An old friend, Emi, who tried to kill Green Arrow only a few months ago, is back and… ready to help him out?! More importantly a killer cop is on the loose and Ollie is still considered a criminal! We explore the pages of Green Arrow #16 to answer the question, is it good?
Green Arrow #16 (DC Comics)
So what’s it about? The summary reads:
“EMERALD OUTLAW” part five! Implicated in the killing of several high profile Seattleites, besieged by a murderous cabal of crooked cops and demonized by a mayoral candidate willing to tear the city apart to get what he wants, all seems lost for Green Arrow. That is, until help arrives in the form of a long-lost ally. It’s the return of Emiko Queen!
Why does this book matter?
There’s a conflict as Green Arrow, a vigilante himself, is fighting a vigilante, only this guy is killing prisoners and homeless people. Benjamin Percy is delivering an interesting political drama when it comes to social issues and injustice. Can he continue to bring solid characterization with art by mainstay Otto Schmidt?!
Fine, you have my attention. What’s good about it?
She says this quite a lot in this issue.
A lot happens in this issue and there’s a surprising lack of decompression after the last few issues. The plot moves at a fast clip, major actions are taken, battles won, and new battles lost. Percy keeps the thrill level up to the point where I thought the comic might have reached its cliffhanger ending… and it was only page eleven! Essentially the issue has a conclusion at its midpoint, a build up to something brand new, and another conclusion. As far as bang for your buck writing is concerned there’s a lot to enjoy here.
That includes Ollie’s kid half sister returning (and consistently reminding everyone what her new hero name is for comedic relief), the killer cop getting a wrap up on his story, and the progression of a villain we thought was long gone by now. Ollie has a meaningful heart to heart with his sister and the the Chief of Westberg which allows the character work to build too.
Schmidt aims to please and does with this issue as well. I’m impressed with the detail he puts into environments and backgrounds to remind us these characters are having conversations in the middle of a street whilst burning cars rest nearby. The color is great too; I enjoyed the splashes of purple for the night’s sky, as well as the lush greens of Ollie’s forest camp. There’s a fluidity to the pencils which exhibit a cartoony nature though the detail in the character’s clothing and overall appearance offsets that with just enough realism.
It can’t be perfect can it?
It was hard to anticipate what would happen, a positive for sure, though the endings for characters happens in abrupt ways that take away the meaning of the events. Characters that were built up over issues are, at least to the naked eye, snatched up and taken away rather quickly. It’s akin to blowing up a balloon and popping it rather than letting the air out and watching it flutter around.
They’re having a moment shhhh!
Is It Good?
Green Arrow #16 keeps you on your toes with unconventional plotting and a thriller fast pace. A lot happens in this issue which makes its value quite high.
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