REVIEW: Green Arrow #16 (vol 3)

Writer: Brad Meltzer
Pencils: Phil Hester
Inker: Ande Parks
Colorist: James Sinclair
Letterer: Sean Konot
Review: Art Bee

As I have said before DC has never really been my cup of tea (the exception would be the villains of Batman, for they have always been just the best villains of all time). Earlier this year I started watching Arrow on Netflix and have recently gotten caught up with the series, which I find phenomenal. So for this weeks’ Dollar Box pull I thumbed through the back issue box of Green Arrow at my LCS for one to review and came up with Green Arrow #16.

The cover of the comic was not spectacular looking, but the headstone featured has a very intriguing epitaph: “Oliver Queen – Always Made the Right Enemies”.  Having not read a single
Green Arrow issue in my life, this cover told me a lot about the book right away. Apparently Oliver Queen either died or had something happen leading everyone to believe he was dead.

The comic opens with Oliver and Clark Kent standing at Ollie’s gravestone discussing pictures of the burial service. I have been to a fair share of funerals, and not one of them had anyone taking pictures. That is not normally an event that anyone is looking to immortalize in a scrapbook or photo album unless you are a psychopath . . .

This issue is the setup to a six part arc entitled “The Archer’s Quest”. Arsenal rejoins the Green
Arrow to assist in unraveling the mystery surrounding an unknown guest at Queen’s burial. This
person turns out to be Cat-Man, a villain whom I did not know much about. The conversation
about Cat-Man between the duo is well worth buying this issue; it is very entertaining. Arsenal
and Arrow really make fun of this villain.

The artwork in this issue is very crisp and clean. The colors and shading are the real stars of this
show, especially the amazing skyscape backgrounds. All of the lines are well done. One of the
most successful accomplishments by the pencils and pens are characters facial expressions. It
seems as if the artists slowed down to be sure emotion portrayal was perfect and that is the kind
of effort and care that should happen all of the time.

Aside from the points I have made so far this issue seemed a little bland but it does set up the
potential for an amazing story arc. The Warner Bros. series, Arrow, is one of the best shows I am ​
currently watching, and this issue was enough to kindle my desire for more back issues of the
Green Arrow.

Remember to give orphaned comics a home. Search the back issue comic boxes at your LCS.