Green Arrow #33 Review

Written by: Jeff Lemire
Art by: Andrea Sorrentino
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: July 2, 2014

Damian Who?

A little note before I jump into my review.  This week, DC Comics announced that a new creative team will start on Green Arrow in October with issue #35.  I am not here to question the powers that be or tell them that this is the worst decision that's ever been made in the history of decisions.  In fact, I'm not sure whose decision it was.  What I am sure about is that Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino turned a book that was a wreck into one of the top books in the New 52 and comics in general.  Seriously, since they took over there hasn't been a bad issue.  Lemire expanded on the Green Arrow Mythos, especially with the just finished Outsiders War arc and Andrea Sorrentino established himself as one of the best artists in comics today.  I will certainly give the new creative team their just due and I realize that creative teams change all the time.  It's the nature of the business is what they say, but it still hurts.  At least we get a couple more issues before we have to say goodbye.  So for now this is just a heart felt thank you to Jeff and Andrea for a wonderful run.

Okay, enough of the editorial mumbo jumbo and on to the review...



Oliver has returned to Seattle after what seems like forever.  It's almost like he abandoned his city.  Through some awesome flashbacks, we get to see this wasn't the first time.  Four years ago, Ollie seemed to give up on the whole Green Arrow gig.  He was living at the bottom of a bottle and didn't care what happened.  That's when Diggle stepped in.  I really was worried when Diggle was introduced into the book, but he's been a pretty good addition.  This issue he goes from pretty good to awesome.  Lemire makes him badass and gives regular readers answers (and little winks and nods) to almost every question raised since he joined and Green Arrow history in general.  Then he goes and gives us an awesome flashback cliffhanger.

The past is great, but the present day is better.  The main reason is the cliffhanger from last month...Emiko.  She is young, confident, skilled, snarky and just plain awesome.  Seriously, if Green Arrow is Seattle's answer to Batman, Emiko is Damian.  I can't stress how great she is.  You know what's better?  Oliver and Emiko together.  I don't want to spoil anything, but there are trick arrows, great action and incredible dialogue.  Oliver may want to go it alone, but he finds out the strength of friends and family.  Actually, the way the issue ends, he may have been better alone.

Jeff Lemire sets up so much in this issue that I can only believe he's doing so for the next creative team.  It doesn't feel like the penultimate issue of a run, that's for sure.  I just hope and beg that we get more Oliver-Emiko awesomeness.

Andrea Sorrentino nails it again.  His art is incredible.  No tricks or gimmicks, just awesome detailed and expressive art. His art does more storytelling than some other books scripts.  It really is that good.

Bits and Pieces:

Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino just don't know how to make a bad issue of Green Arrow.  This month they give us great action, dialogue and Emiko.  She is so good and is poised to be a breakout character.  I'm sad their run is coming to an end, but I'm so glad I was around to enjoy every bit of it.  Highly Recommended.

9.7/10