The Emerald Archer is lost, and it will take Oliver Queen’s whole family to find him! But dangerous forces are determined to keep them apart at any cost! Green Arrow #1 spins out of Dark Crisis and thankfully you don’t need to read that event to pick up this comic. Unfortunately, you might need to know some Green Arrow history to really enjoy it.

Written by Joshua Williamson, Oliver Queen is missing… again. Whisked away to an unknown location, team Green Arrow is left back on Earth to help save the day and also try to figure out where Oliver is. Roy Harper, Connor Hawke, and Dinah Lance are picking up the slack while Green Arrow is off on an alien world.

Williamson does a decent job of catching readers up on who everyone is and what has happened. For those that don’t know Green Arrow, his history, what recently happened, or any other character, the comic acts as a nice primer. But, later on it throws in some reveals that feel a bit forced and at the same time make all the drama feel a bit more convoluted. It isn’t just the trio of individuals close to Oliver that are focused on, a fourth person comes to the table and with it moves Oliver’s part of the story forward but also feels like it’s just thrown in there. It’s a bit much overall but also has a sense of just rolling with it.

What stands out is the attitude and overall vibe of the comic. The art by Sean Izaakse with color by Romulo Fajardo Jr., and lettering by Troy Peteri has a whimsical fun aspect that matches the “voice” of the comic. There’s a pop sense to it all and the comic feels like it doesn’t take itself too seriously, instead delivering an almost pop adventure. It’s all a bit exaggerated and a little silly but the comic’s visuals and story feels like it knows this. There’s some solid panels and the art does a fantastic job of balancing the current action and flashbacks in its own style.

Green Arrow #1 is good and fun in a popcorn sort of way. It’s a story that feels like it’s made for comics with such an over the top history and current situation. There’s a pop sense about it, with a little bit of a feel like it’s a throwback to old school serials in its concept and in some ways its execution as well. While the debut doesn’t quite nail it in execution, it does deliver a fun read that’ll entice you to come back for more.

Story: Joshua Williamson Art: Sean Izaakse
Color: Romulo Fajardo Jr. Letterer: Troy Peteri
Story: 7.5 Art: 8.25 Overall: 7.65 Recommendation: Read

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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