Comics / Comic Reviews / DC Comics

Review: Green Arrow #7

By Philip Schweier
September 21, 2016 - 12:54

Green Arrow #7 is the conclusion of a two-part story focusing on Emi Queen, Ollie’s half-sister. She pretty much fulfills the same role Thea Queen serves on the TV show Arrow – one half sidekick, one half troubled family member. It’s not so much as an origin story (though it does provide some backstory) as it is a character study to be expanded upon later.

Let’s start with the cover: AWFUL. It’s two figures of Ollie and Emi in costume, against a blurry, Photoshopped backdrop. I guess it’s supposed to represent the neon of Tokyo, but it’s a multi-colored mess, like Walt Disney threw up.

Most of the story concerns Emi’s effort to free her mother (Shado) from a debt to the Yakuza. Last issue she braved the Oyabun in his lair, to challenge him. When he suggest she should less concerned with her mother, and more concerned for her own life, she replies, “I’ve done that before and it didn’t work out so well for me.”

This comment dovetails directly into a recurring flashback from a year ago, in which Ollie fell victim to the Clock King. To free him, Emi places her own life on the line. Her bluff succeeds, the Clock King is defeated, and Ollie is rescued, and Emi wins the day. So how did that not work out for her exactly?

I’ve greatly enjoyed Green Arrow up until now. This issue seems rather weak, and the two-issue story arc suffers as a whole. But as I said, it’s merely a brief interlude before getting back to the real action with the star of the series, Green Arrow. No doubt the challenge of meeting multiple monthly deadlines results in some less than perfect stories. I can forgive that.

The artwork from Stephen Byrne is spot on. As I’ve said before, him doing pencils, inks and colors no doubt helps streamline the overall process, creating much more cohesive illustrations. More artists should aspire to that level of versatility.

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12