Green Arrow #5 - A Review

With the good name of Oliver Queen, his family fortune and Black Canary held hostage, Green Arrow has no choice but to storm the secret fortress of the criminal syndicate known as The Ninth Circle. Thankfully, Green Arrow has an unexpected ally on his side. Yet when push comes to shove and it looks like everything may be lost, how much will Green Arrow sacrifice in the name of justice?


There is a lot about this opening arc I haven't liked. I dislike Black Canary being captured so easily and not winning free on her own. I dislike Emiko (easily the most annoying and least original of Jeff Lemire's contributions to the Green Arrow mythos, being a second-rate Damien Wayne) suddenly making an 11th Hour decision to pull a heel/face turn. And I dislike Shado being turned into an outright villain.

Yet, I realize that is the part of me that is a Green Arrow purist talking. And while I may quibble with certain aspects of the story, the greater part of what Benjamin Percy has written is good. His takes on Green Arrow and Black Canary are picture perfect. The romantic scenes between them have been enjoyable, if a bit rushed in execution. Percy also managed to do more to make Emiko a tolerable character than Lemire ever did, so full credit on that feat!


Whatever reservations I may have about have the story, I have none about the art. Juan Ferreyra is a phenomenal artist and proof positive of how effective it is when an artist handles their own inks and colors. Not to disrespect all the wonderful creative teams out there but the artwork in this issue of Green Arrow offers something wholly unique, full of energy and excitement from the base pencils to the colors chosen.