The last issue of Green Arrow saw Oliver Queen and his former ward, Roy Harper, take on the town, stop crime, and have a night to remember. Then, right before you closed the book, dear reader, Roy Harper was shot and forcibly drugged. What?! But Roy can’t die! He just got here! Well, slow down, who said he was dead? Writer Chris Condon and artist Montos continue their second arc on Green Arrow by exploring the history between Oliver and Roy to see how things reflect into today. Get ready for an Arrow Family reunion – just don’t expect it to be the one you wanted. This seems like quite a heavy issue, so the question then is whether this is a good story that builds off the prior. Well, let’s get into it.
DC
The story moves pretty quickly, so it’s best to read the issue a little slowly to take in the gravity of the situation. Roy has overdosed, and it seems his doctors are finding it hard to believe it wasn’t his own choice. But we know, and Oliver knows in his heart, that this simply isn’t the case. While Oliver was, by all accounts, a relatively flawed mentor, he’s come a long way. This issue does a splendid job showcasing the depth of Oliver and Roy’s relationship. Lian also begins to play an important role here, and it’s exciting to see what she’ll be up to in the coming issues. While I’m not sure I completely buy how hands-off Dinah was in this issue, this series isn’t meant to be a Green Arrow AND Black Canary story. While readers might be frustrated at the lack of team-ups found in this issue, I think the story works to show how important simple family support is when tragedy strikes and how important trust in one another is in these moments. Altogether, this story does a nice job of emphasizing the different family dynamics in Oliver’s family while also maintaining a sense of urgency.
DC
Montos and Adriano Lucas deliver another spectacular issue full of depth, emotion, and vibrance. Since this issue has hardly any action, Montos elevates his already intractable line work by having various pages that are a bit more up close than usual in order to add more detail to the emotions of the story’s characters. A great example of this is when Oliver is speaking with Dinah and Lian after hearing what happened to Roy – in these two pages, everyone’s heartbreak, fear, and confusion help to differentiate what’s happened to Roy from what originally happened in “Snowbirds Don’t Fly”. While Roy was alone and shamed by Oliver back then, things are far different today, and Montos’ stunning line work suits the tone of this moment perfectly. Adirano Lucas also does an incredible job shifting between the light colors used in the Golden Age to the sharp and vibrant colors of today. Because of this, we’re able to feel just how long Oliver and Roy have been there for each other, which helps to make the story feel more powerful. Altogether, this is a beautiful issue that is full of emotion.
DC
Green Arrow #26 is another solid issue in the series that does a great job carrying the intensity of #25’s huge cliffhanger while pushing the story forward. By spending more time on character interactions, Chris Condon is able to add more meaning to this story, working well to contrast with “Snowbirds Don’t Fly”. While the issue feels a bit fast and is another shorter issue at just 20 pages, that’s to no fault of the creative team, who seem to work overtime to compensate for this while continuing to deliver a captivating story. Altogether, Green Arrow #26 is an interesting story that is sure to tug at the heartstrings.
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