Green Arrow, Vol. 2: Here There Be Dragons

Green Arrow (1988) (Collected Editions)

by Mike Grell, Ed Hannigan (Illustrator)

In these cult favorite stories from the 1980s, Green Arrow heads to Alaska to investigate a gang's activities at the behest of the CIA, only to run afoul of the mysterious archer known as Shado. The two are forced to work together to stay one step ahead of Yakuza killers while trying to learn who set them up.

Collecting: Green Arrow 7-12

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Crime, Fiction

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Mike 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

Reviews

[Dirk Grobbelaar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad at all – but it didn’t give me same warm glow as its predecessors (Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters - Green Arrow, Vol. 1: Hunters Moon). What does make this collection memorable is that it features the sequence dealing with the reappearance of Shado, something which leads to a surprise reveal later in the series.

This Green Arrow series was part of the DC “New Format / Suggested for Mature Readers” imprint, which has gone on to become Vertigo. It’s gritty and violent and quite good. Mike Grell really managed to transform Oliver Queen from cheesy Robin-Hood-alike to troubled vigilante.

This series was my introduction to Green Arrow back in the day and is still the version I prefer.
Recommended to fans of 80s comics and anybody following the evolution of the character.

3.5 Stars

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The famous (or infamous) storyline involving Shado.

I actually like the set up before Oliver and Shado partner up; however, it makes me curious how long Ollie was away from Dinah as his chest wound seemed pretty much completely healed.
After that scene that DC seemingly erased from continuity.

I liked how there was an obvious connection between the two characters but Oliver didn’t (consent to) act upon it.

I hate when people are in relationships, go on a mission and cheat on their partners, then go back home and act as if nothing happened.

Also, this could be another ‘me’ issue but when Oliver was laying out Osbourne’s plan at the end, I felt like I was missing something.

[Diz · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this series, Green Arrow fights street level crime. This particular volume contains two stories. In the first story, he goes to Alaska to bust a drug and car theft ring. In the second story, which is the main story in this volume, he goes to help an archer running away from the yakuza. These stories have an action movie tone that really suits Green Arrow as a character.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enter the Green Arrow a few decades back when a hero could be a hero without fighting superhero's to make it interesting. In this second collection of the series of Green Arrow our reluctant and human hero does go to Alaska to stop a drugsring even if it is altogether another product he stops being smuggled. And the second hero lasted 4 installments and is an re-acquaintance with Shado from the initial mini series that relaunched this more mature version of the Green Arrow. And it involves her background, the Yakusa and a treasure map. The story ends rather different than you might expect, Oliver is the grown up man he never wanted to be but he does it in style and courage.

I am really enjoying my re-discovering this old series with whom I discovered the Green arrow for the first time. Well written and well drawn comic that is spectacular enough without any superhero's being around.

The good stuff.

[Lost Planet Airman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always liked the version of GA that Mike Grell rebooted in the late '80s-- uman stories rather than superhuman.
While seeking more intel on organized crime, Ollie heads for Alaska but stumbles on a smuggling ring. Theh he discovers that the past has a way of catching up to you, as an old 'frenemy' of Oliver has figured out who he is, where he lives, and how to draft him into the search for a hidden fortune.

[Subham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was quite a fun read.

Ollie goes to Anchorage, Alaska to meet up with some car stealers and I didn't really get that story because of the messy writing but it seemed he handled over some smugglers and one car belonged to Dinah but the big story where he is sent to retrieve some items from Shado by Osbourne and how they team up to like defeat the Yakuza who are after Shado makes for a great story and I quite enjoyed that one!

Its great the way the art is and the scenes where Shado is pulling the bow and knocking down the attackers and her romance with Ollie is so good and just makes for a wonderful read. Plus their chemistry is hot for sure and also the predictable twist and Ollie coming out on top. A well follow up to the original GN!

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Green Arrow deals with the Yakuza and an old flame. Nice story intersecting with the political climate in the Philippines for the time this story was written. I just came back from the Philippines for work a few days ago so it made things more real even if it's now history.

MY GRADE: B.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025 Review: Green Arrow Vol. 2 features two main arcs, and it's a bit of a mixed bag, but overall a strong entry in the series.

The first arc is a two-parter that, while not bad, kind of falls flat for me. There are definitely some highlights, Black Canary is excellent here. She's still a total badass, but we also get a thoughtful look at her working through her PTSD, which adds some real depth to her character. Meanwhile, Oliver's trip to Alaska is the weaker side of the story. It’s not terrible, just kind of forgettable, a pretty standard undercover mission that didn’t leave much of an impression.

Then we hit the four-issue arc that follows, and wow, it’s fantastic. I absolutely loved what they did with Shado here. She really shines, not just as a skilled warrior, but as someone burdened by the pain of watching those around her get hurt or killed. Her emotional journey adds real weight to the action. The art steps up too, with some stunning visuals and brutally effective fight scenes. And the ending? Perfectly bittersweet. A powerful close to a great arc.

All in all, this volume balances out to a solid 4 out of 5 for me.




2016 Review: A solid followup of the first volume (Which I mostly loved).

Things are a little bit sillier in this volume. Well the first arc. I wasn't feeling it much at all. Could be the outdated art is sometimes making fight scenes look awful. However, I don't think that is it, because I loved the final fight scenes in this volume. Also having Shado back is a big plus, she's badass, and makes Ollie better.

Overall if you enjoyed volume 1 you should enjoy 2, even if it's not as good.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying this series! Smart writing, with mature themes, such as honor and overcoming trauma; and real-world situations, such as drug trafficking, assassinations, the Yakuza. Each new story builds on events past, from The Longbow Hunters on, so we see the characters evolve, and we meet new ones as well. More, please.

On to Green Arrow, Vol. 3: The Trial of Oliver Queen.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This harkens back to the days when Green Arrow didn't fight super villains and was grounded more in reality. These old Mike Grell stories are golden and still hold up.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

We've had the palette cleanser, and now it's time to get back to the nitty gritty. This second volume of Mike Grell's Green Arrow reintroduces Shado to the story and brings Green Arrow face to face with the woman who saved his life.

But first, dog sledding! The first two issues of the volume are a two-parter about Ollie tracking down a drug smuggling ring almost completely by accident. I do enjoy when coincidence drives the engine of a story, and this one all comes together neatly and tidily just in time for doggies.

But of course, Here There Be Dragons is the main draw here. It's the first four part story of the series so far, and it's actually fairly quiet for the most part as Oliver reconnects with Shado, who has found herself on the run from the Yakuza. They're an intriguing pair, and the chemistry is unmistakable. We also get a lot of flashbacks to Shado's past, which help explain how and why she is the person she is today, which drives home the emotional beats in the present too. The twist at the end of the story is a little obvious, but it doesn't ruin the overall experience.

I'm probably not going to mention the art on this series going forward, since even the fill-in artists seem to have very similar styles both here and in the following volume that I've already read at this point. It's great, it's moody, and it's packed full of hand-drawn natural detail that you rarely get these days.

Oliver's life may be complicated, but throwing Shado into the mix just makes things even worse for him - which of course makes it even better for us.

[Joni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Esta es la continuación del arco anterior The Longbow Hunters que compila del siete al doce del Green Arrow de 1988. Los primeros dos números no están dibujados por Hannigan y tampoco aportan mucho, una historia medio pelo sobre traficantes del afrodisíaco polvo de cuerno de rinoceronte con mafia china de por medio, predecible dibujada sin mucho atino y coloreada con cuestionable buen gusto. Cuenta como relleno entre el TLH y el de los últimos cuatro de este segundo vólumen Here There Be Dragons. Esta es otra historia sin mucha originalidad donde vuelve Shado, la arquera japonesa. Oliver es chantajeado para buscarla porque dicen que tiene en su poder un mapa robado a los Yakuza que dicho sea de paso la buscan para matarla por esto y le piden recuperar este mapa de tesoros. Está bien dibujada y destaco al final una secuencia muda de nueve páginas que son una genialidad.

[Nate]

Ollie heads to Alaska to investigate a drug trafficking case, while hoping to catch the beginning of the Iditarod. Then he’s recruited by Osborne to track down Shado who’s holding a map of secret treasure buried in the Philippines. I liked the first story and loved the second. The Alaska arc is well-told, but pretty slight in the grand scheme of things. The scene between Ollie and Dinah at the beginning is the best part. Meanwhile, Shado’s return from The Longbow Hunters is more than welcome, especially since she’s given loads more backstory and personality. The sequence in Japan is fantastic, as are all the fight scenes. I mentioned in my review of the first volume that Grell lets the artists tell the story when needed, and that holds true here. His economy of language stands out for the time; sometimes there are five pages in a row with no dialogue, where the art communicates more than exposition ever would.

[Shaun Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Green Arrow Vol. 2 Here There Be Dragons collects issues 7-12 of the series written by Mike Grell with art by Ed Hannigan.

Olliver battles drug smugglers and reunited with Shoda and takes on the Yakuza.

I love how these stories are grounded in reality and doesn't rely on supervillain or gimmicks. I also really like how Grell and Hannigan let's the art speak for itself in action sequences and doesn't add snappy remarks or comebacks.

[Julio Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

well it was an interesting book i thought it would take longer to read but it did not

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Powderhorn Trail (#7-8). This story is about stolen cars and smuggling — pretty much the urban crime elements of some of the less interesting Grell Green Arrow stories. But the storytelling is more problematic. The first issue uses a different writer for the Black Canary scenes, which is interesting in theory, but results in a muddy story. Then the second issue goes really big-screen with lots of wordless overview panels which totally undercut the storytelling [3/5].

Here There Be Dragons (#9-12). This is probably what every Green Arrow fan was waiting for since the beginning of Mike Grell's Green Arrow series: the return of Shado and a new long-form story that was up to the heights of The Longbow Hunter. Overall, "Here There Be Dragons" is wonderful. It gives piles of background and characterization to Shado and really develops her as a three-dimensional character. It also continues in the theme of Grell's real-world stories, but by using the ongoing threats of the Yakuza and the CIA makes it feel like a much more organic narrative than most of these real-world thrillers. Overall, a great arc with a great ending. [4+/5].

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ollie, Ollie, Ollie. Can't leave a past lover alone, can you. Great classic story. I love how Grell showed a hero that had convictions and passion to do what is right, but yet still struggled with his own demons and made mistakes. Humanizing the hero makes it easier to relate to them. This is not your old squeaky clean hero. Grell led the way for authors to accept that heroes need to be written as complex characters and sales showed that the audiences wanted to read stuff like this. This may be from the 80's, but it still hits the mark in the present day. Love it!

[OmniBen · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Zero spoiler review) 4.5/5
Please note, I am reviewing this solely as the four issue Here There Be Dragons arc, and not to two preceding issues, which were a most unfortunate low light on what has been up until now, a run of such special magnificence, it makes my trousers just a little but too tight thinking about it. Following on from the Longbow Hunters, (which I just finished gushing over in another review), you couldn't have wiped the smile off my face with a sledgehammer to see Mike Grell returning to this storyline, even if it was with series long running artist Ed Hannigan, rather than Grell pencilling it himself. The terrible taste left in my mouth from the terrible writing and art of the previous issue was quickly cast aside with Shado's return. Grell was back on form with his writing and Hannigan back with pencil in hand to put his own spin on the Longbow Hunters saga.
Whilst not quite hitting the high of TLBH proper, it was still splendiferous to see my newest favourite character delving back into the grounded and gritty world which I've so recently become enamoured with. Hints of noirish espionage give this particular arc a more international feel, with some of Hannigans panels being simply breath taking, particularly his silhouette work. And that final page *chefs kiss. This really is some very, very special comics here. I can't believe my luck I still have over 2000 pages of this run in omnibus form to go. Those trousers aren't gonna be loosening up anytime soon. 4.5/5


OmniBen.

[Alex Sarll]

This feels much closer to The Equalizer (original Woodward flavour) than a superhero book, even other supposedly realistic ones of the same era like Watchmen. Ollie and Dinah – which feel like much more appropriate names here than Green Arrow and Black Canary – try to keep their business and relationship on something like an even keel, in between stalking drug gangs and other plausible crooks through the streets of a solid, breathing Seattle – and sometimes a little further afield, but only to ferries and Anchorage, not satellites or Atlantis. Our heroes are tough, but they can be hurt, inside and out; they love, but they can be tempted. And given both of them had fairly feeble disguises, they can certainly be unmasked, their secret identities amusingly retconned as a polite fiction. Even the whiff of orientalism around the ex-Yakuza, sometimes blindfolded archer Shado is mild compared to what a lot of comics back then were doing with the whole ninja obsession.

[Cosmo · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Here There Be Dragons”

The big draw of this collection is the return of Shado from “The Longbow Hunters” arc that cemented the start of this series. I love how Mike Grell has made this story his own. It is a mature dark tone with splashes of hope and color. Oliver and Dinah are both well written characters. They have great chemistry.

I have notes. Quibbles I guess you could say. Do I like the almost forced possible romance of “will they won’t they” between Shado and Oliver. It seems heavily implied that maybe Oliver was being unfaithful to Dinah. At least that’s how I saw it in the artwork. I don’t like it, but Oliver did have that shared experience with Shado of murdering the man that was torturing Dinah in The Longbow Hunters.

I recommend reading this only if you read The Longbow Hunters. While it does summarize the events of that arc, this arc will feel meh.

[Cybernex007 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit, this was a really weak volume. Started out on a two part story that felt phoned in. Then the main storyline bringing back Shado felt like it had some promise, only to spend most of the time recapping the longbow hunters series before tying all the loose plot threads that weren't properly built up with a real world political connection to try and give it the allure of depth. I really hope this is the low spot in the series, because I have no clue how they can go from the peak of vol 1 to this so quickly. Shado was still the standout in this volume though, awesome character.

I have more notes on the individual issues that make up the volume. Here are their ranking summarized:

Issue #7 - 3/5
Issue #8 - 2/5
Issue #9 - 3/5
Issue #10 - 3/5
Issue #11 - 4/5
Issue #12 - 3/5

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

El primer arco narrativo, el de Alaska, fue un ejercicio panorámico. Hubo muchos paneles mudos y eso ayudó a ponerme en ambiente y a sentir más vida en los alrededores de Oliver Queen. Me gusta más ahora que no se le ven las pupilas en los ojos de Flecha Verde con el antifaz puesto. Deja esa trama con Dinah inconclusa, lo cual rompe con el formato de dos fascículos por arco.

El segundo arco fue un retorno al inicio de la serie con Longbow Hunters. Me encanta lo sublime que es cada composición y lo hermoso de cada trazo. Fue, como secuela a Hunters, una exploración más profunda al personaje de Shado y su viaje que podría crear su propia serie. De verdad no tengo mucho que decir porque la inmensa calidad que encontré en Longbow Hunters la encontré aquí.

[Kris Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuing with the mature readers angle, Volume 2 of Mike Grell's Green Arrow works extremely well for what it is. Over the top violence, sexual situations, and adversaries rooted in the real world are what's on tap in this book. Lots of action here with CIA operations and sled dog races in Alaska. Grell lost me with the ninja crap in #9, though. Martial arts enjoyed a brief renaissance in the '80s, but the whole honor/samurai shtick is lame and boring. It reminds me of that episode of South Park...it has a dragon right on the blade. While the writing and artwork are solid enough I won't be back for volume 3.

[Jacob Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 of the long running 80 issue run of Mike grells green arrow. In this book, it contains 2 stories, one 2 issue short story, and a 4 issue story that brings back another character from longbow hunters.

If you enjoyed the story that LBH set up, you will love this follow up to the first volume, and longbow hunters. This might be better than the first volume, but it’s a great addition to another side of Oliver’s story. A battle a lot of people have dealt with before. No spoilers, check this out!

Best way to read? Either the Longbow hunters omnibus Vol 1, or TPB Vol 2 Here there be dragons. I much prefer the way lighter book vs the behemoth omnibus. More comfortable to read.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the first few issues of Here There Be Dragons a bit of a drag. The storytelling felt a little haphazard and not up to Mike Grell's normal standards. However, as soon as Shado entered the picture, things went right back to normal, echoing the same quality found in The Longbow Hunters and Hunter's Moon. I think one of the best things about this series so far is the lack of supervillains. Oliver confronts real, human threats and social injustices and it makes his campaign against crime all the more captivating.

[Frédéric · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but not as good as the first volume. The first arc in 2 parts is weak - that's me being nice here - with mediocre drawing to make matters worse.

The second arc sees the return of Shado- and Ed Hannigan as the artist- which makes things a lot better.
The GA/Shado relationship is an interesting one, full of undertones, in the context of a down-to-earth yet solid yakuza plot.

However, I was sometimes put off by some rather abrupt narrative shortcuts and storytelling that didn't always flow smoothly.

[Darik · Rating 4 out of 5]

More Canon Films Green Arrow. The orientalism and fetishizing go up another level as Oliver ends up helping Shado escape from the clutches of the Yakuza, leading to a disappointingly predictable romance. I'd be offended if it wasn't such shameless pulp trash... which somehow makes it more tolerable.

Grell wants Green Arrow to be James Bond, going to exotic locations, killing generic bad guys, and sleeping with beautiful women-- basic mediocre white guy wish fulfillment. It's just a shame that he completely undercut Oliver's entire personality to do it.

[Shell Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good old Oliver Queen is at it again in Alaska and Hawaii.
I'm take it or leave it in the first story. The Iditarod doesn't interest me at all and the story didn't have much of a pay off.
I really enjoyed the second one with Shado and the Yakima trying to find money for the Philippine government. Shado is a fun character and a really good "sidekick" for Green Arrow.
The story does a really good job intertwining fighting and personal experiences.
I mostly loved this one.

[José · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oliver Queen junto a Shado siempre es una buena combinación. Ya tenemos un personaje formado con él, así que estos números se centran más en ella, en "El dragón". Definitivamente, ha sido una lectura que he disfrutado demasiado. Quizás lo que me falta es que haya algún villano mucho más desarrollado y no sea tan genérico (tiran de los Yakuza). Aun así, lo he disfrutado muchísimo.

[Zachary King · Rating 5 out of 5]

More great GA work from Grell, Hannigan, and co. Ollie tracks a drug ring to the Iditarod and pursues buried treasure with the mysterious Shado. The art in this book is amazing, with narrative potency in so many elegant silent sequences. I definitely see why this is a legendary run for the character!