Green Arrow #20 – Chris Condon, Writer; Montos, Artist; Adriano Lucas, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: Green Arrow might be a Justice Leaguer and a colorful adventurer, but his roots are dark – as dark as Batman’s in some cases. And similarly to the iconic Mike Barr run that created many of the character’s most iconic elements, this run looks to take him right back to those dark corners. In the town of Freshwater, a mysterious serial killer is targeting corrupt officials and executives with death by toxic water – seeming revenge for a water-poisoning scandal from years past. All the issues are bookended by segments involving a mother and son, with the son being diagnosed with a devastating seizure disorder due to the poisoning. We don’t know how they factor in yet, but they’re not the only victims – the killer unmasked last issue was a dying woman, in end-stage cancer. She’s lost everything to the poison – and before they can get answers if she’s the only killer, the cancer takes her too in a holding cell.
While Arrow leaves with the evidence, it’s clear the case is staying with him – after all, he was part of the company briefly, and holds himself responsible for the corruption even if he had little opportunity to stop it. There’s an excellent segment as he tries to focus on his bow but the visual of the dying woman keeps coming into his head. There are a few lighter moments in the issue as Ollie touches base with Dinah and his family, but overall this is one of the most intense issues the character has had in a while. There isn’t a moment in it where we’re allowed to forget about the human cost that these companies are taking on people, and how it gets swept under the rug. The ending of the issue brings the threat home, in a deeply creepy moment that shows off Montos’ skill with horror elements, but there’s nothing more horrifying than just how close to reality some of the themes in this comic are.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
