First Look at Green Arrow Rebirth #1

I’ve never read a Green Arrow book before but have been interested so I picked up Green Arrow Rebirth #1 to see what the character was all about. I like the idea that a guy who has no real superpowers is good enough with his bow to be a member of the Justice League, and in this issue it’s clear he can handle himself against hordes of bad guys. I enjoyed the issue but am a bit put off by not only Oliver Queen’s overwhelming moral outrage but also by fellow social justice warrior, Black Canary. Since this is a Rebirth stand alone issue I’m not sure how much of this will carry into the main series but I’m willing to keep up with the title for a bit to see where it goes.

Issue: Green Arrow Rebirth #1

Name: Rebirth
Published: 2016 by DC Comics

Blurb:

Creators:

Writer: Benjamin Percy
Artist: Otto Schmidt
Letterer: Nate Piekos

Characters:

The Good: Green Arrow (Oliver Queen), Black Canary (Dinah Lance)
The Bad: The Underground Men

My Reading:

We start out this issue in Seattle with Oliver Queen finishing up a dinner date and handing a hundred dollar bill to a couple of homeless beggars or perhaps they’re entrepreneurs. The child fumbles the money and it drifts into the sewer grate where his mom reaches to retrieve it. As she reaches in to grab it, something grabs her and drags her underground.

As the kid calls out for his mom, both Black Canary and Green Arrow show up to help but they don’t recognize each other. They fight and instead of listening to what the kid has to say and whoever took the mom gets away.

Taking the kid to his home, Green Arrow learns that the kid’s father lives in The Jungle, a homeless encampment in Greenbelt, so the three head there. The find his father just before the Underground Men attack. They are kidnapping the homeless people and taking them to some kind of auction.

Green Arrow and Black Canary show up at the auction and cause trouble, sending the Underground Men in all directions but because the buyers are all remote they are untouchable. That doesn’t stop Green Arrow from vowing to hunt down those evil enough to thing that people can be sold as property.

What did I learn:

• There’s a bunch of animosity between Green Arrow and Black Canary and it seems to be centered around who is the best social justice warrior.
• Black Canary has a stunning voice as her superpower.
• Black Canary’s real name is Dinah Lance
• Apparently there’s an attraction between Green Arrow and Black Canary as the last scene shows them preparing to kiss

My Thoughts:

Well the fact that this whole issue is dripping in social justice warrior talk and discussions about who’s superior because they feel the worst about the plight of the homeless, I was worried I wouldn’t like it. As it stands, I will reserve judgement but I am not really interested in a book that preaches at me so we’ll see how the next few issues go. Getting a second chance seems to be a strong theme in the story so I at least owe the creators that much. As it was, the art was well drawn and colored and I can appreciate the writing even if the characterizations are a bit overboard with the “I’m more socially conscious than you” arguments between the heroes. I suppose that might be standard for Green Arrow though since even Black Canary mentions how the fellow Justice League members think Green Arrow is a sanctimonious jerk.

My Rating: C+

This comic can be found on Comixology or at your local comic book shop.

Daily Ramble 245.2 | Comics – DC Rebirth – Green Arrow Rebirth #1