Green Arrow #8 is written by Joshua Williamson and published by DC Comics. Artwork is by Phil Hester, inks by Eric Gapster and colours are by Romulo Fajardo Jr. Letters by Troy Peteri. Main cover art (left) is by Sean Izaakse and Fajardo Jr.
Green Arrow #8 is available now, in print and on digital, where all good comic books are sold.
Synopsis
Green Arrow hits the streets of Star City in search of a lost family member and runs into…Onomatopoeia?! After months of time-travel and space adventures, Oliver welcomes the more grounded adventure until BANG BANG BANG BANG!
Review
What do you do when you’ve arrived back from a trip across the multiverse only to find our beloved original sidekick missing? Why you go after Amanda Waller whom you strongly suspect as being the person behind the disappearance, knowing full well there’s probably some devious scheme at play. So here we are, Green Arrow #8, as Oliver and Connor are on the hunt for Waller and the missing Roy.
This month Green Arrow features a tonal shift from last month’s more reflective issue. The cold opening comes completely out of left field . Throwing the reader off-kilter as Connor takes over the narration for much of the issue. It’s all rather ominous as Connor lull us in to their trap with a story of how Onomatopoeia was able to get one over on Green Arrow. There’s a predictability to the trajectory of travel this issue. But its easy to set this aside given the payoff and Williamson twists the story once more going in to issue #9.
There’s a great sense of pacing to issue #8. Everything flows organically right up to the big reveal and final conflict. Even as this issue really only serves to setup the next chapter it’s still a page turner. That is in no small part down to the high level of action which is beautifully rendered by Phil Hester. Yes, the classic Green Arrow artist is back for more. Teaming with Williamson to help push the book even deeper in to the Dawn of DC mystery. It’s cool to see Hester focussing on Connor, Onomatopoeia and Brick here rather than Oliver. It gives the book a very classic Green Arrow flare which certainly helps elevate the more middling (but necessary) story.
Williamson is pushing Oliver down a really interesting path moving forwards. No spoilers but the cliffhanger for this issue certainly teases some compelling developments. Ones which will undoubtedly lead to some internal conflict in Team Arrow. As the more hyperrealist, sci-fi elements melt away Williamson is pushing Green Arrow in to more traditional street level espionage territory. It’s tonally very exciting and I’m looking forward to seeing where it leads.
Verdict
Green Arrow enters a transitional period with the benefit of the legendary Phil Hester on board the creative team. A cool standalone mystery issue sets the scene for Oliver Queen’s latest challenge.
⭐⭐⭐
