New Comics, Green Lantern/Green Arrow, Green Lantern

Two new comics!

Gotham High

Oracle Code

DC’s YA graphic novel line has been really impressive, at least the ones I’ve picked up.  Between Mera: Tidebreaker, Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass, and these two, they’re 4 for 4 for far.  “Elseworlds with teenage versions of DC heroes” has the potential to be uninspiring, but Marieke Nijkamp (Oracle) and Melissa de la Cruz (Gotham High) take these Batman characters in new and exciting directions, with wonderful art by Manuel Preitano and Thomas Pitilli respectively.  These would be entertaining with original characters, but the familiar-yet-not personalities add a welcome spice.  Totally recommend these.

Green Lantern 76-87, 89

The classic Denny O’Neil/Neal Adams run.  I was dreading this re-read; this project of mine has a tendency to drag as the comics get older.  I’m just more used to the modern style of comic book writing, with fewer captions and thought bubbles.   

O’Neil doesn’t disappoint with the florid writing, but I found it more entertaining than I expected.  

The mirror universe version of "Home on the Range"

The stories are surprisingly fun, and Adams’ art is really ahead of its time.  But why does O’Neil have such a fixation with Hal living in hotels?  

This is squarely one of those “glad I own it for the historical context, but it doesn’t really get me excited” comics.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Fine

Green Lantern: Evil’s Might 1-3

Howard Chaykin and David Tischman have a number of fun Elseworlds stories to their name, and this is no exception.  Kyle Raynor, Hal Jordan, Alan Scott, and Carol Ferris run around in the Gangs of New York era.  Marshall Rogers draws the shit out of it.  For something that I remembered zero details about, it provided a lot of fun moments.  Especially this little moment that made me laugh out loud:

Perfect capper.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Pretty good

Green Lantern 46, 48-50, 0

Emerald Twilight!  The fall of Hal Jordan!  This was a big deal for me when it first came out.  I was just a few years into collecting, and events like this really felt like the earth-shattering stories they were hyped up to be.  This one really holds up; The opening fight with Mongul is surprisingly vicious, as is Hal’s romp through the gauntlet of Green Lanterns.  (Though if a ring is only limited by the user’s will, I still don’t get how having more rings increases your power.)

It may not make sense, but this is a classic, awesome cover by Darryl Banks

It’s hard to rate this one.  I think my high opinion of it is colored more by nostalgia than anything else.   (Though there’s nothing that feels good about seeing Kyle’s girlfriend Alex’s first appearance, knowing that she’s about to name one of the most depressing comic tropes out there.)

Her fridging is only months away.  Sigh.

I wanted to call out Anthony Tollin's excellent use of the green palette.  What could have been a jumbled mess reads very clearly.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Major feels

Green Arrow, Black Canary

Green Arrow 51-59

A horrible stretch continues, with fill-in issues, replacement-to-substandard art, and an uninspired take on Born Again.  I’ve spent the last week debating whether I should cut issues 46-59.  They’re really not entertaining, and I can’t imagine reading them again.  But at the end of the day, excising the middle of Judd Winick’s run because the art sucks wasn’t quite good enough of a reason for me.  The margin was razor thin, though.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Stupid

Green Arrow 60-75

Is Winick’s Green Arrow run really that dependent on the art?  Scott McDaniel joins the team, and it’s a welcome dose of skill and energy.  I’ve been a fan of his since the Fall from Grace storyline in Daredevil, and he’s a great partner to this fun storyline about Ollie’s stint as mayor of Star City.  The flashback to his training is super sweet, Batman’s arc is super fun, and the twist revealing his replacement is super clever.

McDaniel is totally channelling Frank Miller with that face.

(Example.  It's the lips, I think.)

I like the posing and angle of the shot.

Same here.

This third volume of Arrow ends with Ollie proposing to Dinah.  I knew this was coming, but didn’t think I would buy it - Their breakup didn’t leave much room for reconciliation, and I couldn’t see a plausible way for them to get back together.  But Winick shows a solid understanding of what makes both of them tick, and Dinah’s explanation for their reunion has me rooting for them as a couple again.  Even if Ollie’s a cad.

It's a little hackneyed, but Winick pulls it off.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice to Pretty good by the end

Saw this in a house ad and love the art.  By Mario Alberti.

Birds of Prey 109

Black Canary 1-4

Black Canary Wedding Planner 1

A fun little adventure, a nice interlude between the main titles.  I don’t know anything about Sin, but I like her and the relationship she has with Dinah.  

At this point in the reread, I remember that the wedding happens, but for some reason, Dinah and Ollie don’t end up married.  Which really annoys me, since I like them together and for DC to have so much wedding buildup only to back out at the last minute is cruelly exploitive.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice

Black Canary/Green Arrow Wedding Special 1

Why does DC always get Amanda Connor to do the bachelorette issues?  I’m not complaining, she’s spectacular.  But why pigeonhole her?

From when we thought Batman would marry Catwoman.  Another time where DC got cold feet.

A delightful reaction page.

I’d forgotten the twist ending, but after re-reading it, I’m as ticked off as I was the first time.  Stupid cop out.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Pretty good

Green Arrow and Black Canary 1-6

Cliff Chiang.  Oh my god.  I love him so much.  His art is so clean and crisp and gorgeous, I could look at it all day.  The thick, black outlines around his characters, set against the backgrounds, remind me of the Colorforms I played with as a kid, in the best way.

I'm sold on Chiang from the opening pages.

Hahaha, Batman in an apron.

Colorforms!

Perfect posing and facial expression.

Hilarious body language.  Perfection.

Hate the story decision, love the execution of the page.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Good

Green Arrow and Black Canary 7-14

Aaaand we fall back to earth with Mike Norton on art.  And right on schedule, Winick’s story becomes a lot less engaging.  (It doesn’t help that he ruined Connor.  Don’t mess with Connor.)  He’s a good writer, but at least on Arrow, he needs a good artist to shine.  Luckily, he had one for most of his run with Ollie and company.  Overall, I’d say I liked his stuff the most out of the 230+ issues of Green Arrow I just read.  (Chuck Dixon comes in second.)

Oh! And much to my pleasant surprise, Ollie and Dinah get married for reals. Love that DC let them go through with it. Don't know when they rolled it back, but at least it wasn't here.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Fine

Green Arrow

DC Box 3 is done!  So much Green Arrow, with plenty left to go.

Box Summary:
Time spent reading: 14 hours, 33 minutes

Issues read: 177

Issues cut: 9 

Highlights (Good or better): Green Arrow 16-21 (Archer’s Quest by Brad Meltzer)

Project Summary:

Time spent reading: 26 days, 7 hours, 23 minutes

Issues read: 5304

Issues cut: 710

Green Arrow 34-45

The last of the Phil Hester issues.  While he’s not in my personal top tier of artists, I’m always happy to see his work.  There’s a ‘grim and gritty cartoon’ quality that’s singular to his work.  With him on the interior and Marcos Martin on the covers, the art side is in wonderful hands.  

Slick pose.

Beautiful.

I usually hate characters who behave like Ollie.  He cheats on Dinah, feels guilty about it, shuts her out as a defense mechanism, then waits for her to break up with him.  It’s the worst kind of behavior, completely reprehensible.  But it’s so ingrained in Ollie’s character, part of who he is, that I feel intense sorrow for him and Dinah, instead of my usual disdain and anger.  It’s a sign of how invested I am with him and the story Winick and those before him have been telling.  

Mia Dearden is a spectacular character.  Kudos to Kevin Smith and Hester for creating her and Winick for building so much upon that foundation.  She’s strong, witty, capable, and takes responsibility for her actions.  She has a self-awareness that’s refreshing.  She’s not afraid to be vulnerable, but is never weak.  I’d read a series starring her.  Get on it, Judd!

I also love that this is the first time Connor chooses to display any kind of physical affection, as a sweet sign of love, affection, and support.  That’s so Connor.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Pretty good

Green Arrow 46-50

Tom Fowler takes over as penciller, and it’s such a huge downgrade.  I hope he doesn’t stick around.

The Duke of Oil (wince).  A lame-ass version of Cameron Hodge...

...who's utterly terrifying over in the Marvel Universe.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Fine

Green Arrow

Green Arrow Annual 7

Another origin issue, this time from Chuck Dixon.  Meh, easy cut.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Didn’t suck (cutting)

Green Arrow 101-133, 136, 1000000

Green Lantern 76-77

Chuck Dixon sets up a lot of what makes Connor Hawke cool for future writers, including his innate uncoolness - He’s a monk with no vices or hobbies.  But he’s one of the top martial artists in the world, unfailingly compassionate, and inherently good.  There’s no pretense to him.

And the ladies love him, which makes his obliviousness and lack of interest absolutely hilarious.   

Dixon has a lot of fun with these thirty-plus issues, though I don’t really get the annual Green Lantern crossovers.  I know there’s a history of these two heroes teaming up, but it feels really pushed.  Anyway, some highlights:

Such a cool idea, so obvious in hindsight.

Yep, Dixon went there, clearly giving zero fucks.  Love it.

Corny but cool.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes (No by around 132)

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice (Fine by around 132)

Green Arrow 1-10

Kevin Smith’s first arc is Quiver, basically the GA version of Geoff Johns’ Green Lantern: Rebirth and Flash: Rebirth.  It brings Ollie Queen back to the land of the living after six years.  Unfortunately, it’s pre-Grell Ollie, the loudmouth who can’t stop ranting about fascist fatcats.  It’s not bad, but I don’t need ten issues of it.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice

Green Arrow 11-15

Onomatopoeia is a ridiculous concept for a villain, and there’s absolutely no way he should work.  But instead of coming across as completely stupid, Smith and Phil Hester manage to make him eerie, and even downright scary.  It’s a testament to the power of comics pulling off something that would utterly fail on the screen.  

Matt Wagner killing on the cover.

Hester doing the same on the inside.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: No

Rating: Nice

Green Arrow 16-21

I remembered zero of this arc going into it, and thought this might be a candidate for cutting.  Instead, Brad Meltzer hooks me from the first issue, and delivers a touching, funny story that’s now a highlight of the character for me.  

Heartbreaking retcon.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Really good

Green Arrow 22, 26-33

Judd Winick starts a long stint with Ollie and company.  He gets off to a slow but not terrible start with Straight Shooter, but by the last couple of issues, shows that he’s going to be just fine.  

Winick nails Connor Hawke right now.  Chills.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice