I’ve been away from Green Arrow for a while, so it’s a fresh perspective for me – not one entirely favorable, I’m afraid. Oliver Queen continues to straddle the line between privileged playboy and fighting for the underdog. It’s not something other wealthy super-heroes like Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark have had to do, so when Green Arrow becomes a constant crusader for the little guy, it gets a little stale. Never-ending battle indeed.

My second disappointment was some fo the awkward dialogue in this issue. I found myself having to read balloons several time in order to fully comprehend what was being said, and to put it in the voice of the character. It may not entirely be the fault of the writers. I feel part of the job of the letterer is to present the prose in such a way as to make it easily readable, the balloons and line structure becoming a de facto form of punctuation. But maybe that’s just me.

And the villain of the piece is a social justice warrior known as Citizen. As Green Arrow and Black Canary continue their investigation, they discover Oliver Queen has been framed for murder (I enjoy a good police procedural) by Citizen. But what flummoxes me is how easily Oliver lets down his guard. Maybe it’s a trap to be closed next issue, so I’m willing to keep an open mind.

I like the artwork of German Peralta and John Kalisz. It’s consistent with the look of the book established 46 issues ago, but if also fresh and different. I’ve found new appreciation for colorists, who have historically gotten the short of the stick. Their work has evolved from color by numbers of the Silver Age to become a key element of conveying mood, atmosphere, and overall sense of place. Kudos to Kalisz.