Green Arrow #29 Review

Written by: Jeff Lemire
Art by: Andrea Sorrentino
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: March 5, 2014

Time is Ticking

Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino continue the Outsider's War this month and yes, it is awesome.  For monthly readers, that is no surprise at all.  For those who still haven't given this book a try, shame on you.  Shame on you, sir.

This issue continues the Outsiders War in grand fashion.  Lemire also builds off of everything he's given the reader since he took over the book and then rips it all away in one fell swoop.  Seriously, "cliffhanger" seems too little a word for what happens.



Shocks and twists aside, what makes this issue my favorite of the Outsiders War so far are the strong characterizations and the humor.  Lemire shows us just how much of a bastard Komodo is and how far he has pushed Emiko.  When Ollie shows up, he gets more than a family reunion, that's for sure.

I questioned the addition of Diggle at first, but this issue proved me wrong.  Lemire hints at a falling out with Ollie in the past and what he is up to in this issue isn't going to win him any points in the near future. It does seem, however, to be setting up bad stuff for Oliver when he returns to Seattle. The only people missing this issue are Shado and Richard, but there is so much going on you barely miss them.

Green Arrow has been so good, but I wouldn't say it has been "funny" under Lemire.  That changes this issue and it's a huge plus.  Two words sum it up...Trick Arrows.  Yep, the old Green Arrow standby.  However, Lemire makes it great by letting Oliver name the arrows (poorly I may add) and then break the fourth wall a bit by having him explain and apologize for each.  Bad names aside, the trick arrows are central to the main action scenes this issue and I really enjoyed them.

Speaking of enjoyment, I really enjoyed Andrea Sorrentino's art this issue.  Surprise, right?  I actually liked the cleaner, easier to follow panels this month, but Sorrentino is always there to hit the reader with a clever use of art and panel layout to make everything standout even more.

Bits and Pieces:

Green Arrow #29 continues the Outsiders War, but it's the continued character development that I really enjoyed.  Lemire and Sorrentino have created such varied characters and such a great world for Ollie to fight with and in and in this issue it really pays off.  The ending is crazy, but I'm counting on Lemire to make it all better next month.  Damn it, I can't wait until next month.

9.3/10