Green Arrow in other media

Green Arrow, a DC Comics superhero, has appeared in media other than comic books over the last thirty five years, including animated shows, live action productions, and video games.

Animation

Super Friends

The first television appearance was a single guest spot in an episode of the original 1973 incarnation of The Super Friends where his politics were not mentioned, given the nature of Saturday morning cartoons format and timeslot. In the episode "Gulliver's Gigantic Goof", Green Arrow rescues his fellow superheroes, who have become shrunk by a mad scientist. He also swore oaths such as "By Robin Hood's Bow", and recieved little characterization. He was voiced by Norman Alden.

During the 1970s, Mego Enterprises commissioned the first Green Arrow doll as a part of its DC Superheroes line, which still features as a collectible. Since then, several action figures and models have emerged during the 1980s and 1990s, appealing to a moderate fan base. For a brief period in the late 1980s, there was talk of a Green Arrow television series, likely to have been based upon the Longbow Hunters incarnation of Green Arrow, based in Seattle. After Mike Grell's Jon Sable pilot episode failed on ABC in 1988, nothing came of this proposal.

Justice League Unlimited

Green Arrow appears in the animated television series Justice League Unlimited and was the first new hero introduced in the revamped series in the episode "Initiation." In this version, Queen is reluctant to join the League as he believes that being associated with a group that tends to focus on extra-normal threats will distract him from his primary goal: protecting "the little guy". However, his strong leftist political convictions ("I'm an old lefty" from the episode "Flashpoint") and his sometimes irreverent advocacy of them, are key reasons the Justice League insists on recruiting him as a prominent voice of the team, almost in direct contrast to Superman's more centrist views; it took an alluring encounter with the Black Canary to finally persuade him to join.

He becomes close friends with and a father-figure to Supergirl, whom he worked with during the expanded League's first mission. His recruitment proves a wise one, with Oliver Queen providing a valuable perspective for the team during the "Project Cadmus" story arc. He, like Batman, understands Cadmus' fear of metahumans, being one of the few non-powered heroes on the team's roster. However, unlike the blunt Dark Knight, Queen's political sophistication allows him to explain the situation to his peers in a diplomatically effective manner and prevents the Justice League from overreacting to the crisis.

In addition, Queen is still a billionaire, having sold his company to devote to his volunteer and activist activities exclusively, and develops a strong romantic attachment to Black Canary over the course of the series.

In the second-to-last episode of the show's first season, Divided We Fall, Superman almost disbands the Justice League during an announcement in front of a large crowd. Ironically, considering his reluctance to join the team at first, Queen speaks up against the plan to a rousing applause, and convinces Superman not to decommission the League. Following the incidence, he is asked "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" by Batman, in reference to the term he used earlier to query the League's level of danger posed to the citizens. In response, Queen replies, in his last line of the season, "'Who guards the guardians? We've got it covered,'" before traveling away with Black Canary on her motorcycle. The line of course is a reference to the phrase, "Who Watches the Watchmen?" He is voiced by Kin Shriner (who showed up for his first recording in a Green Arrow costume).

The Batman

File:Greenarrow01.jpg

Green Arrow in The Batman.

Green Arrow was featured in the Season 4 finale of The Batman, "The Joining" along with Green Lantern, Hawkman and the Flash. The Green Arrow's appearance is reminiscent of his 1970s comic counterpart. Green Arrow appears again in the season five episode "Vertigo". He was voiced by Chris Hardwick.

This version of Green Arrow is motivated largely by a desire for revenge against Count Vertigo, a former employee who used technology stolen from Queen's company to strand him on a desert island. At one point, his focus on stopping Vertigo almost leads to him abandoning people in danger in order to go in pursuit, and at the end of the episode he almost shoots Vertigo before instead firing into a tank of gel that envelopes the criminal.

Justice League: The New Frontier

In the 2008 directet-to-video film Justice League: The New Frontier a golden age version of Green Arrow makes no-dialog appearance.

Live action

Smallville

Green Arrow, as portrayed by Justin Hartley, in Smallville.

Green Arrow made his first direct appearance as a young Oliver Queen near the end of the episode "Sneeze" of the sixth season (which premiered September 28, 2006), played by Justin Hartley. Green Arrow was on the show for seven episodes. Lois Lane was his love interest during his appearances. "Ollie," as he is known to his friends. After a rough start, he becomes a trusted ally and friend of Clark Kent by his last appearance. Green Arrow retains his many unique arrows and demonstrates expert archery skill, along with skilled use of a crossbow. He returns in Season Seven.

Smallville episodes

In the pilot of the television series Smallville, a headline is visible on a newspaper Lionel Luthor is shown reading which states "QUEEN INDUSTRIES CEO MISSING." He appears in the following episodes: 602- "Sneeze", 603- "Wither", 604- "Arrow", 605- "Reunion", 607- "Rage", 610- "Hydro", 611- "Justice, and 711- "Siren".

In "Sneeze", Oliver is revealed to have kidnapped Lex, a former boarding school classmate, because of his actions in "Zod".

In "Wither", Oliver is considering endorsing senator Martha Kent. Oliver first meets Lois Lane in this episode, and the two show a mutual attraction. Oliver takes her as his date to a costume party held by his former prep school classmate Lex Luthor. Oliver also mentions that he gained Queen Industries after his parents' death. Oliver dressed as Robin Hood for the costume party, wearing an outfit similar to Green Arrow's classic 70's costume.

In "Arrow", Oliver makes his first appearance in costume as Smallville's Green Arrow. Doing so, he becomes the second costumed vigilante to appear in Smallville, the first being Andrea Rojas. He wears a modernized revision of his costume from comics. Though his trademark hood and armbands remain, there are noticeable changes. He lacks a domino mask and hat, the former replaced with a pair of high-tech sunglasses which are equipped with night vision, can lock onto targets and act as camera-like binoculars. He also sports a more high-tech version of his bow (A compound bow rather than recurve or longbow as in earlier incarnations), which can transform into a grappling hook device, and sports a miniature crossbow handgun which also has grappling hook attachment. As Green Arrow, he steals black market items away from the rich. He also utilizes a voice synthesizer. It is Lois who named Oliver's alter ego when she first tries to present his robberies as a news story for a tabloid competitor of the Daily Planet. At first, she dubs him "The Green Arrow bandit", but "bandit" is ultimately discarded by others and eventually herself. By the end of the episode, Oliver has learned of Clark's abilities and Clark has discovered Oliver's secret identity.

In "Reunion" it was revealed that Oliver was once an arrogant prep school bully who often harassed underclassman Lex Luthor, with Luthor still holding a grudge against Oliver years later. He changed his ways when one of his victims was hit by a car. In the present, he develops a new trick arrow which knocks out electrical devices and says it was created in place of a boxing glove arrow.

In "Rage", Oliver uses an experimental drug to gain a temporary, artificial healing factor. However, Oliver soon becomes addicted to the drug and disregards its side effects of increased violence and aggression. As Green Arrow, Ollie accidentally injures Lois and nearly kills Lex before coming to his senses and kicking his habit. Afterward, Oliver admits to Clark that he was trying to emulate him.

In "Justice", Oliver forms a group of heroes to combat Lex Luthor's 33.1 project. Oliver states that 33.1 is not only used to house superhumans Lex has kidnapped, but ultimately to build Lex an army. Gathering together comic book characters who previously guest starred on Smallville, Oliver and his team stole information before destroying various buildings which were used by Luthor. Aquaman, Cyborg and Impulse were members of Oliver's team. Over the course of the episode, it is stated that he saved each one of them personally. Though Clark declines permanent membership for the time being, he does aid them at least once. As criminal activity (including Luthor's) exists outside Metropolis and Smallville, Oliver and his team prepare to leave. He regretfully kisses Lois goodbye and is last seen walking out of the Kent family barn.

Since "Justice", Oliver Queen has acted as an unseen character who gives Clark and Chloe leads on illegal metahuman activities. He has also acted as a sponsor for several of Clark's heroics, such as shipping meteor freaks, in danger of being captured by Lex Luthor, to foreign countries. In "Combat", Green Arrow is seen on a live feed of a 33.1 complex on Lex's laptop. The laptop tells Lex that another compound has been compromised, and Lex witnesses Green Arrow destroy the camera he is viewing him from. The events in the compound itself can be seen in Smallvilles online spin-off series Smallville Legends: Justice & Doom in which Queen and his teammates star.

In "Labyrinth" (Season 6), while in a mental institution, Clark Kent is being convinced that his special powers are all in his head. He beats up a janitor with the name "Oliver Queen" (played by Dwayne Bryshun) in order to escape, later he remembers this "Oliver Queen" in an employee of the month photo from the institution and it causes him to question his own sanity.

In Siren, Chloe was intercepting a file as a woman whom Chloe and Clark dub the "Black Canary" comes and steals the information from her, only to be introduced to the Green Arrow. The next day, pundit Dinah Lance hands Lois a newspaper informing her of Ollie's return. As Lois arrives on his doorstep intending to set things straight, she encounters the man she once loved without his shirt and a prepared dinner for the two of them. Before their romantic evening could get any farther than a kiss, the Black Canary shows up, knocking the Green Arrow and Lois out cold, but not before Lois glimpsed the Green Arrow gear hidden in his home.

Oliver wakes up only to find out that the Black Canary thinks she is on the side of justice. After cutting himself free of his binds, he and Clark helped the Black Canary escape narrow death from Lex Luthor. In the end, Oliver asks if Lois wants to have a relationship again now that she knows that he's the Green Arrow. Lois declines, admitting (only to Clark) that she cannot look into the eyes of the one she loves and see the greater responsibility of him, and see hers' never even competing.

The Green Arrow and Clark are standing on the rooftop as Ollie admits that he and Lois can never be if she couldn't even try. The Black Canary aka Dinah Lance shows up apologizing and Oliver asks her to be a part of their team.

Film

David Goyer and Justin Marks penned a script for a movie starring Green Arrow called Super Max. The reported storyline is that the hero (framed for a crime he didn't commit) must escape a high security prison filled with B and C list villains and rogue superheroes.

Video games

• Justice League Task Force Sega Genesis/Super NES fighting game (this Green Arrow being Oliver Queen).
• He is an unlockable character in the 2006 video game Justice League Heroes, voiced by Ralph Garman.