Who is the Fresh Water Killer? What do they want? And what does that have to do with Oliver Queen’s past? These were all questions I was left with after the incredible first issue of writer Chris Condon and artist Montos’s Green Arrow #18, as they began their saga with the Emerald Archer last month. With the death of Senator Foley, Ollie has not only made a new pal, but also his first lead in this mystery.
Detective Benitez and Ollie make quite the interesting pair. While Ollie’s…time around the sun is showing here and there, his experience as a crime fighter seems to help her fill in the clues to things she otherwise may not have connected. That said, the two seemingly couldn’t have more different beliefs about the criminal justice system and their notions of justice. And their ideological differences couldn’t be more perfect right now. Comics have always been political, particularly those with Green Arrow as the leading man. And it’s always beneficial to start conversations about the world and how we can properly improve it.
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Here, Condon does a great job contextualizing real life tragedies and injustices into a fantastical world where caped crusaders with a chip on their shoulders want to work tooth and nail to make the world a better place. Because many arguments Oliver makes are truly those of never-ending political debates, he continues to be a character with more depth and sincerity than others. Because it’s clear he cares about “the little guy”, so much so that he’s constantly thinking about who is systematically wronging them in addition to the mysterious supervillains adding crime to his city, he becomes a more complex character. Altogether, this issue is very well written and does a great job balancing heavy political discussions with the fantastical world of superheroes.
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This issue, like the last, is a perfect thriller-mystery book from cover to cover. While Montos delivers yet another stunning issue, colorist Adriano Lucas adds perfect punk rock colors. Not only does Montos do a great job utilizing page space to make complex paneling seem like a cakewalk, but it translates perfectly. One moment, your focus might be on an argument being depicted through the rear-view mirror of a car, the next you’re staring right at a creepy mansion. It’s incredible how well the paneling draws in the focus away from the greater page and helps the reader fixate on each individual moment as they occur.
This narration helps to provide the book with solid pacing through and through. In addition, Lucas helps to bring Montos’s work to life through sharp coloring. While scenes like a parked car feel extraordinarily ominous and eerie, suspenseful action scenes feel just as riveting as if you’re watching them unfold in front of you. Altogether, Lucas does a great job matching the tone of the book with thoughtful coloring. Moreover, this issue is stunning from cover to cover and helps maintain the reader’s attention through brilliant line work, creative paneling, and sharp colors.
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Green Arrow #19 does a great job picking up from where the last issue was left and maintaining the intrigue while adding layers of real-life sincerity to the story. So far, this has all the markings of being one of The Green Arrow Stories, as Condon does a brilliant job crafting a new story for Oliver that has put him in a different, more grounded direction, while making it easy for the reader to connect to by filling the story with serious world problems. This is further driven home by the help of the brilliant minds of Montos and Adriano Lucas. Altogether, this is another slam dunk story that readers might be glad to have picked up before the year’s end!
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