When a group of superhuman club kids begin recording their
criminal exploits for online fame, billionaire-turned-vigilante Green Arrow
makes it his mission to shut them down. With the help of IT whiz Naomi and inventor
extraordinaire, he’s sure to make quick work of these delinquents. The only
problem is – the public doesn’t want them to be stopped. Meanwhile, a shadowy
mercenary stalks Oliver Queen with the intention of ruining his life.
Green Arrow Volume 1: The Midas Touch collects Green Arrow #1-6,
written by J.T. Krul and Keith Giffen, with art and co-plotting by Dan Jurgens.
As one of the launch titles from DC Comics’ 2011 relaunch, Green Arrow faced the daunting task of
re-establishing its titular hero as a sleek modern hero contemporary readers
could relate to. Gone were the feathered cap and 1970s beard. Instead, we find
a Smallville-inspired pretty boy
Green Arrow decked out in leather togs and techie gadgets. The change isn’t
wholly undesirable, as it helps to update the character visually and brings him
well into the 21st century. Sadly,
the opening arc couldn’t quite seem to match the exterior makeover.
The Midas Touch opens
with a rather bland and mildly preachy featuring a group of forgettable
twenty-somethings who are recording their criminal activities and broadcasting
them online. It’s a story that feels a little too of-the-times and is quite
obviously critiquing the topic of internet fame. It feels a little out of place
and comes across as filler, instead of being a gripping opener that will hook
readers to the book. Put simply, Green
Arrow doesn’t announce its presence and ultimately pales in comparison to
Snyder’s Batman or Azzarello’s Wonder Woman.
Thankfully, things pick up during the second arc. With the
introduction of the grotesque Midas and the femme fatale Blood Rose, Green
Arrow is finally given some memorable foes to face. The latter particularly
leaves an impression due to her striking design and her unique skillset. Unfortunately, for all the potential these villains had the story lets them down. Much is made about the fact that Blood Rose has it out for Oliver Queen, but her motivations and backstory are ultimately left as a cliffhanger. Ordinarily this wouldn't be such a problem, but the creative team was ejected after this arc - leaving Midas and Blood Rose's narratives incomplete.
If there's one thing that Green Arrow does, it's play it safe. The action lacks suspense, the initial arc lacks memorable antagonists and the supporting cast feel a little too generic. Even Naomi's blatant Rihanna appearance can't quite shake off the fact that she feels like a lesser version of Oracle. Of all of the launch titles from DC Comics' The New 52 initiative, Green Arrow was one of the bigger disappointments. Jurgens and Perez's art feels dated, while the narrative itself fails to define Green Arrow in this continuity. If it weren't for the fact that Arrow was in development at the time, it wouldn't be hard to imagine that this particular title would have been on the chopping block.
RATING: C
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