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Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia
152 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication September 22, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 4, 2026
(Read as single issues) 3.5 stars. Arcadia, written and drawn by Gabriel Hardman, borrows both visually and thematically from the 1980s runs of Mike Grell’s Green Arrow, and Dennis O'Neil’s and Denys Cowan’s The Question.
Both of these 1980s comics utilised Realism and adult attitudes with realistic violence, and contended with socially aware issues that flow from structural poverty and inequality and the like. And Batman too in the 80s was influenced by these concerns. With Arcadia, Gabe Hardman’s style, and particularly his depictions of Green Arrow and Question, pay direct homage to Grell’s GA and Cowan’s Question – they look as they were drawn in the 80s (Batman is different, and he looks like the light-armoured version of Batman from Nolan’s Batman movies. That makes sense as Hardman was the storyboard artist for the Dark Knight movie, and accordingly the art and depictions of Batman in this book look pretty cinematic/shots taken from a movie. It’s pretty good!). Hardman’s visual style and physics in the book therefore owes a lot to the Realist concerns of Mike Grell. I like it.
For me though, the interplay between the art and how it conveys the narrative becomes and is a bit muddled. This is because, in having three heroes to follow, Gabe Hardman elects not to give any of them an inner monologue or narration (excepting the Question briefly a couple of times, to introduce and opine about his job as a journalist, but it’s not much and is hardly a consistent narrative tool). Without any narration then, these characters are closed off to us and are available to us as objects in all the action, only.
It’s an understandable choice on Hardman’s part because there are three main heroes to follow, and three sets of narration might be a bit much/hard to pull off. But without any real narration, I find the action harder to follow, as it cuts between characters without any throughline. I would like some narration, and if Hardman was a better writer that could pull something like that off, the book would be better. Instead, the art has to do too much work, and I have to pay way too much attention to work out what’s going on. The book’s interplay between its drawing and its words is not quite successful enough, for my liking.
Other than this, I like the book’s basic concept about an island for billionaires – ripped from the headlines re an island-city in Central America named Prospera! – and how they abuse labour, and are powers/responsible only unto themselves, and are disregarding the rest of humanity. And engineering conflict on the matter, between the approaches of Green Arrow with Batman, is good and worthwhile, because they’re not the same character.
So, there are good things going for this book, and I certainly like Hardman’s premise and his attempt. It’s a shame I don’t like quite how the narrative occurs in the way it does, but there are still elements to enjoy here.
Both of these 1980s comics utilised Realism and adult attitudes with realistic violence, and contended with socially aware issues that flow from structural poverty and inequality and the like. And Batman too in the 80s was influenced by these concerns. With Arcadia, Gabe Hardman’s style, and particularly his depictions of Green Arrow and Question, pay direct homage to Grell’s GA and Cowan’s Question – they look as they were drawn in the 80s (Batman is different, and he looks like the light-armoured version of Batman from Nolan’s Batman movies. That makes sense as Hardman was the storyboard artist for the Dark Knight movie, and accordingly the art and depictions of Batman in this book look pretty cinematic/shots taken from a movie. It’s pretty good!). Hardman’s visual style and physics in the book therefore owes a lot to the Realist concerns of Mike Grell. I like it.
For me though, the interplay between the art and how it conveys the narrative becomes and is a bit muddled. This is because, in having three heroes to follow, Gabe Hardman elects not to give any of them an inner monologue or narration (excepting the Question briefly a couple of times, to introduce and opine about his job as a journalist, but it’s not much and is hardly a consistent narrative tool). Without any narration then, these characters are closed off to us and are available to us as objects in all the action, only.
It’s an understandable choice on Hardman’s part because there are three main heroes to follow, and three sets of narration might be a bit much/hard to pull off. But without any real narration, I find the action harder to follow, as it cuts between characters without any throughline. I would like some narration, and if Hardman was a better writer that could pull something like that off, the book would be better. Instead, the art has to do too much work, and I have to pay way too much attention to work out what’s going on. The book’s interplay between its drawing and its words is not quite successful enough, for my liking.
Other than this, I like the book’s basic concept about an island for billionaires – ripped from the headlines re an island-city in Central America named Prospera! – and how they abuse labour, and are powers/responsible only unto themselves, and are disregarding the rest of humanity. And engineering conflict on the matter, between the approaches of Green Arrow with Batman, is good and worthwhile, because they’re not the same character.
So, there are good things going for this book, and I certainly like Hardman’s premise and his attempt. It’s a shame I don’t like quite how the narrative occurs in the way it does, but there are still elements to enjoy here.
Review of advance copy
Read in single issues
Hardman’s writing and art are a bit of a throwback to the well written action comics of yesteryear - Like Andy Diggle and Jock’s work in the 00s or strips from the 2000ad stable around the same era.
The artwork certainly feels British, evoking not just Jock’s action sensibility but also the likes of Trevor Hairsine, Keith Burns and even as far back as the like of Mike Western or Joe Colquon’s art in war comics of the 70s and early 80s.
The actions scenes are frenetic and intense.
However, Hardman’s writing also impresses here. He’s written a fast moving action thriller, with dialogue that flows as well as the art that it is complementing. The concept of Arcadia is very interesting and additive and does a great job of not just utilising the 3 main characters but it’s also sensible that they’d be involved, each for their own reasons s and they are handled well.
Really impressive from Hardman.
4.5 stars.
Hardman’s writing and art are a bit of a throwback to the well written action comics of yesteryear - Like Andy Diggle and Jock’s work in the 00s or strips from the 2000ad stable around the same era.
The artwork certainly feels British, evoking not just Jock’s action sensibility but also the likes of Trevor Hairsine, Keith Burns and even as far back as the like of Mike Western or Joe Colquon’s art in war comics of the 70s and early 80s.
The actions scenes are frenetic and intense.
However, Hardman’s writing also impresses here. He’s written a fast moving action thriller, with dialogue that flows as well as the art that it is complementing. The concept of Arcadia is very interesting and additive and does a great job of not just utilising the 3 main characters but it’s also sensible that they’d be involved, each for their own reasons s and they are handled well.
Really impressive from Hardman.
4.5 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Outro
Esse quadrinho seleciona os três melhores herois urbanos da DC Comics e conta a história mais água com açúcar possível, o Questão é o melhor personagem de toda a obra e sinceramente me pareceu que Gabriel queria trabalhar com ele e com o Arqueiro Verde como coadjuvante já que a trama envolve as empresas Queen, mas do meu ponto de vista poderia ser uma empresa qualquer e ainda assim a trama rolaria do mesmo jeito, já o Batman parece estar aqui apenas para gerar vendas através dos fãs.
A trama em si é interessante quando parte do ponto de vista dos coadjuvantes e suas motivações, mas quando envolve os personagens principais ela cai para clichês e quadros desperdiçados, a leitura me cansou algumas vezes mas ainda assim é sólido o suficiente, nota 2.5.
A trama em si é interessante quando parte do ponto de vista dos coadjuvantes e suas motivações, mas quando envolve os personagens principais ela cai para clichês e quadros desperdiçados, a leitura me cansou algumas vezes mas ainda assim é sólido o suficiente, nota 2.5.
September 8, 2026
I wanted to like this more than I did because the art is fantastic and the characterization of The Question and Green Arrow were on point. Gabriel Hardman has some important stuff to say about climate change and I’m a fan of the 80s sensibilities but, unfortunately, there wasn’t enough story to last four issues. And, for me, Batman seemed too naive and poorly used. This series probably would have benefited from another character in his place or just keeping it The Question and Green Arrow.
July 3, 2026
Arcadia is a nostalgic and captivating story, returning to the classic character’s written in the 80s by Dennis O’Neil, with a story that feels like a successor to his style of storytelling.
“Arcadia” is an environmental project designed to fight against climate change, and provide a sustainable country that will remain unaffected by the climate crisis.
Hardman allows each of our titular characters to investigate the project from their own ideological perspective. Bruce Wayne is in support, aligning himself with Arcadia’s mission, becoming the head of security as Batman. However, The Question detects a conspiracy, investigating the project by sneaking onto the project’s base. Green Arrow, characterized by both apathy and guilt, is initially reluctant, but eventually helps the Question with his investigation, realizing its importance for social justice.
While the characters start off on different perspectives, they eventually unite under a common cause, finding common ground and realizing the truth of the matter. However, even then, their varying perspectives cause tension, eventually leading to a massive argument between Green Arrow and Batman surrounding the importance of protecting one’s “secret identity”. Surprisingly enough, the series ends with Batman revealing his identity as Bruce Wayne to the public, learning from Oliver on a topic so fundamental to Batman’s MO.
“Arcadia” is an environmental project designed to fight against climate change, and provide a sustainable country that will remain unaffected by the climate crisis.
Hardman allows each of our titular characters to investigate the project from their own ideological perspective. Bruce Wayne is in support, aligning himself with Arcadia’s mission, becoming the head of security as Batman. However, The Question detects a conspiracy, investigating the project by sneaking onto the project’s base. Green Arrow, characterized by both apathy and guilt, is initially reluctant, but eventually helps the Question with his investigation, realizing its importance for social justice.
While the characters start off on different perspectives, they eventually unite under a common cause, finding common ground and realizing the truth of the matter. However, even then, their varying perspectives cause tension, eventually leading to a massive argument between Green Arrow and Batman surrounding the importance of protecting one’s “secret identity”. Surprisingly enough, the series ends with Batman revealing his identity as Bruce Wayne to the public, learning from Oliver on a topic so fundamental to Batman’s MO.
Review of advance copy
Fun to see Gabe Hardman's 20s update of Denny O'Neil's 80s/90s crossovers *Fables*, *Losing Face*, *Walk in the Wind*, & *Poison Tomorrow*
Review of advance copy
Read as single issues
August 7, 2026
Possibly the most dense version of Bruce Wayne that has ever been written is contained in this book. The man shows up to a billionaire creep’s private city project as himself and immediately gets caught dressed as Batman at the same remote location. After this brilliant move he remains comically oblivious to the open slave conditions the “workers” at this city live under for half of this book. All this bizarre behavior from the alleged world’s greatest detective is suddenly explained as part of his master plan in issue 3, and ultimately results in him revealing his secret identity to the world for some reason.
I will say that I like Hardman’s art much better than his writing. His art style is appealing and his Batman design here is cool. Unfortunately his dialogue is very clunky and his characters act in strange ways. I was drawn to this comic solely on the art and it did not disappoint in this regard.
I will say that I like Hardman’s art much better than his writing. His art style is appealing and his Batman design here is cool. Unfortunately his dialogue is very clunky and his characters act in strange ways. I was drawn to this comic solely on the art and it did not disappoint in this regard.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews