Green Arrow #29 Review

The Game

Written by: Benjamin Percy
Art by: Juan Ferreyra and Nate Piekos of Blambot
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: August 16, 2017

The Hard Traveling Hero story is heading off to Gotham and I hope that means something big.  I love the idea of Ollie heading cross-country to take down the Ninth Circle and clear his name, but somewhere between Washington State and Washington DC, Benjamin Percy seemed to lose his way. The story has become more about guest stars than the actual story and that's a shame.  I have enjoyed the art and with Juan Ferryra back on board, this book looks fantastic.  So, does the story catch up to the art this week?  Let's find out...


The issue starts with a pretty gruesome page.  Harvey Bullock is checking out a murdered homeless lady in the Gotham sewers and we see Harvey, another police officer and Batman reflected in the blood.  Gruesome, but so, so awesome looking!

We then head off to catch up with Oliver and one thing is for certain...Ben Percy thinks the elite of Gotham are pieces of shit!  Oliver enters a party sans any sort of disguise and is greeted with open arms.  Of course, it leads a bit too quickly to the reason he is there, the Ninth Circle...and a little surprise.

The surprise is the Ninth Circle are working with the Court of Owls and at this point in the game, anything Owls kind of shocks me.  For all the trouble they have had, they are pretty lax on checking out new recruits as Ollie just waltzes in with his Green Arrow costume under his Owl one.  Plus, they all dress up as Talons and that just seems off for a group steeped in history and tradition.  Before Oliver exposes himself (in a good way), the Owls have set up a game.  It's hunting time and they are hunting the most dangerous game...a young lady with a cool haircut.  Bet you weren't expecting that!

Of course, Ollie isn't going to stand for it and neither will Batman and we continue with a great looking issue that is full of action and about the preachiest Oliver that I've ever seen.  He preaches at a faux Talon, he preaches at Batman, he may as well preach at a brick wall because after a few panels, he lost me.  I do agree that Batman let another one slip by not knowing about the Ninth Circle's influence in Gotham, but maybe he's been too busy listening to Metal.

Eventually, Green Arrow and Batman team up to save the innocents and take down the big, bad Burned, but all is just swept under the rug for Ollie to move on to the next guest star...Green Lantern.  I know that is some cool legacy there, but what about the Owls and the Ninth Circle in Gotham?  I guess it is called the "Hard Traveling Hero", not the "Hard Doing Things Hero"!

The issue ends back in Star City where Henry has cracked the tablet that Emi and Dinah got off the Underground Men and they find out some crazy bit of info that could free Oliver...if they aren't too late.  It's an okay cliffhanger, but again makes me question just how smart the Ninth Circle really is.

I really want to like this story arc, but Ben Percy keeps giving  readers surface level story telling that is more concerned with the who's who than the story we were promised.  I am really growing tired of it all.

I am not growing tired of Juan Ferreyra's art one bit.  I know he has put us in a bunch of issues, but this issue has the best cameo ever...Juan himself!!!  Hey Juan, if I was DC, I'd chain you to that table too!  I really think this is one of his best looking issues which is crazy because I heard through the grapevine (or maybe Juan told me himself), that he only had three weeks to do this issue!!!  Awesome!!!

Bits and Pieces:

It's a shame to say it, but this Hard Traveling Hero arc is falling into a go from point A to point B type of story with little substance to make it work.  Ben Percy seems more concerned with his guest stars than the real story, but damn does this issue look fantastic.  Juan Ferreyra continues to amaze, I just wish the rest of the book would follow suit.

6.0/10