DC’s Shattered Arrow

This post is similar to my overall look at many of DC’s series’. It will follow the same type of structure that my Superman (my very first post), Blackhawks, Aquaman, Batman, and Stormwatch posts followed.

There is no denying that Green Arrow is a popular character. He’s been a fan favorite in almost every iteration of the character. I was able to take part in an academic communication class this summer at my university that centered on super heroes. Majority of the students in the class had no comic book experience, and were unimpressed by many things that would make a nerd squeal with joy. As apart of our required reading, we read Denny O’Neil and Neil Adams’ Green Lantern/Green Arrow story.

Every nerd knows the story, or at least knows of the story. They can identify the key points of the series without reading it because the series is so iconic. That being said, the reaction of most non-nerds to this title was generally positive. While the reception to Green Lantern was luke-warm, the entire class buzzed with how great Green Arrow was. After we discussed the book, many of my classmates came to me and asked what they should pick up at the comic book store if they wanted to read more Green Arrow. I sadly had to turn them to other stories, wishing that I could tell them they could hop on board the New 52 which had been discussed many times in our class.

But as a reader you can’t. Anyone who had love of Green Arrow was forced to put that love in the past, for the New 52 Green Arrow is far from anything we’ve seen before. Not only is the costume different, eliminating all signature looks to the iconic character, but the character was done poorly as well. Through 12 issues Green Arrow has done absolutely nothing, and it looks like he’ll continue to do the same. Something’s just off with his character, and it has demolished all that made the character enjoyable.

Green Arrow has had it’s share of creative mix ups this past year, and Green Arrow hasn’t benefited from the changes. He has remained stagnant for an entire year. I have abandoned all hope for the series, but am still very angry about it. Green Arrow is one of the worst comic books on the market. Not just because the story has been pointless and uninspiring, but because it holds on to nothing that made Green Arrow special in all of his past runs, it is doubly painful and doubly worse for DC fans.

However, there is hope on the horizon. With CW’s Arrow coming out this fall, Green Arrow will be able to reach new audiences. Given the version of the character became a fan favorite in Smallville, I am assuming many fan girls will watch the show for that reason. However, Arrow seems to return to the core dynamics that make Green Arrow amazing. Last week Comixology released a free 16 page Arrow teaser comic. That comic was the best interpretation of Green Arrow I have seen since DC’s relaunch. 16 pages beat an entire 12 year comic series. It wasn’t because the writing or art was phenomenal, just that it was Green Arrow. Classic Green Arrow, a character that we could identify with.

So, if DC takes a lesson from Arrow, then there is hope that we will see Green Arrow in the New 52. This past year hasn’t been focusing on Green Arrow. It’s more like Hawkeye in the DCU, and that absolutely doesn’t work.

Do you like the series? If so let me know why!

Until the next time, live long and prosper.

Rn