Hello, Arrow Fam! No, not that Arrow, I promise. A new day is coming for Green Arrow. He’s been a little busy lately, dying, coming back, reuniting with his family, searching for one of his closest friends, working for (not really) Amanda Waller, saving all the heroes of the DC Universe, etc. is. Phew. I don’t know how time works in DC Comics (does anyone else?), but personally it even seems like a crammed few years.
The significance of Green Arrow is that the book began as a 6-issue miniseries by Joshua Williamson and Sean Isaacse, became a 12-issue maxi-series, and finally became a continuation of Olly’s book again. It certainly rose again. Now, it’s time to end Williamson’s time as the Emerald Archer and enter a brand new era with Chris Condon and Montos. But before we get into it, Williamson has some loose ends to wrap up. The first part of Green Arrow #17 begins to close the curtain on what’s come before, with a short back-up story offering a glimpse of what’s next.
direct current
For those who might be jumping into an all-in effort, here’s what I have to say. Olly turned to the dark side in a way, but it seems like he kept it a secret from everyone. His plan was to go deep undercover and take down Amanda Waller before she took down his friends and family. Although this is not Mr. Williamson’s final issue in the series, which will be the Green Arrow 2024 Annual Issue, issue 17 deals with most of the aftermath of the past few issues of Green Arrow and the effects of Absolute Power.
First, there’s the well-deserved gloating towards Amanda Waller. Oliver kept this a secret from everyone, so even if he solves it, there are still some unresolved issues between him and the newly reformed Justice League Unlimited (not that one!) There is no doubt that there is. Watching Oliver do as well as expected. Although he doesn’t apologize out loud, he regrets hurting his family.
direct current
This ends up being an interesting tonal switch as we see Oliver standing tall over Waller and the way he gloats feels like a defensive move by Olly. Here, Williamson does a good job of balancing the loudness of Oliver’s voice with the voices of those around him. This is further enhanced by the amazing work of artist Amankai Nahuelpan and colorist Romulo Fajardo Jr. The duo does an amazing job conveying an energetic story full of intricate detail and vivid color. Overall, this is a good story that bridges the gap between DC’s latest events and Williamson’s final issue of Green Arrow.
direct current
In the second part of the story, writer Chris Condon, artist Montos, and colorist Adriano Lucas jump into action and make a great sales pitch to read the upcoming story. Tonally, they couldn’t be more different from their predecessors, which isn’t a bad thing, as they’re both perfect encapsulations of what inevitably defines Green Arrow. If there’s one thing Oliver is best known for other than having a great family, it’s being one of DC’s best street-level heroes. Readers are looking forward to a thrilling noir about Green Arrow investigating Star City’s latest serial killer.
direct current
Here readers can get a quick look at Olly’s new costume. This might be one of my favorite looks from Green Arrow. It’s incredibly streamlined but looks perfect for this new era. Montos and Lucas also provide one amazing story. Montos depicts this story through a rougher, grittier lens, which is effective in introducing readers to a new direction for the series. Also, Lucas continues to do what he does best, providing great colors that help add depth to the book. I’m pretty used to his work on Nightwing, where everything was brighter and more vibrant, but this one is thicker and almost grainy. One of the best examples of this was when Green Arrow debuted. The entire page appears in a huge splash consisting of different deep shades of green and black. Overall, this backstory is a fascinating introduction, and readers should mark their calendars for Green Arrow #18 on November 27th.
Overall, Green Arrow #17 is a great issue with a lot of setup. At first, it helps bridge the gap between the events of Absolute Power, where Olly reconciles with his family. Additionally, the book has an exciting new premise as a whole new creative team prepares to take over the reins. As a starting point for new readers, it seems necessary to have read at least “Absolute Power” beforehand, but even if you haven’t read it, you can read on without much hesitation. I’ll definitely miss how Williamson wrote Oliver, because he handles Oliver’s character so well. But, true believers, do not worry. Chris Codon does not disappoint.
“Green Arrow” #17 (LGY #350) Review: Olly, are you all in?!
Green Arrow #17
Green Arrow #17 is Joshua Williamson’s penultimate work, as well as a fascinating story that provides a very engaging introduction to the series’ new direction.
Seeing Oliver’s emotions control him, for better or for worse, creates a nice contrast.
Chis Condon and Montos give a great introduction to their debut
The first half of this book feels like there’s too much pre-reading to really be a jumping off point for new readers
