This is the second of a two part story arc that focuses on Green Arrow’s sister Emi. She’s been kidnapped by her mom and stuck in Japan but we’re also learning about a never told mission her and Ollie went on. Is it good?
Green Arrow #7 (DC Comics)
So what’s it about? Read the official DC summary:
“THE KILLING TIME”! In a tale from happier but no less dangerous times, Green Arrow labors to train a new apprentice who’s every bit as deadly as his fiercest villains: a teenage girl. But before Emiko and Ollie can embrace as brother and sister, they have to save Seattle from a foe that can see the future of anyone he chooses—anyone, that is, except for Emiko Queen…
Why does this book matter?
Benjamin Percy has written quite a good first arc, raising the stakes and putting Ollie’s back against a wall. He’s made the character question who his friends are whilst establishing a dark and mysterious villain group that shouldn’t be trifled with.
Fine, you have my attention. What’s good about it?
Seriousluy?
I wasn’t a big fan of the last issue by any means, but this issue recovers nicely. It opens with a somewhat comical flashback to when Ollie and Emi take on some lumberjacks, but that humor gives the fight sequence an added level of entertainment. From there we learn how Emi betrayed Ollie in the past once before, but that leads to her showing her true colors as she did in the last arc. Percy does a good job making Emi incredibly heroic (one might say suicidally heroic) in this issue and proves her loyalty to Ollie shouldn’t ever be questioned again. In a sense then, Percy has assured readers our view of her should be reset to where it was before.
The issue also delves into Emi’s run in with a dragon supervillain in Japan that delivers a badass action sequence. It also ties things up with Emi’s mom and continues to make Emi way more badass than we ever thought possible.
The art by Stephen Byrne looks much more cartoonish in this issue, but in a more teen/adult sort of way with lots of bright colors and cinematic qualities to it. The issue closes with a hell of a splash page of Emi jumping off a skyscraper (though how she’ll live through this without a rope is beyond me) and the dragon villain looks all kinds of cool.
It can’t be perfect can it?
While Emi and her loyalty to Ollie is strong, Percy seems to be trying to tie up her loyalty and undying need to reconcile with her mother too which doesn’t work. Really the entire Japan sequence with the dragon feels rushed and not enough time is spent establishing the villain or the stakes between Emi and her mother to make it pay off. When Emi and her mother have a heart to heart it’s hard to buy and doesn’t feel genuine. Essentially this and the last issue are resetting things in preparation for the next arc, but doesn’t accomplish all it set out to do.
Okay ya, this has to be meant to be funny!
Is It Good?
There’s a lot of fun and action packed content to be devoured in this issue. Most importantly, you’ll come away respecting and liking Emi more than ever.
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