Green Arrow #16 Review

Two Weeks Till Retirement

Written by: Ben Percy
Art by: Otto Schmidt and Nate Piekos
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: February 1, 2017

While I think it's funny that Green Arrow has grown a propensity for ending his book by letting the bad guys slip away while he turns his back on them, I really liked what we got at the end of last issue...Emiko!  Yep, my favorite character in this book is back and I can't wait to see what happened with her during her time away.  She didn't go to summer camp, you know!  She was hanging with her mother and who knows what that might mean.  So, I've been waiting for two weeks to find out and now that the book has arrived, was it worth the wait?  Let's find out...


The issue starts with Emiko demanding again to be called "Red Arrow" and Black Canary reminding everyone that the bad guys are getting way.  I'm so glad somebody noticed!  Again, I love Emiko so much and I'll call her anything to keep her in this book.

The gang heads off looking for the Vice Squad and after showing us that Chief Westberg is still a good guy, Ben Percy reminds us that Notting is a Grade A piece of shit!  Yea, when they find him he continues his hate speech and then turns it to eleven by threatening to kill an old hobo and Team Green Arrow.  It all ends well, don't worry.  The aftermath of all of this is Seattle coming around to trusting Green Arrow again, much to the chagrin of those who stood against him.

We continue with Ollie still trying to get Domini to help take down Broderick and Ollie, Emi and the Gang having dinner as a big, happy family.  I really liked seeing Ollie and Emi together and am glad that Percy let them have a little time to have fun and be happy.  

It's a good thing, too, because the issue ends with Ollie telling his biggest secret and while that doesn't necessarily lead to the cliffhanger, it might have pushed it along a bit.  It's a dark and upsetting ending that puts a dark cloud on this book going forward...a dark, intriguing, exciting cloud!

This was a very quick read and while we finish up a dangling story, it felt more like the calm before the storm.  Having Emi (Red Arrow, that is) back in the book is awesome and Percy makes sure the reader realizes that this book is a very personal story for Oliver...before, now and especially in the future.  I liked what we got here and am looking forward to more.

Oliver Schmidt is one of the reasons I like this book and he kicks total ass in this issue.  His pencils and colors are great and I really like his character models for Oliver and Emiko.  Ben Percy is lucky to have him (and Juan Ferreyra) on this book.

Bits and Pieces:

This is a very personal and very good issue of Green Arrow.  Emiko is back, but the action puts that in the backseat for now and the issue ends with a dark future on the horizon.  The story was dark, but Otto Schmidt's art was anything but.  His pencils and colors shine through here and I can easily recommend this issue.

8.5/10