That’s it, Arrow fans. Hold your breath for a count of 10. That’s because the superstar team of Joshua Williamson, Sean Isaacse, and Romulo Fajardo Jr. is coming to the end of their run with the Emerald Archer. It was authentic, it was fun, and it was really fun.
Interestingly, this seems to be the end of what I thought was (I think) a happy trio having a merry run in DC Comics. The first was Jeremy Adams’ The Flash, which focused on Wally West’s return to normalcy after a seemingly endless series of unfortunate events. And while Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo’s tenure on Nightwing recently ended, it was another bright and cheerful endeavor that put the character in the spotlight. Similarly, Williamson, Isaxe, and Fajardo Jr.’s Green Arrow replanted Olly into his own ongoing series, which saw him reunite with all of his friends and family. That being said, the only thing that all of these comics were interconnected with was their focus on re-elevating characters to their status quo of being popular, loved, and happy. In a way, it’s a shame to see this team go. I wanted to see what would happen to the Arrow family in the future. But wait, there’s still one comic left. Will our hopes and dreams come true this year?
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We’ve seen Old Man Oliver (or possible versions of him) appear several times in this series as a cautionary tale about why Oliver and his family can never be together. But what will become of Oliver and his family after all is said and done? Is Oliver as grumpy, lonely, and hurt as he is said to be? No, like I said, this series is hilarious and upbeat, and Willamson takes the opportunity to write what happened to Oliver and his family into history once and for all.
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I really appreciated this juxtaposition in the final issue of The Team to finally show what the future holds for Oliver. He’s been through a tough time, having his family separated, his family separated again, going undercover to work for Amanda Waller, and essentially losing the trust of many of the people he loves. And that’s not to mention the amount of time he was trapped on the island. So I appreciate how Williamson portrays what becomes of him and his family.
Other than that, the story itself is pretty fun. Oliver is an old man who shares old stories with his grandchildren about the man who ran away. But don’t worry, it’s not who you think it is. When this plays, you get a beautiful replay of Ollie’s biggest hits. Here, Sean Isaacse collaborates and Amankai Nafulpan shares artistic duties to deliver a great story. It’s almost impossible to know when each artist is on the page, other than the unique nuances of each. To me, this is a great demonstration of how well these two work together to deliver a great story full of life, style and charm. One of the best things about this issue is how the two depict very detailed moments throughout the story. Izaakse is good for expressive, vibrant sounds, while Naheulpan delivers a sharper, more defined tone. Collectively, these two are sure to earn a huge reputation for delivering some of Green Arrow’s best modern art through detailed line drawings, emotes, and vibrant backgrounds. Romulo Fajardo Jr.’s colors also enhance the story through vibrancy and bright tones. That being said, one of the criticisms I find myself in is how the coloring depicts people of color. There are some inconsistencies in the way some characters are drawn that stand out to me as being slightly out of place. Moments like this are always important in an industry like comics, but they can sometimes detract from the emotional appeal of the story.
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Green Arrow Annual 2024 is a true love letter to Green Arrow and the entire cast of the series. Williamson has had quite the uphill climb this series. It started out as a short miniseries, then turned into an ongoing series that dives into the All In initiative from our newest creative team. But the final moments with this team of characters will give readers a heart-warming stroll down memory lane and a glimpse of what the future holds for Oliver. Arrow fans, rest assured. This marks the end of the team’s current title run.
“Green Arrow Annual” 2024 review: Will you still be happy afterwards?
Green Arrow 2024 Annual #1
Green Arrow 2024 Annual #1 feels like it marks the end of Oliver Queen’s time and shows how all of Oliver’s hard work pays off with time spent with his family.
Williamson delivers Green Arrow’s final epic story
Sean Izaakse and Amancay Naheulpan do some of their best work yet, complimenting each other’s styles perfectly.
Inconsistent coloring of characters of color sometimes takes away from the story and feels unnecessary
