It's Not Easy Being Green

Green Arrow #75
Written by Judd Winick; Art and Cover by Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens

From Kevin Smith's (whimsical) epic to Brad Meltzer's nostalgic road trip to Judd Winick's pre-OYL killer cliffhanger over a burning Star City, the relaunched Green Arrow title built up Oliver Queen to be the temperamental, unpredictable, swashbuckling hero that is slowly becoming the man of honor that he wants to be. And this journey all ends with a dud. Not even a whimper of defiance in sight.

The first half of this title finale pits Ollie and the Green Arrow family (Connor, Mia and Dana) against formidable assassins Slade and Merlin. Great team-ups and even greater action, probably the best this title has ever seen under Winick's helm.

Until the Justice League saves them all.

WHICH IS A HUGE DISSERVICE TO THE TITLE AND TO GREEN ARROW. Pissed doesn't even come close. I love these characters. I love Ollie's struggle to be better than his meta counterparts. I love Mia's resolve to find meaning in her disease. And what Winick did to Black Canary, oh boy. The Black Canary on these pages is pre-Simone Birds of Prey. I can't picture someone who trained with Shiva and is the current leader of the League to be easily tackled down to her knees.

And never mind the cover. It looks like this will be dragged out onto the other titles. No answer here.

Three-fourths into this book and I wanted to throw it across the room. Weak. And depressingly so. *

WORLD WAR HULK #1
Written by Greg Pak; Art and Cover by John Romita Jr. with Janson and Strain

I only have one problem in an otherwise smashing issue. Black Bolt. Pak showed us what his whisper could do to Hulk. And in the following panels we see Hulk holding a bloodied, black and blue Black Bolt. (Heh. Black and blue Black Bolt. Now say that five times.) Err...How??? Vulcan death grip? The Iron Man smack down, thanks to Romita's art, was fucking mind-blowing. I wanted Black Bolt's to be as cinematic. I mean he is like the second most powerful being on Earth. Or third. But he's up there. And he deserves strategy and a properly detailed beating.

Two down. And four more issues to go plus a gazillion cross-overs. They're making this out to be the Marvel Universe vs. Hulk. So bring on The Sentry already. ****

Action Comics #1

Sometimes, a boy just wants to have fun. Especially in the comics he reads. There are titles I pick up because the writing is good, the story's fresh, or the art's amazing. Then, there are titles that are just fun to read. That bring out the 7 year old---or the violent-horny fucker---in me. These titles all rate high in the fun factor, so no stars on this one.

Action Comics (DC)
Written by Kurt Busiek and Fabian Nicieza; Art by Pete Woods;
Cover by Dave Gibbons

Of course. Good old, dependable action, and under Busiek's, it's just straightforward smackdowns with some interesting pairings. Firestorm, Nightwing (Buttwing to the ladies), The Veteran, and Superman in Star Wars bickering gung-ho, all played out like classic Westerns. Perfect introduction too to the Geoff Johns storyline coming this month. The Superman book is also getting a much needed facelift care of the same writer where the stories are as hard-hitting as the punches.

The Boys (Wildstorm)
Written by Garth Ennis; Art and Cover by Darick Robertson

This has got to be the guiltiest pleasure of all. Sometimes, you just want to see them superheroes getting their asses kicked, and with Ennis helming, asses are bound to be pounded and ripped. Apart. That's a lot of ouch. Out-preach the Preacher then, with bellowing giggles along the way. A nasty sister to Ellis' Next Wave, the Boys (and a girl who rips faces off of her opponents) are out to get the big Seven---the world's greatest superheroes where justice and blowjobs are mandatory---to teach them a lesson on humility. Impalement begins this week! And double yay because this book is bi-weekly.

Outsiders (DC)
Written by Judd Winick;
Art by Matthew Clark and Art Thibert

Green Arrow (DC)
Written by Judd Winick;
Art and cover by Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens

Yeah, Winnick. He takes time (well, years) to warm up but his current work in the Green Arrow and Outsiders books have recently been my favorite downtime reading. My shot of espresso. My rock n' roll riff. Outsiders (the OYL run, specifically) is brash, blood-splattered, caked in dirt. The stink adds to the attitude, and the fist fights are always well drawn. Morrisson's loverbirds, Monsieur Mallah and the Brain (thanks Do for the trivia), also up the freak factor, the outsider-ness that makes the book less familiar, less cozy.

Green Arrow is Winnick's soaring chorus. Ollie left for dead and shot through the heart as Star City goes up in flames and a wounded Mia is buried under a collapsed building is, whew, tha bomb. The coup. The Empire Strikes Back moment. The fuck-you to the doubters, me included.