Written by: Joshua Williamson
Art by: Sean Izaakse, Phil Hester, Ande Parks
Colors by: Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Letters by: Troy Peteri
Cover art by: Phil Hester, Ande Parks, Alex Sinclair
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: October 24, 2023
Green Arrow #5 lands Ollie in hot water when he learns the truth about Old Man Ollie's intentions. Meanwhile, Jade and Roy wrangle over Lian's resurrection.
Is Green Arrow #5 Good?
Every comic, whether a one-shot or a single issue in an ongoing series, should have one big idea that serves as the reader's takeaway. Green Arrow #5 has one big idea, but unfortunately, it proves what we've been saying all along about the frustrating aspects of the series. Readers may find the unveiling of the one big idea an "Oh! I get it now!" moment, but within the context of the mini-series, that realization invalidates most of the story.
When last we left Ollie, we learned Parallax created the time/space jump booby traps to prevent the Queen family from uniting after a deal with Old Man Ollie from the future. In Ollie's latest jump, he wound up in the future with Old Man Ollie to see what the catastrophe hath wrought on Earth.
Now, we learn the truth...
[Major Spoilers Ahead]
Old Man Ollie is a fake. A robot designed to look like a possible future outcome, and the whole "keep the Queen family apart to prevent a disaster" plot is a con established by a villain (not named or shown yet) with a vendetta against Ollie.
[End Spoilers]
During the subsequent fight, Ollie gets sent back to Earth in the past where he's confronted with a team of Ollie's from various points in the timeline.
What's great about Green Arrow #5? If you like high-flying archery action, there's plenty to be had in this issue. Ollie's visit to the "future" gives him a welcome bit of inspiration for new gadgets that we may see pop up again.
What's not so great about Green Arrow #5? Again, the big reveal is certainly big, but it ultimately invalidates most of the series because there are several plot developments that could have been averted if the heroes (all of them) had just talked to each other and asked for help. The "keeping secrets to protect you" trope is tiresome, frustrating, and almost never works. When you have an entire series based on characters not communicating, the foundation is bound to crumble.
How's the art? Well, this is another odd point in the issue. Phil Hester was brought in to assist, and he takes over the art from Sean Izaakse at a logical break point, but not in a way that makes sense for the story. Ollie has endured multiple time/space jumps in this mini, so why would the art suddenly change on this one particular jump? Further, Izaakse and Hester have styles that are absolutely not complementary to each other, so the comic suddenly feels like you're shifted into a backup story. Neither style is bad, but they don't play well together.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
Follow @ComicalOpinions on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
Is Green Arrow #5 Good?
Every comic, whether a one-shot or a single issue in an ongoing series, should have one big idea that serves as the reader's takeaway. Green Arrow #5 has one big idea, but unfortunately, it proves what we've been saying all along about the frustrating aspects of the series. Readers may find the unveiling of the one big idea an "Oh! I get it now!" moment, but within the context of the mini-series, that realization invalidates most of the story.
When last we left Ollie, we learned Parallax created the time/space jump booby traps to prevent the Queen family from uniting after a deal with Old Man Ollie from the future. In Ollie's latest jump, he wound up in the future with Old Man Ollie to see what the catastrophe hath wrought on Earth.
Now, we learn the truth...
[Major Spoilers Ahead]
Old Man Ollie is a fake. A robot designed to look like a possible future outcome, and the whole "keep the Queen family apart to prevent a disaster" plot is a con established by a villain (not named or shown yet) with a vendetta against Ollie.
[End Spoilers]
During the subsequent fight, Ollie gets sent back to Earth in the past where he's confronted with a team of Ollie's from various points in the timeline.
What's great about Green Arrow #5? If you like high-flying archery action, there's plenty to be had in this issue. Ollie's visit to the "future" gives him a welcome bit of inspiration for new gadgets that we may see pop up again.
What's not so great about Green Arrow #5? Again, the big reveal is certainly big, but it ultimately invalidates most of the series because there are several plot developments that could have been averted if the heroes (all of them) had just talked to each other and asked for help. The "keeping secrets to protect you" trope is tiresome, frustrating, and almost never works. When you have an entire series based on characters not communicating, the foundation is bound to crumble.
How's the art? Well, this is another odd point in the issue. Phil Hester was brought in to assist, and he takes over the art from Sean Izaakse at a logical break point, but not in a way that makes sense for the story. Ollie has endured multiple time/space jumps in this mini, so why would the art suddenly change on this one particular jump? Further, Izaakse and Hester have styles that are absolutely not complementary to each other, so the comic suddenly feels like you're shifted into a backup story. Neither style is bad, but they don't play well together.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
Follow @ComicalOpinions on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
Bits and Pieces:
Green Arrow #5 delivers the big reveal about Old Man Ollie from the future for a memorable development. Unfortunately, the reveal isn't surprising, and it invalidates most of the rest of the mini-series. The story makes little progress beyond the big reveal, and the art is weirdly inconsistent.
5.5/10
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