Right on target

Newser-penned Hawkeye comics real Marvel

MARVEL IS ready to hit a bull’seye with a new comic book series centering on its sharp-shooting archer, Hawkeye, that serves as a prequel to the wildly popular “Old Man Logan” saga.

Set 45 years in the future, the 12-issue series titled “Old Man Hawkeye” follows the heroic marksman as he embarks on a journey five years before the events of “Old Man Logan.”

Like that original series, “Old Man Hawkeye” takes place in a world where Marvel’s most ruthless supervillains have banded together and overthrown the Avengers, leaving only a few survivors.

The new comics are being penned by longtime Daily News reporter Ethan Sacks, who will tell the story of the advancedaged Hawkeye — whose real name is Clint Barton — fighting to avenge his fallen comrades while he still can.

“In this story, he’s losing his vision and that sort of forces him to confront something really horrible that happened to him personally 45 years ago and go on his own hero’s journey while he still can,” Sacks told the Daily News.

Hawkeye served as the primary partner to Logan, aka Wolverine, in the “Old Man Logan” series, which launched in 2008. The skilled archer had already gone blind from glaucoma in those stories.

The first issue of the “Old Man Hawkeye” monthly series is set for release in January. Each book will be illustrated by veteran Marvel artist Marco Checchetto.

Hawkeye — who is portrayed in the Marvel movies by Jeremy Renner — doesn’t boast any actual superpowers but gets by with his wit and incredible aim with his bow and arrow.

The new series marks the second project for Sacks published by Marvel. He wrote an eightpage story about the Daily Bugle in the third issue of Marvel’s “Secret Empire: Brave New World” that was released earlier this year.

It’s been a dream come true for Sacks, a veteran of the newspaper industry for over 20 years, to write for Marvel. He grew up reading comic books and is a massive fan of Hawkeye.

“My mom always used to say I spent far too much money on comic books,” Sacks joked. “But look at me now.”