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Green Arrow (1988) (Collected Editions)
Green Arrow, Vol. 1: Hunters Moon
In these cult favorite stories from the 1980s, Green Arrow hunts down a child killer, races to find a lost biological weapon before Chinese spies can find it, and tackles a rash of violence against gays. These stories, written by Mike Grell, repositioned Green Arrow as an inner city crusader for justice who deals not only with super-villains but also with street level crime.
Collecting: Green Arrow 1-6
Collecting: Green Arrow 1-6
160 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1988
132 people are currently reading
365 people want to read
About the author
Mike Grell
711 books82 followersMike Grell (born 1947) is a comic book writer and artist.
Grell studied at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, the Chicago Academy of Fine Art, and took the Famous Artists School correspondence course in cartooning. His entry into the comics industry was in 1972, as an assistant to Dale Messick on the Brenda Starr comic strip.
In 1973 Grell moved to New York, and began his long relationship with DC Comics. His first assignment at DC was on Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, a high-profile assignment for an artist with no prior experience illustrating a monthly comic book. Grell says he got that job because he was walking in the editor's door to ask for work, literally, as the previous artist was walking out the door, having just quit. These stories were written by Cary Bates and Jim Shooter. The Bates/Grell/Shooter run on the title is very well-regarded today by Superboy/Legion fans, who consider it one of the high-water marks in the character/team's history. Grell's work on SATLOSH is widely thought to be some of the best beefcake/cheesecake ever committed to comic book pages, and is affectionately referred to as the 'disco Legion' in retrospect by fans of the title.
A writer as well as artist, Grell cemented his status as a fan-favorite with his best-known creation, The Warlord, one of the first sword and sorcery comics, and reportedly the best-selling title published by DC Comics in the late-1970s.
The character first appeared in 1st Issue Special #8 (Nov 1975) and was soon given his own ongoing title (The Warlord #1, Jan/Feb 1976). In this book, Air Force pilot Travis Morgan crash-lands in the prehistoric "hidden world" of Skartaris (a setting highly influenced by Jules Verne's A Journey to the Center of the Earth and Edgar Rice Burroughs' Pellucidar). For years thereafter, Morgan engages in adventures dressed only in a winged helmet, wristbands, boots, and breechclout, and armed with a sword and (years before Dirty Harry handled one) a .44 Auto Mag.
At DC, Grell also worked on titles such as Aquaman, Batman, and the Phantom Stranger, and with writer Dennis O'Neil on the re-launch of the Green Lantern/Green Arrow series in 1976.
[edit] Tarzan
Grell wrote and drew the Tarzan comic strip from July 19, 1981 to February 27, 1983 (except for one strip, February 13, 1983, by Thomas Yeates). These strips were rerun in newspapers in 2004 - 2005.
[edit] First Comics: Jon Sable Freelance and Starslayer
Cover to Jon Sable Freelance #7. Art by Mike Grell.Through the 1980s Grell developed creator-owned titles such Jon Sable Freelance and Starslayer. Jon Sable Freelance was published by the now-defunct First Comics. Starslayer, a space-born science fiction series, started at Pacific Comics, but shifted to First.
The titular character of Jon Sable Freelance was a former Olympic athlete, later a African big-game hunter, who became a mercenary. First appearing with a cover date of June 1983, Jon Sable Freelance was a successful non-super-hero comic book in an era when successful non-super-hero comic books were almost unheard of, and a graphically violent comic sold in mainstream comic book stores in an era when such was as rare. Jon Sable was a precursor to what would eventually be called, by some, "the Dark Age of Comics," when even long-established super-heroes would become increasingly grim and violent.
The character was heavily influenced by Ian Fleming's James Bond novels as well as drawing on pulp fiction crime stories. Also, many of the stories of Sable's hunting exploits in Africa were influenced by Peter Hathaway Capstick's novels. At a convention in the late 1980s, Grell stated that his idea for Sable was "something like a cross between James Bond and Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer."
Sable was adapted into a short-lived television series and the character's origin tale, "A Storm Over Eden," from the comic book, was expanded and novelized by Grell under the title Sable, which was publ
Grell studied at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, the Chicago Academy of Fine Art, and took the Famous Artists School correspondence course in cartooning. His entry into the comics industry was in 1972, as an assistant to Dale Messick on the Brenda Starr comic strip.
In 1973 Grell moved to New York, and began his long relationship with DC Comics. His first assignment at DC was on Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, a high-profile assignment for an artist with no prior experience illustrating a monthly comic book. Grell says he got that job because he was walking in the editor's door to ask for work, literally, as the previous artist was walking out the door, having just quit. These stories were written by Cary Bates and Jim Shooter. The Bates/Grell/Shooter run on the title is very well-regarded today by Superboy/Legion fans, who consider it one of the high-water marks in the character/team's history. Grell's work on SATLOSH is widely thought to be some of the best beefcake/cheesecake ever committed to comic book pages, and is affectionately referred to as the 'disco Legion' in retrospect by fans of the title.
A writer as well as artist, Grell cemented his status as a fan-favorite with his best-known creation, The Warlord, one of the first sword and sorcery comics, and reportedly the best-selling title published by DC Comics in the late-1970s.
The character first appeared in 1st Issue Special #8 (Nov 1975) and was soon given his own ongoing title (The Warlord #1, Jan/Feb 1976). In this book, Air Force pilot Travis Morgan crash-lands in the prehistoric "hidden world" of Skartaris (a setting highly influenced by Jules Verne's A Journey to the Center of the Earth and Edgar Rice Burroughs' Pellucidar). For years thereafter, Morgan engages in adventures dressed only in a winged helmet, wristbands, boots, and breechclout, and armed with a sword and (years before Dirty Harry handled one) a .44 Auto Mag.
At DC, Grell also worked on titles such as Aquaman, Batman, and the Phantom Stranger, and with writer Dennis O'Neil on the re-launch of the Green Lantern/Green Arrow series in 1976.
[edit] Tarzan
Grell wrote and drew the Tarzan comic strip from July 19, 1981 to February 27, 1983 (except for one strip, February 13, 1983, by Thomas Yeates). These strips were rerun in newspapers in 2004 - 2005.
[edit] First Comics: Jon Sable Freelance and Starslayer
Cover to Jon Sable Freelance #7. Art by Mike Grell.Through the 1980s Grell developed creator-owned titles such Jon Sable Freelance and Starslayer. Jon Sable Freelance was published by the now-defunct First Comics. Starslayer, a space-born science fiction series, started at Pacific Comics, but shifted to First.
The titular character of Jon Sable Freelance was a former Olympic athlete, later a African big-game hunter, who became a mercenary. First appearing with a cover date of June 1983, Jon Sable Freelance was a successful non-super-hero comic book in an era when successful non-super-hero comic books were almost unheard of, and a graphically violent comic sold in mainstream comic book stores in an era when such was as rare. Jon Sable was a precursor to what would eventually be called, by some, "the Dark Age of Comics," when even long-established super-heroes would become increasingly grim and violent.
The character was heavily influenced by Ian Fleming's James Bond novels as well as drawing on pulp fiction crime stories. Also, many of the stories of Sable's hunting exploits in Africa were influenced by Peter Hathaway Capstick's novels. At a convention in the late 1980s, Grell stated that his idea for Sable was "something like a cross between James Bond and Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer."
Sable was adapted into a short-lived television series and the character's origin tale, "A Storm Over Eden," from the comic book, was expanded and novelized by Grell under the title Sable, which was publ
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
December 31, 2013
Ah, memories. I remember reading these as a kid, “suggested for mature readers” be damned. I still recall thinking that Green Arrow comics were super more bad-ass than Superman or Batman, because they were just so much grittier. Aside from the Unknown Soldier comics that came out at around the same time (or was it just a few years later?) these were the first that I’d seen that actually contained sex. These comics also had lots of blood. Weird as it may seem these days, it was actually a big deal back in the day. Remember: comics were for kids only. But: these weren’t. It was glorious. Reading them amounted to the same guilty pleasure as flipping through your older brother’s hidden stash of penthouse magazines.
A funny piece of random info: I had a family member who came across one of my Green Arrow comics (which I’m hoping will still be published, since it must have been from the same run as this collection). She actually censored the comic by sticking masking tape over all depictions of female breasts (damn, it could even have been Black Canary’s come to think of it…)
Admittedly, even though the stories now seem pretty tame (damn the loss of innocence), they have actually aged quite well. The villains are child molesters, drug dealers and the like, so the issues under scrutiny are still as valid today as they were then. I’ve always enjoyed the DC Universe more than Marvel (and that’s my privilege in a democratic society) and these comics will always be dear to my heart. Hell, I even prefer his old, somewhat hokey, outfit to the modern versions. Not to mention that pointy-beardy look.
Highly recommended.
Note: the above is an ever-so-slightlysanitized amended version of my original review.
A funny piece of random info: I had a family member who came across one of my Green Arrow comics (which I’m hoping will still be published, since it must have been from the same run as this collection). She actually censored the comic by sticking masking tape over all depictions of female breasts (damn, it could even have been Black Canary’s come to think of it…)
Admittedly, even though the stories now seem pretty tame (damn the loss of innocence), they have actually aged quite well. The villains are child molesters, drug dealers and the like, so the issues under scrutiny are still as valid today as they were then. I’ve always enjoyed the DC Universe more than Marvel (and that’s my privilege in a democratic society) and these comics will always be dear to my heart. Hell, I even prefer his old, somewhat hokey, outfit to the modern versions. Not to mention that pointy-beardy look.
Highly recommended.
Note: the above is an ever-so-slightly
December 28, 2021
This was really good!
The follow up to Longbow hunters and it picks with Ollie trying to save his doc, Dr Green from a man named Muncie and well we see the tragic story of the doc and how Ollie saves her and then the thing with Dinah. Another story with him being sent by CIA to retrieve some weapon falling from space which they worked on with chinese and now the other party wants it and so its Ollie vs Eddie Fyers and that makes for an interesting story.
Finally some story with him saving gay people from some killers and its really well done, the whole thing with this group Warhogs and the ritualistic initiation and all that and setting up some future villains for Ollies and showing him as the proud liberal he is.
I loved this volume and it is a bunch of small stories and he doesn't necessarily go after villains in the comic sense but regular villains and that makes it different and also the art gives a 90s feel (considering the time it came out, duh) and its the best part of the book. Its retro in a good way and makes for some great stories and showing the character of Oliver in a great light.
The follow up to Longbow hunters and it picks with Ollie trying to save his doc, Dr Green from a man named Muncie and well we see the tragic story of the doc and how Ollie saves her and then the thing with Dinah. Another story with him being sent by CIA to retrieve some weapon falling from space which they worked on with chinese and now the other party wants it and so its Ollie vs Eddie Fyers and that makes for an interesting story.
Finally some story with him saving gay people from some killers and its really well done, the whole thing with this group Warhogs and the ritualistic initiation and all that and setting up some future villains for Ollies and showing him as the proud liberal he is.
I loved this volume and it is a bunch of small stories and he doesn't necessarily go after villains in the comic sense but regular villains and that makes it different and also the art gives a 90s feel (considering the time it came out, duh) and its the best part of the book. Its retro in a good way and makes for some great stories and showing the character of Oliver in a great light.
October 19, 2020
This is the gritty Green Arrow of the late 80s. There's a clear effort to link the stories real world issues such as child abduction, biological warfare, and LGBT issues. The issues are not always handled very well, but the attempt is a move in the right direction.
August 29, 2018
And so begins Mike Grell's actual Green Arrow series. This first volume is a bit of a mixed bag, as Grell tries to find his footing for the new series in a trio of gritty urban stories.
Hunters Moon (#1-2) . The lead story is every bit as good as Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters On the face, it's "just" the story of a released serial killer, but Grell goes much deeper than that. Not only does he deal with the PTSD and other emotions of two victims, but he also plays games with who the killer actually is. It's a great combination of characterization, action-adventure, and mystery [5/5].
The Champions (#3-4). Unfortunately, the second arc is a far cry from the first. The big problem is that it's both bloodless and removed from Ollie's normal community. So he goes off on some spy mission and jousts with some spies and eventually does the right thing? The story is muddy and the ending is the opposite of a shocker [3/5].
The Gauntlet (#5-6). The final story keeps Ollie with his supporting cast in Seattle, and is much better for it. This story of gay-bashing feels very topical for the '80s, but it also has some nice nuance in what Ollie is willing to do for justice, the same theme that Grell was going for in "The Champions", but much more successfully used here [4/5].
Hunters Moon (#1-2) . The lead story is every bit as good as Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters On the face, it's "just" the story of a released serial killer, but Grell goes much deeper than that. Not only does he deal with the PTSD and other emotions of two victims, but he also plays games with who the killer actually is. It's a great combination of characterization, action-adventure, and mystery [5/5].
The Champions (#3-4). Unfortunately, the second arc is a far cry from the first. The big problem is that it's both bloodless and removed from Ollie's normal community. So he goes off on some spy mission and jousts with some spies and eventually does the right thing? The story is muddy and the ending is the opposite of a shocker [3/5].
The Gauntlet (#5-6). The final story keeps Ollie with his supporting cast in Seattle, and is much better for it. This story of gay-bashing feels very topical for the '80s, but it also has some nice nuance in what Ollie is willing to do for justice, the same theme that Grell was going for in "The Champions", but much more successfully used here [4/5].
October 29, 2016
Returning to the Green Arrow courtesy of the new tv series Arrow is a nice road to travel. While the Longbow Hunters was one long tale this book is essentially the first six comics in the Green Arrow series as published by DC.
To be honest this comic is pretty decent and it does continue with the story with a Black Canary traumatized after what happend in the previous mini series. Even the opponents of the Green Arrow are not of the superhero variety but of the more common criminal and thug, some lowlife like a pedophile also gets the shaft.
A well drawn, written and somehow timeless comic that does show a very different Green Arrow than the tv has shown so far. Well worth your while I you like the more less fantastical version of the comic concerning hero characters.
To be honest this comic is pretty decent and it does continue with the story with a Black Canary traumatized after what happend in the previous mini series. Even the opponents of the Green Arrow are not of the superhero variety but of the more common criminal and thug, some lowlife like a pedophile also gets the shaft.
A well drawn, written and somehow timeless comic that does show a very different Green Arrow than the tv has shown so far. Well worth your while I you like the more less fantastical version of the comic concerning hero characters.
November 27, 2023
This is the first Green Arrow comic I have ever read and was delighted. The first two stories are incredibly solid pieces and fit well into the grimy action movie genre of the 1980s. The first tale finds Green Arrow hunting down a child killer recently released from prison on a technicality. The second story has Oliver Queen get hired by a foreign agency to track down a biological weapon before the Chinese get it. In a different universe John Carpenter directed a Green Arrow movie based on these stories. The final story was surprising in showing gay culture in the 1980s, but really only uses the deaths of gay people to tell a story about gang crime. It was muddled and didn't deal with the wider problem of prejudice against gay people but instead decides to make it a gang problem. Oh well, 2 out of three isn't bad and I will definitely have to seek out more Mike Grell written Green Arrow.
April 14, 2025
2025 Review - 4/5 - Originally rated this 3.5 stars back in 2016, but I'm bumping it up to a solid 4. The first arc still hits hard—dark, intense, and full of great character moments. The second arc worked a bit better for me this time around, though it’s still the weakest of the bunch. The setup, various countries sending assassins and mercs to retrieve a devastating weapon, is cool in concept, and it ends with a powerful moment for Oliver, even if the story itself isn’t the strongest. The final arc really clicked with me this time. It’s emotionally heavy and feels incredibly relevant, which made it land even harder. Overall, a great start to Grell’s excellent run on Green Arrow.
2016 Review - It's around a 3.5. Almost a 4 for me, so going with a 4 star.
This volume is broken into 3 arcs. 1st arc is easily the best. A sick rapist/torturer kidnapped a 10 year old girl 18 years ago and did unspeakable things. Now he's out and going through re-trail, and has his eyes set on his original target. Oliver decides to take this mission on and protecting her while confronting this sick fuck.
The best part about this arc is to see Black Canary grow with Oliver but also Oliver's policy. He does like to protect people and doesn't like to kill...but won't mean he won't. And it makes the end result of this arc both interesting and exciting.
Next arc is the weakest. It's random and besides the great romance between Oliver and Canary, the rest of this was meh. I really didn't care about this secret Biological weapon or who was fighting who. Just nothing special about this one.
HOWEVER the third arc is interesting, if sometimes a little on the nose and kind of corny. It's about people (gays) getting beaten (and some killed) and Oliver needs to find out why. The end result is both intriguing but also little silly at times. Also just a tiny bit rushed. Still, it's enjoyable arc that made this score pop back up to a 3.5 or even a 4.
Worth checking out for ANY Green Arrow fan. Some darker tales, but in a good way.
2016 Review - It's around a 3.5. Almost a 4 for me, so going with a 4 star.
This volume is broken into 3 arcs. 1st arc is easily the best. A sick rapist/torturer kidnapped a 10 year old girl 18 years ago and did unspeakable things. Now he's out and going through re-trail, and has his eyes set on his original target. Oliver decides to take this mission on and protecting her while confronting this sick fuck.
The best part about this arc is to see Black Canary grow with Oliver but also Oliver's policy. He does like to protect people and doesn't like to kill...but won't mean he won't. And it makes the end result of this arc both interesting and exciting.
Next arc is the weakest. It's random and besides the great romance between Oliver and Canary, the rest of this was meh. I really didn't care about this secret Biological weapon or who was fighting who. Just nothing special about this one.
HOWEVER the third arc is interesting, if sometimes a little on the nose and kind of corny. It's about people (gays) getting beaten (and some killed) and Oliver needs to find out why. The end result is both intriguing but also little silly at times. Also just a tiny bit rushed. Still, it's enjoyable arc that made this score pop back up to a 3.5 or even a 4.
Worth checking out for ANY Green Arrow fan. Some darker tales, but in a good way.
November 8, 2016
Este tomo es la continuación de Longbow Hunters que funcionaría como un Tpb 0 para arrancar con la serie propia recopilando los primeros seis números. Con mayor profundidad se abarca la temática tratada. Drogas, prostitución, mafias, violaciones. Un cómic muy adulto, una genialidad de ya casi treinta años, cuando el noveno arte empezó a tomarse con más seriedad todo. Nada de supervillanos ni superpoderes, la calle, la cruda realidad que golpea la sociedad enfocada con una madurez casi inédita para aquellos tiempos. Y lo mejor es que el tiempo mantiene fresco este cómic, no hay ni largos monólogos ni situaciones muy estiradas. A diferencia del arco anterior, Mike Grell ya no se encarga de todo, escribe y deja los bocetos para que Hannigan haga los lápices, que claro, está un par de puntos debajo del genial Grell que dejó la vara muy alta así que tampoco se puede decir que los dibujos sean malos para nada..
June 9, 2016
Excellent collection of Mike Grell run on Green Arrow in the 1980's. Here the Green Arrow and love the Black Canary are recovering from the events in story-The Longbow Hunters-an must face a trio of very human crimes. A child killer is let loose on the city, Oliver get dragged into a Cold War spy game, and face a story that combines gay-bashing and street gang violence.
The Green Arrow has always been a DC character, so human, he bleeds, he has died, has had to make the hard calls and when his friends(Batman, Superman, Green Lantern)are wrong tells them so.
Enjoy this exciting comis.
The Green Arrow has always been a DC character, so human, he bleeds, he has died, has had to make the hard calls and when his friends(Batman, Superman, Green Lantern)are wrong tells them so.
Enjoy this exciting comis.
August 11, 2018
Mike Grell's Jon Sable, Freelance, is really cool.
Mike Grell's Green Arrow, Cosplaying as Jon Sable is not as cool.
I'm sure these were groundbreaking at the time, but they're so full of tropes that it makes it hard to read. A child predator that it's okay to kill, making Ollie "edgy" - check. A deadly disease that governments fight over, leaving Ollie in the middle, talking about how awful all sides are - check. A gang of black people--basically the *only* black people in the comic--are preying on gay men, leaving extremely hetero and white Ollie to save the day - check.
Yeah. This is why "edgy" comics frequently bother me. Grell's trying to show the dark side of life, but none of it feels natural, and I'm not so sure it ever did then, either. My memory of 80s movie that did this even as a child at the time was a little eye-rolly. But looking at these plots now, oof!
But even if the plots aren't the best, I still like Oliver Queen the character, and he's trying to do his best here to make a difference in the world in a way that fighting huge menaces cannot. It almost works, and had Grell been less heavy-handed, it would have, I think.
That and the amazing art by Ed Hannigan and Dick Giordano, with help from Frank McLaughlin, pushes this into recommended territory. The cityscapes are breathtaking. The panel structures capture exactly what Grell wants, right down to the implied sexual moments. It's a very realistic take from an artistic group that I think of more like Bronze age creators. Interestingly, I prefer this style of realism to the modern takes. The instances of tension are extremely good as well, and Ollie's eyes spit fire so often. Really spectacular work in that regard, which covers the other flaws, at least for me. I expect this to be a polarizing read--too liberal for the gritty types, but too stereotypical for most modern left-leaning folks. I'd love to know what an Arrow-verse watcher who doesn't know the character from comics first thinks of this stuff.
Mike Grell's Green Arrow, Cosplaying as Jon Sable is not as cool.
I'm sure these were groundbreaking at the time, but they're so full of tropes that it makes it hard to read. A child predator that it's okay to kill, making Ollie "edgy" - check. A deadly disease that governments fight over, leaving Ollie in the middle, talking about how awful all sides are - check. A gang of black people--basically the *only* black people in the comic--are preying on gay men, leaving extremely hetero and white Ollie to save the day - check.
Yeah. This is why "edgy" comics frequently bother me. Grell's trying to show the dark side of life, but none of it feels natural, and I'm not so sure it ever did then, either. My memory of 80s movie that did this even as a child at the time was a little eye-rolly. But looking at these plots now, oof!
But even if the plots aren't the best, I still like Oliver Queen the character, and he's trying to do his best here to make a difference in the world in a way that fighting huge menaces cannot. It almost works, and had Grell been less heavy-handed, it would have, I think.
That and the amazing art by Ed Hannigan and Dick Giordano, with help from Frank McLaughlin, pushes this into recommended territory. The cityscapes are breathtaking. The panel structures capture exactly what Grell wants, right down to the implied sexual moments. It's a very realistic take from an artistic group that I think of more like Bronze age creators. Interestingly, I prefer this style of realism to the modern takes. The instances of tension are extremely good as well, and Ollie's eyes spit fire so often. Really spectacular work in that regard, which covers the other flaws, at least for me. I expect this to be a polarizing read--too liberal for the gritty types, but too stereotypical for most modern left-leaning folks. I'd love to know what an Arrow-verse watcher who doesn't know the character from comics first thinks of this stuff.
February 24, 2025
Interesante constatar que la -con justicia- aclamada etapa de Mike Grell a cargo de Green Arrow (1987-1994) reside paradójicamente en minimizar sus aspectos superheroicos. Siguiendo lo propuesto con la miniserie The Longbow Hunters (1987), el guionista reorienta al arquero hacia un tono más áspero, violento y urbano que lo traslada desde la ficticia Star City a Seattle, evitando su interacción con poderes fantásticos y situaciones escapistas. No más flechas con truco, antifaz ni el mote de "Flecha Verde" en favor de tramas dominadas por la intriga y el crimen, extendiendo ese trato a las intervenciones de una Black Canary que no utiliza su grito sónico y solo viste de civil; en definitiva, la serie donde madura la redefinición anticipada por Dennis O'Neil en 1969 y avala una de los períodos más creativos en DC Comics
completed-series
June 19, 2020The late 1980s Mike Grell recreation of Oliver Queen as Seattle's tolerated vigilante. Three 2-part stories -- a mystery, a spy vs. Spy, and a gang-violence action adventure. Except for the cover, neither GA nor Black Canary is mentioned by name, nor is there clear reference to superpowers or DC landmarks like Gotham or Metropolis. Nevertheless, this is my second-favorite GA (or a continuation of my first-favorite) after the preceding Longbow Hunters.
Read
July 4, 2020Following on from The Longbow Hunters, the eighties run which took a character originally modelled on Errol Flynn's Robin Hood and sent him on a gritty journey into the urban underbelly. Like so much of eighties comics' dark turn, there had been foreshadowing in the seventies, not least with the Green Lantern/Green Arrow run which had taken a very earnest look at social issues and given Arrow's teen sidekick a drug problem. But this is a step up, both in terms of quality and unpleasantness. The captions have a poetic quality which only occasionally tips over into purple parody, and if the dialogue and drama, the stand-offs and chases, are now familiar from pretty much any cop show, at the time they were a vast leap forward from the simple primary colours in which most superhero comics were still trading. True, with hindsight it does stand out that in the first story here, as in Longbow Hunters, Ollie is again chasing down a villain who's done ghoulishly awful things to women and girls, but after superheroes had spent so long dealing with bloodless bank robberies and alien invaders, you can see why it would have seemed important and worthwhile to draw attention to the horrible variety of crime that wasn't being addressed, the trauma it really causes. It's just a shame that, over the decades to come, that would curdle into something between a lazy tic and leering exploitation. The subsequent stories take in murky international espionage, gang warfare, drugs and gay-bashing and again, from a modern viewpoint finding things to criticise wouldn't be hard. But the commitment to showing that violence has consequences, that many situations have no good choices, especially if you start off disadvantaged - that was a leap forward, and much of it still reads powerfully. It also looks amazing, whether the setting is a snowy island or downtown Seattle. And while we're a long way from boxing glove arrows, no run where GA operates out of a shop called Sherwood Florist could ever be so parodically dour as the grim'n'gritty trend's later excesses.
July 24, 2018
Spinning out of the events of the Longbow Hunters, Green Arrow has a new stomping ground, and Seattle better watch out. Ollie investigates a recently released killer, a dangerous biological weapon, and homophobic hate crimes in this first volume of Mike Grell's seminal run on the title.
I've been reading Chuck Dixon's Nightwing run recently, and that got pretty bland after a while. But this? This is how you do 'run of the mill' stories in an interesting way. I don't know if it's because they're more a product of their time or if the internal monologues are more interesting, or if it's just that these plots feel like they have more weight to them, but there's nothing boring about these six issues at all.
Constructed as three two-part stories, Green Arrow tackles a wide range of villainy, without facing any supervillains (except Eddie Fyers, but he's not really super). Each story feels super topical (even now, which is depressing since these came out nearly 30 years ago), and Grell makes sure that Oliver has a personal stake in all three stories even when they're only tangentially connected to him.
The art is by Ed Hannigan, and I'll freely admit that I know next to nothing about eighties comics artists, but like the story, his lines have a lot of weight behind them. Even when Ollie's in costume and looks a little silly, every punch or arrow has meaning and intent, and some of the splash pages are just lovely.
Green Arrow's off to a good start. I like the idea of giving Ollie some street level stuff to deal with to start with to give the readers an easy way in after the Longbow Hunters, before we return to Shado in volume 2.
I've been reading Chuck Dixon's Nightwing run recently, and that got pretty bland after a while. But this? This is how you do 'run of the mill' stories in an interesting way. I don't know if it's because they're more a product of their time or if the internal monologues are more interesting, or if it's just that these plots feel like they have more weight to them, but there's nothing boring about these six issues at all.
Constructed as three two-part stories, Green Arrow tackles a wide range of villainy, without facing any supervillains (except Eddie Fyers, but he's not really super). Each story feels super topical (even now, which is depressing since these came out nearly 30 years ago), and Grell makes sure that Oliver has a personal stake in all three stories even when they're only tangentially connected to him.
The art is by Ed Hannigan, and I'll freely admit that I know next to nothing about eighties comics artists, but like the story, his lines have a lot of weight behind them. Even when Ollie's in costume and looks a little silly, every punch or arrow has meaning and intent, and some of the splash pages are just lovely.
Green Arrow's off to a good start. I like the idea of giving Ollie some street level stuff to deal with to start with to give the readers an easy way in after the Longbow Hunters, before we return to Shado in volume 2.
May 27, 2020
Written more than 30 years ago this book still holds his ground with panache.
Urban and gritty, the way I like my Green Arrow-and my Batman for that matter-the 2 of the 3 different stories deal with issues still acute today. Speaks volumes about the evolution of our modern societies. The other one feels very Cold Wardesque with spooks and all but somehow today's international relations don't seem so very much different.
It's quite wordy but it reads incredibly well, informative and not over descriptive and redundant.
Oliver Queen is quite a dark figure, a real hard ass and not afraid to spill blood and see blood spilled. I really like him that way; Mike Grell captured the essence of this SJW of the late 70's/early 80's. Dinah is unassuming but she seems to be recovering from some story I haven't read yet. Hence her relationship with Oliver is very different from what I'm accustomed to.
The art is certainly dated but stands his ground too. Ed Hannigan on pencils with Dick Giordano on inks spells "Neal Adams", certainly not the worst influence ever. And dated doesn't mean bad. It could actually show how it's done to some! Colors suck though and there's not much I can do or say about that.
Anyway, this oldie but goldie was an excellent surprise, delivering a more urban and violent Green Arrow than of late, with well written and drawn streetwise stories.
Urban and gritty, the way I like my Green Arrow-and my Batman for that matter-the 2 of the 3 different stories deal with issues still acute today. Speaks volumes about the evolution of our modern societies. The other one feels very Cold Wardesque with spooks and all but somehow today's international relations don't seem so very much different.
It's quite wordy but it reads incredibly well, informative and not over descriptive and redundant.
Oliver Queen is quite a dark figure, a real hard ass and not afraid to spill blood and see blood spilled. I really like him that way; Mike Grell captured the essence of this SJW of the late 70's/early 80's. Dinah is unassuming but she seems to be recovering from some story I haven't read yet. Hence her relationship with Oliver is very different from what I'm accustomed to.
The art is certainly dated but stands his ground too. Ed Hannigan on pencils with Dick Giordano on inks spells "Neal Adams", certainly not the worst influence ever. And dated doesn't mean bad. It could actually show how it's done to some! Colors suck though and there's not much I can do or say about that.
Anyway, this oldie but goldie was an excellent surprise, delivering a more urban and violent Green Arrow than of late, with well written and drawn streetwise stories.
July 3, 2021
Green Arrow Vol. 1 Hunter's Moon collects issues 1-6 of the series written by Mike Grell with art by Ed Hannigan.
Green Arrow takes on a child molester and killer who has been released from prison, a gang who is attacking gay people, and takes on a mission to secure a missing vial of a potentially deadly virus.
Grell follows up The Longbow Hunters with the first volume of his ongoing series. It continues the trend of Olliver Queen being a very liberal hero and fighting for issues he believes in. I'moving the gritty nature of this book so far.
Green Arrow takes on a child molester and killer who has been released from prison, a gang who is attacking gay people, and takes on a mission to secure a missing vial of a potentially deadly virus.
Grell follows up The Longbow Hunters with the first volume of his ongoing series. It continues the trend of Olliver Queen being a very liberal hero and fighting for issues he believes in. I'moving the gritty nature of this book so far.
June 1, 2025
I can see the influence of this book - a more grounded superhero taking on real world causes - but this book itself hasn’t aged very well. Most of the social issues covered here - child abuse, homophobia - are treated jn a fairly simplistic way. Even though Ollie grapples with some ethical ambiguity, the bad guys are still clearly Bad Guys, with no real depth or sophistication.
There’s also some cool archery stuff but not enough for my liking!
There’s also some cool archery stuff but not enough for my liking!
Read
October 16, 2020i like it as much as the 3 volume it took me the same amount of time to get it read like 2 days
January 29, 2016
Lindo hallazgo en una comiquería platense que no suele tener buen material las veces que me pego una vuelta por su vidriera. Asi que esta fue una buena sorpresa de vacaciones. Este tomo contiene los primeros 6 números de la serie regular de Green Arrow escrita por Mike Grell allá por los años ochenta, justo después de terminar la genial miniserie "The Longbow Hunters".
La historias son bien de la época, bastante oscuras y muy violentas. Vemos como el protagonista persigue a un asesino de menores, rescata un arma química antes de que caiga en malas manos y como atrapa a una pandilla que se dedica a matar a homosexuales. Hay cierta crítica social, y cierta distancia del género superheroico más costumbrista y clásico (estas historias fueron escritas en plenos años 80, post- watchmen-DKR). Si bien pueden parecer guiones que no aguantaron el paso del tiempo, las historias son muy entretenidas y no aburren en absoluto.
Los dibujos no son nada del otro mundo, una vez más resultan dibujos propios de la época (sobre todo por esos colores tan fuertes). Hubiera estado bueno que Grell también se encargara de los lápices además del guión pero bueno...cosas que pasan.
Muy recomendable e ideal para aquel que nunca leyó nada en solitario de Green Arrow.
La historias son bien de la época, bastante oscuras y muy violentas. Vemos como el protagonista persigue a un asesino de menores, rescata un arma química antes de que caiga en malas manos y como atrapa a una pandilla que se dedica a matar a homosexuales. Hay cierta crítica social, y cierta distancia del género superheroico más costumbrista y clásico (estas historias fueron escritas en plenos años 80, post- watchmen-DKR). Si bien pueden parecer guiones que no aguantaron el paso del tiempo, las historias son muy entretenidas y no aburren en absoluto.
Los dibujos no son nada del otro mundo, una vez más resultan dibujos propios de la época (sobre todo por esos colores tan fuertes). Hubiera estado bueno que Grell también se encargara de los lápices además del guión pero bueno...cosas que pasan.
Muy recomendable e ideal para aquel que nunca leyó nada en solitario de Green Arrow.
August 7, 2016
It's great to see Green Arrow live in a real city (Seattle) and deal with real-world issues. Great writing by Mike Grell, who tackles topics that are just as relevant today as they were in the eighties, and this has helped the book remain timeless, in a way. This collection had three two-issue story arcs, each interesting and captivating reads. Looking forward to Green Arrow, Vol. 2: Here There Be Dragons.
I realise this is a reprint of issues originally published in 1988, when the colouring technology was what it was, but I found some of the colouring choices odd, such as giving magenta (?) skin to a Native American woman (issue 4). But hey - what are you gonna do?
I realise this is a reprint of issues originally published in 1988, when the colouring technology was what it was, but I found some of the colouring choices odd, such as giving magenta (?) skin to a Native American woman (issue 4). But hey - what are you gonna do?
December 21, 2011
Qué buen cómic, qué linda edición, qué suerte que tuve al encontrar estos tacos del año del orto a un precio más que razonable. Aunque ahora se va a reeditar en tomos la etapa de Grell en inglés (o al menos anunciaron la primera saga, Hunter's Moon), si pude disfrutar de este Arrow (mi favorito), fue gracias a mis queridísimos tacos de Zinco.
Y eso, otro día veo si me escribo una reseña de verdad.
Y eso, otro día veo si me escribo una reseña de verdad.
October 30, 2024
4.5⭐. The more I read from this era, the more I think that the 80s-90s art style is my favorite era of comic book art. The increased access to color gives more flexibility than previous decades, but the constraint it forces on the artists creates interesting and dynamic panels. This was my first ever Green Arrow read and although I have nothing to compare it to, I feel like Grell’s take on the character is already unbeatable.
January 20, 2016
A good followup to The Longbow Hunters. This is basically three two-issue stories featuring Green Arrow battling street level criminals. If you haven't read The Longbow Hunters, you'll probably want to check it out first, as this series references the events in that book quite a bit.
May 31, 2018
Primer taco recopilatorio de la serie regular de Green Arrow con guiones de Mike Grell.
December 10, 2020
Este tomo comprende distintos arcos narrativos. Comenzando por:
Hunter’s Moon
Luego de un excelente inicio con Longbow Hunters, estableciendo a Oliver Queen como un cazador urbano, haciéndolo tomar medidas más apuntadas a lo gris que a lo binario y Dinah teniendo que lidiar con un trastorno emocional. Vemos que la Flecha Verde aún es un cómic de superhéroes pero se concentra en casos particulares. Esta es sobre el trastorno ya mencionado con Dinah y la persona que tiene que proteger en los primeros dos capítulos de esta serie, que comprende un solo arco narrativo.
La calidad visual presentada en Longbow Hunters es traída a esta serie mensual con los excelentes diseños de personajes, composiciones y secuencias. Los colores son bien elaborados, particularmente en las escenas nocturnas.
The Champions
Dinah está en proceso de curarse, y la consecuencia de haber matado a algunos criminales está llegando. Aquí se está dando un argumento de por qué los superhéroes no deberían matar bajo ninguna circunstancia. Lo que comenzó como una simple misión de cacería urbana, se ha convertido en una Oliver envuelto en una crisis internacional. Se toman algunas páginas para dialogar, pero el dibujante es desafiado con composiciones creativas y el uso de ángulos cinematográficos, así como ilustrando de manera directa, lo que se está expresando en los diálogos a través de escenarios imaginarios.
La segunda parte de este cuento tiene mucha acción y el diálogo, aunque es un recuento de lo pasado para aquellos que compran este titulo primero, no es redundante, ya que la opinión de un tercer personaje se introduce y le da un nuevo sabor a la conversación del fascículo anterior, y lo hace sin extenderlo mucho como otros cómics que he leído hacen. Al final, toda esta acción e imágenes emocionantes se vuelven un mensaje al final sobre “hacer lo necesario”, lo cual se siente como un final, pero deja espacio al personaje para crecer y se parte de una especie de super-narrativa que abarcaría toda la serie.
Gauntlet
Este contaba una historia sobre un miedo muy real en los ochenta. El SIDA y la homofobia. Todo envuelto en un velo de crimen. Oliver va creando más enemigos en el camino y las consecuencias de sus errores en Longbow Hunters se cristalizan cada vez más.
En conclusión fue una buena trilogía para empezar un proyecto enfocado en crimen real y dejando de lado el mundo de los superhéroes por un tiempo. Nada de aliens o personajes temáticos como el acertijo o Conde Vértigo. Ahora, con eso dicho, hubiera preferido ver al mismo Oliver vestido de algo un poco más táctico, manteniendo la esencia de su diseño pero acompañándolo estéticamente con el tema de la serie.
Hunter’s Moon
Luego de un excelente inicio con Longbow Hunters, estableciendo a Oliver Queen como un cazador urbano, haciéndolo tomar medidas más apuntadas a lo gris que a lo binario y Dinah teniendo que lidiar con un trastorno emocional. Vemos que la Flecha Verde aún es un cómic de superhéroes pero se concentra en casos particulares. Esta es sobre el trastorno ya mencionado con Dinah y la persona que tiene que proteger en los primeros dos capítulos de esta serie, que comprende un solo arco narrativo.
La calidad visual presentada en Longbow Hunters es traída a esta serie mensual con los excelentes diseños de personajes, composiciones y secuencias. Los colores son bien elaborados, particularmente en las escenas nocturnas.
The Champions
Dinah está en proceso de curarse, y la consecuencia de haber matado a algunos criminales está llegando. Aquí se está dando un argumento de por qué los superhéroes no deberían matar bajo ninguna circunstancia. Lo que comenzó como una simple misión de cacería urbana, se ha convertido en una Oliver envuelto en una crisis internacional. Se toman algunas páginas para dialogar, pero el dibujante es desafiado con composiciones creativas y el uso de ángulos cinematográficos, así como ilustrando de manera directa, lo que se está expresando en los diálogos a través de escenarios imaginarios.
La segunda parte de este cuento tiene mucha acción y el diálogo, aunque es un recuento de lo pasado para aquellos que compran este titulo primero, no es redundante, ya que la opinión de un tercer personaje se introduce y le da un nuevo sabor a la conversación del fascículo anterior, y lo hace sin extenderlo mucho como otros cómics que he leído hacen. Al final, toda esta acción e imágenes emocionantes se vuelven un mensaje al final sobre “hacer lo necesario”, lo cual se siente como un final, pero deja espacio al personaje para crecer y se parte de una especie de super-narrativa que abarcaría toda la serie.
Gauntlet
Este contaba una historia sobre un miedo muy real en los ochenta. El SIDA y la homofobia. Todo envuelto en un velo de crimen. Oliver va creando más enemigos en el camino y las consecuencias de sus errores en Longbow Hunters se cristalizan cada vez más.
En conclusión fue una buena trilogía para empezar un proyecto enfocado en crimen real y dejando de lado el mundo de los superhéroes por un tiempo. Nada de aliens o personajes temáticos como el acertijo o Conde Vértigo. Ahora, con eso dicho, hubiera preferido ver al mismo Oliver vestido de algo un poco más táctico, manteniendo la esencia de su diseño pero acompañándolo estéticamente con el tema de la serie.
September 13, 2018
First of all, let me say that I LOVED this run! I'd heard so many good things that I decided to pick these up in TPB's, despite being an avowed HC & Omni collector - and I'm so glad I did!
If you're new to Green Arrow like I was, know that no Green Arrow historical knowledge is needed to enjoy this run at all. I went in cold, with no knowledge of GA other than he wears green, shoots arrows, and has silly facial hair, and I was fine.
Mike Grell, who is clearly a great storyteller, uses Green Arrow to say a little bit about a whole lot of different subjects. Themes include honor, aging, legacy, redemption, and commentary on lots of politics & social issues that are still relevant today. I'd label the writing as "dark" but never angsty, but certainly more suited for a mature audience. In fact, I'm sure I get much more out of this as a reader about to be 40 than I would have in my 20's.
While written for "mature" audiences, I can't say the protagonist Ollie is very mature. In fact, he just stumbles from one bad decision to the next. But you just can't stop rooting for the big dummy! Ultimately, this series is about a middle aged white guy having adventures and making bad decisions because he's having a midlife crisis, and the fallout from said bad decisions - be it legal trouble or damage to his relationships.
Speaking of relationships, any time Dinah (Black Canary) is on the page the story crackles. She puts up with a lot, but she is treated with respect by the writer (if not necessarily by Ollie), and despite some harrowing situations and personal trauma, she maintains both her dignity and her bad-assery. Another major female character is Shado, an assassin who shares a deep bond with Ollie, and is a complex, flawed, and interesting character in her own rite. Given that, this series is pretty amazing considering the time period it was written in.
Does this pass the Bechdel test? Yes, with flying colors!
Over 10 TPB's, the quality of writing is amazingly consistent. The art is a little more hit or miss, but rarely bad. The only noticeable dip in quality for me was the very end, where we are left with an ending that kind of feels like it trails off without a satisfying conclusion to all the story threads in play. I suspect for these reasons we will likely never see an Omnibus treatment, but a boy can dream!
We need more comics like this! ❤️
If you're new to Green Arrow like I was, know that no Green Arrow historical knowledge is needed to enjoy this run at all. I went in cold, with no knowledge of GA other than he wears green, shoots arrows, and has silly facial hair, and I was fine.
Mike Grell, who is clearly a great storyteller, uses Green Arrow to say a little bit about a whole lot of different subjects. Themes include honor, aging, legacy, redemption, and commentary on lots of politics & social issues that are still relevant today. I'd label the writing as "dark" but never angsty, but certainly more suited for a mature audience. In fact, I'm sure I get much more out of this as a reader about to be 40 than I would have in my 20's.
While written for "mature" audiences, I can't say the protagonist Ollie is very mature. In fact, he just stumbles from one bad decision to the next. But you just can't stop rooting for the big dummy! Ultimately, this series is about a middle aged white guy having adventures and making bad decisions because he's having a midlife crisis, and the fallout from said bad decisions - be it legal trouble or damage to his relationships.
Speaking of relationships, any time Dinah (Black Canary) is on the page the story crackles. She puts up with a lot, but she is treated with respect by the writer (if not necessarily by Ollie), and despite some harrowing situations and personal trauma, she maintains both her dignity and her bad-assery. Another major female character is Shado, an assassin who shares a deep bond with Ollie, and is a complex, flawed, and interesting character in her own rite. Given that, this series is pretty amazing considering the time period it was written in.
Does this pass the Bechdel test? Yes, with flying colors!
Over 10 TPB's, the quality of writing is amazingly consistent. The art is a little more hit or miss, but rarely bad. The only noticeable dip in quality for me was the very end, where we are left with an ending that kind of feels like it trails off without a satisfying conclusion to all the story threads in play. I suspect for these reasons we will likely never see an Omnibus treatment, but a boy can dream!
We need more comics like this! ❤️
Read
November 14, 2019Mike Grell’s Green Arrow run picks up right where The Longbow Hunters left off. Ollie and Dinah live in their new Seattle home, Dinah is recovering from her abduction, and they have the money Ollie took from the drug bust. I like this setting for our heroes. I can tell right away that Grell is committed to making Seattle a living, breathing place, much like, say, James Robinson would do with Opal City several years later. It’s a setting removed from the main DC universe, and therefore available to build from the ground up.
Th first six issues are split into three arcs. Each deals with real world problems, from child kidnapping to homophobia to gang violence. I’d say the first arc is the best and most powerful. It’s a dark story for sure, but a thrilling read that sheds light on how society often treats victims. All these stories are very well-written, especially for the time. Grell writes natural-sounding dialogue and uses little exposition, giving the artists room to tell the story. His writing just flows. Ed Hannigan and Dick Giordano do a nice job with the art, too. It’s a little in the house style of the time, but otherwise realistic and expressive. I love all the splash pages of Ollie aiming his arrows.
As for Ollie, his characterization is strong right out the gate. Whether he’s ready or not, Ollie is thrust back into a hero role, what with crime riddling the streets. He has a few moments where he debates crossing his line of killing people (which he already did in The Longbow Hunters) - I foresee this cropping up again throughout this run. It goes without saying, but Batman and Gotham City are obvious points of reference for Ollie in Seattle. Like Batman, he’s a costumed vigilante in a city (or “urban hunter,” as Grell calls him). Still, the types of things Ollie fights, to say nothing of his domestic situation, differentiate him from the Dark Knight. And Ollie is more socially conscious than Batman, more willing to extend a public hand to the community.
Overall, a great start to the run. I’m impressed by the writing and really like Green Arrow here. I’ve never been a big fan of the character, but that’s already starting to change. Hopefully Grell’s run remains at a high quality.
Th first six issues are split into three arcs. Each deals with real world problems, from child kidnapping to homophobia to gang violence. I’d say the first arc is the best and most powerful. It’s a dark story for sure, but a thrilling read that sheds light on how society often treats victims. All these stories are very well-written, especially for the time. Grell writes natural-sounding dialogue and uses little exposition, giving the artists room to tell the story. His writing just flows. Ed Hannigan and Dick Giordano do a nice job with the art, too. It’s a little in the house style of the time, but otherwise realistic and expressive. I love all the splash pages of Ollie aiming his arrows.
As for Ollie, his characterization is strong right out the gate. Whether he’s ready or not, Ollie is thrust back into a hero role, what with crime riddling the streets. He has a few moments where he debates crossing his line of killing people (which he already did in The Longbow Hunters) - I foresee this cropping up again throughout this run. It goes without saying, but Batman and Gotham City are obvious points of reference for Ollie in Seattle. Like Batman, he’s a costumed vigilante in a city (or “urban hunter,” as Grell calls him). Still, the types of things Ollie fights, to say nothing of his domestic situation, differentiate him from the Dark Knight. And Ollie is more socially conscious than Batman, more willing to extend a public hand to the community.
Overall, a great start to the run. I’m impressed by the writing and really like Green Arrow here. I’ve never been a big fan of the character, but that’s already starting to change. Hopefully Grell’s run remains at a high quality.
October 24, 2023
I didn't read this in the '80s, as I loathed the dark, gritty, “psychologically probing” comics that became the order of the day circa 1987/1988. This was of course the fallout from Watchmen, which I didn't read until many years later. It was a new and different sensibility for comics, especially mainstream American comics which were beginning to ditch the Comics Code Authority for the first time in over 30 years in favor of sales exclusively to comics specialty shops (the Direct Market as the kids these days call it). 14-15 year old me wasn't quite ready for comic books like this.
Mike Grell sticks to the writing of this re-rebooted Green Arrow, dealing with more adult themes and increased graphic violence. Grell was writing narrative and dialogue free sequences long before they became the norm. The first “arc” lasted two whole issues. I can only imagine a modern writer stretching it out to six issues.
Ed Hannigan's artwork is solid but it is great when paired with Dick Giordano's inking. Their artwork may look slightly out of date to modern audiences, but bear in mind that this was pen and brush, folks. Photoshop was Science Fiction to these cats back when this series was originally published.
I normally despise characters deviating from their established norms but let's face it, Green Arrow has had multiple incarnations prior to this, and I can only guess that there have been multiple ones since then. I have no emotional attachment to this or most other DC characters so I can freely accept different interpretations of established characters. I freely admit that I have a double standard, as I cannot tolerate the slightest deviance when it comes to Marvel characters. This was a great read.
Mike Grell sticks to the writing of this re-rebooted Green Arrow, dealing with more adult themes and increased graphic violence. Grell was writing narrative and dialogue free sequences long before they became the norm. The first “arc” lasted two whole issues. I can only imagine a modern writer stretching it out to six issues.
Ed Hannigan's artwork is solid but it is great when paired with Dick Giordano's inking. Their artwork may look slightly out of date to modern audiences, but bear in mind that this was pen and brush, folks. Photoshop was Science Fiction to these cats back when this series was originally published.
I normally despise characters deviating from their established norms but let's face it, Green Arrow has had multiple incarnations prior to this, and I can only guess that there have been multiple ones since then. I have no emotional attachment to this or most other DC characters so I can freely accept different interpretations of established characters. I freely admit that I have a double standard, as I cannot tolerate the slightest deviance when it comes to Marvel characters. This was a great read.
August 31, 2025
Good.
I like the setting, tone, and premise here a lot. Oliver Queen (Green Arrow) is 43 years old and recently arrived in Seattle alongside Dinah Lance (Black Canary) to start a new chapter in life. The relationship between the two is deep and intimate but they have different views on life as they age: namely that Oliver desperately wants kids while Dinah refuses, not wanting their dangerous lives as superheroes to orphan their children. They handle the disagreement like adults, but their feelings don’t go away. Before they know it, they’re involved in a series of horrific cases involving serial killers, drug pushers, and worse, and it’s up to the two of them to try and find some justice in the seedy streets of 1980’s Seattle.
The tone is dark, and there’s plenty of blood and graphic depictions of violence, but the writer and artist were careful not to glorify any of it. Particular attention is paid to literal darkness, as Green Arrow is often shrouded in shadows, stalking his prey. The motif of a hunter is very obvious and used to great effect. As criminals hunt the innocent, Green Arrow hunts them. There’s also a lot of attention given to Green Arrow interacting with police and there’s some clear foreshadowing for a later confrontation. Nudity and sexuality also play into the stories, from positive examples of loving couples to negative ones like trauma-induced refusal of sex or sexuality making someone a target.
All these themes and ideas are reminiscent of noir stories. It doesn’t outright try to be one, at least not in the most obvious ways, but I can feel the noir influence here. I feel the streets and the grime, I feel the violence and desperation, and I feel the hopelessness. I don’t know if Green Arrow can save this city, but I do know he’ll try.
I like the setting, tone, and premise here a lot. Oliver Queen (Green Arrow) is 43 years old and recently arrived in Seattle alongside Dinah Lance (Black Canary) to start a new chapter in life. The relationship between the two is deep and intimate but they have different views on life as they age: namely that Oliver desperately wants kids while Dinah refuses, not wanting their dangerous lives as superheroes to orphan their children. They handle the disagreement like adults, but their feelings don’t go away. Before they know it, they’re involved in a series of horrific cases involving serial killers, drug pushers, and worse, and it’s up to the two of them to try and find some justice in the seedy streets of 1980’s Seattle.
The tone is dark, and there’s plenty of blood and graphic depictions of violence, but the writer and artist were careful not to glorify any of it. Particular attention is paid to literal darkness, as Green Arrow is often shrouded in shadows, stalking his prey. The motif of a hunter is very obvious and used to great effect. As criminals hunt the innocent, Green Arrow hunts them. There’s also a lot of attention given to Green Arrow interacting with police and there’s some clear foreshadowing for a later confrontation. Nudity and sexuality also play into the stories, from positive examples of loving couples to negative ones like trauma-induced refusal of sex or sexuality making someone a target.
All these themes and ideas are reminiscent of noir stories. It doesn’t outright try to be one, at least not in the most obvious ways, but I can feel the noir influence here. I feel the streets and the grime, I feel the violence and desperation, and I feel the hopelessness. I don’t know if Green Arrow can save this city, but I do know he’ll try.
May 5, 2019
For me this book has not aged well. The crop of gritty DC novels that followed in the wake of Allen Moore often came at the expense of violence against woman. In Grells green arrow that happens to be a 10 year old girl to start things off. I am not one to say mature story lines should be avoided I just felt this was merely a plot device and really didn’t serve much purpose then to be dark. The child abuser in the story seemingly does so “because he can” and the mustache twirling villain cliche really insults real word abuse crimes. The author had to also go out of his way to mention at least the girl was not raped as if to justify his use of a ten year old girl as s victim in a DC super hero comic. I am glad we have come a long way since these times.
Further along the story tackles a sting of gay bashing attack’s plaguing night life. The story open with Ollie making a glancing “closet” joke as a gay couple comes in. Something that was was not needed and would not make its way into modern comics.
If you want mature story lines I would recommend independent comics as they often times allow for greater context of victims and impacts instead of just throwing a gritty wash over super heroes.
Further along the story tackles a sting of gay bashing attack’s plaguing night life. The story open with Ollie making a glancing “closet” joke as a gay couple comes in. Something that was was not needed and would not make its way into modern comics.
If you want mature story lines I would recommend independent comics as they often times allow for greater context of victims and impacts instead of just throwing a gritty wash over super heroes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews