Green Arrow (1988-1998) Vol. 3: The Trial of Oliver Queen

Green Arrow (1988) (Collected Editions)

by Mike Grell, Dan Jurgens (Illustrator), Ed Hannigan (Illustrator)

Oliver Queen, the Green Arrow, is a vigilante. He patrols the empty spaces where the law cannot or will not be enforced, and metes out what he considers to be justice. Most of the time his judgment is sound.

But not always.

All it takes is one mistake, one moment of inattention, and innocent lives can be destroyed. And while the Emerald Archer has always known this, the intrusion of two unknown vigilantes into his home turf of Seattle proves to be a stark reminder of the truly brutal nature of life in the underworld. But it will be his own flawed actions that ultimately reveal how fragile the Green Arrow’s world really is—and how easily it can all come crashing down.

Acclaimed creators Mike Grell, Ed Hannigan, Dan Jurgens and Dick Giordano delve into the self-proclaimed hero’s heart with GREEN ARROW: THE TRIAL OF OLIVER QUEEN, collects issues #13-20 of the classic series.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics, Crime

195 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 9, 2015

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

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories were solid and very dark for the 80's. They contain cursing and even nudity. Very surprising for a DC book of any era. I wish this book had been recolored because the colorist ruined a lot of art on this book. The colors were so dark and muddled it was difficult to tell what was going on in parts of the book.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025 Review: I mostly still agree with what I wrote in 2019. I actually liked the second story quite a bit more this time around, even if it gets a bit silly by the end. But it was a lot of fun. The first story I remembered the twist, so wasn't as big "oh shit" moment for me this time but still very enjoyable. The stripper story is stronger this time around but the weakest of the bunch. The last two issues are the strongest in the entire book, brutal and haunting, and still works for today. A 4 out of 5.

2019 Review: This is 4 stories in one volume, so that means we get some good and some bad.

The first story, moving target, is about someone hunting down Oliver. It's a twisty twist story of who could be the villain with a big surprise at the end. The next is about a man on the run from the CIA. It kind of all comes to a odd conclusion. Next up is a stripper is killed and Oliver is trying to find the killer while a terminator like guy is also hunting the killer. Last but not least, Oliver shoots a kid who was using a play gun when police arrived. Kind of super relevant in today's political climate so it was interesting to see here in the 80's.

Good: I forget sometimes that this serious had a lot of freedom. So you see a lot of tits, ass, and cursing. It's not done for the sake of it, it works very well in the context, and gives this Green Arrow a darker/gritty feel while still being light thanks to Oliver's light and fun dialogue. I enjoyed the first story a lot, some funny moments with Diana and Oliver, and also a nice little twist at the end. The last story was also great, and actually made me really sad for someone like Oliver who had to battle his conscious while also trying to prove factual points. There's a great moment with Hal and Oliver too. The CIA story was pretty fun too.

Bad: The stripper story didn't really work for me. Felt disjointed and missed most of the emotion I expected in a story about sex trafficking. Also, some of the art is really muddy, especially backgrounds, so hard to tell what's happening.

Overall, some pretty great stuff. I liked this more than last volume but not as much as volume 1. I'm not a huge fan of the art at times but the feel of it, the tone, and the stories, all work well for me. A 4 out of 5.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was more a collection of stories. I liked it.

Oliver is a street crime fighter and it’s nice to see him interact with the community he’s protecting. Whether the citizens want him to or not.

There is more ‘adult’ content but it wasn’t crude. It helped tell the story it wanted to tell.

I also really liked how one of the stories shook Oliver’s faith in what he does. It’s good to see someone question their life choices and how they deal with that. And what those around them do.

This is one of the more unique monthly series I’ve been reading lately and I highly recommend it!

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four 2-issue story arcs are included in this collection, and the high-quality writing found in the first two volumes is maintained throughout. Once again, however, the colouring choices are at times questionable, the palette itself being very limited. I'm very happy DC Comics decided to re-print Mike Grell's run; this stuff is so good! Definitely not for kids, though. Remember that this was a de facto Vertigo title. The 'Suggested For Mature Readers' tag is not for nothing.

For intelligent stories based in the 'real world', look no further. Mike Grell's Green Arrow run is it.

Up next: Green Arrow, Vol. 4: Blood of The Dragon

[Joni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vuelta a la misma temática de la serie. Drogas, prostitución, delincuencia juvenil, problemas de hogar, mafias, alcohol. Como que ya va el tercer, cuarto tomo y no avanza más que para contar casi siempre lo mismo. Igual resulta en una lectura entretenida con dibujos mas bien flojitos y colores ochentosos dando sus últimos coletazos.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike Grell's "Green Arrow" simply goes from strength to strength. It's super stylised, gritty, adult and touches on themes most DC comics would steer completely clear of. Seattle is drawn like a technicolor nightmare, something akin to an Argento movie. Rain beats down every panel creating a lonely, hostile environment where Oliver Queen hunts the scum of the city, his psyche slowly fracturing along the way.

This run so far has been magnificent, it does for Green Arrow what Brubaker did for Cap or Johns did for Green Lantern. I can't recommend this series enough!

[Glen Farrelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

They are selling this for 4 bucks at the dollar stores here in Canada. With a deal like that how can I not be happy - particularly when it features one of my favourite superheroes since I was a kid. This story was surprisingly gritty for its era. It worked at times, but at times it was a bit over-the-top to the point of being comical (but maybe that's a reflection of our cynical times?). The artwork was generally quite good, even if the colouring was often insane. But for $4 who's complaining?!!

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shado rocked his world, but now it's time to come crashing back to Seattle as Green Arrow finds himself involved in the worst kinds of street crimes, one after the other. Doesn't an Emerald Archer ever get a day off?

This volume collects four two-part stories, each of which puts Ollie face to face with some of the worst humanity has to offer, including himself. The opening story starts off as a day in the life type story, before the second issue looks at each of the interactions from the first story under a microscope before we realise what's really going on. It's very cleverly done, and even when you think you've cracked it, you probably haven't. It accomplishes a lot in two issues.

The middle two unfortunately blur together a little, because they both have similar supporting casts - other vigilantes out for blood, even if it means they have to go through GA first. Their motivations are different, and the resolutions are too, but they feel far too similar. If these had been the first and four stories here, it'd have been a different story, but one after another doesn't do much to differentiate between them.

The final story, the titular Trial Of Oliver Queen, really cuts to the core of the character. I can see the shadows of where Ollie's heel turn in Cry For Justice came from here (and that'll be the last time I mention that bloody story), because it really makes him re-examine what being a vigilante is and how he operates. The dream sequences are super-freaky here too, and communicate Ollie's damaged mental state really well. Plus Hal Jordan shows up which is always nice.

This volume's more of a mixture than the first few, and is probably more of a 3 or 3.5 star rating, but the strength of the first and last stories let me bump it up a little.

Oh, one thing I'd mention about the trade itself - DC stick all the covers at the end rather than between issues, so it's actually difficult to work out where one issue ends and another begins at times until you fall over the creative team box. Grell isn't one for big flashy final page cliffhanger splashes, so it's easy to get caught up in the momentum of the story, but I prefer to be able to differentiate between my issues. Hopefully this isn't something they do going forward.

[Alex Sarll]

I wonder whether the reason this has dropped out of conversations about the eighties realism trend in comics is that Miller and Moore both had an easy done-in-one book for people to read as summation, whereas Grell just has an ongoing. But this is so much more thoroughly realist than Daredevil, let alone Swamp Thing; the mood is closer to The Equalizer than anything, such that it very carefully finesses what it will show of Ollie's backstory; Hal Jordan might show up when his old friend is in trouble, but he'll do so in civvies and without even a mention of the ring. This commitment to the plausible - or its semblance, anyway - even puts a toe across the line that Punisher stories, say, can never cross, when the title story acknowledges that if you have merely human individuals trying to do the right thing but using deadly weapons to do it, mistakes will sometimes happen, and they're the sort which can't easily be fixed. Is there still a finger on the scales to avoid entirely breaking the character? For sure, but it's a lot more lightly applied than you'd normally see, then or now. And certainly there are places where the series shows its age: it's doing its best when Ollie vows to avenge a murdered stripper, outraged at the cop who "make[s] it sound as if she had this coming. Stripper...hooker...I don't care what she might have been – nobody deserves to die like that. Except that bastard that did this to her."
But even aside from the whole dynamic being frowned upon these days, the full-page splash of her crucified and brutalised body which precedes this can't help but undermine its moral force. Better remember the run for things like the opening story, a day engaged in a series of little acts of assistance, then ingeniously mirrored in the next issue (these are all two-part stories) when it turns out one of them wasn't so minor as all that - but which one? And as ever, it looks absolutely gorgeous, if maybe a little more so on the Hannigan than the Jurgens issues.

[Shaun Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Green Arrow Vol. 3 The Rial of Oliver Queen collects issues 13-20 written by Mark Grell with art by Ed Hannigan, Dan Jurgens, Dick Giordano, and Frank McLaughlin

A collection of stories from Green Arrow in the 80s including Oliver hunting down a former mercenary, a vigilante in the search of a woman who is hiding as a prostitute, and Oliver accidentally killing a child who was wielding a gun.

Another series of fantastic stories. For the 80s these were very cutting edge with blood, language and even nudity. The dark but realistic storylines all help ground the series in reality and makes it easier to connect to characters.

[Julio Hernandez]

it was an awesome book for a minute i thought it would take me a lot longer to read it but a got it read in 2 days

[Nate]

These two-issue arcs work well for the series, I think. They stand fine on their own, but also forward the overall story in ways that become apparent later on. The four stories in this collection are some of the strongest yet. They’re more noir than superhero, painting pictures of tragedy and depravity in crime-ridden Seattle. Perhaps most affecting is “Seattle & Die,” where a mysterious biker comes into town and stirs up trouble with his own brand of justice. It’s a violent story, but turns out to be a nuanced character study both for Ollie and this man, with a beautiful ending to boot. The titular “Trial of Oliver Queen” is also great - through a misunderstanding, Ollie shoots and injures a kid, subsequently spiraling into depression and drinking. Hal Jordan makes a cameo in this one, which contains several stirring scenes of Ollie in crisis. This story feels like a turning point of sorts, or at least a point of reference for Ollie in the future.

I’m surprised that a mainstream DC title was able to go this dark and show so much nudity and blood. I don’t find it gratuitous, though, and think it’s appropriate for the type of stories Grell is telling.

[Darik · Rating 1 out of 5]

... Okay, it was cute for a while-- "let's turn Oliver Queen into a violent, reactionary action hero straight out of a Canon film! Green Arrow fights crime in a grimy exploitation movie!"-- but this is the volume where I finally lost my patience... because this is the volume where the mask finally drops and reveals that Mike Grell has been preaching to the audience the whole time.

Literally, this trade features an issue-- part of a two-part story about use-of-force restrictions on police officers-- where Oliver Queen lectures the audience DIRECTLY on the lax nature of the law and the permissiveness of the justice system. And this is after a story where Ollie shoots and kills a kid with a paintball gun-- Oliver Queen, a SUPERHERO who used to fight crime with non-lethal weapons, but who now apparently defaults to murder in every conflict-- and we're clearly supposed to feel bad for HIM. (And not even really for the fact that he killed a kid... no, we're supposed to feel bad because the judge LECTURED him about it.)

This is crap. Full-on right-wing fear-mongering crap. F%@$ Mike Grell, and f@$# the police.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike past volumes, this one is more of a collection of stories. Very rough around the edges and dives into deeper and heavier topics. One can tell that Grell wrote this to address some social issues that were happening at the time (drugs, woman being used/bought/sold, and especially the last story about kids playing with fake guns). Definitely one of the more thought provoking comics I've read in a while.

[Richard Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

While everyone was doing gritty realism in comics in the 80s, Mike Grell did it the best.

I don't enjoy seeing Black Canary reduced to a florist and housewife and Grell has to jump through hoops to ignore the rest of the DCU but he's able to really examine social issues of the time (which are still relevant) in a way that many modern comics still struggle with

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still really liking this book. This was probably my favorite volume so far. I wish comic book publishers would put out books like this today - short, entertaining stories ranging from two to four issues. Instead we get everything stretched out over eight issues and four titles.

[Subham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty fun read and omg so much happens, and so many stories here, some really good and hard hitting like towards the end, some felt like slogging and all but really this is Green arrow stories at their peak and I liked it overall!

So there are a lot of stories like Ollie coming home after being beaten up and fun sequence with Eddie Fyers and then helping people and turns out someone is targeting him and the way it all leads him to examine each of these people and whose behind the hit was intriguing, and again Grell does social commentary very effectively and I really liked it! Then there is the story with a killer named "The horsemen" targeting sexworkers and the twist with him is great and its actually a cool mystery of who the killer is and the message here again is well done and since the book is from the 80s, some stuff maybe confusing but still good.

I loved the story of Moses/Rainbow Guardian, it leads to a good whirlwind chase and as a reader makes you question too, he felt like a Punisher kind of character but on the villain spectrum for sure and then there was the stuff with Ollie shooting someone who was targeting a police officer, and turns out it was paint and he was playing, and how it turns to his TRIAL and it was so good, really the highlight for me and thus gets its title from there but finally the fight with HAL JORDAN in the end was the best paneling ever, and hits on the hot head that is Ollie but also shows their friendship and Hal being my fav hero, I love it!

It had good moments of self reflection and affirmation of Why Ollie must do this, be a vigilante and all that.. its fun and I loved it! Seriously Grell was on fire during this run, the more I read of it!!

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Empieza con una hermosa composición de paneles que sirve como antesala para un fantástico capítulo donde vemos a Oliver ser heroico en las maneras que un ciudadano cualquiera puede serlo. Ayudando en tareas mundanas al estilo de cierto vecino arácnido. Grell pone al principio del capítulo, una larga escena de desarrollo de personaje que presiento que será importante para más tarde en la serie. Y bueno, este capítulo no es un incidente aislado, mostrando que hasta las buenas acciones tienen su castigo.

El segundo arco es casi depresivo. Tocando el tema del trastorno de estrés postraumático de una forma sutil, utilizando a la ciudad de Seattle como un personaje que participa de esta historia.

El tercero fue aún más depresivo. Son temas adultos sí, pero que te dejen respirar con algo un poco más digerible. Este fue sobre trata de blancas. Más de ahí no voy a decir, fue emocionante al principio, emotivo al final.

El último es otro hilo argumental sacado de Longbow Hunters, la forma en la que se utiliza el potencial ilimitado del cómic para darle peso a los escenas es puesto a relucir aquí.

Es otro gran volumen de Grell y compañía.

[Jacob Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 3 of the long running 80 issue series by Mike Grell that follows up from Longbow hunters.

I’ve also read this book once before, and I remember this one being the weakest of the first 3 books in the series, and after this recent re read I still believe Rudy to be the case.

This book has 4 different 2 issue stories, and I only really found one of them to be a major stand out. The others are fine, but they just didn’t hit the same as the first 2 books or LBH. Just keep in mind The book is called the “trial of Oliver queen” but that story isn’t until the end of the book and it’s only a 2 issue story. That being said though, that last story is quite good and definitely deals with a screw up that could honestly change a person for the worse. What does that mean? Think of the worst mistake you’ve done, and determine weather you knew what to do next.

I still think the book is worth a read for the last story, and if you want some decent short stories before then you’re welcome to do so.

Best way to read this book: Green arrow longbow hunters saga Omnibus Vol 1, or TPB Vol 3 trial of Oliver queen.

[A E]

contrary to some other reviews I read, I love how this series is colored, the lighting is so colorful and stylistic

this series often covers social issues pertaining to marginalized groups, like queer men in the first volume and sex workers in this volume. part of that commentary includes criticism of the police for just not caring about certain types of people.
so I admit it was a bit jarring for the final story of this volume to seem pretty pro-police. Oliver shoots a kid that he believes is trying to kill a police officer, only to find out that he was using a paintball gun, not a real one. Oliver of course feels awful about this, but ultimately the story paints his action as being justifiable because “if that gun had been real, a cop would be dead right now”.
obviously this was written before Tamir Rice was killed by police while holding a toy gun, but given how often we see the police claim fear of their lives as an excuse to use deadly force against civilians, even children, this felt like it was condoning that sort of shoot first mentality. just rubbed me the wrong way

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moving Target (#13-14). A nice return of Ollie to Seattle (and Dinah). We get one part a fun day-in-the-life story and one part mystery to figure out what went on. All around, a nicely written pair of issues [4/5].

Seattle & Die (#15-16). A fairly shallow story about a man on the run (and boy Grell seems obsessed with intelligence services), but it's nonetheless a nice character piece with some hard decisions and a beautifully imagined ending [3+/5].

The Horse Man (#17-18). A story about strippers and sex trafficking. It's a bit monotonous and then way too preachy. Not one of Grell's better works [2+/5].

The Trial of Oliver Queen (#19-20). What happens when Ollie makes a mistake? Another great look at who Oliver is, and a great use of Hal Jordan as a guest star [4+/5].

[José · Rating 4 out of 5]

"¿Dónde está la justicia?", eso es lo que se pregunta Oliver Queen en el último cómic de este volumen. Básicamente, ese es el late motif que llena las páginas de estos números. Por primera vez, he leído algo donde aparece Jake Moses, que si vuelve, puede ser un lenguaje bastante interesante.

También aparece Hal Jordan en el penúltimo número, algo bastante interesante, ya que aunque en los 80 no había tantos crossovers como actualmente, me gusta ver las relaciones entre los miembros de la Liga de la Justicia.

[Greg Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

First two story lines are great stories especially moving target. Back half is again just a fine story about a cop trying to right a wrong that is doused with unneeded portrayal of violence against woman. To be specific at one point a woman is crucified by two standard comic henchman who explain why they did it in a glancing comment. This is of course shown in an entire page spread of the woman on the cross. Completely ruins that story arc. In the context of the time I can see why these stories are so highly regarded but today, yikes.

[Lucas Lima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably my best reading of the year, so far!

Oliver continues his quest on Seattle working with Dinah at Sherwood and being the Green Arrow.

Grell's writing is awesome on this volume. It's violent, raw, showing how a street super hero should be. And the stories always make you think, and, in some of them, we don't get the happy ending.

Ed Hannigan and Dan Jurgens are great as well. Great drawings, backgrounds, panels, all supported by Mike Grell's script.

Really, if you're looking for some memorable super hero run, put this on your list, right now!

[Cybernex007 · Rating 4 out of 5]

These two issue arcs continue to remain pretty phenomenal, I was a little disappointed by Vol 2 but this one ripped me right back up to the same level of attention, inquisition, and despair that the first volume brought me. Great read and the trial of Oliver Queen fully had me crying at times. My specific notes are on each individual issue, but here are quick notes on the issue + date read (if applicable) + rating:

Issue #13 - 11/9 - 4/5
Issue #14 - 4/5
Issue #15 - 4/5
Issue #16 - 11/10 - 4/5
Issue #17 - 11/11 - 3/5
Issue #18 - 4/5
Issue #19 - 4/5
Issue #20 - 4/5

[Zachary King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four grounded two-parters about GA's time in Seattle. These stories feel more topical than the preceding volumes, and Hal Jordan's appearance really recalls the O'Neil/Adams stories of old. Dan Jurgens joins the art team - always a welcome addition. The title story is the standout, in which GA's reflexes get the better of his conscience as he wrestles with children using fake guns; here Grell really humanizes Ollie, and I'm very eager to see how that thread gets developed.

[Gonzalo Oyanedel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un conjunto de arcos breves que confirman el perfil de serie negra elegido por Mike Grell para el arquero esmeralda, unidos por las consecuencias que acarrean ciertas decisiones. Un gesto amable, una chica que equivocó el camino o sobrepasarse en su cruzada traen consecuencias para un Oliver que busca el equilibrio entre su llamado justiciero y la vida personal.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent Green Arrow stories with ties to social issues that are a trademark of the Green Arrow comics. The Horseman story is particularly good because the Horseman is an anti-hero that is complex and causes Oliver to rethink his role as a superhero.

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐. Still enjoying this run- I constantly find myself pausing on a page just to take in the intricacy of the art. Interesting story, although this one was probably the least exciting story of the Grell series so far (still great though).

[Shell Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Trial of Oliver Queen is about Oliver and his heart. Women , children and loneliness. I love Oliver Queen.