Green Arrow #13 Review

Written by: Ben Percy
Art by: Otto Schmidt and Nate Piekos
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: December 21, 2016

The Green Arrow book was one of the biggest surprises for me when Rebirth started.  Sure, Ben Percy still had a bit of a SJW perspective on things, but he was telling it in a comic book type of way.  Instead of a grey area between right and wrong, we were getting some more well defined evil for Ollie to shoot arrows at.  Also, if we weren't careful, we might have even learned a lesson or two...hey, hey, hey.  I liked it and having Dinah back in Oliver's life wasn't a bad thing either.  However, since that first arc, things kind of went south to the point of me really not caring too much about Green Arrow's adventures and that's a shame because he really is a great character.  So, does the continuing "Emerald Outlaw" get us back on more solid and enjoyable ground?  Let's find out...




The issue opens with Oliver and Dinah talking about the intersections in the world, in Seattle and in their relationship.  It's a nice way to explain the melting pot concept of society and ends with the idea that it makes everything better in the end.  It's not a shock to readers of this book since it was quite evident that what this book (and Oliver) really needed was Dinah who works so well as Ollie's moral compass.  Of course, we can't just have an entire issue of Oliver and Dinah smooching under a bridge, can we?  Can we????  So, when sirens fill the air, the two dash off in costume to save the day.

Unfortunately, what they end up running into is a crime scene where Green Arrow is suddenly a wanted man.  It's bad enough that he beat up a cop (though, he deserved it), but last issue's cliffhanger made him look like a murderer and that's what we get here...reporter, Victoria Much, is barely alive with a green arrow sticking out of her chest.  Oh Snap!  After some back and forth with a cop on the scene, Ollie and Dinah run away through a hail of bullets and head off to their Ewok Village they recently built in the Seattle forest.

In the meantime, we get shifting scenes showing Officer Notting being reprimanded by the Seattle Chief of Police.  While the dirty cop is heading for some paid leave, we also see that he has big plans for Seattle, even if he is away.  It looks like those guys that Hobo Charlie "painted" on the wall last issue have come to play in Pennytown and even if they don't have a cool name, they mean business!

Back with Team Green Arrow, we get a bit of whining from Henry, but also a turnabout in how Oliver treats him.  Seriously, Ben Percy finally has Oliver treat Henry better.  It's so long overdue.  We also get a list of suspects of who could be impersonating Green Arrow.  It's not a long list, but one name made me smile...Tommy Merlyn.  Please make it be Merlyn!!!

After a brief look at Nathan Domini and Broderick that made me queasy and oddly interested (the fly!) and an amalgam of Colin Kaepernick playing Quarterback for the Seattle Hawks and stirring the pot with Green Arrow, we get an awesome scene with Dinah going undercover to get one of the arrows that the imposter shot.  She is so kick ass in this book and this may be my favorite scene, complete with action movie one-liner goodness!

The issue ends with Oliver in the rafters of Queen Industry Field, but he is a little too late.  Actually, he just doesn't seem good enough and ends up in the cheap seats as his doppelganger causes even more trouble.  From the looks of the impersonator's outline, it's not Emiko.  Pleas make it be Merlyn and not Notting!


Okay, this is what I've been waiting for since the first arc of this book ended.  The dialogue and pacing was spot on and the story has me intrigued.  I want to know who is framing Ollie, but the multiple side stories going on have me interested as well.  Keep it up Ben Percy!

Otto Schmidt's art is as stellar as usual.  This issue showcases it even more with the varied set pieces he's allowed to play in.  I love his character work so much and his backgrounds are quickly catching up as well.

Bits and Pieces:

If you have been thinking of jumping off the Green Arrow trolley, you may want to hold up a bit.  Ben Percy gets his story back to what made it one of the biggest surprises of Rebirth and I am so, so glad.

8.5/10