Green Arrow, Vol. 1: Into the Woods

Green Arrow (2010)

by J.T. Krul, Diogenes Neves (Illustrator), Vicente Cifuentes (Illustrator)

Once the self-centered billionaire of Queen Industries, Oliver Queen lost everything, but found a reason to live as the world’s greatest archer and the ultimate hero of the people, Green Arrow. After Star City was devastated by an attack by the villain Prometheus in the pages of JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE, the White Lantern Ring gave birth to a massive, mysterious forest located at the center of the destruction. Now, Green Arrow lives in the woods and strikes against crime and corruption as a modern day Robin Hood.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book, Fiction, Fantasy

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

J. T. Krul is an American comic book writer, best known for his work on Aspen MLT's Fathom comic series. He is a graduate of Michigan State University, holding a Bachelors in Film and Video Production.

Reviews

[Katherine (Kat) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 Stars
Individual Issues Rated Below -

Green Arrow #1: 3/5 Stars
Green Arrow #2: 3/5 Stars
Green Arrow #3: 3.5/5 Stars
Green Arrow #4: 2/5 Stars
Green Arrow #5: 3/5 Stars
Green Arrow #6: 3/5 Stars
Green Arrow #7: 2.5/5 Stars

[James DeSantis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was pretty bland.

Basically Green arrow lives in a forest, bad guys come, he has to stop them. Then he has to go after his mother because she is now queen bitch. That's the entire storyline in a nutshell with some weird white lantern stuff happening in the background due to brightest day event.

But the thing is this story isn't interesting. It's not very fun. Oliver comes off panicking ALL the time and it's annoying. The fights are cool I guess as is the general art, but nothing really feels like it matters. Just a Green Arrow story inbetween the Black Canary/Green arrow series and New52. Atleast not as bad as first few volumes of New 52 but nothing worth picking up.

A 2 out of 5.

[Subham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was surprisingly good! It picks off with sudden forests growing in Star city and we learn the mystery of what it is and Ollie is its protector and he fights random villains appearing here and there, we have a flashback of his past (like a few days ago) in Star city and meeting this girl Mary and reporter Evan, in the present day he teams up with GL Hal and then Martian Manhunter and fights black lanterns, meets this dude Galahad and revival 2.0 and learns more of the mystery of this forest and the new owner of QI aka Isabel Rochev aka the Queen and former lover of his father and like faces an assassin called Nix and has such a great emotional moment with his mother! Its so good and well done and gives an interesting perspective on Olive and it handles so many plots really well and has the action but the upbeat moments too and the art is good, like with so much green it can become confusing but the art team really handles it well and the covers are just luscious!

[Sam Quixote · Rating 3 out of 5]

Green Arrow finds that his beloved Star City has an infestation of trees growing in the heart of the city, invading its streets, seemingly fighting back against human intrusion. Except this forest has something eerie about it; it’s alive somehow and manages to regrow parts that have been chopped down almost immediately. Then there’s the Russian Queen, a bitter woman who knew Oliver Queen’s dad and is intent on turning Queen Industries into something terrible. Throw in a faceless assassin, a possible delusional who thinks he’s one of King Arthur’s knights, Green Lantern and the Martian Manhunter, and you’ve got “Into the Woods”.

I think this is only the second Green Arrow book I’ve read and I haven’t followed the “Brightest Day” story arc at all, which this book is a part of, but I still found the book enjoyable. The mystery of the strange forest got weirder as the book went on as did the appearance of other DC heroes and villains from the Green Lantern arc “Blackest Night” and “Brightest Day”. Oliver Queen isn’t the most interesting character but some background stuff about his origin story is gone into here and goes some way to explaining his behaviour and how he turned out.

The Russian Queen was a compelling character as was the faceless assassin Nix so there was plenty of intrigue to go with the plentiful action making for a fast moving and interesting read. It didn’t make me want to even approach the “Brightest Day” arc as I think it’d take too long to go into, but as a standalone the book works fine and fans of Green Arrow will find plenty to like here.

[Ángel G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tras la noche más oscura, llega el día más brillante. Y un bosque extraño a Star City. GA es mi personaje favorito de DC y me leo todo lo que llega a mis manos, pero esto no me ha parecido muy interesante.
Historia algo repetitiva pues la empresa pertenece a una señora que dice haber sido amante del padre de Oliver y él está en la purria, otra vez.
Dibujo correcto, pero narrativa justa, me costaba entender ciertas escenas.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seven issues in this volume and I probably won't remember a single one in a week from now because nothing interesting happens the whole time. Ollie without the family or at least Dinah is a drag.

[Eli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I haven't read Blackest Night or Brightest Day. So I went into this one blind. I'm pretty sure I only even picked it up because I'm obsessive over Green Arrow. I regret having not read them in order, but whatever.

So I can see the value of this volume. This is probably the most grief-stricken, self-loathing Green Arrow I've ever read. He's feeling that he failed his parents, his company, and his city. So there is a lot of character development going on here for Ollie.

The artwork was about average in its likability. The dialogue was average. The plot was average. Overall, this was just okay. But I'm sure I would treasure this a little more if I had actually read the events prior.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The artist and colorist did a great job with this because the artwork was fantastic.. the story itself is easy to follow but nothing really special.. 3.5 stars.

[Henry Peat · Rating 3 out of 5]

My opinion on this may be weak and not as valid as others as I have not read any other comic within this DC universe and I instead just picked this up cheap at a shop and thought I'd read it as Google claims it is okay as a standalone comic and it is correct, it explained the few stuff I was curious about and made it a comic that was readable without having to go through a multitude of comics beforehand.

This comic was prettt good and I like a lot of things about it like the story and hpw they portrayed the characters and I really enjoyed this comic until the ending. I was very confused why it ended very abruptly and the comic changed for the worse in my opinion and it just kind of ruined the experience and yes I understand that may sound petty but I was quite into the comic and read it relatively quickly but the ending just put me off completely.

Now looking back on the comic I also realise that some factors in it weren't fleshed out or felt a bit random like the Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter appearances and with the White Lantern and Black Lantern appearances but I guess that's my fault for not reading the previous comics.

Anyway I really enjoy this comic and would recommend reading it but I'd advise reading the comics that come before as I am guessing this volume would be much better with context but if you can't afford comics or can't be bothered to read the previous comics like me then go ahead its a fun quick read.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't bad but was a little weird for Green Arrow. This series is set right after Blackest Night and is a tie-in to Brightest Day. A "magical" forest has sprung up in Star City that is seemingly the work of the White Lanterns. Weird things keep happening in the forest like people being brought back from near death in its lake and heroes losing their powers when they enter the forest. The bigger story involves a woman from Oliver's past showing up as the new owner of Queen Industries and attempting a coup in order to control all of Star City.

The art is good, and the story isn't bad, just not the type of Green Arrow story I like because it's almost a fantasy tale. I am curious to see how this ends up because there's just one more volume of this series and then we ended up in the New 52.

[Myke Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grabbed this on a whim from the library. It came out at a very odd time during my comic book reading cycle and I missed it, but I'm glad I checked it out.
I enjoyed part of the New 52, but Green Arrow definitely got the short end of the stick. This book had the REAL Green Arrow, the Oliver Queen I had read and idolized for 20 years of my life. THIS was the man who knew what he was doing, who knew how to handle the bad guys, and how to make sure that his city was safe.
Even after watching "Arrow" for eight seasons, I still remember, and love, this classic, true to form character. It's a good, quick read, and worth checking out.

[George Ilsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't know much about Green Arrow, or who his friends are, but a couple of his greenest friends pop up here. He also has a bit of a bromance with a supposedly Knight, Sir Galahad — or is he simply delusional? Sometimes it is hard to draw the line between self-belief and pure fantasy.

There is a magical forest here, at the heart of post-disaster Star City, and I grew fond of this mysterious ever-changing forest, which represents the life force and the permeable energies at the edge of life and death.

Four stars rounded up, because the message is learning to forgive yourself, which is timeless and necessary.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ollie jumps into Brightest Day needing to restart his life and he's doing so in the new mysterious forest that has sprouted in the remains of Star City. J.T. Krul does a really good job at getting to the core of who Oliver Queen is but there is a lot going on here and most of it is vague. There are a ton of new elements introduced and there are virtually no answers, which is fine for now, but I hope there is a solid idea in place. I'm not sold on Galahad or Isabel Rochev as characters yet but I'm not writing them off yet as well. The art was very good by both Nieves and Mayhew. Overall, a decent beginning that asks a lot of questions and I hope readers get the answers.

[Victor Ramón Beltrán · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leer este comic suelto es un error. Si no sabes algo del personaje, y si no has leído antes La noche mas oscura, de poco te vas a enterar y mucho te vas a aburrir.
Si sigues la continuidad, es una pasada. Una lastima que tras este tomo viniera Flashpoint y el universo DC se regenerase y se perdiera toda la continuidad del arquero.

[Russell Pearce of Sector 2814 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the best way I can describe this book is it exists. The art was fantastic but other than that it feels just incomplete and somehow both too slow and rushed at the same time. I know it's a tie-in to larger story and also has a direct sequel but I personally believe a book should stand on its own first and foremost when it comes to graphic novels.

[Jake Watmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is why I love Green Arrow, and why he's my second favorite superhero. So much despair and loathing, reaching deep into his soul, to try and be the best he can be but is constantly brought down by family trauma and too high of expectations. A great Arrow story from Krul.

[Brendan Hough · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eye read i think 2021-2022
5.8/10

[Jerry Aguirre · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mid. Probably because I don’t read the before and after comics to understand. Got bored , sped through it.

[Sam Quixote · Rating 3 out of 5]

Green Arrow finds that his beloved Star City has an infestation of trees growing in the heart of the city, invading its streets, seemingly fighting back against human intrusion. Except this forest has something eerie about it; it’s alive somehow and manages to regrow parts that have been chopped down almost immediately. Then there’s the Russian Queen, a bitter woman who knew Oliver Queen’s dad and is intent on turning Queen Industries into something terrible. Throw in a faceless assassin, a possible delusional who thinks he’s one of King Arthur’s knights, Green Lantern and the Martian Manhunter, and you’ve got “Into the Woods”.

I think this is only the second Green Arrow book I’ve read and I haven’t followed the “Brightest Day” story arc at all, which this book is a part of, but I still found the book enjoyable. The mystery of the strange forest got weirder as the book went on as did the appearance of other DC heroes and villains from the Green Lantern arc “Blackest Night” and “Brightest Day”. Oliver Queen isn’t the most interesting character but some background stuff about his origin story is gone into here and goes some way to explaining his behaviour and how he turned out.

The Russian Queen was a compelling character as was the faceless assassin Nix so there was plenty of intrigue to go with the plentiful action making for a fast moving and interesting read. It didn’t make me want to even approach the “Brightest Day” arc as I think it’d take too long to go into, but as a standalone the book works fine and fans of Green Arrow will find plenty to like here.

[Christopher Petersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This run of Green Arrow is a mixed bag, but worth a read if you ever see it on store shelves.
This run of Green Arrow follows the events of Blackest Night, but fortunately, you don't have to have read the event in order to understand the plot. You'll pick up some nice references, but if something is relevant to the plot, they'll explain it to you just in case. My main problem is that this novel doesn't really know where it wants to go or what it wants to be. At some points it,s a mystical, medieval combo, and the next it's an industrial, business, urban fight. These combinations can work, but it needs to feel more combined and less like the author is slightly lost. Isabel Roshev could be more compelling, but hopefully she is more developed in the second volume. The art is great and it's never boring to read. It's not my favourite Green Arrow run, but I'll always take an opportunity to read a good Green Arrow book. This is one such

[Rosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't really read any of Brightest Day so I was not entirely certain of where everything was coming from. That being said this is clearly a Green Arrow/Robin Hood comparison in many ways. I found the tie between Arrow and the new owner of Queen Industries interesting and I love the idea of the forest healing everything. The story felt unfinished and I am wondering if it will be continued prior to the new 52.

I am curious about Galahad's part to play and I am wondering if reading the rest of Brightest Day will make things a little bit easier to understand.

For the most part I thought the artwork was wonderful. I loved the warm, verdant colors used for the forest and the backgrounds felt pretty amazing. Occasionally someone would make an awkward face though. The proportions would feel off and things just wouldn't work.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Green Lantern has always been one of the most conflicted and intriguing characters in the DC Comics universe and this graphic novel, suitable for adults and teens, doesn't disappoint. The premise of the story is a mysterious forest has sprung up in the remains of a devastated Star City and Green Arrow/Oliver Queen becomes a Robin Hood-like figure protecting those in need. There is an added subplot of a mysterious woman taking over Queen Industries who has an agenda against Oliver, who must also confront his past mistakes. Added to this is the mysterious knight Galahad who befriends Green Arrow in the forest and there are also guest appearances by Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter. J.T. Krul's story is full of action plus great characterization. A must read for fans of Green Arrow and those who only know of him from the television show "Arrow."

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fashioned after the mythic Robin Hood, you knew it was only a matter of time before DC Comics' very own Emerald Archer found himself in a forest. Following the Brightest Day storyline, Oliver "Green Arrow" Queen has set himself up as protector of the star-shaped forest within his city limits. The book does little to move beyond the typical comparisons - a mysterious knight appears to aid Ollie, a "lady of the lake" appears in the form of Ollie's deceased mother, and the tyrannical red-garbed Queen has taken over Star City itself. Crammed with unnecessary appearances by Green Lantern and the Martian Manhunter, this volume fails to add any new depth to the Green Arrow; honestly, it was a filler until the September 2011 DCnU relaunch. Therefore, this Green Arrow storyline leaves me shafted.

[Arthur Cravan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5, but I'd rather boost it up than down. This book didn't do anything special to me - I'll probably forget most of the story in the not-too-distant future - but I enjoyed it while it was there. There are some great lines thrown out, some great art (especially on the covers & variants), & the story rarely if ever felt too slow.

Plus Nix is like one of the scariest looking comic book characters I've ever seen. I haven't watched that Arrow series, but I will literally put in the time much sooner if she ends up being in it, just because I'd love to see if they can get her as creepy looking as in the comic.

Oh, but some of the art with Arrow's eyes freaked me out. *Shivers*

[Jeffrey Jelmeland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Green Arrow has long been one of those characters that I have had a love/hate relationship with. With some writers the character really comes alive, and with others the story languishes and the character just becomes bland. J.T. Krul is really bringing this character to life for me in a way I haven't seen since the days when Grell was doing the writing. Tossing in a bit of Arthurian Legend to mix with the Robin Hood mythos is a great approach, and while still uniquely its own it adds a nice extra flavor to what is turning into a very well crafted story. I eagerly await the next volume.

[Arturo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The covers are amazing, but once you open it up, the art seems cartoony, but that's just in comparison with the covers. The interior is actually great.
The story is filled with tie-ins, but once you remove that, there's not much left. A decent story about... The russian queen taking over Queen Industries... A battle wit Nix. Galahad helping Ollie out. And... Um.. That's It I think. The tie ins involve the forest, the tree with the white lantern mark, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter and some Black Lanterns. Which means other reading is necessary.

[Justyn Rampa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read exploring Green Arrow and the mysterious forest he now inhabits in Star City Post-Darkest Night.

Unfortunately, we don't get too much information on that front, but crazy stuff does go down.

While this is not as strong as the Brightest Day series proper, it is much stronger than the Blackest Night shoot-offs that are essentially its equivalent.

The artwork was good, but the covers are beautiful.

I can't wait for the final volume of Brightest Day:-)

[Jeretta Hall-Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read much of Green Arrow. But I read the origin story and the story with Black Canary. I thought that this was very interesting. Not only is an outcast from his home, but it also seems as though from himself. Oliver can't seem to get beyond his past. But the story basically lets him know that he'll not be able to help the future if he can't move on. He has to be able to forgive himself. And he is apparently his toughest opponent.

[Scott Weatherby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a very strong last 2 or 3 issues. But i felt this book was left on a cliffhanger ending because I believe there was supposed to be a second trade before the new 52. I just don't feel a 5 star book here.

If you're a fan of green arrow, this is a must own however. As I said the last couple of issues in this are amazing.

[Ben Zeidman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read any other from brightest day, and was able to enjoy this anyway. Sad that the story arch didn't come to a more certain conclusion. It felt less like a cliffhanger and more like the authors just ran out of steam.