Green Arrow #22

Writer: Benjamin Percy

Artist: Juan Ferreyra

Publisher: DC Comics

The Ninth Circle's attack on Seattle continues. The last issue provided a lot of set-up, but does that set-up pay off here?

The scope and destruction of the story is accomplished nigh-on perfectly by Juan Ferreyra. His work is stunning on every level. His panels drip with beauty and detail. He is a truly extraordinary artist whose contributions to this story should be noted. His style very much suits the tone of the story, which is genuinely dramatic and dark.

The wide, epic scope of the Ninth Circle's plan are beginning to settle. Hundreds are dead. They have a few more things to do which keeps things interesting, providing a solid cliffhanger. What Benjamin Percy does really well is completely sell the fact that Oliver doesn't know what to do right away. He's not the kind of person, like Batman, to instantly analyse the situation and jump into action, executing his flawless plan. He's been affected personally by this attack. Last issue's revelation that his father was a high-ranking of the Ninth Circle has slightly drained his hope. He doesn't think he can make a difference, which leads to some conflict with Black Canary that, while coming out of nowhere, has an explanation. Only time will tell if this arc drives him further from his allies.

If anything, this series is a vessel for incredible art. Otto Schmidt is great but Juan Ferreyra's scope cannot be questioned. The story moves along nicely and we get to see how Ollie is affected by the Ninth Circle, which may or may not drive his allies away. And they're who he needs right now.