PLEASE NOTE THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Written by: Andrew Kreisberg and Ben Sokolowski
Art by: Daniel Sampere
Publisher: DC
Green Arrow has transformed from a globe-trotting adventure series to a recreation of the show in just two issues. It’s not unusual for comics to change when a new writer and artist take the helm. Big changes are just assumed. The problem is that it’s altered to be so similar to the show, Arrow. There already is a comic based on it, DC doesn’t need another.
Green Arrow #36 explores the big reveal of the previous issue: we learn why Felicity Smoak is tracking down our hero. Oliver Queen and his partner Diggle contemplate who sent Smoak to track down Queen for malicious intent. The surprise in the form of the who and the why is given to us immediately. The remainder of the story follows a young vagrant who is being tailed by the man after Oliver. It’s just filler to let us know that the bad guy is bad.
Andrew Kreisberg and Ben Sokolowski pen the story, and it’s rather a mess. The book is already trying to turn into the show by adding in Felicity Smoak without properly introducing her. The characters and the reader are just left to accept that she’s on their team now because it’s on TV. The antagonist is just a boring fat cat who we learn is evil because he pretty much says it in his not-so-subtle dialogue. There’s no build up or surprise. We aren’t presented anything to be invested in his character or motivation. His vendetta against the Green Arrow presents a Robin Hoodian past which is not prevalent in this continuity. It forces the comic to be even more like the show. There isn’t any setup to the changes or to the introductions, we are just forced to deal with them.
Daniel Sampere’s art is serviceable. It’s too light tonally, and overly smooth. His work is reminiscent of comics from the 90’s. The biggest issue with his work are the action sequences, it seems as if panels are missing in between. Running from 25 feet away turns into a punch directly after. There’s no flow as each motion jumps forcibly towards the next. It’s hard to frame what’s going on when there’s no flow of motion.
Green Arrow #36 was a chore of a read. The newly introduced characters only serve to push the story along, but aren’t interesting to follow. The art is standard, but filled with poorly executed action sequences. This new approach to the comic is a less interesting interpretation of the TV show.
