It’s a new start for the Emerald Archer, as he moves in with Black Canary and tries to repair his relationship with Arsenal. Also, a new threat emerges in Seattle. Oh, and new writers!
Green Arrow 43
Written by Julie Benson and Shawna Benson
Pencils and Inks by Javier Fernandez
Colors by John Kalisz
After the really great run at the start of the Rebirth era from Benjamin Percy ended, I really considered dropping GREEN ARROW. I wasn’t sure I would enjoy anything his successor did. But with Julie and Shawna Benson jumping on board as writers, it was a pretty easy choice to keep reading. The Benson sisters did a great job with their turn on BATGIRL AND THE BIRDS OF PREY, and I was pleased to hear that they would get another book to play with. Better yet, they still get to write Black Canary!
The new writers continue to portray Green Arrow as someone looking out for the little guy, even though he is back to running his company. The first big bad he’s up against under the Benson era is someone taking his philosophy to the extreme, though, attacking a fat cat landlord that evicted tenants just so he could blow up the building – with some protestors still inside – and build new luxury housing. The new villain – the Citizen – is an even more violent version of ARROW season 1 Oliver Queen, chopping off the fat cat’s head as Green Arrow and Black Canary get there too late to save him.
Of course, now The Citizen is targeting Oliver, so things are about to be taken up a notch in the next issue.
Oliver also begins to strengthen his relationship with Roy Harper – the hero known as Arsenal – and debates whether he should entrust him with knowing about the anti-Justice League box the Martian Manhunter gave him at the end of DARK NIGHTS: METAL. But Roy surprises him by saying he’s going off to Sanctuary, the superhero rehab home that will play a part in the upcoming miniseries HEROES IN CRISIS, from writer Tom King. This issue crosses over with everything without sacrificing a sensible story structure. If only they had figured out how to do this back in the 1990s.
GREEN ARROW is in good hands here, and it’s good to see him playing such an integral role in the universe.