Green Arrow #2 is what I like to call a “taking stock” issue. There’s been a lot of change within the life of the archery obsessed hero and this issue allows old fans who need a moment and new fans jumping on board to take stock of the current situation.
Green Arrow has resigned being Oliver Queen, Queen Industries is in the middle of a hostile take over, a huge forest with magical properties has erupted in the middle of Star City, Green Arrow murdered Prometheus, he broke up with Black Canary and the symbol of the White Lanterns has appeared on a tree. See what I mean? A lot has gone down.
Issue #1 hit the ground running so DC has eased issue #2 back a bit just to let people catch their breath. Don’t misunderstand me, there’s lots of action in the title but no too much actually happens. Well, actually something huge happens at the very end but I’m not going to spoil that for you.
Hal Jordon (Green Lantern) pays Green Arrow a visit but landing in the forest strips him of his powers. The two talk and then get attacked by Black Ops guys and then chat further about the dead heroes who have returned and Green Arrow returning to the Justice League.
Green Arrow #2 isn’t boring, but it is rife with exposition. The two heroes spend a great deal of time just recapping and don’t really get anywhere. No new light is shed on the Star City serial killer or the woman trying to take over Queen Industries, and you don’t walk away with any further insight into the dead heroes returning.
Writer J.T. Krul smartly splits the lengthy discussion panels up with action so it never becomes overbearing. At the same time, Green Arrow #1 was so good, the wind-out-of-the-sails on issue #2 is palpable.
The art from Dioenes Neves and Vincente Cifuentes is what saves the whole enterprise. The two artists do an incredible job of creating a living, moving forest for Green Arrow and Hal Jordon to play in. There’s also great use of shadow for mood and whichever was in charge of the faces did a great job.
With so much talking going on,the book needed this kind of strong art with movement to it in order to not come across dull. Neves and Cifuentes also nailed the action scenes, a tremendous effort all around.
This isn’t the best comic I’ve read this yeaar, but it isn’t the worst. Green Arrow #2 hovers somewhere in the middle. It serves the purpose of allowing people to catch up on the past events and gives enough of a powerful ending to drive a reader to check out issue #3.
I hope Neves and Cifuentes stay on the book for a while because I’d love to see what they do with a fully ramped up no-holds-barred action issue; the kind of stuff we’ve come to expect from both Green Lantern and Green Arrow. If you liked issue #1 then issue #2 is nice bridge towards the next story arc, and if you haven’t read it then Green Arrow issue #2 is a solid place to jump on board.
