After years of writing our heroic archer fight criminals such as murders, rapists, paedophiles and even the Yakuza, Mike Grell’s run on Green Arrow was coming to an end. Grell had certainly left his mark on the character. Oliver Queen had gone through hell and back, whether it be that his girlfriend, Dinah Lance, couldn’t have any children with him, or being framed for terrorism crimes. Although the run nears its end here, Green Arrow still has his monsters to face and like always, something goes wrong for him. For the harsh last time, Grell stabs Green Arrow in the heart, which results in Oliver’s life turning upside down and changing forever (until a new writer comes along and inevitably reverses it). Also, one aspect of these last stories which I think should be noted is that these are the last stories in which Green Arrow really remains separated from the rest of the heroes in the DC Universe. With issue 81, which begins the ten-part epic, Cross Roads, Green Arrow meets characters such as Nuklon, Deathstroke, Catwoman and many more, but that is all for another time…
The final stories from Mike Grell’s run on Green Arrow (vol 2) that I will be reviewing are:
Trigger --- Green Arrow (vol 2) 73-74
Auld Acquaintance --- Green Arrow (vol 2) 75
Killing Camp --- Green Arrow (vol 2) 76-78
New Dogs Old Tricks --- Green Arrow (vol 2) 79-80
Green Arrow (vol 2) issues 73-80 were published monthly from April to November 1993, with issue 75 being double length. As usual, all stories are written by Mike Grell along with art by various people. Like the previous set of stories from the run (read my review of them here), although they aren’t displayed as this on the covers, the stories here would probably fall under the “Suggested for Mature Readers” line. Lastly, I have read these issues in the Green Arrow: Old Tricks trade paperback.
Trigger --- Written by Mike Grell with art by Shea Anton Pensa
THE PLOT
While eating breakfast, Oliver and Dinah speaks about Marianne and how she hasn't got much of a social life. However, after the two of them speculate more about Marianne, she hurries into the room with Jack Hammer (homeless man from Bum Rap, Green Arrow (vol 2) 67-68), who is bleeding. Jack explains that Jefferson Woods (also from Bum Rap) is having an episode of post-traumatic stress disorder. Once Oliver becomes Green Arrow and puts Jefferson’s angered dogs in a bag so they can’t attack him, he speaks to Jefferson, who is still stuck in his traumatic state. Luckily, Marianne calls Jefferson by his real name, Mason, which wakes him up. Oliver then shows his concerns for Mason and tells him to see a therapist, which he does. At the therapy session, Mason dreams and remembers a mission from when he was a soldier. The mission involved Mason and his squad to kill a French colonel working with the Viet Cong. Although the soldiers killed the colonel, they were chased by guards. In the end, only one guard hunting them remained, who was stabbed by Cherry (a soldier that was part of Mason’s squad), who then fell into the river with the dead guard. Mason then searched for Cherry by calling out his name, but he couldn’t find him. The therapist then wakes up Mason from his dream and comforts him in an effort to heal him. Meanwhile, Marianne writes in her diary about Oliver and how she is beginning to fall in love with him. At the same time, Lieutenant Cameron visits the therapist named Doctor Elaine Pike, who Mason visited. Although Doctor Pike asks Cameron about his personal and family problems, the topic changes to a cop who was disrespectful to her and how she got her revenge by using hypnosis on the cop. Cameron then leaves Doctor Pike. Sometime later, Lieutenant Cameron speaks to his officers about how he is bringing a former Congressman named Schroeder to Seattle to testify against a drug lord. Doctor Pike watches this and smokes a cigarette, which she tells her patients not to do through her hypnosis. Afterwards, Cameron is on a plane with Schroeder, who is worried about protection and security. However, when they get off the plane, Schroeder gets a gun out to shoot Cameron and the police sniper at the time is told to shoot the former Congressman.
Police sniper Bill Carlson shoots Schroeder dead. However, under hypnosis, Carlson believed that the former Congressman pulled out a gun, but he actually didn’t. Carlson then begins to shoot police officers at the scene, but once Cameron and his men get to where the sniper was stationed, Carlson has vanished. Obviously, Cameron questions why this happened, and he speaks to Doctor Pike, who reveals that Carlson suffered with PTSD and due to that, he could break down any minute, just like he did earlier. Cameron then shouts at Doctor Pike for not telling him about Carlson’s PTSD problem and how officers in the force want to bring Carlson in to avenge the dead police officers. Later on, Cameron heads to his car, where he finds Green Arrow. At first, Cameron doesn’t want anything to do with him, but when Green Arrow mentions that he knows about Carlson, Cameron becomes intrigued and wonder how Green Arrow can find Carlson. Meanwhile, Carlson meets with Diamante, who was the person that Schroeder was going to testify against. The two speak about their mysterious contact and how Green Arrow is becoming involved in the case. At the same time, Doctor Pike visits Mason to see how he is, but instead, she plants a hypnotic device on him which controls him to kill Green Arrow, who at this time has just entered a sewer. Some time later, Cameron visits Doctor Pike in her office, where he tells her that he is visiting Diamante and he wants her to come with him so she can monitor Diamante. At the same time, Green Arrow enters the Diamante Construction building, where he is attacked by Mason. Meanwhile, Cameron and Pike speak with Diamante and after some time, Cameron discovered that the link between Pike and Diamante is the cigarettes, which has some hypnotic element to it. Once Pike admits to what she has done, Diamante attacks Cameron. However, Diamante is defeated by Cameron and Green Arrow, who arrives after defeating Mason. Diamante and Mason then wake up from their hypnotic episode and both point to Pike being the one behind it all. Much later on, Oliver and Dinah host a party for their friends, such as Cameron, the homeless people and most notably, Marianne, who whispers in Oliver’s ear that she loves him.
MY THOUGHTS
Before we get to the last three conclusive stories of the run, all of which sort of tie into one another, we get Trigger, a story which is very similar to previous stories such as Bum Rap (Green Arrow 67-68) and like that story… its crap. I mean, at least this story has some sense of continuity, meaning that previously introduced characters such as Jack and Mason aren’t completely forgotten about. If anything, I think that Grell should have introduced these homeless characters near the start of the run, but that’s just me.
Like Bum Rap, this story is a mess. So many things happen in this story in such a short time span that the explanation for it just seems, well, sh*t. For instance, I think the beginning of the story with Mason having dreams about his time as a soldier is really good as it gives great depth to his character and when he visits Doctor Pike, you really begin to follow that direction of the story as you think that the story could become a great character piece. However, then you get Cameron bringing in a former Congressman to testify for some case we don’t know anything about, who then gets killed. We then discover that Pike is working with the criminal who Cameron wanted the former Congressman to testify against and the whole reasoning for Doctor Pike being the mastermind of the villain is… cigarettes. It’s a nifty idea sure, but it supplies itself as a terrible reason for Pike’s involvement in the story. Why would she even want to have any involvement with Diamante and what is she actually trying to achieve because in the story, her reasoning for being behind everything is so unclear and foggy. Like I said before, the direction of the story constantly changes, and the focus is never same. We are shown three or so different events, all of which you could imagine would become the primary focus for the tale, but all three events are so unlinked and different that you couldn’t imagine a simple or easy solution to the story. This results in this half-baked ending, which isn’t satisfying or conclusive whatsoever. Apart from that, most things here feel out of whack and to be honest, this doesn’t feel like the plot that you’d expect or hope for in a Green Arrow story. I mean, cigarettes that can control people. You could get away with that in other comics, but here it comes across as cheap and unlikely. Plus, the cliff-hanger ending to the first part feels so forced and quick that it seems that Grell couldn’t think of an exciting way to make the readers engaged. I have read worse Green Arrow stories, but terrible plot and woeful characters certainly make this one of the worst stories of the run as a whole.
The same goes for the art too, which is drawn by Shea Anton Pensa. The more astute of you may remember this terrible excuse of an artist as the inker of Green Arrow (vol 2) 39, pencilled by Denys Cowan and like then, the art and finishes by Pensa are some
of the worse art ever. Its not just the finishes or bad detail, but its also the faces and anatomy, which look so out of whack it’s like everybody’s made of clay. The only good thing about the art worth mentioning is its comedic value and even then, I’ve seen funnier art from Frank Miller and Ted McKeever.
Story: 2/10
Art: 1.5/10
Auld Acquaintance --- Written by Mike Grell with art by Rick Hoberg
THE PLOT
Before Oliver can react to Marianne telling him that she loves him, he is whisked away by Dinah, who speak about the party they are currently holding with all of their friends for New Year Celebrations. After the clock strikes twelve and everyone celebrates, Oliver meets Marianne again, who speaks about how she has known Oliver for a long time at this point and that she has grown to love him. Oliver and Marianne then kiss, but Dinah walks in the room and sees this. Suddenly though, an arrow is shot through the window and a mysterious man in black with a bow begins attacking Oliver. Dinah helps Oliver in fighting against the archer, but she is caught in a trap from the archer’s trick arrow. However, Shado then arrives and together, she and Oliver force the archer to retreat. At first, Oliver speaks with Shado, but suddenly, he collapses when he is shot with an arrow. Once Dinah gets the arrow out of Oliver and finds that it is actually a bodkin (a non-fatal arrow), Shado theorises that the Yakuza hired the archer to kill Oliver and due to that, he must be taken to a secure and hidden place. Marianne tells Shado that she knows a place where Oliver can be taken. Shado then says that she will guard Oliver. Some time later, Marianne and Shado carry Oliver to the underground of Seattle, where they find a safe place where he can rest. After Shado tells Marianne that the Yakuza will eventually find them and attempt to kill Oliver again, Marianne speaks of how she is envious of her and Dinah as she couldn’t never have Oliver’s children or have any memories of him. The two of them then recall about how they both met Oliver and after they both finish their stories, Shado senses the evil archer nearby. Thanks to Dinah, who has become Black Canary, Shado takes out the archer with her help. Oliver then wakes up and takes the mask off of the archer, who is revealed to be Roy Harper, Green Arrow’s former sidekick, Speedy, now known as Arsenal. Once Black Canary finds that Roy is in a
catatonic state and that he will only respond to the commands of those controlling him, Green Arrow gives Roy his bow and arrow to see if he will kill him. Green Arrow recalls how he and Roy were once partners, but he neglected Roy, resulting in Roy taking drugs (reference to Green Lantern/Green Arrow 85-86 by Dennis O’Neil, Neal Adams and Dick Giordano). Oliver tells Roy to shoot him as he understands why Roy would kill him. Some time later, Roy returns to the headquarters of the Yakuza to meet his employer, who is revealed to former CIA agent, Greg Osborne (who last appeared in Green Arrow (vol 2) 12). Osborne then orders Roy to kill Shado as well by blackmailing him with his young daughter Lian, who the Yakuza have captured. However, Roy then takes his mask off and it is revealed to be Oliver instead. Black Canary, Shado and Roy (now Arsenal) arrive at the scene and defeat all of the Yakuza members. Osborne then threatens the heroes by pointing a gun at Lian’s head, but after discovering that Roy is no longer controlled by the Yakuza, he points his gun to Roy. This gives the archer heroes the perfect opportunity to shoot Osborne, which they do and seemingly kill him. Afterwards, Oliver says goodbye to Shado, Roy and Lian, but Black Canary is angry at Green Arrow as everyone they know has a part of him except her, as she couldn’t give him a child or marriage. Black Canary then kisses Green Arrow and leaves him. Their relationship is over and Green Arrow sits under a tree saddened.
MY THOUGHTS
As opposed to the previous story, this issue is excellent. It is incredibly fast paced, full of action and great dialogue exchanges between characters. The plot itself throws you into the deep end straight away, not just with Oliver kissing Marianne and Dinah witnessing that, but also because of the arrival of the mysterious archer. Then, Shado arrives and constantly, new things are added into the story for justifiable reasons which make the story incredibly enjoyable. Even though there isn’t any dialogue to support the scene, when Dinah catches Oliver with Marianne, we get such a huge sense of drama and you can just tell that the relationships between characters are going to change massively, like we see at the end of the story. Not only that, but the biggest shock of all is definitely the appearance of Roy Harper, which does come out of nowhere, but it makes a lot of sense that he appears. What you have to remember is that this is the seventy-fifth issue of the run and Roy Harper hadn’t even turned up once at this point and although I think that he should have appeared in the run earlier on at some point, I think Grell brings him in as we have forgotten about him, just like Oliver does. This makes the shock of the story feel relevant and dramatic to you just as it does to the characters in the story. We get a great moment from that when we see Roy thinking about killing Oliver, which is just a fantastic scene and it really highlights how much of an ar*ehole Oliver can be. Although this shock is nowhere near as major as the one with Roy, but we also get the return of Greg Osborne, who the Yakuza captured way back in the fourth and final part of Here There Be Dragons (Green Arrow (vol 2) 9-12). This reintroduces his character so well as you do wonder what happened to him since his last appearance and in some way, it ties up the run from the start to the end pretty well. Apart from that, we get some great character scenes between Shado and Marianne, which really develops their characters as we see what Oliver means to them. Plus, the ending of the story is outstanding, with the huge positive being that Roy gets his daughter back, but the deep negative being that Dinah’s relationship with Oliver is pretty much over, giving (continues after image)
the story a satisfying, but tragic end. Overall, this longer issue is certainly excellent and it combines the brilliant and dramatic action scenes with the interesting and character driven dialogue scenes between characters and while I’m not a huge fan of the Marianne story (which I’ll explain why a bit later), this self-contained story is flawless.
Strangely, Rick Hoberg isn’t inked by John Nyberg, but instead, himself and to be honest, I think it looks better this way. While it does have its regular flaws of too many little lines and pointless crosshatching in some areas, I think it looks a lot cleaner and more presentable than what Nyberg does with his art and I think the use of dark lighting is much better here than usual. Its not perfect, but it will be best art from Hoberg in the run, I can assure you.
Story: 10/10
Art: 7/10
Killing Camp --- Written by Mike Grell with art by Rick Hoberg and John Nyberg
THE PLOT
During a Rose Bowl game in California, a helicopter holding a stuntman is shot down by two terrorists, who then try to escape the scene, but they are trampled to death by people running away from the helicopter. Some time later, Green Arrow stops a drug deal by violently taking out the criminals involved. He then goes back to his home under Seattle which once belonged to Marianne. However, Eddie Fyers appears to Oliver to tell him about the terrorist attack in California, which killed over fifty people. Fyers then tells Oliver that the attack is linked to a German named Lachner, now calling himself Laker and that he is training soldiers at a camp in Idaho. Fyers also tells Oliver that the two terrorists who were involved in the attack died and that they were being trained in Laker’s camp. Although Oliver is sceptical as Fyers is no longer part of the CIA, he agrees to help Fyers in his mission to find Laker. Before leaving for Idaho, Oliver looks at his old home of the Sherwood Florist from the outside in the rain. Marianne finds Oliver, who tells Marianne that he is living underground. After Marianne explains that she is still living with Dinah, Oliver leaves to go back to his home. However, when Oliver gets home, he finds Marianne waiting for him and the two sleep together. The next day, Oliver and Fyers fly to Idaho and on their way, they drop a supply cannister out of the jet for later. When the two of them get out of the jet (and by using made up names), they are greeted by Gunnery Sergeant Thomas, who gives Oliver and Fyers a winter survival mission. Together, Oliver and Fyers walk up a snowy mountain and when they get to the top, they notice the training camp. However, guards then appear from out of the snow and corner Oliver and Fyers.
In just a few seconds, Oliver and Fyers take out the guards and steal their weapons. The two of them then follow the guards to the training camp, where they meet with security guards. Although Fyers tells security that he and Oliver are at the camp for
training, they both knocked out by hidden guards. Meanwhile in Seattle, Dinah talks to Marianne about Oliver. The two argue about Oliver and what he did and in the end, Dinah tells Marianne that she and Oliver have to live with the decision that he made. At the same time, in Idaho, Oliver and Fyers wake up and meet their target, Lachner. After showing Oliver and Fyers numerous sentries tied up in the cold for punishment, Lachner gives the two of them weapons for training. Days later after training, Oliver speaks with Fyers, who has found one of the tied-up sentries dead in the forest. From this, Oliver believes that Laker is a very dangerous target and that they must capture him soon. However, Fyers then begins to anger Oliver by mentioning his failed relationship with Dinah, causing Oliver to shoot Fyers in the back. This alerts Lachner and some guards and after making an excuse that Fyers was outside of the camp, Oliver is forced to bury Fyers. Afterwards, Oliver meets Lachner in his office. Oliver tells Lachner that Fyers was planning to kidnap him and then sell him to the highest bidder. Lachner then proceeds to torture Oliver to get verification of his story, but Oliver manages to take out the only guard in the room, steal his gun and point it at Lachner, who Oliver then ties up. After taking out the other guards in the camp, Oliver proceeds to leave with Lachner, but Fyers arrives. Fyers tells Oliver that he was wearing a bullet proof vest and that he had to dig himself out of the ground. Fyers and Oliver then leave the camp, holding Lachner hostage.
While the remaining soldiers at the camp discover that Lachner has been kidnapped and they decide to go out and look for him, Oliver and Fyers continue to escape with their hostage. While Oliver and Fyers create some barricades using trees to make it harder for the guards to follow them, they tell Lachner that they are the only ones who want him alive as the tortured soldiers at the camp would want him dead. After long discussions about handing Lachner over to the German authorities for war crimes and terrorism, Oliver, Fyers and Lachner camp out in the night. Meanwhile, guards from the training camp are killed by numerous traps planted by Oliver and Fyers. The next morning, after Oliver takes out some guards nearby, Lachner accidently falls into a cold river. Luckily, Oliver rescues him, but Lachner asks why he didn’t let him drown, to which Oliver says that he is for hanging. Once Oliver and Lachner dry off and get closer to Canada, a helicopter arrives at the scene. Fyers then admits that he is working with the Mossad and that the CIA were using Lachner’s camp to track people they are interested in. As the CIA doesn’t want Lachner to leave the country, Lachner heads into the helicopter and flies away, not before Oliver tells him that he is dead man. Although Lachner returns to the training camp some time later, he is killed by an arrow going through his chest.
MY THOUGHTS
This is a rather odd story really. I mean, its not a great story, by any stretch of the imagination, but its one of those ones where it works in terms of characters and the interaction between them all. The main plot itself isn’t particularly special in any way, but the best thing about the story has to be the dialogue between Oliver and Fyers. I think it is safe to say that from stories such as the Black Arrow Saga, the relationship between Oliver and Fyers is more than bumpy. Oliver tends to just about tolerate Fyers and due to that, we get some great moments in the story. For instance, when Oliver shoots Fyers in the back, it comes across as a shock as it is so sudden and out of
nowhere and when Fyers returns, he shouts at Oliver for shooting and burying him, which is entertaining to read, especially since the characters have known each other for quite some time at this point. Also, we see some scenes with Dinah and Marianne, which not only that gives us a break from the main story and gives us some interesting character scenes, but it constantly reminds you that although Oliver is on this mission, he will eventually have to face up to Dinah again and it constantly reminds us about the what he has done to her as she is clearly very angry at him and rightfully so I think. Like all Grell stories, there is some twist for the finale of the story and in this case, the villain, Lachner, escapes. This sort of gives the story an unexpected ending and it emphasises that the fact that Oliver has pretty much wasted his time. Although this comes across as rendering the story pointless at first, the ending of the story where Lachner dies is out of nowhere and as he was shot by an arrow, you know that something bad will be happening to Green Arrow soon, which makes you interested in the next and final story in the run.
However, my main issue with the story is most the second issue, which is just a load of standing around talking. Nothing happens, I mean, you do get a few interesting and good moments, such as Oliver shooting Fyers, but to me, the story comes to a complete halt then. Then again, it does help how the villain of this story, Lachner, is completely uninteresting and boring. He is just an ordinary terrorist and there is nothing notable or memorable about him. In fact, his death is the only interesting part of the story that involves his character. Speaking of which, am I the only one who thinks that the beginning of the story feels entirely unrelated to the main plot. A helicopter is shot down and loads of people are killed. Then, the terrorists themselves are killed, but we are never given a reason for why the terrorists did choose a Rose Bowl game instead of something else. I understand that that acted as the reason for why Oliver and Fyers decide to kidnap Lachner, but the whole thing feels really unrelated to the rest of the story. I think that the story could have been told in two parts really because although the first part of the story is definitely the best as it builds up the tale while also having some great character moments, parts two and three feel so boring and empty, more so the second part. Thinking about it, the third part is just Oliver and Fyers running through snowy forests with Lachner, which doesn’t present itself as enjoyable reading. In fact, that can be said for the story as a whole because comparing it other Green Arrow stories, this doesn’t feel that exciting or entertaining, which is a bit of a shame as I think the idea for the story is good, it just needs developing a hell of a lot more.
This is the last time we see the un-memorable team of Hoberg and Nyberg. To me, this story features evidence that Hoberg is better when he inks himself as here, the art is pretty uninteresting and boring to look at. Like always with Hoberg, the storytelling itself isn’t of high quality, but Nyberg’s finishes look either rough or messy, making me long for a new and better artist team.
Story: 6.5/10
Art: 6/10
New Dogs Old Tricks --- Written by Mike Grell with art by Bill Marimon and John Nyberg
THE PLOT
In Washington, Green Arrow breaks into a ranch holding an illegal dog fight. After taking out the violent dogs, Green Arrow takes out Cruz, who is in charge of the dog fights. However, when the police arrive at the scene and arrest Cruz, an officer also arrests Green Arrow. Some time later, in court, Oliver’s lawyer makes it clear that his citizen’s arrest of Cruz was legal, and that Oliver was just defending himself from Cruz’s violent dogs. Although the judge doesn’t like Oliver’s vigilante actions, he lets Oliver go free, but the lawyer warns Oliver that his vigilante acts make him dangerous. While leaving the courtroom, Oliver meets the sheriff of King County, who is named Ned Mannix. Mannix arranges for Oliver to be arrested for vagrancy after leaving court. Afterwards, Mannix meets with two CIA members, who tell the sheriff that they believe that Oliver killed Lachner after he had kidnapped him. However, Mannix ignores the CIA and tells them that Oliver is will be kept in police custody to keep the streets safer. The CIA then leave, thinking that Mannix could also be a dangerous person to them. Meanwhile, two CIA members attempt to arrest Eddie Fyers, but he kills them and calls them amateurs. Some time later, Oliver is let out of prison by Mannix, who warns the vigilante that he doesn’t want any Green Arrow activity in his county. When Oliver gets out of jail, he meets with Dinah, who payed his fine to release him. The two then speak over coffee about how Oliver had become involved with Fyers, which makes Dinah angry. Then, Oliver mentions again that he is sorry for kissing Marianne, but Dinah leaves angered. Later at night, Eddie Fyers is out with his sniper rifle at a dockyard, but before he can do anything with it, Green Arrow arrives.
While Oliver and Fyers speak on the boat, CIA members search the docks, looking for Fyers. Oliver tells Fyers that the CIA believes that he killed Lachner and after thinking about who could have really killed Lachner, Oliver says that he believes that Fyers killed him. However, after the two argue about the possible people who could be behind Oliver’s framing, they manage to kill all the CIA members, but one, who Oliver and Fyers torture to get the truth out of. After continuously dunking the CIA member in water, he decides to reveal everything through a recording while wearing a fake nose, moustache and glasses set. The CIA agent explains that the CIA were implicated in the recent Rose Bowl terrorist attack and that Oliver and Fyers were working with the Mossad to bring Lachner to justice. Oliver shows the recording to Mannix, who doesn’t care about what Oliver has done in Idaho. Instead, he tells Oliver that he gives cops a bad name and that if he ever finds Oliver doing his vigilante actions in King County, he will arrest him. However, as Oliver leaves, he and Mannix notice some kids stabbing the tyres of a police car and Oliver doesn’t stop them as he tells Mannix that it isn’t his job. Later in Seattle, Oliver visits the Sherwood Florist again, but heads back to his underground home, where he meets Marianne again. Oliver tells her that he doesn’t want to have a relationship with her as he is still in love with Dinah, to which Marianne tells him that Dinah won’t ever want him back. Marianne then leaves Oliver by telling him that he will end up a lonely old man, to which Oliver tells her that he knows that. Oliver is left alone in the dark.
MY THOUGHTS
Here we are! The last story from Mike Grell’s run on Green Arrow and I think it is very good. Like all of the good and enjoyable stories from Grell’s run, we get some excellent character scenes along with some entertaining fight scenes. Like in the Trial of Oliver Queen story (Green Arrow (vol 2) 19-20), we see Green Arrow in front of a judge once more. This is great as we are reminded of how dangerous Oliver actually is and although he is a hero that saves people, he has violently taken out and even killed criminals. The main plot involving the CIA is pretty much a follow up to the previous story, which makes a lot of sense as you couldn’t imagine the events from that story just magically disappearing like a mouse in a tiger’s cage. In fact, this whole story is a spotlight on Oliver’s interactions with the law, which have never been particularly pleasant and also, we see Oliver being framed for a terrorism crime yet again, which also involves Eddie Fyers, coincidently. This story features some good moments focusing on that, for instance, when the truth involving Oliver, Fyers and Lachner is revealed, it comes across as an interesting part of the story as we have been waiting to find out what really happened, showing how brilliantly Grell builds up suspense and tension in his stories. This also features a rare funny moment in the run where the CIA agent wears a fake moustache to conceal his identity. This works as it doesn’t over do the silliness in the story, which is a pretty serious one. Apart from that, we get a great conversation between Oliver and Dinah, which really highlights the reasons why Dinah left Oliver. This is also backed up well by the ending of the story, which certainly ends on a sour note of Oliver being all on his own. This does make up for the fact that there isn’t much character interaction between Fyers and Oliver in this story, which is a bit of a shame as in the previous story, that was definitely one of the highlights.
I think my main problem with this story is that I don’t see a need for it to be set in Washington instead of Seattle. In fact, I think it would have been better in Seattle as we would be able to see the last meeting between Oliver and Cameron, at least in Mike Grell’s run anyway. This would have been perfect as we would have seen the two argue with each other about their perspectives on the law among other things such as the CIA. Also, if Dinah can feature in this story in Washington, then what is the real point of the story being set there instead. Like I mentioned before, I thought that more could have been done between the characters of Oliver and Fyers as the story doesn’t feature many memorable or great moments between the two characters. I guess the only other problem with the issue, which has been a small issue with the run since about issue 51, is the Marianne story, which comes to a close here. As much as a I understand why Marianne may have some feelings for Oliver, I felt that her character was incredibly dull and boring and not only that, but I think that Grell should have told this aspect of the story more regularly. One of my complaints with these latter part of the run is that there is no overarching story going on in the background, but here, you discover that Marianne was meant to be that, but I think that Grell should have played on that more. Plus, I feel that the ending of the story itself is way too inconclusive and it doesn’t feel like the right time for Grell to leave. To (continues after image)
me, I want a writers run on a title to end positively while the characters have been through lifechanging events, but here, we certainly get the latter of those two, but not the first, meaning that the run doesn’t feel like it was meant to end here.
Instead of Hoberg, artist Bill Marimon fills the role of penciller here and although he is inked by Nyberg, his art style doesn’t really fit the realistic setting of Mike Grell’s Seattle or his depiction of Green Arrow. The art seems too cartoony and plain, as opposed to a gritty style that former Green Arrow artists such as Ed Hannigan, Dan Jurgens and Dick Giordano picked up on so perfectly. If this was a comic based off of an animated series cartoon, they perhaps I’d accept the art more, but here, it doesn’t fit the tone at all.
Story: 8/10
Art: 4/10
VERDICT
Overall, Green Arrow: Old Tricks is pretty good. While it does have an incredibly weak story (Trigger), it features the excellent seventy-fifth issue along with a linked three-parter and two-parter which works well as an end to the run, despite its flaws. However, overall for Mike Grell’s eighty issue run on the main Green Arrow title, I think that it is an enjoyable and good long read. The first year or so of the title is excellent and while it does feature some weak points, such as Oliver travelling around the world and some of the latter stories of the run, it does have some excellent tales, such as the Shado stories and a large amount of the hard crime stories. It is just a shame that the artwork of the run begins brilliantly with Hannigan, Jurgens and Giordano, but then devolves into terrible or dull art by Cowan and Hoberg. I think it is safe to say that Mike Grell certainly redefined Green Arrow for the 1980s and 1990s, but this isn’t the end of his run. Similarly, to the excellent miniseries which started the run, Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters 1-3, Grell penned a second miniseries which was released in 1993, named Green Arrow: The Wonder Year 1-4, which you will see my thoughts on next week…
Stories: 6.5/10
Art: 4.5/10
Highlighted Character: Speedy/Arsenal (Roy Harper, for the brilliant shock of issue 75)
Next Review: Green Arrow: The Wonder Year (Green Arrow: The Wonder Year 1-4). Written by Mike Grell with art by Mike Grell and Gray Morrow. Expected to be published by 01/09/2019.
Comments