Arrow: The Dark Archer #7 - A Review

I don't think I'll be reviewing any future chapters of Arrow: The Dark Archer. This is not because I don't enjoy the series. I do! But the pacing of the story lends itself better to a novel than a weekly digital comic. There's little point in summarizing the individual chapters, when nothing really happens beyond "Merlyn keeps telling his life's story."


With that being said, the story by John Barrowman and Carole E. Barrowman is a good one. And the artwork by Daniel Sampere, Juan Albarran and Kyle Ritter will please those readers who remember their work on Green Arrow and Batgirl. I may not be writing about this book in the future but don't think for a moment I don't love it!

Arrow: The Dark Archer #6 - A Review

Faced with his former lover Lourdes, Malcolm Merlyn continues his tale of how he came to abandon the group called The Hidden. It was his first step on a winding road. One that would lead to his eventually joining the League of Assassin!


John and Carole E. Barrowman have built a rich mythology for this story. Unfortunately, this issue is light on action and heavy on exposition, which may prove disappointing for many Arrow-heads. Still, Indiana Jones fans may be pleased by the attention to detail in the story. And the artwork is still as amazing as ever.

Arrow: The Dark Archer #5 - A Review

The man once known as Arthur King continues his tale. It is a story of romance and intrigue, as he describes once searching for a long lost tomb as a member of The Hidden - a group with a lineage as long as that of The League of Assassins.


Sadly, The Dark Archer has lost what momentum it had. And it didn't have that much to begin with, given that this story is set in between Seasons 3 and 4 of Arrow. We already know that Merlyn survives this story!

A larger problem is that John and Carole E. Barrowman - in their efforts to craft a more impressive origin story for Malcolm Merlyn - have begun throwing in more material than they can possibly hope to build on. A key example of this is the revelation that animal-telepathy powers are something that exist independent of the rules regarding metahumans and magic thus far explained in the mythology of the DCTVU.


Thankfully, the artwork is as strong as ever. Daniel Sampere delivers the same quality penciling that made him a fan-favorite on Batgirl and Green Arrow. Juan Albarran's inks find the perfect balance between dark and light. And Kyle Ritter's colors are perfectly chosen throughout.

Arrow: The Dark Archer #4 - A Review

At the mercy of Saracon of The Hidden, Malcolm Merlyn must tell a story. A story of the time when he was a man called Arthur King. A story of how he first encountered The League of Assassins...


John Barrowman and Carole E. Barrowman are spinning a rich and intricate tale with this mini-series. The scope of this story is cinematic and the art team do a fantastic job of depicting the action of the script. The action is lain out well and the colors perfectly suit each scene. And you don't have to be a fan of the Arrow series to enjoy it!

Arrow: The Dark Archer #3 - A Review

The chase continues as Malcolm Merlyn flees into the ancient catacombs underneath his secret mountain lair. His mysterious enemies are in hot pursuit. But will the dangers of the ancient caverns claim them all?


The action is hot and heavy in this third chapter of The Dark Archer but explanations are few and far between. John and Carole E. Barrowman have thrown out a lot of information but very little of it has paid off. Indeed, we don't discover whether or not Merlyn knows the woman leading the forces that are trying to kill him until nearly the end of the issue. Even then, we don't know anything about their relationship. This wouldn't be so bad in a weekly title, but the story so far is dragging a bit for a series that is published bi-monthly.

Thankfully, the artwork continues to be as impressive as ever. Daniel Sampere does a fine job choreographing all of the action in his artwork. Juan Albarran finds the perfect balance between simple highlighting and enhancing the original art with his inks. And Kyle Ritter's color palettes are well chosen, denoting heat and warmth with amazing subtlety.

Arrow: The Dark Archer #2 - A Review

Malcolm Merlyn is a man of many secrets, for whom deception is as vital as oxygen. Yet the truth may be the only thing that can save him when he is locked in a death trap by an unknown enemy and bidden to tell the whole story of his exciting past. Here now is the untold tale of the man who would become Ra's Al Ghul... a man once called Arthur King.


It might strain credibility that Malcolm Merlyn could have been part of a secret society long before he became a billionaire industrialist and joined The League of Assassins. Thankfully, the rich tale spun by John and Carol E. Barrowman proves so riveting you'll gladly suspend your disbelief for the sake of a good story. And this is a good story!

That good story is matched by the artwork. Daniel Sampere perfectly captures the likeness of John Barrowman and draws a mean fight scene. Juan Albarran's inks are just right - not too light or too heavy. And the colors by Kyle Ritter are perfectly chosen, creating a cool aura as Malcolm lies chained in freezing water and a warm feeling as the metaphorical heat is building outside his bunker