Green Arrow #17
It baffled me, for a long time, why, exactly, DC let the Green Arrow title flounder at the bottom of a shit-stained toilet while simultaneously promoting a show (in an aggressive and unavoidable fashion) that is centered around the character. It was a poor decision, but one that is now in the past, as Jeff Lemire has taken the reigns for the book, and all signs point to him doing exactly what he did to Justice League Dark, which is take a book that sucks and make it not suck anymore.
This book is a second chance for the Green Arrow, and it’s one that the creative team clearly doesn’t plan on wasting. The issues dives in head first and doesn’t come up for air until it’s over. It’s a smartly paced, dense opener to his run that, I think, pretty much does everything he could want to and more. It’s keenly aware of what its readers are expecting out of it, and it works to meet those standards, and does.
The team (Andrea Sorrentino is on art) takes equal cues from the Arrow TV series and Matt Franction’s (absolutely fantastic) Hawkeye book, and it works splendidly. Oliver is the idealist that he is on the show, and is facing many of the same problems, problems that are inherent in being at his status, and dealing with them about as well as he can. This is best captured in his quick turn of feelings towards Emerson. One second, he’s irate, and as soon as there’s danger it all flips. It’s a demonstration of his character, his maturity and it shows what’s important. Despite the fact that he considers this man to have ruined his father’s legacy and potentially his own life, the aggression goes away immediately. His handling of the situation is a wonderful snippet into the psyche of Oliver Queen.
The plot centers around an almost Daredevil-esque upheaval of everything Queen considered easy and comfortable in his life. It starts the character right out with a trying and terrible situation, and one that he may not be able to get out of without collateral damage. I always appreciate a team that isn’t afraid to put the character in real, tangible danger, so I’m glad that Lemire & Co took this route to start.
Artistically, it’s fantastic and Sorrentino deserves heaps of praise. The panelling is gorgeous and they creativity and willingness to step outside convention are very reminiscent of David Aja’s work on Hawkeye. It’s highly stylized, but in a very good way and has a feel entirely unique to itself. It’s exactly what the book needs.
So, the Emerald Archer embarks on a new run that is poised to be one of, if not the, best in the character’s history. It’s brave, it’s unforgiving, and it’s willing to shake everything to the core for the sake of a good read. I’ll take it.
This book is a second chance for the Green Arrow, and it’s one that the creative team clearly doesn’t plan on wasting. The issues dives in head first and doesn’t come up for air until it’s over. It’s a smartly paced, dense opener to his run that, I think, pretty much does everything he could want to and more. It’s keenly aware of what its readers are expecting out of it, and it works to meet those standards, and does.
The team (Andrea Sorrentino is on art) takes equal cues from the Arrow TV series and Matt Franction’s (absolutely fantastic) Hawkeye book, and it works splendidly. Oliver is the idealist that he is on the show, and is facing many of the same problems, problems that are inherent in being at his status, and dealing with them about as well as he can. This is best captured in his quick turn of feelings towards Emerson. One second, he’s irate, and as soon as there’s danger it all flips. It’s a demonstration of his character, his maturity and it shows what’s important. Despite the fact that he considers this man to have ruined his father’s legacy and potentially his own life, the aggression goes away immediately. His handling of the situation is a wonderful snippet into the psyche of Oliver Queen.
The plot centers around an almost Daredevil-esque upheaval of everything Queen considered easy and comfortable in his life. It starts the character right out with a trying and terrible situation, and one that he may not be able to get out of without collateral damage. I always appreciate a team that isn’t afraid to put the character in real, tangible danger, so I’m glad that Lemire & Co took this route to start.
Artistically, it’s fantastic and Sorrentino deserves heaps of praise. The panelling is gorgeous and they creativity and willingness to step outside convention are very reminiscent of David Aja’s work on Hawkeye. It’s highly stylized, but in a very good way and has a feel entirely unique to itself. It’s exactly what the book needs.
So, the Emerald Archer embarks on a new run that is poised to be one of, if not the, best in the character’s history. It’s brave, it’s unforgiving, and it’s willing to shake everything to the core for the sake of a good read. I’ll take it.
A Look Inside
Comments
The issue was written fairly well and had a good flow. I thought this might be a jumping on point for new readers but it was a continuation of an ongoing story arc. I haven't read this title for quite some time and was a little confused. While I liked the art work it was, at times, a little hard to make out exactly what was being focused in on. I still like Jurgens' initial run on this title the best, Lemire & Sorentino did a good job and I'll check it out again next month.