Ronin (Marvel Comics)

The original iteration of Ronin first appeared in New Avengers #11 (November 2005) (although the character appeared on the covers of several earlier issues). Maya Lopez was the first person to take on the Ronin identity.[2]

The second iteration of Ronin first appeared in New Avengers #27 (April 2007). Clinton "Clint" Barton is the second person to have used the Ronin identity.[3]

Writer Jim McCann revealed "We're going to learn that there is far more to the Ronin identity than anyone knew, pre-dating [the first two versions] before [the third iteration]. Why does Ronin exist? That's a central mystery we will tackle."[4][5] A Life Model Decoy of Alexei Shostakov is the third individual who dons the Ronin identity.[6]

A character (whose identity is initially kept from the reader) is introduced in the Mighty Avengers and dons the Halloween-type Spider Hero costume during the Infinity storyline,[7] and is supplied with the Ronin costume from a "big box of Clint Barton's old stuff" during the Inhumanity storyline.[8] Before being revealed in canon, a leaked script revealed the fourth iteration's true identity to be Eric Brooks.[9][10]

In the Hawkeye: Freefall storyline, Clint becomes Ronin once more to launch an attack on the Hood's criminal empire. The Hood eventually hires Bullseye to find out Ronin's true identity. After learning that Clint is Ronin through his associates, the Hood then orders Bullseye to commit crimes dressed in the Ronin costume to ruin Clint's reputation.[11]

The Ultimate Marvel equivalent of Ronin is an alternate personality of Marc Spector.[12] In order to infiltrate the services of the Kingpin, Ronin proves himself by retrieving Spider-Man. Ronin drives a school bus into Midtown High School and starts firing a gun to get Spider-Man to fight. Kitty Pryde confronts Ronin, but is knocked unconscious shortly before Spider-Man arrives. The two engage in a brutal battle that is mirrored in a fight between Moon Knight and Ronin in his mind (as the two different personalities within the same person); Ronin knocks Spider-Man unconscious in the end (as Moon Knight's personality is also apparently "killed"). Ronin uses Spider-Man's own web-shooters to leave the high school, and takes the youth to the Kingpin to interrogate at the Kingpin's hideout.[12] But the Kingpin then attacks Ronin, revealing that the Kingpin already knew of Ronin's true identity.[13] Ronin is then taken to a river by the Kingpin's two henchmen and shot in the head. However, he somehow survives this and goes to the police to provide evidence about the Kingpin's attempt to murder him, revealing his secret identity to do this but leads to the Kingpin's arrest and the media referring to him as a hero.[14]

In the film The Wolverine Ichirō Yashida calls Wolverine a Ronin.

An original character named Nozomu Akatsuki operates as Ronin in the anime series Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers, (voiced by Hideyuki Hori in the Japanese version and Keith Silverstein in the English dub).[15] The father of Akira and Hikaru Akatsuki, Nozomu is the co-developer of the DISKS (Digital Identity Securement Kit) before becoming Ronin.

The Clint Barton incarnation of Ronin appears in the live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe film Avengers: Endgame (2019), portrayed by Jeremy Renner.[16] Though not called by the name, Barton dons the Ronin attire five years after Thanos's victory, as depicted in the 2018 film Avengers: Infinity War, took his family's lives. Ever since, he became a vengeful and ruthless killer who targets criminals he believes do not deserve to live.

• The Maya Lopez incarnation of Ronin appears as an exclusive playable character in the PSP version of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, voiced by Marabina Jaimes.
• The Clint Barton incarnation of Ronin appears as an alternate design in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Marvel Heroes and Avengers Academy and Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3, and as a playable character in Marvel Future Fight and Marvel Contest of Champions.
• The Eric Brooks incarnation of Ronin appears as a playable character in Lego Marvel's Avengers.

• A Minimate of the character was released in the 12th series of Marvel Minimates, in a 2-pack with new battle damaged "Riot-Attack" variant of Spider-Man.
• Marvel Legends released a 2-pack of Ronin and Elektra. This figure has an alternate unmasked Clint Barton (Hawkeye) head.[17]
• Marvel Universe released a Ronin figure.