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DC Finest: Green Arrow #1
DC Finest: Green Arrow
A major new line of DC collected editions begins with the most iconic stories starring Green Arrow!
Welcome to DC Finest, a major new publishing initiative presenting comprehensive collections of the most in-demand and celebrated periods in DC Comics history, spanning genres, characters, and eras!
Collecting the can’t-miss stories about the modern-day Robin Hood, DC Finest: Green Arrow is a must have for any fan!
Collects Detective Comics Annual #1, Green Arrow #1-8, Green Arrow Annual #1, The Question #17-18, The Question Annual #1, Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters #1-3
Welcome to DC Finest, a major new publishing initiative presenting comprehensive collections of the most in-demand and celebrated periods in DC Comics history, spanning genres, characters, and eras!
Collecting the can’t-miss stories about the modern-day Robin Hood, DC Finest: Green Arrow is a must have for any fan!
Collects Detective Comics Annual #1, Green Arrow #1-8, Green Arrow Annual #1, The Question #17-18, The Question Annual #1, Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters #1-3
544 pages, Paperback
Published January 21, 2025
6 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Mike Grell
713 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
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 27, 2025
This is not comics code authority approved, but deals with rather mature themes, not for kids.
Art is very good throughout except for the Green Arrow Annual, The initial 3 isssue prestige longbow hunters has the best art.
Stories are quite good and more grounded, based in Seattle, (with excellent references to the PNW)and not encountering any superpowered individuals, this is how comics should be. Grell and O Neil take a liberal perspective to their writing but it isn’t too obnoxious. A solid read, with the introduction of one of DC’s greatest characters Eddie Fyers.
Art is very good throughout except for the Green Arrow Annual, The initial 3 isssue prestige longbow hunters has the best art.
Stories are quite good and more grounded, based in Seattle, (with excellent references to the PNW)and not encountering any superpowered individuals, this is how comics should be. Grell and O Neil take a liberal perspective to their writing but it isn’t too obnoxious. A solid read, with the introduction of one of DC’s greatest characters Eddie Fyers.
December 23, 2025
Mike Grell's take on the Green Arrow is one of the finest in Green Arrows long history.
The art, the grit of the stories, and the real world late 80's feel make this version of the Arrow one of the best, if not the best, ever created.
A must read for Green Arrow fans and comic fans alike.
The art, the grit of the stories, and the real world late 80's feel make this version of the Arrow one of the best, if not the best, ever created.
A must read for Green Arrow fans and comic fans alike.
March 8, 2025
9/10
Amazing art/story in the green arrow issues. The final 3 annuals I didn’t like that much but they were mostly good.
Amazing art/story in the green arrow issues. The final 3 annuals I didn’t like that much but they were mostly good.
February 3, 2025
"I'm not a cop... which means I don't have to play by any RULES," Ollie says while wearing mirrored sunglasses. Oh, brother...
Pure Reagan-era pulp. Comic-book equivalent of a Canon movie. Kids are depicted as violent animals. Violence against woman is ubiquitous. The first big storyline is dripping with orientalist fetishizing of yakuza culture. Edgy and exploitative for the sake of it-- and while it does try to handle the fallout of its grossly violent storylines with a degree of emotional honesty, it doesn't make its dime-store noir vibe any less silly.
Still... I enjoyed it. Mike Grell's artwork on the first three-issue miniseries is lush and captivating, and there's a compelling sense of introspection to these stories that keeps them from feeling like all-out reactionary propaganda. I may not AGREE with the writer's politics, but I can at least respect how he's chosen to express them.
... Except for what he had happen to Black Canary. That was just plain reprehensible.
Pure Reagan-era pulp. Comic-book equivalent of a Canon movie. Kids are depicted as violent animals. Violence against woman is ubiquitous. The first big storyline is dripping with orientalist fetishizing of yakuza culture. Edgy and exploitative for the sake of it-- and while it does try to handle the fallout of its grossly violent storylines with a degree of emotional honesty, it doesn't make its dime-store noir vibe any less silly.
Still... I enjoyed it. Mike Grell's artwork on the first three-issue miniseries is lush and captivating, and there's a compelling sense of introspection to these stories that keeps them from feeling like all-out reactionary propaganda. I may not AGREE with the writer's politics, but I can at least respect how he's chosen to express them.
... Except for what he had happen to Black Canary. That was just plain reprehensible.
March 4, 2025
Mike Grell understands Green Arrow.
While the character is taken on a darker path after the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, there's still a level of charm and likeability that good old Oliver Queen should exude. Grell's work here perfectly displays both.
The man creates a story surrounding Ollie mixing it up with corrupt government officials, ninja bow hunters, and a series of other events that create something unique to the character and creating a more grounded mythos for him.
Complaints that I've heard about Green Arrow, mostly from people who only watched Arrow the show, is that he's too much like Batman. He's a vigilante with money, no super powers, and a gimmick. I don't think that's very true about this character. Green Arrow is far more political, with Ollie going after a serial killing of gay men in Seattle in this book. He's also championing for the oppressed, but unlike the Denny O'Neil days, its less outwardly spoken and more internal. Its an interesting shift.
Also, the additional the Question issues here were fun. It was cool to see Denny O'Neil return to a character that he may as well have created (since Green Arrow was largely underdeveloped before him) to a darker version of the character without any of the really outwardly political views. I think that it was a nice sendoff to one of the original writers kind of giving his blessing to the next writer.
The art is very inconsistent here. Grell does interiors for the first miniseries in the book, and it was the best the book looked. I loved the water color effects, the isolation I felt when reading it, and the way the whole story flowed. It felt great to read. Other artists here were lacking. Some had really no depth or shadow to create a form of depth, and it was very flat looking and ugly. Other artists did okay, but it wasn't enough to compare to the miniseries before. However, whoever did the art for the Question series was something else. I loved that art and thought that he did really good for the brief panels of Ollie that were in there. It looked closer to the original design but it was still great.
Happy to start picking up DC Finest, hoping that it stays consistently published like Marvel's Epic Collection.
While the character is taken on a darker path after the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths, there's still a level of charm and likeability that good old Oliver Queen should exude. Grell's work here perfectly displays both.
The man creates a story surrounding Ollie mixing it up with corrupt government officials, ninja bow hunters, and a series of other events that create something unique to the character and creating a more grounded mythos for him.
Complaints that I've heard about Green Arrow, mostly from people who only watched Arrow the show, is that he's too much like Batman. He's a vigilante with money, no super powers, and a gimmick. I don't think that's very true about this character. Green Arrow is far more political, with Ollie going after a serial killing of gay men in Seattle in this book. He's also championing for the oppressed, but unlike the Denny O'Neil days, its less outwardly spoken and more internal. Its an interesting shift.
Also, the additional the Question issues here were fun. It was cool to see Denny O'Neil return to a character that he may as well have created (since Green Arrow was largely underdeveloped before him) to a darker version of the character without any of the really outwardly political views. I think that it was a nice sendoff to one of the original writers kind of giving his blessing to the next writer.
The art is very inconsistent here. Grell does interiors for the first miniseries in the book, and it was the best the book looked. I loved the water color effects, the isolation I felt when reading it, and the way the whole story flowed. It felt great to read. Other artists here were lacking. Some had really no depth or shadow to create a form of depth, and it was very flat looking and ugly. Other artists did okay, but it wasn't enough to compare to the miniseries before. However, whoever did the art for the Question series was something else. I loved that art and thought that he did really good for the brief panels of Ollie that were in there. It looked closer to the original design but it was still great.
Happy to start picking up DC Finest, hoping that it stays consistently published like Marvel's Epic Collection.
June 17, 2025
A thoroughly enjoying read front to back. I enjoyed every single arc and never felt like they dragged until the last one which was stretched across 3 books. It was also a strangely pleasant surprise to see Lady Shiva here in a supporting role compared to the batgirl run where she is kind of just represents strength without limits or checks.
Green arrow is a really interesting character that doesn't get as much love as he should. He's like a warmer friendlier, healthier batman. He'll kill villains sometimes because he's a human, he doesn't have some mission or code he's dedicated his life too. Sometimes people are dangerous and the going gets tough, and he regrets it every time he has too, but he still does. He has a girlfreind/ wife that he has a lovely relationship with that opens up really interesting stories like how she has to explain to him why they really can't have kids however much she way want to.
A lot of the stories and villains feel very grounded at the street level. Like the villain of one of the stories is just a homophobic guy who got some gay people killed, but to green arrow, he knew some of them as friends so he hunts this guy down to make him answer for his murders. Everything here feels very personal and contained outside of one or two stories, again, including the last one with Lady Shiva which is probably the weakest of the lot being a crossover with Batman and The Question.
Green arrow is a really interesting character that doesn't get as much love as he should. He's like a warmer friendlier, healthier batman. He'll kill villains sometimes because he's a human, he doesn't have some mission or code he's dedicated his life too. Sometimes people are dangerous and the going gets tough, and he regrets it every time he has too, but he still does. He has a girlfreind/ wife that he has a lovely relationship with that opens up really interesting stories like how she has to explain to him why they really can't have kids however much she way want to.
A lot of the stories and villains feel very grounded at the street level. Like the villain of one of the stories is just a homophobic guy who got some gay people killed, but to green arrow, he knew some of them as friends so he hunts this guy down to make him answer for his murders. Everything here feels very personal and contained outside of one or two stories, again, including the last one with Lady Shiva which is probably the weakest of the lot being a crossover with Batman and The Question.
October 28, 2025
I've never really been a big Green Arrow fan, as my only interaction with the character was mainly the CW tv series. However, this book was a pleasant surprise, and was consistently compelling throughout the entire volume. Grell for one, did a great job at reinventing Ollie in a more grounded setting. This book takes place in Seattle, and Ollie deals with a lot of heavy stuff (corruption, serial murders, drugs, gangs and street level stuff at the time). This new setting gives Grell the freedom to take Ollie in an interesting/different direction.
My only issue is how Grell treats Black Canary at times, as she overall doesn't feel that important. She just stays home, and runs this flower business she started; I would've liked seeing her and Green Arrow team up more often. This was overall a great read, and I'm excited to continue this run in the future.
My only issue is how Grell treats Black Canary at times, as she overall doesn't feel that important. She just stays home, and runs this flower business she started; I would've liked seeing her and Green Arrow team up more often. This was overall a great read, and I'm excited to continue this run in the future.
August 30, 2025
Veteran writer/artist Mike Grell revamps Green Arrow post Crisis for "mature" readers and it's just...ok. Basically, it reads like a watered-down Canon movie, as Oliver Queen moves to Seattle with his girlfriend Black Canary and fights ninjas, serial killers, thugs, the CIA etc etc. The main difference is, instead of being a stone faced badass like Charles Bronson, Green Arrow is written as a sensitive dude who like to have sex a lot when he's not yelling at cops that he's not playing by the rules. So, the cliches are obvious, but this is still readable pulp. The included crossover with the Question makes that series seem much more interesting, although the second crossover included to end the book is also a bit eye rolling with the eastern philosophy mumbo jumbo.
October 4, 2025
I've thought about this book a lot since I first read it earlier this year. Everything about the Green Arrow issues, from the art to the writing, was incredibly well done. It all felt so real, so believable and human. There were so many shocking and badass moments that I knew would stick with me forever from the second I flipped the page. I wasn't a fan of The Question stuff at the end, but that was like an unnecessary special feature added to sell DVDs. The actual movie (and it does feel like watching a movie) is amazing. I think this, along with Year One, has solidified Oliver Queen as my favourite superhero. It's a shame we won't be seeing much of him in the Absolute universe 😢. I want a Green Arrow with enormous arms and an enormous bow that shoots javelins through tanks.
April 2, 2025
First Green Arrow stuff I've read, pretty good overall storylines. Art is ok for its period, you can sure tell it was written in the 80s. Lots of references and lingo that aren't used today, which actually made reading thru it a little fun flashback in time. Overall some good stuff, enjoyed it.
December 16, 2025
The start of the best Green Arrow run by Mike Grell and contains the Longbow Hunters storyline which is peak and greatly inspired the tv show Arrow. Definitely more mature comics with its graphic content and themes. Oliver is not messing around in this one. Covers 1987-1988.
June 7, 2025
some good stuff in here for sure. the longbow hunters story was probably my favorite, but there wasn't anything bad by any means and it was pretty consistently good throughout.
October 31, 2025
Mucho de este material se editó en castellano pero no sé si abarcando cada issue.
November 13, 2025
I was genuinely surprised how progressive and well thought out Mike Grells stories could be. Otherwise pretty standard superhero fare
November 24, 2025
Interesting trip back to the mindset of the 80s. Honestly I was in this for Mike Grell's work (big fan since the Jon Sable days) so skimmed through half of the stories.
November 18, 2025
Darker and more grounded take on the Green Arrow that redefines him for a mature audience.
Oliver Queen relocates to Seattle with Dinah Lance, only to fact brutal street-level crime and personal challenges that push him into morally gray territory.
While influential and atmospheric, the bleak tone and controversial elements make it a less satisfying overall read.
Oliver Queen relocates to Seattle with Dinah Lance, only to fact brutal street-level crime and personal challenges that push him into morally gray territory.
While influential and atmospheric, the bleak tone and controversial elements make it a less satisfying overall read.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews