Comic Book Review: Green Arrow #5

Literary & Artistic Credits

Writer: J.T. Krul

Penciller: Diogenes Neves

Colorist: Ulises Arreola

Letterer: Rob Leigh

Cover Art: Mauro Cascioli

Editor: Adam Schlagman

My Awe-Inspiring Opinion

Take into account that this issue’s focus seems to be all over the place and very organizationally unsound, I find #5 to be the better of all five issues that has been published thus far.  Many of the literary choices made by Krul seem very contrived, as if the script could have been found at the bottom of a Cracker Jacks box.  But there is a lot more substance and gusto within this issue than any other, and that is exactly what Green Arrow needs if this title is to survive.  Green Arrow is such a good character, so I’m glad to see this series finally moving along in the right direction.

Page one puts us smack dab in the center of a fight with new villainess Nix, a master of disguise as Ollie called her.  Speed and anonymity, as well as holding a seemingly shape-shifting blade, keep Green Arrow on his toes as he does all he can to defend the lovely black haired woman he would probably court were he given the chance.  But all the rules of comic book folk-lore are broken when nix slices and dices an unsuspecting bystander, spilling his guts on the Star City streets.  Remembering that his Lazarus Pit within the forest saved him, doing the same for this man seemed logical.  Little did he know that it would trigger an uprising of returning Black Lanterns.

Krul is a good writer, he has proven that much in the past with his work on Aspen MLT’s Fathom and other Marvel and DC Comics titles.  I think this issue proves that when Krul can write his own story without having to worry about a tie-in, the story will be just as good as any other writers’.  Brightest Day has been very disappointing, and Krul has obviously been bogged down by it’s presence in Green Arrow.  So he took it upon himself to write a story that seemed a little more independent of Brightest Day.  I know that seems strange to say seeing as how the issue was flowing with Brightest Day tie-in’s, but I don’t think many can deny that this issue was a step up from normal.

Even with the boost in literary quality, the use of Black Lanterns in this issue was a bit over the top and unnecessary.  But it did help explain a little more about the White Lantern tree, even though I’m still up in the air as to what the hell this tree is here for!

In the words of blogger extraordinaire from It’s A Dan’s World, “Now THAT’S a splash page!”  The final page of this issue is fantastic and finally proving that Ollie really is one of the better heroes in the DCU.  It’s nice to see that Krul is finally putting Green Arrow back into the “tough man” suit and not pussy-footing around the forest anymore wallowing in self pity and chasing his own shadow. 

Could I have been more shocked to see an innocent bystander murdered so brutally and suddenly, without warning?  What a bloody mess!  I couldn’t have been more pleased with this unorthodox approach at involving the common, everyday innocent working man.  I hate seeing people murdered of course, but it’s so refreshing to see a different approach taken, especially when it shocks the fuck out of you!

The art, like always, is up and down for me.  Some panels are spectacular and make me wish I had Diogenes talents!  Others are sub par and make me wonder what the fuck DC is trying to do to my eyeballs!  Consistency is not something that seems to define the Green Arrow artistic team-up.

My Majestically Climactic Conclusion

If nothing else, Brightest Day will be the death of DC as we know it.  It’s bogging down on the majority of the titles more than Blackest Night was, and Blackest Night was handled appropriately!  I do think that once Krul can get away from the mandated Brightest Day inclusion, this title will really start to shine.

Rating: 6.33 out of 10

Writing: 8

Art: 5

Themes: 6