Egghead hires the Swordsman to capture his old foe Goliath (Hank Pym), unaware that Pym is now Yellowjacket and Clint Barton is now Goliath. Meanwhile, at Avengers Mansion, Goliath is mourning his brother Barney’s recent death at Egghead’s hands while he tells his fellow Avengers about his background, and how he stopped using his real name after Barney became a criminal. Briefly an Avengers member himself long ago, Swordsman enters Avengers Mansion using his inside knowledge of its security, but trips a new alarm and is discovered. Upon learning Goliath is his estranged ex-protégé Clint Barton, Swordsman attacks with greater eagerness, but Goliath tries to hold back his fellow Avengers since he wants Swordsman for himself. Swordsman easily defeats the divided Avengers and abducts Goliath, but Egghead threatens to withhold payment when he realizes this Goliath may not be Pym. Swordsman attacks Egghead, who blasts Swordsman out a window. Goliath captures Egghead and uses a makeshift cable arrow to save the falling Swordsman, who reluctantly acknowledges Clint’s superior skill since he saved him using archery. With the two villains in custody, all Clint cares about is having avenged his brother.
Carnival performer Swordsman hires young Clint Barton as his assistant (Av #19, ’65 fb) while Clint’s brother Barney becomes a roustabout (1). Gifted archer Clint idolizes his mentor and hopes to match his skill, but Swordsman warns him against trying to become his equal. Later, when Clint discovers Swordsman has robbed the carnival paymaster, the elder performer tries to make Clint his partner in crime. A disillusioned Clint refuses and tries to flee, but Swordsman cuts the high wire out from under him and departs, leaving Clint for dead (Av #19, ’65 fb). Barney comes to the fallen Clint’s aid (2).
Future flashback stories such as SAv #2, ’88 and Hawk #1-6, ’03-04 expand on the Barton brothers’ history, revealing the presence of Hawkeye’s archery teacher Trick Shot during their carnival days (such as Trick helping Barney rescue young Clint from the Swordsman), information Hawkeye concealed for years because he was trying to forget about his estranged teacher. While other flashbacks show Barney being angry with Clint for refusing the Swordsman’s offer of criminal gain, the ones in Hawk #1-6, ’04, depict Barney mostly trying to steer Clint in positive directions, with no hint of him berating Clint after the Swordsman incident. It may be that the emotional and physical trauma of Clint’s injuries clouded his perceptions at that time, or his bitterness about Barney’s apparent criminal career later skewed his memories of the incident. Hawk:BS #4, ’11 reveals Barney is only nearly dead here, and is saved by Egghead.
