Green Arrow #15 – Joshua Williamson, Writer; Amancay Nahuelpan, Artist; Romulo Fajardo Jr, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: The strange tale of Green Arrow has been one of the most unexpected parts of Absolute Power, with Ollie seemingly siding with Amanda Waller under great duress. While it’s clear he’s not actually betraying his family, he’s been willing to go surprisingly far to maintain his ruse – and has even had to fight some of those closest to him. This issue starts to give us the explanation for why, as flashbacks to a scene between him and J’onn in the early days of the Justice League send him on a key mission. Meanwhile, the rest of the Arrow family heads off to try to stop the ruined Tomorrow Woman – one of the DCU’s most tragic characters and a pawn of mad scientist Professor Ivo. Driven insane by her current state, she’s trying to get her master back – and Ivo has been captured by Amanda Waller to take him back to Gamorra to put him to work on her designs. But two members of the Arrowfam have other plans.
Jade and Lian steal this issue, as they infiltrate Waller’s ship. The transformation of Cheshire from one of the DCU’s most notorious criminals-for-hire into Roy Harper’s chaotic ex has been bizarre, but kind of hilarious – and at least she very clearly does care for Lian. But that won’t save them when they run into Bright, the mysterious cybernetically-enhanced villain with a blood grudge against the Arrowfam. This horribly scarred monster has been one of the creepiest parts of this event, providing Roy with a sadistic choice at the end of the issue. Fortunately, with one issue left in this arc, we end with the moment we’ve been waiting a while for. Williamson is leaving this book after two more issues and an annual, and while it’ll be a shame to lose his unique take on this family of characters, it’s been so great to see how he elevates every member of the cast. This is probably the best Green Arrow book since Rebith.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
