RETRO REVIEW: Green Arrow #1-4

DC Comics; 60¢ each

It was neither earth-shattering nor character-defining, but the 1983 four-issue Green Arrow miniseries was a solid, straight forward take on the title character and his work. It’s distillation of his past made the character and his story easily accessible for new readers, and in that regard alone it’s surprising that it hasn’t received more attention over the years.

Another reason that the relative anonymity of this miniseries is remarkable is the A-list creative team. Writer Mike W. Barr (Camelot 3000), penciller Trevor Von Eden (Black Lightning), inker Dick Giordano (Detective Comics), and editor Len Wein (Swamp Thing) combined to tell a strong story that showed that Green Arrow was more than the trick arrows that defined the character in the period.

Maybe the reason it hasn’t stood out more is because it did such a subtle job of putting the edge back on the character. It modernized without rejecting what had come before. It didn’t get rid of his trick arrows, it just didn’t make them the stars of the show.

For whatever reason this one has cruised under the radar for all these years, take advantage of it. Seek it out. Great copies are not all that expensive at all, and the material stands up well.

– J.C. Vaughn