DC Comics reviews for week of 9/21/16 – Batman #7, Superman #7, Justice League #5

Green Arrow #7

Benjamin Percy is a throwback economical storyteller. There’s plenty of backstory to Emi — his Thea Queen analogy — to extend for a prolonged arc. Instead, Percy knows they’ll be plenty of time to revisit her background and kept this spotlight to two issues. It’s a smart move especially since we don’t know what happened to Oliver since his run-in with The Ninth Circle.

Through flashbacks and her current day situation, Percy examines how Emi responds to threats against her family. In the past, it was when The Clock King forced her to betray Oliver. In the present, it’s to enter an underground fight club to pay off her mother’s debt.

Of the two, the flashback sequence is more enjoyable. It pits Green Arrow and Emi against a James Bond inspired take on Clock King. The present day starts off fine before Emi battles the head of the fight club.

Like Batman battling Monster Men, this issue was out of the Green Arrow comfort zone with Emi fighting a dragon. It’s hard to see how an archer, no matter how skilled, being able to go toe to toe with a room-filling, fire breathing dragon.

Stephen Byrne handled the art and colors this issue. Green Arrow has enjoyed strong artwork thus far and Byrne keeps the tradition going. Byrne’s style looks like a gorgeously animated Disney film. It looks great, but seems better suited for brighter, cheerier characters than an arrow-slinging vigilante.

Those minor gripes are hardly enough to not recommend the issue. Even when it’s not dead-on target, Green Arrow continues to be one of DC’s best titles and easier recommendations.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Images Credit: DC Comics