Review - Green Arrow Volume 1: The Death and Life of Oliver Queen

With his sister as his comrade-in-arms and a new girlfriend by his side, Oliver Queen has dedicated himself to pursuing social justice as the emerald garbed vigilante Green Arrow. This life that he has built and his credibility as a hero dissolve as he is betrayed by those closest to him. Without money or allies to rely on, he must use his resourcefulness and sheer willpower to uncover the dark conspiracy that has torn his world asunder.

Green Arrow Volume 1: The Death and Life of Oliver Queen collects Green Arrow: Rebirth #1 and Green Arrow #1-5, written by Benjamin Percy and with art by Otto Schmidt and Juan Ferreyra.

Having cited former Green Arrow scribes Dennis O’Neil and Mike Grell as his influences, it’s clear from the onset that writer Benjamin Percy intends to portray the Emerald Archer as a champion for the people whose political beliefs are a key part of his character. Unfortunately, the execution of this is admittedly quite goofy. The Death and Life of Oliver Queen sees Green Arrow facing off against an organization of evil bankers known as the Ninth Circle. They’ve stripped him of his wealth and have turned his allies against him, leaving him alone and ineffectual as a hero. Percy’s approach is very heavy-handed and relies heavily on some pretty tired tropes. In pulling from the oeuvre of O’Neil and Grell, he forgets to leave the problematic aspects of their work in the past. Percy undoes the work Jeff Lemire had done on Shado and Emiko Queen by reducing both to the stereotypical Dragon Lady role. Another example is that Black Canary ends up as a damsel in distress towards the end. There’s also something very campy about the antagonists, which leaves this arc reading more like a ‘60s Bond film than a biting critique on capitalism.

This collection isn’t wholly without merit. I appreciate Percy’s attempt to pare down the Green Arrow mythos and really focus on one of the more iconic portrayals of the character. Oliver embraces the label of social justice warrior and his leftist leanings are evident in his dialogue. In this way, he feels more like Green Arrow than Batman Lite (which is something Arrow is all too guilty of). Kidnapping aside, Black Canary plays a key role in the narrative and gets to be her own character outside of being Green Arrow’s girlfriend. She’s cooler than he is and is more in touch with reality due to her upbringing (even though she may be a semi-famous rock singer now). While I had a ton of issues with the direction he took her in, I at least appreciate that Percy didn’t abandon Emiko Queen. It would have been easy to write her out and replace her with a similar character. The familial dynamic between Emiko, Oliver, and Dinah is admittedly the thing I liked best overall in this trade.

While I had my share of issues with the writing, the art for The Death and Life of Oliver Queen was something I enjoyed consistently throughout. Otto Schmidt and Juan Ferreyra share the art duties. They are both tremendously talented, but their styles couldn’t be more different. Schmidt’s work is highly stylized and is more on the cartoony side. In fact, it almost gives off the vibe of a Green Arrow animated series (which would actually be pretty neat). I do have a couple of issues with Schmidt’s art – some of his compositions look a bit lazily done and he has a penchant for drawing butt shots for Black Canary. Ferreyra’s work has a painterly quality to it. It’s really atmospheric and is cinematic where Schmidt’s art was more animated. His Black Canary is breathtaking and he really captures both the hard and soft qualities of her character.

Green Arrow Volume 1: The Death and Life of Oliver Queen is far from being the return to form that I think Benjamin Percy had intended it to be. It’s often shallow in that it lacks the depth necessary to tackle political issues and is just as easily undermined by predictable tropes that are sexist and racially insensitive. I likely wouldn’t recommend this as an essential read for Green Arrow like I would with Jeff Lemire’s run. With that said, the artwork inside is stunning and is worth a browse.

RATING: C

Review: Justice League United - The Infinitus Saga

With the galaxy in turmoil as a result of the menace known as Infinitus, the Legion of Super-Heroes travel 100 years into the past in order to prevent him from ever coming into being. There’s just one thing standing in their way – the newly formed Justice League led by Martian Manhunter. He and his teammates are unwilling to accept that an innocent life should be snuffed out due to the possibility of it turning evil later on. Thus begins a battle of wills between the Martian hero and the Legion’s Brainiac 5.

Justice League United Volume 2: The Infinitus Saga collects Justice League United #6-10, Justice League United Annual #1, Justice League United: Futures End #1 and Justice League: Futures End #1. It is written by Jeff Lemire, with art by Jay Leisten and Neil Edwards.

As a whole Justice League United has all the right components to be a successful book. It’s colourful, action-packed, and full of punchy dialogue. It also has arguably the most creative line-up for a Justice League splinter team Post-Flashpoint. From DC Comics’ beloved archer Green Arrow to the new heroine on the block Equinox, the roster is really unique. Of course, it certainly helps that writer Jeff Lemire develops tangible relationships between the characters. Animal Man and Stargirl act like siblings, while the latter forms a father-daughter type of bond with Martian Manhunter. There’s also a slight banter that exists between Green Arrow and Animal Man (unsurprising given the fact that Lemire has written both of their solo series).

The scale of The Infinitus Saga is grand enough to give this book a sense of gravitas. In other words, the events feel like they have substance and consequences. The Justice League aren’t just saving a city or even Earth, they’re saving the universe and the future. I can really appreciate this as too many comics these days get caught up in trying to be trendy or cute or funny to really give its protagonists a conflict that highlights their importance as heroes. Here, our protagonists duke it out on Earth and in space, as they battle against the Legion, Byth and (eventually) Infinitus. The conflict is very real and the stakes are high.

Where The Infinitus Saga falters is in its massive over-sized cast, which is largely due to the presence of the Legion of Super-Heroes. Now, I’m actually a fan of the Legion and think that as a whole they’re a fascinating section of the DC Universe. However, there are so many of them that Lemire himself has to write in jokes to acknowledge this. Their presence in the narrative clutters the flow and distracts from the main characters, which is a shame since the protagonists are truly worthy of further development. My biggest issue, and this is not directly solely at Lemire but at Legion stories in general, is that the Legion of Super-Heroes all too often seem like an amorphous blob of colourful heroes who are defined exclusively by their powers.  Because there are so many of them, there’s literally no way of distinguishing their personalities and developing them equally or even in a hierarchy. In The Infinitus Saga, Brainiac 5 is clearly the star. He’s the most fleshed out member of his team and has a distinct personality. Dream Girl and Wildfire are also given opportunities to shine. Other characters have moments (particularly showing off their powers), but this book will leave those unfamiliar with the Legion lost when it comes to understanding who these characters are.

At its core, Justice League United: The Infinitus Saga is a great sci fi adventure featuring a team-up between a rookie team of fan-favourites and the Legion of Super-Heroes. There’s tons of great action and funny dialogue to keep any reader engaged. This collection has its shortcomings, but it has heart. I can appreciate what Lemire was doing with this book, especially since it captures the optimism, spirit and overall do-right attitude necessary for any incarnation of the Justice League. It’s a solid effort that’s worth a read.

RATING: B

Review: Green Arrow Volume 6 - Broken

When Richard Dragon launches a campaign to destroy Green Arrow, he ignites a crime wave and goes after the emerald-clad vigilante’s closest allies. To stop him, Green Arrow reluctantly teams up with his half-sister Emiko and must mend fences with his one-time associate John Diggle.

Green Arrow Volume 6: Broken collects issues 32-34 of Green Arrow, along with Green Arrow: Futures End #1 and material from Secret Origins #4. It is written by Jeff Lemire, with art by Andrea Sorrentino.

The bulk of this collection is comprised of the three-part “Broken,” which closes out Jeff Lemire’s near faultless run on Green Arrow. In this story, Lemire begins wrapping up the loose ends of his tenure on the book. This includes defining Oliver’s relationship with Emiko, closing the schism between Oliver and Dig, Naomi accepting her feelings for Fyff, and Green Arrow finally dismantling Richard Dragon’s criminal operations. In these three short issues, Lemire packs in tons of action and a surprising amount of character development. He also treats readers to more Killer Moth, Red Dart and Brick. “Broken” is highly enjoyable and is a smartly-written conclusion to Lemire’s run.

Green Arrow: Futures End #1, which is the final story of this collection, takes place five years in the future and sees Emiko taking Oliver’s place as Green Arrow. It’s a really neat sneak peek into what could happen in the future and I especially loved seeing that Naomi takes up the fight as a vigilante named Dart (using Red Dart’s arsenal, of course). In a way, the issue is reminiscent of the way in which Marc Andreyko ended his run on Manhunter. It also speaks to Lemire’s talent as a writer that, even five years in the future, I’m still enthralled by the world he’s created and that I want to see more.

Andrea Sorrentino continues to be the perfect compliment to Lemire’s writing. His art is stylish and slick, but also quite gritty. It adds a sense of realism to this world, while also elevating the book’s appearance above being just another comic book title. Even though I wish Sorrentino’s characters were more expressive, the dynamic panels and creative way in which he composes his pages more than make up for this. That said, I do wish Lemire had used Katana more… since she’s the coolest looking character Sorrentino illustrates.

Jeff Lemire’s run on Green Arrow is one of my favourites from the New 52. It’s smart, it’s slick and it’s incredibly addictive. Broken serves as a beautiful conclusion and it’s great that Lemire was given the opportunity to do so, rather than merely being ousted before he could tie up his loose ends. While I do wish that Lemire had been on the book for far longer (perhaps at least for a couple more arcs), I still absolutely adore everything about what he did. For fans of CW’s Arrow, this run is sure to please as it’s one of the best you’ll ever encounter for the Emerald Archer.

RATING: A-

Review: Green Arrow Volume 5 - The Outsiders War

In order to stop the villainous Komodo, Green Arrow must return to the island that changed his life forever. With the mysterious archer Shado as his guide, he soon discovers that his being stranded on the island was never an accident and that he is in fact entangled in the history of an ancient secret society. With shadows from his past returning to haunt him, Green Arrow must either accept the destiny that was chosen for him or strike out on his own.

Green Arrow Volume 5: The Outsiders War collects Green Arrow #25-31, written by Jeff Lemire and illustrated by Andrea Sorrentino.

With The Kill Machine ending on a soft cliffhanger, Lemire and Sorrentino take Green Arrow back to the island that turned him into the character we know today. This return brings new surprises, adding further twists in the origins of the Emerald Archer. Much like TV’s Arrow, much of the narrative here is interested in exploring the reality of what happened on the island while Oliver was stranded there. It’s also focused on the why as well. Where Arrow veered into melodrama with its predictable love triangle mess in order to give one of its antagonists’ motivations, Lemire takes a completely different route.

The Outsiders War is entrenched in a layered conflict that has simmered for centuries between the ancient weapons clans. Green Arrow and the Arrow Clan are at the epicenter of this conflict. Unlike the other clans, the Arrow Clan has been without leadership for years and its totem has been missing for just as long. The villain Komodo is eager to claim the totem for himself in order to procure leadership of the Arrow Clan, but he must eliminate Green Arrow and Shado to do that. What’s great about all of this is that our titular hero couldn’t give two flying flips about the clans or their totems. He just wants to get rid of Komodo and rescue the half-sister he just found out existed.

Responsibility, destiny and expectation are clear themes throughout The Outsiders War. Green Arrow feels responsible for all the hurt Komodo has inflicted upon his loved ones, while newly introduced Diggle feels responsible for protecting Seattle from a gang war bubbling up in the city. This helps to define both characters, giving one a sense of maturity and the other motivation. Meanwhile, destiny and expectation are interwoven as we learn that Robert Queen had a prophetic view on who he wanted his son Oliver to become. It’s a startling revelation, one which shakes Oliver to his very core. The real conflict then comes in whether Oliver chooses to become who his father wanted him to be or whether he becomes something else entirely. There’s never really any question as to whether good will triumph over evil. Komodo will go down, that’s never in doubt. What is uncertain is what path Oliver will go down and that’s what makes The Outsiders War so damn good.

There are a lot of characters in this arc. That’s to be expected, given the level of build-up involved from The Kill Machine and the overall scale of the narrative. This is a story that spans centuries and expands across the globe. While the vast majority of the characters here are either original creations or are part of the Green Arrow mythos already, Lemire includes two guest stars that are surprisingly brilliant as an ally and villain respectively. They are Katana and Onyx.

Katana, as we find out, possesses the totem of the Sword Clan and she is dragged into the war as an ally for the forces of good. I’ll admit to being biased when it comes to Katana, so while I was thrilled she was a guest star, it was still a bummer to see that she didn’t have as much panel time as I would have liked.

In the Pre-Flashpoint continuity, Onyx was an antihero largely associated with the Batman segment of the DC Universe. Here, she’s reimagined as the leader of the Fist Clan. She’s tough (duh) and is allied with the villainous Spear and Shield Clans. Her purpose in the narrative is largely to stand around being sassy, that is until she has an epic Kill Bill-esque showdown with Katana. It’s one of the most memorable moments from The Outsiders War, especially due to Katana’s deadpan humour during the fight.

There’s no contesting that Lemire and Sorrentino deliver yet another epic arc on Green Arrow. With The Outsiders War, Lemire unravels the mysteries that have shrouded Oliver’s past in order to give the character a new sense of purpose and clarity. The writing is crisp, fast-paced and, at times, quite funny. It strikes the perfect balance between relentless violence with layered character development. Lemire knows how to write nuanced personalities, as well as how to pull off a good twist. In other words, he is to Green Arrow what Gail Simone is to Batgirl. If you’re looking for a Green Arrow trade to pick up, you really can’t go wrong with The Outsiders War.

RATING: A

Review: Green Arrow Volume 4 - The Kill Machine

Oliver Queen’s life is in shambles. His family’s company has been viciously taken over by a rival corporation and a new villain known as Komodo is stalking Green Arrow’s every move. If that weren’t enough, Oliver is framed for murder and his allies Naomi and Jax seemingly die in an explosion. In order to gain control of his life and unravel the conspiracy closing in around him, he must trust a mysterious stranger named Magus and accept that his life as he knows it may very well be a lie.

Green Arrow Volume 4: The Kill Machine collects Green Arrow #17-24, written by Jeff Lemire and illustrated by Andrea Sorrentino.

Jeff Lemire injects life into Green Arrow. His writing is electric and exciting, blending action with just the right amount of suspense. He understands how to craft a compelling story and how to develop his characters. Lemire smartly dials down Oliver’s playboy antics, opting instead to examine the character from a point of view where he’s just had the rug yanked out from under him. This shifting in the status quo mirrors what we’ve seen work so successfully in the critically acclaimed runs of Scott Snyder on Batman and Brian Azzarello on Wonder Woman. In fact, it hits many of the same notes that Knightfall and its adaptation The Dark Knight Rises did, with the villainous Komodo acting as Green Arrow’s Bane.

Saying I loved The Kill Machine feels like an understatement to me. In many ways, it’s the perfect Green Arrow story and is exactly what TV’s Arrow should be. Lemire builds a mythology around the titular hero and unravels a complex mystery about Oliver’s father Robert in the process. To do this, he introduces new characters and re-introduces familiar Pre-Flashpoint ones as well. Shado, one of Green Arrow’s most memorable love interests, makes a splash when he rescues her from the clutches of Count Vertigo. Lemire puts a twist on Shado’s past and her involvement with the Queen family, something which is unexpected and works surprisingly well. Her inclusion in the book feels right, as she adds not only necessary exposition but serves as a no-nonsense foil to Green Arrow. Where he’s come to rely on allies and cool gadgets, Shado is a loner old school archer. Similarly, Lemire puts a revisionist spin on Count Vertigo.  He’s no longer an eccentric cape-wearing supervillain, but rather a despotic ruler of a European country whose abilities come from a gruesome cybernetic implant. As far as villains go, he’s pretty terrifying and could very well be a contender as far as giving Green Arrow a Joker-caliber villain is concerned.

The narrative itself is great. It’s exciting, action-packed and incredibly suspenseful. It’s a page-turner that completely redefines the Green Arrow mythos. The way Lemire does this is through the introduction of the weapon clans – seven ancient tribes that possessed powerful totems that imbued them with incredible gifts. It’s a franchise making idea that sets Green Arrow’s section of the DC Universe apart from his close rival Batman. It’s unique and adds a sense of gravitas to the world of Green Arrow. It leaves the reader with many questions regarding these clans and it’s this curiosity that will keep the reader on the edge of his or her seat.

Similarly, the art by Sorrentino is masterful. It lacks the crispness and clarity of traditional comic book art, but it makes up for it in its dynamism. Sorrentino adds a very stylized touch to the book, often illustrating panels within panels to highlight the damage inflicted upon a character or psychedelic spreads that make an impactful splash. His art is well-suited to this street-level, slick kind of book, but would likely feel out of place in a more traditional superhero title. He should also be commended for coming up with such a freaky look for Count Vertigo.

Unfortunately, Sorrentino’s art does lack consistency particularly when it comes to drawing supporting character Naomi. For those who have read the title from its onset, Naomi was initially drawn to look like R&B superstar Rihanna, implying that she’s African-American. Sorrentino’s take veers away from this, meaning she goes from looking Black to looking East Asian. Whether intentional or not, it seems like a bit of a continuity error. She’s later given darker skin and the last name Singh, which implies she’s likely Indian. This kind of inconsistency happens in volume 5 as well, where Onyx is initially portrayed with bleached white skin in one issue and then a mocha tone the next.

After the disservice paid to Green Arrow at the hands of previous creative teams, Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino are like a breath of fresh air. The pair proves to be a dynamic duo capable of rivalling New 52 super teams like Johns and Reis, Azzarello and Chang, or Snyder and Capullo. It’s a promising new direction for a title that was once drowning in mediocrity. For fans of Arrow, this is a sure to be a hit. The Kill Machine is exciting and dynamic, a total thrill-ride that put Green Arrow back on the map.

RATING: A

Review: Justice League United Volume 1 - Justice League Canada

While making an appearance at a convention in Toronto, the superheroes Stargirl and Animal Man agree to investigate the disappearance of an anthropolist’s assistant in Northern Ontario. Before long, they are whisked off to space, alongside Justice Leaguers Martian Manhunter and Green Arrow, where they discover a Thanagarian criminal known as Byth intends to unleash a biological weapon upon the universe. Without skipping a beat, the heroes band together to stop this intergalactic menace.

Justice League United Volume 1: Justice League Canada collects Justice League United #0-5, written by Jeff Lemire and illustrated by Mike McKone.

Since their Silver Age debut, the Justice League has had many incarnations and spin-offs. Despite the success of the Justice League International era, none have quite managed to click quite as well with readers as the original seven. Thankfully, Justice League United is more International than Extreme Justice. Lemire depicts the team as a ragtag group of heroes, whose interactions with one another are light and quippy, bringing to mind the humorous underpinnings of what made Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis’ take on Justice League so memorable. Stargirl and Martian Manhunter form the nucleus of the group. Having both been members of the Geoff Johns-penned Justice League of America, they’ve already formed a sibling-like bond that adds stability to this line-up. Likewise, Green Arrow and Animal Man have a teasing brotherly dynamic that’s reminiscent of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold. The focus on developing these two should really be no surprise, given the fact that Lemire was responsible for both of their solo ongoing series.

As far as this collection is concerned, Lemire is at his best when he is developing characters and writing dialogue. He knows how to build relationships, which works well towards forming an organic team dynamic. He’s got a great line-up of heroes and he utilizes them quite well. The problem, however, is in the story itself. The main plot deals with our heroes’ battle in space against the alien Byth, while the subplot explores the struggles of a Cree teenager Miiyahbin Marten as she comes to terms with her unique abilities. The former is terribly generic. When teams are formed, it seems it’s almost always due to some kind of alien plot or invasion. As a villain, Byth is far from being a Darkseid or Despero. He’s not particularly menacing and his alliance with Lobo seems more random than anything else. By contrast, Miiyahbin’s story is gripping and acts as the saving grace for this volume.

From her design to her backstory, Miiyahbin stands out as one of the more unique heroes created in recent years. That’s why it’s so unfortunate that she gets relegated to subplot status. It’s made worse by the fact that her story is rushed to its conclusion, speeding through her origins and confrontation with the antagonist. The opening arc to Justice League United would have been so much more interesting had Lemire inverted the plots, placing a focus on Miiyahbin’s and turning Adam Strange’s origin into the sub. Truth be told, DC Comics would have done well to introduce Equinox in a solo ongoing series as a way of competing with Marvel’s Ms. Marvel series.

Justice League United has potential. It features a strong roster with room for a lot of character growth. Sadly, this first collection simply lacked the excitement and originality necessary to set it apart from other team books. Given the fact that subsequent issues appear to focus more on science fiction than fantasy, it’s really no surprise as to why United was never really able to find an audience.

RATING: B-

Review: Green Arrow Volume 3 - Harrow

Upon returning home from a mission to China, Green Arrow discovers a war has broken out in the skies of Seattle. The Thanagarians, a winged alien race, are in pursuit of Hawkman, who has been accused of murdering a member of their royal family. Recognizing Hawkman’s innocence, Green Arrow throws his hat in with the winged wonder and fights alongside him to help him clear his name.

Green Arrow Volume 3: Harrow collects Green Arrow #0 and #14-16, as well as Savage Hawkman #14 and Justice League #8, with writing by Ann Nocenti, Rob Liefeld, Geoff Johns and Judd Winick.

On paper, a Hawkman and Green Arrow crossover is a fantastic idea. For diehard fans of the DC Universe, they’ll remember some of the epic clashes the two have had in the Pre-Flashpoint continuities. Therefore, it’s not hard to imagine such a crossover would entail plenty of the pair butting heads and just narrowly saving the day by putting aside their egos to get the job done. Instead what we get is a bit of an uneven paint-by-numbers team-up that doesn’t fully capitalize on the infamous rivalries between these two heroes. Part of the problem is that this crossover happens in just two issues and that Green Arrow is, in essence, a guest star in Hawkman’s story. This creates confusion for the reader, particularly if they haven’t read any of the preceding Hawkman material.

Having blasted Ann Nocenti’s writing on Green Arrow in my review of TripleThreat, it’s a relief to note that she’s only responsible for three issues in this collection. She penned one issue of the Hawkman crossover and a two-part story of Green Arrow duking it out with a gunrunner named Harrow. Her writing in these issues are an improvement, but they’re largely unforgettable stories that don’t leave much of an impression.

In an interesting twist of irony, Judd Winick takes over from Nocenti to write Green Arrow #0. This mirrors the way in which Winick was ousted from Catwoman, only to have Nocenti take over for that series’ #0. Comparing the two zero issues, there’s no denying Winick is the superior writer. He has a firmer grasp on the characters at hand, as he should considering he’s a veteran Green Arrow scribe from before the New 52 relaunch.  That said, not a whole lot actually happens in the story, but it’s worth noting that Winick introduces Tommy Merlyn to the DC Universe and gives readers a pretty big indication of how he may eventually turn against his one-time friend.

The most interesting thing about Harrow is the inclusion of Justice League #8. For starters, it’s not contemporary to the issues collected here. In fact, its narrative happens several months before the rest of the stories in this volume. Its inclusion in this trade was likely due to a lack of material necessary for printing a graphic novel, considering it would otherwise be five issues (rather than DC Comics’ traditional six). It also serves as a stark contrast in the area of quality. The art, by Carlos D’Anda and Ivan Reis, is vibrant and dynamic. Geoff Johns’ writing is also on point, though it’s admittedly a little too light in its tone. In this issue, Green Arrow does everything possible in order to join the Justice League. He tags along on their missions, like an unwanted younger sibling desperately trying to hang out with their cooler older brother or sister. It’s an amusing dynamic, particularly since we get a lot of tension between Green Arrow and Green Lantern, but it doesn’t feel quite right. Green Arrow shouldn’t be seeking the validation of being on the Justice League. In fact, I would otherwise expect him to have a jaded and cynical view of that team. Luckily, Johns redeems himself with the epilogue bar scene between Steve Trevor and Oliver Queen. It’s subtle, but it presents a nice segue into the characters teaming up for Justice League of America.

Much like Triple Threat, Green Arrow Volume 3: Harrow can easily be skipped. The Hawkman crossover is a bit of a bust, the two-part “Harrow” is forgettable and Winick’s zero issue isn’t essential reading. The only material worth reading is Johns’ Justice League #8. However, if you’ve already got the Justice League trades in your collection then you’ll have no need of having this issue duplicated. In other words, skip right over the two Nocenti-penned books and dive right into Jeff Lemire’s run instead.

RATING: D+

Review: Green Arrow Volume 2 - Triple Threat

On a routine patrol, Green Arrow is ambushed by the mercenaries known as Skylark. Impressed by their gadgets, he agrees to venture to Alaska with them in order to learn the secrets to their technology. Meanwhile, with Q-Core in dire straits, Oliver’s business rival Emerson launches a plan to gain full control of the company.

Green Arrow Volume 2: Triple Threat collects Green Arrow #7-13, written by Ann Nocenti and illustrated by Harvey Tolibao.

After the underwhelming New 52 launch of Green Arrow with the team of Krul, Giffen and Jurgens, DC Comics passed the book over to veteran Marvel editor Ann Nocenti. This move proved to be less than intelligent, as it resulted in a garbled, incoherent mess. Nocenti’s opening arc is hard to follow and a little too gratuitous. She depicts Green Arrow as an impulsive individual who is at the very mercy of his own testosterone. We’re given more than one nauseating sex scene, which do absolutely nothing to further the plot. It’s as if Nocenti is suggesting that our titular hero is really nothing more than a man child in green leather. This is exemplified through his actions with other characters. He’s rude, disrespectful and can’t see past his own agenda. It makes it impossible to care about him and actually want him to succeed. Yes, Green Arrow’s always been a bit of a pig and he can be stubborn, but never quite to the extent where he just seems like a bored yuppie man child.

Beyond her misinterpretation of the titular character, Nocenti’s dialogue proves to be quite strange. I had the exact same problem with her tenure on Catwoman. The dialogue is often vaguely poetic, as it often lacks context and narrative structure. In other words, half of what comes out of the characters’ mouths makes little to no sense in context with the scene. This makes it especially difficult to follow the story. By the time you get through the first couple of issues, you’re likely to be flipping to the back to see how many pages you’ve got left to read. Yes, it’s that bad.

To make matters worse, Tolibao’s art matches Nocenti’s writing style in the worst possible way. It’s messy and you practically have to squint in order to make sense of the details. None of the characters are particularly attractive and they’re all vaguely childlike, which makes the aforementioned sex scenes that much more grotesque.

It’s really easy to hate on Nocenti’s run on Green Arrow. It’s inconsistent and has far too many eye roll worthy moments. What’s even more maddening is that under the care of a more judicious creative team, the stories present here could have been fairly interesting. The first arc plays on Shakespeare’s seminal King Lear, presenting the narrative of a crazed patriarch whose poisonous relationship with his daughters leads to the destruction of his domain. The second plays with the concepts of reality, by exploring an imagined industry where humans are enhanced with cybernetic parts in order to escape the negative aspects of being human. Lastly, Green Arrow ventures to China to reclaim his company and fight against a tyrannical businessman. All of these have tremendous potential. Sadly, Nocenti squanders it all with senseless dialogue and some rather unfortunate (and hopefully unintentional) racist moments.

If you’re a fan of Green Arrow and of good storytelling, Triple Threat is not for you. It’s a collection perhaps to be read for completion sake, rather than enjoyment. The writing is tedious and the art just doesn’t work for a mainstream superhero comic. If you’re expecting memorable villains and soapy melodrama you can sink your teeth into a la CW’s Arrow, you’re not going to find it here.

RATING: D

Review: Green Arrow Volume 1 - The Midas Touch

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 21^st 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