Green Arrow has been lost in the multiverse, and even all his friends and family might not be enough to find him this time. Your Major Spoilers review of Green Arrow #1 from DC Comics awaits!

GREEN ARROW #1

Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Sean Izaakse
Colorist: Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Letterer: Troy Peteri
Editor: Ben Abernathy
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 25, 2023

Previously in Green Arrow: The Emerald Archer is lost, and it will take Oliver Queen’s whole family to find him! But dangerous forces are determined to keep them apart at any cost!

REMEMBER THE DARK CRISIS?

At the end of Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Justice Leaguers who had been held hostage by Pariah as a power source were able to return to Earth… but something grabbed Green Arrow, preventing him from returning home. This issue finally shows what happened to him, as he literally washes up on the shores of a remote island, angrily wondering how this keeps happening to him. It is, after all, his origin, as a really well-done double-page spread reminds us, followed by a change in venue to Gotham City. As is usually the case, a high-speed chase is on between criminals and costumed folks, but rather than the usual array of questionably bat-themed heroes, it’s Green Arrow Connor Hawke, Red Arrow Roy Harper, and the Black Canary chasing a vanful of masked twerps. Their skills in archery and/or screaming at inhuman decibels make short work of the thugs, but they are surprised when they are joined by another mask, a young teen girl calling herself The Cheshire Cat.

But Roy recognizes his own daughter when he sees her.

REALLY GOOD LOOKING BOOK

First and foremost, this is one dynamite-looking comic book. The introduction of Connor and Roy is just plain stunning, and every page is full of crystal clear and amazing imagery, while the emotions shown by the characters when Roy tries to talk Cheshire Cat out of the shadows are incredibly skilled and subtle. The full-page father-daughter reunion is perfect in every way, and the excellent coloring only adds to the effectiveness of Izaakse’s art, especially when we finally see what has become of Green Arrow. Two words: Chainsaw arrow. Williamson’s work has quickly become a favorite for me, as he is able to streamline decades of continuity into two well-constructed pages that tell you all you need to know about Green Arrow, then launch into the mystery that will clearly be the spine of this limited series. As with his run on The Flash, I appreciate how the script balances the post-Flashpoint Green Arrow (who is just a little too grimdark for my tastes) with the previous takes, making for a take that feels classic and new at the same time.

BOTTOM LINE: THEY HAD ME AT “I KNOW MY DAUGHTER”

As a longtime fanboy nerd, Green Arrow #1 got my eternal devotion for undoing the senseless, toothless, meaningless murder of Lian Harper from Cry For Justice, but the fact that it does so with excellent scripting and note-perfect art (including costumes redesigns for the whole GA fam) earns it a well-deserved 4.5 out of 5 stars overall. There’s a charm here that is sometimes lacking in modern comics, and I really appreciate what these creators have achieved in just one issue.

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GREEN ARROW #1

93%

93%

Unexpectedly Delightful

Green Arrow often suffers in the hierarchy of DC, but this issue pulls off some amazing character bits and moments and looks absolutely spectacular.

• Writing

  8
• Art

  10
• Coloring

  10
• User Ratings (0 Votes)
  0