The trials and tribulations of Green Arrow continue in issue #23. While not the strongest issue in the series, writer Jeff Lemire continues to make Green Arrow one of the more interesting characters in the New 52. The problem with #23 is how anti-climactic it is. Arrow has spent the last several issues traveling the world, looking for Komodo, and being forced to adhere to a series of tests and bizarre bedfellows.
Green Arrow #23 deals mainly with Shado, the female archer Green Arrow rescued from Count Vertigo. In an attempt to tie everything together, Lemire has written Shado as the former lover to Oliver’s father. That affair brought forth a child, Emiko, who is currently under the notion that Komodo is her father. In a rather lengthy bit of exposition, Shado expands on how she came in contact with Oliver’s father, how they fell in love, and how Simon Lacroix, once the trusted advisor to Oliver’s dad, turned on them and became Komodo.
During the flashbacks, Count Vertigo is repaired and comes gunning for Shado and Arrow. They escape, and Shado announces she knows the location of the mystical Green Arrow, the one the Queen family has been in search of for so long. It’s a solid build-up, but the title of issue #23 includes the term “conclusion.” Well, there is no conclusion, the story suddenly switches to a man named Dragon who is looking to take over the criminal underworld of Seattle. It remains unclear if this Dragon story will intertwine with the current plight of Green Arrow, or if readers will be left wondering how the entire Komodo thing plays out while Arrow deals with Dragon. Like I said, anticlimactic.
Lemire also shoehorns in this unnecessary scene between Green Arrow’s crew. His technical wizard Henry Fife is about to proclaim his love to Naomi, the other half of the Green Arrow tech duo. Naturally, right before he does, Naomi tells him how she has feelings for Green Arrow. Outside of the cliché nature of this kind of element, it serves no purpose. I can only hope Lemire isn’t going to do something silly like have Henry turn against Arrow out of jealousy, or have Naomi turn heel out of feeling jilted.
Andrea Sorrentino’s art continues to dazzle. His creativity is especially peaked here during the flashbacks. Instead of keeping with his standard art, Sorrentino pencils the scenes almost like hieroglyphics. It adds a nice dimension to what is otherwise just easy exposition. The rest of the art is just as formidable. Sorrentino’s pencils with light strokes, but still manages to give his characters weight. He’s also selective about her details, giving the characters center stage.
(5 Art, 2.5 Story)
