either.
In the comics, Clint is married to the former SHIELD Agent 19, Bobbi Morse, whom you might also know as Mockingbird. Could Bobbi Morse be Laura’s alias from her SHIELD days? Better yet, will she evolve into Mockingbird for another season of Hawkeye? Those are the most popular lingering questions post-Hawkeye. On that note, let’s look at some Mockingbird keys that it could pay to collect.
ASTONISHING TALES #6
The first time readers met Bobbi Morse was in 1971’s Astonishing Tales #6. Normally, the major selling point for this issue is the first meeting of Doctor Doom and Black Panther.
Thanks to the old Black Panther sequel rumor that Doom would oppose Wakanda in that movie, this issue got a boost in price. As that tidbit of gossip dissipated, so did the values. Until now, that is.
What goes overlooked is Bobbi’s first first appearance as SHIELD Agent 19, who would later become Mockingbird.
MARVEL TEAM-UP #95
Bobbi Morse would become a superhero in her own right alongside Spider-Man in Marvel Team-Up #95. Of course, that was much of the intent with titles like Marvel Team-Up, Marvel Spotlight, and Special Marvel Edition - to give new ideas and characters a chance to shine.
While Mockingbird didn’t necessarily prove popular enough to immediately star in her own title, she did generate enough interest to keep Agent 19 in her new costume in the ensuing decades.
After seeing the SHIELD emblem on the back of Laura’s Rolex, fans are waiting for her transition into Mockingbird, and that is what makes this issue so important to collectors.
WEST COAST AVENGERS #1 (1984)
Since the first episode of Hawkeye, the West Coast Avengers keys have gotten significant boosts. From Aunt Moira to Clint being a mentor for younger superheroes, the consensus has been that the WCA is coming to the MCU.
The Rolex may have pointed to which team we will see on the screen. In 1984, the West Coast Avengers were given an ongoing series, and Mockingbird was officially part of the team.
This could be the version that Marvel Studios will bring to live-action in the future.
HAWKEYE AND MOCKINGBIRD #1
Clearly, there is more to Laura Barton than being a housewife. The SHIELD logo on the back of the Rolex confirmed that she was once an agent, and we can assume she was, in fact, Agent 19, aka Mockingbird.
Since Clint Barton’s story does not appear to be over, the next time we see him could be an adaptation of this 2010 series, and fans would get to see Laura become Mockingbird. That will send investors and collectors on a scavenger hunt for Hawkeye and Mockingbird #1.
MOCKINGBIRD IN THE FUTURE?
Odds are, Marvel Studios has bigger plans for Laura Barton. Whether or not she will be confirmed as Mockingbird is a mystery at this point, but I suspect we’ll see her in action alongside her husband at some point in the future. What would be interesting would be a series that focuses on her past exploits as a SHIELD agent and how she met Hawkeye.
While we wait for the Bartons to return to the MCU, go collect those keys.
