I never thought I’d be posting on Green Arrow. His comics usually suck.
But the first 14 issues of the 2001 Green Arrow series were great.
Now, I don’t follow DC very closely, and I don’t know much about Green Arrow’s past, but apparently he died. And this is the series that brought him back.
The book starts with a conversation between the most powerful hero in the world and the smartest one. It’s a smart beginning, particularly with Batman saying, “Welcome to the world of mere mortals,” because Kevin Smith’s Green Arrow series emphasizes the character’s humanity.
Specifically, much of it is about Green Arrow accepting the fact that he died, and everyone thought he was dead, and life went on without him while he was gone.
Smith’s Green Arrow is funny. The dialog is smart. The cameos, like Aquaman and The Demon (who gets a fire-extinguisher arrow up his nose) are well-chosen and handled perfectly. The book doesn’t shy away from some of Arrow’s sillier aspects:
And, finally, the reunion with Black Canary is…
Niiiiiiice.
I was shocked to enjoy this collection…But I did.
It’s out of print, but it’s collected as “Quiver” volumes 1, 2, and 3 and you can buy it on Amazon dirt cheap–like two bucks per volume.
My buddy had me read this as my first Green Arrow story. Kind of a tough point to jump in on (what with Parallax and the Specter) but Smith did a damn good job. Like you I avoid his comic stuff but I’ve heard his Green Arrow is solid.
Although after listening to Fatman on Batman I plan on staying away from his Batman books. He might be too big of a fan there.