We’re now officially halfway through the first arc of Green Arrow by Chris Condon and Montos, and it’s safe to say this is one for the record books. During my interview with Chris, he mentioned that one of his most formative stories of Ollie is “The Longbow Hunters”. I had never read it before and figured enough was enough and that it was my time to read this infamous story. And I have to say, particularly after reading this issue, the inspiration is not only clear but masterfully done – Condon takes the threads of previous stories and weaves something new for Oliver Queen when he is faced with one of his most complex challenges yet. Next up on my to read in order to really capture the essence Condon is going for is Mike Barr’s work. Most importantly, it’s safe to say before going any further, this is another can’t-miss issue.
DC
Kenny has appeared at the beginning of every story so far, and his situation is very interesting because of how it sets the stage for each issue’s theme. While we don’t quite know how it will tie into Oliver’s journey and life, Kenny’s situation is a great example of how well Condon is taking threads of real-life problems and giving them a face. How often do we see or hear from the news that there has been another tragedy? Far too often. But what does that mean?
People’s lives are upheaved, destroyed, or even ended, and it’s quite hard to keep track of how cruel and unfortunate this journey of life may be to people. Particularly when we don’t know them. When we can’t see their faces or think of their families. Condon brilliantly takes this idea, of chemicals impacting the everyday lives of people, and puts a name and a face to one of its victims. Granted, it’s a fictional face, but the narrative is compelling enough to make you think: How many people really face this? How many lives are impacted, altered, or crushed by things out of their control, and what does that even look like beyond a headline?
DC
While it seems the identity of the Fresh Water Killer has been uncovered, there seems to be more than meets the eye. However. that isn’t the focus of the issue, surprisingly. In fact, the way, the meat of the story is another heated debate between Oliver and his buddy Detective Benitez. Who knew that Green Arrow and authoritarian figures are like oil and water? This timely debate’s subject is Due Process. While both characters deliver passionate arguments, their conclusions bring something in between. This works well to clearly articulate the path the narrative is planning to take while also giving readers a healthy exposure to challenging ideas to wrestle with themselves. Again, I cannot sing enough praises of Chris Condon’s writing abilities, which continue to amaze me as the tone of the story is able to transition from this heated argument into what surely will please readers before ending with a shocking cliffhanger. The story’s script moves at a great pace that helps readers absorb the material at a solid speed without losing focus of how many moving parts this mystery has to offer.
DC
Not only is the narrative compelling through its speed and captivating mystery, but the story itself feels like a thriller movie that’s come to life thanks to the help of artist Montos and colorist Adriano Lucas. The two have done a great job thus far depicting the story as one that’s a harsh, gritty, and expressive book that benefits from well-framed paneling and vivid colors. This issue is no different. A great example of this is near the end, where the credits seem to roll as the story winds down and sets up issue #21. By now, the action has dissipated, yet these few pages do more than you can imagine. Montos and Lucas work masterfully to hammer in how dark and serious this story’s tone is while also taking advantage of how emotional it’s meant to be. And what comes of that is one of my favorite endings to a comic issue, ever. Altogether, this issue is nothing short of a showstopper thanks to its beautiful artwork.
As I said in the beginning, this is a can’t-miss issue of Green Arrow. But, why? Well, not only does the story continue to be a captivating mystery that makes for an engaging comic book, but that seems to be the creative team’s bare minimum. This story does everything it can to make the reader ask themselves hard questions about morality, ethics, and complacency. Through and through, this story, like its predecessors, has all the markings of being one of Green Arrow’s best stories to date.
You must be logged in to post a comment.