![]() ![]() I couldn’t have asked for a better story to lead off the issue than this. The story itself is a fun one, highlighting the goofy trick arrows of the past, including the brand new nearly useless acrylic paint arrow. The linework is sleek and clean, in a style that is reminiscent of the Golden Age greats like Green Arrow co-creator George Papp. It’s a perfect fit to look at that era of comics, and Rodriguez’s art hearkens back to those days of yore. Tamaki and Rodriguez open the special with an absolutely rollicking Golden-Age story. Writer: Mariko Tamaki Artist and Color: Javier Rodriguez Letterer: Andworld Design But to me, I feel like the 80th-anniversary specials are winding down, and I’ll for sure miss them. For big-name villains, I could see maybe Two-Face in 2022 (honestly this one kind of sells itself? Throw in that 2/ 22/ 20 22 is a DC release Tuesday, and c’mon DC you’re printing money with this one)? Riddler and Mad Hatter in 2028? Who knows. We could see more villains get a spotlight as Joker and Catwoman did, but even then we missed Lex Luthor’s 1940 debut. Maybe a Marvel Family one next year to celebrate the introduction of Mary, since Billy’s anniversary went unsung last year? Otherwise, the next bets aren’t for a few years with Superboy in 2025 and Black Canary in 2027. We’re getting to what I feel is probably the end of these specials, I could maybe see a Plastic Man one before the end of this year. That same issue would also introduce Aquaman to the world, and his own 80th Anniversary special is coming later this year. Kevin Smith followed up Green Arrow: Quiver with Green Arrow: Sounds of Violence which wrapped up his run on the series.The first of two announced 80th Anniversary specials for the year, Green Arrow: The 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular celebrates the 1941 debut of both Oliver Queen and Roy Harper in More Fun Comics #73. It is a light, fun look at a character that needs to be light and fun, but he also still needs some bite. I don’t always love Kevin Smith’s stuff, but his Green Arrow does work. This rights the wrong of having him initially killed and brings back the lighter (aka non-’80s and ’90s) Green Arrow. This also permits the completion of Green Arrow’s return and having Ollie official rejoin the DC Universe. This is a fun, retro story and also has ties to Neil Gaimen’s famous The Sandman comic. The series is rounded out by a throwback to the old DC cartoon character Stanley and his Monster. It also allows for a reunion for his buddy Hal Jordon who is now the Spectre and smartly gets around the Parallax/Green Arrow awkwardness with a fresh start approach. This segues into the whole Hollow storyline which explains how he is alive. It first re-introduces Green Arrow and then goes into the mystery of how he is missing the ten years before he died. His work on Daredevil: Guardian Devil was ok, but I think Green Arrow was pretty decent. Kevin Smith was already starting to wear thin (in my opinion) by the time he was handed Green Arrow. The replacement Green Arrow (Connor Hawke) wasn’t bad but he was no Ollie. I always liked the Green Arrow and despite being a Marvel reader, I would casually read the solo Green Arrow series. The series was relatively well-received and also collected in Absolute Green Arrow by Kevin Smith which featured his entire run. Written by Kevin Smith and illustrated by Phil Hester, Green Arrow: Quiver is Kevin Smith’s follow-up to his run on Marvel’s Daredevil. As the world learns Green Arrow is back, Oliver is about to learn the cold hard truth and must find out how he survived the explosion or if he really did. Killed in a plane explosion, Oliver cannot possibly be alive, but he is and no one has told him that he isn’t supposed to be. Oliver saves a girl named Mia and sets out on his normal crimefighting in the city, but Oliver doesn’t know he’s dead. Waking up with amnesia and found by a man named Stanley, Oliver finds everything seems…off.
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