CREDIT: DC Comics
Rating: 4/5 – Combining the Best of Comic’s Green Arrow and TV’s Arrow.
by ComicSpectrum senior reviewer Shawn Hoklas.
When Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino took over Green Arrow in issue seventeen, they brought the character back from the disappointing relaunch he had with the start of the New 52. Their run on Green Arrow made the title one of my favorite DC books month in and month out. When they left the title with issue thirty-four, I was nervous about the direction the book would be headed. After three issues with the new creative team of Andrew Kreisberg, Ben Sokolowski and artist Daniel Sampere at the helm, they’ve proven that they have a different, yet good handle on the character.
Fans of the Arrow TV show may recognize the name Andrew Kreisberg who serves as executive producer of the show. Kreisberg along with show writer Ben Sokolowski are now writing the Green Arrow comic book and they’ve done a nice job of combining the best parts of Green Arrow the comic book character, and Arrow the television vigilante. After introducing Felicity Smoke into the series a couple issues back, she continues to play an important role in this issue as Arrow, Diggle and Smoke investigate the “up to no good” John King who happens to be the third wealthiest man in the country behind Lex Luthor and Bruce Wayne. We also get to see the continued strain of Oliver’s relationship with his assistant, as well as an appearance by Katana. Although lighter in tone than Lemire’s previous writing, the stakes are still high and the action scenes are exciting, all drawn by Daniel Sampere.
A big part of the change in tone has a lot to do with the art. Sampere’s style is much more traditional than Sorrentino’s. His lines are very clean and the action is well staged and very easy to follow. There’s a wonderful double page splash that has Green Arrow and Oliver fighting each other aboard a moving train. Sampere is able to give you the sense of speed and movement over the course of the scene’s six pages. Although the art is very different from what’s come before, that’s not to say it’s bad. Fans of Sorrentino may find the transition a bit jarring, but Sampere’s style fits the writing.
Green Arrow continues to be a book you should be reading. Although it doesn’t feel as big in scope as the previous run, it’s beginning to feel as though the creative team is starting to find their groove. By catering to fans of Arrow, as well as using the DC Universe to strengthen it’s core and fit into the New 52 continuity, Green Arrow is a book that’s easy to follow for both new and old readers, and the last page guest star provides a perfect example of what the TV show is unable to do. I’m pleased that Green Arrow is continuing it’s fine run that started twenty issues ago, and it looks as though this series will continue to aim for new heights.
Reviewed by: Shawn Hoklas
(shawn@comicspectrum.com)
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