Green Arrow
| Green Arrow | |
|---|---|
| File:GA60.jpg Cover to Green Arrow #60 (2006). Art by Scott McDaniel | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | More Fun Comics #73 (November 1941) |
| Created by | Mort Weisinger George Papp |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Oliver Jonas "Ollie" Queen |
| Team affiliations | Justice League Green Arrows of the World Justice League Elite |
| Notable aliases | The Emerald Archer, Battling Bowman |
| Abilities | Master archer; arsenal of trick arrows; martial arts master and sword mastery. |
Green Arrow is a fictional character, a DC Comics superhero. Created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, he first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 in 1941. His secret identity is Oliver Queen, billionaire and Mayor of fictional Star City, he is best known to his associates as Ollie.
Dressed like Robin Hood, Green Arrow is an archer, who invents arrows with various special functions, such as a glue arrow, a net arrow, or a boxing-glove arrow.
Throughout his first twenty-five years, Green Arrow was not a significant hero. In the late 1960s, however, writers chose to have him lose his fortune, giving him the then-unique role of streetwise crusader for the working class and the underprivileged. In 1970, he was paired with the more law-and-order-oriented hero Green Lantern in a groundbreaking, socially conscious comic book series. Since then, he has been popular among comic book fans and most writers have taken an urban, gritty approach to the character.
His son Connor Hawke also used the moniker Green Arrow for a time while Oliver Queen was deceased.
Inspirations
The Green Arrow character was inspired by a few different sources, including Edgar Wallace's novel The Green Archer (and the 1940 Columbia Pictures serial of the same name based on the novel), and Fawcett Publications' earlier archery-themed hero Golden Arrow. Green Arrow's Arrowcar was yellow in color and shaped reminiscent of the land speed record holder from 1929, the British Golden Arrow. The name Oliver Queen likely alluded to Ellery Queen, a popular fictional detective (and mystery writer) of the time.
Green Arrow was also created as an archery-themed version of the earlier character Batman, as several similarities between the two characters can be spotted, especially in Green Arrow's earlier incarnation: Green Arrow had a teenaged sidekick named Speedy just as Batman has Robin; Green Arrow and Batman were/are both millionaire playboys in their secret identities; Green Arrow had an Arrowcar and an Arrowplane similar to Batman's Batmobile and Batplane; Green Arrow had the Arrowcave while Batman had the Batcave; Green Arrow was summoned by the Arrow-signal, just as Batman is summoned to police headquarters by the Bat-signal; in the Golden Age stories, Green Arrow had a clown-like archfoe named Bull's-Eye who was a thinly-disguised version of Batman's archfoe, the Joker. Some of these similarities have been explained in-continuity as inspired by a meeting between Green Arrow and Batman in their early careers, after which Green Arrow looked toward Batman as an inspiration.
Publishing history
Beginnings, 1941–1968
Created in 1941 by writer/editor Mort Weisinger and artist George Papp, who remained with the series for almost twenty years, Green Arrow and Speedy first appeared in More Fun Comics #73 (cover-dated November 1941).
Another Weisinger-created character called Aquaman also appeared for the first time in that issue, and these two back-up features continued to run concurrently in More Fun Comics until the mid-1940s, and then in Adventure Comics from 1946 until 1960. Green Arrow and Speedy also appeared in various issues of World's Finest Comics until issue #140 (1964). The Green Arrow and Speedy feature was one of five back-up features to be promoted in one of the earliest team-up books, Leading Comics.
Green Arrow was one of the few DC characters to keep going after the Golden Age of Comic Books. The longevity of the character was due to the influence of creator Mort Weisinger, who kept Green Arrow and Aquaman as back-up features to the headlining Superboy feature, first in More Fun Comics and then Adventure Comics. The Green Arrow and Speedy feature had a relatively undistinguished publishing history, though the main exception in this period was a short run in 1958 by artist/writer Jack Kirby.
The character during this period was largely an archery based imitation of Batman and actually much of his equipment followed suit, having an Arrowplane, Arrowcar, and an Arrowcave. Most of this was dropped with the character's later redesign and they were gone completely by the time he moved to Seattle post-Crisis. Queen developed an "Arrowcave" of sorts starting with Green Arrow vol. 3 #2, in his home. This was destroyed by Dr. Light in Green Arrow vol. 3 #58. The original Arrowcave still exists, and is the last-known location of the monster Solomon Grundy before Infinite Crisis. The character's writers have played with his originally derivative nature when Batman learn of Queen's imitations and responded "Good lord man, didn't you ever have an original idea back then?"
Green Arrow was made the first non-charter member of the Justice League of America in 1959, a team which guaranteed the character being continually featured, in some way or another, until 1998.
Neal Adams and Dennis O'Neil, 1969–1983
In 1969, artist Neal Adams decided to update the character's visual appearance by giving him a short, goatee-like beard and costume of his own design. Inspired by Adams' redesign, writer Dennis O'Neil followed up on Green Arrow's new appearance by completely remaking the character's attitude in the pages of Justice League of America #79 (cover-dated November 1969), giving his personality a rougher edge like that of Marvel Comics' archery-themed hero Hawkeye. This revision was explained by having Oliver Queen lose his fortune and become an outspoken and strident advocate of the underprivileged in society and the political left wing. For instance, he once saved a child's dog playing in a railyard, but instead of feeling satisfaction, he brooded on the larger problem of how the child had nowhere in the city to play safely.
In short, he became a kind of superheroic hybrid between Robin Hood and Abbie Hoffman. In addition, the Green Arrow began a long running romantic relationship with Black Canary (Dinah Laurel Lance). As a member of the Justice League, he became an argumentative figure who often acted as the team's political conscience.
In the early 1970s, he became a co-feature with Green Lantern (aka Hal Jordan) in the latter's series in an acclaimed, but short-lived series of stories by O'Neil and Adams that dealt with various social and political issues in which Green Arrow spoke for the left-wing while Green Lantern was an establishment liberal figure, half-heartedly serving existing institutions of government and law. Where Oliver Queen advocated direct action, Hal Jordan wanted to work within the system; where Queen advocated social change, Jordan was more concerned about dealing with criminals. Each would find their beliefs challenged by the other. Queen convinced Jordan to see beyond his strict obedience to the Green Lantern Corps, to help those who were neglected or discriminated against. The duo embarked on a quest to find America, witnessing the corruption, racism, pollution, and overpopulation confronting the nation. Writer Denny O'Neil even took on current events, such as the Manson Family cult murders, in issues #78-79 ("A Kind of Loving") where Black Canary falls briefly under the spell of a false prophet who advocates violence.
It was during this period that the most famous Green Arrow story appeared, in Green Lantern vol. 2, #85-86, when it was revealed that Green Arrow's ward Speedy was addicted to heroin. In his zeal to save America, Oliver Queen had failed in his personal responsibility to Speedy — who would overcome his addiction with the help of Black Canary. This story prompted a congratulatory letter from the mayor of New York, John Lindsay. Unfortunately, the series did not match commercial expectations, perhaps because of its mature topics, and Neal Adams had trouble with deadlines, causing issue #88 to be an unscheduled reprint issue; the series was cancelled with issue #89 (April-May 1972).
The duo were moved to the back-up feature in The Flash, issues #217 through #219. The socially-relevant themes would continue, as the story opens with Ollie killing a criminal (albeit accidentally). Ollie shed himself of the remaining trappings of his super-heroic life (including crashing the Arrowplane into a mountain) and withdrew to an ashram monastery. He would find no peace there, and returned to the outside world at the request of Hal and Dinah. This storyline would prove very important to the character in the 1990s. After this three-part story, Green Lantern continued as a solo back-up in The Flash, while Green Arrow's solo stories began appearing in Action Comics.
In 1976, the Green Lantern title was re-launched starring both Hal Jordan and Ollie Queen, and the Green Arrow/Green Lantern partnership returned to more traditional superhero storylines. Denny O'Neill resumed writing the characters, while Adams-influenced artist Mike Grell drew the feature. After the title moved to solo Green Lantern stories, solo Green Arrow stories began appearing in the World's Finest title. The solo stories were frequently written by Elliot S! Maggin.
In his solo series, Oliver Queen would land a job as a newspaper columnist, which allowed him to articulate his political beliefs in a more public field. In World's Finest #255 (1979), Queen ran for Mayor of Star City and lost in a close vote. Although there was reason to believe that the election had been fixed against him, Black Canary chose for him not to contest the results legally, effectively ceding the race to his opponent.
In May through August of 1983, Green Arrow appeared for the first time in his own comic book, a four issue limited series of murder and betrayal that established potential for a full series. It was in this miniseries that Green Arrow would gain a running rivalry with the supervillain Count Vertigo.
Mike Grell to Kelley Puckett, 1987–1995
In 1987, the character was changed once more in Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters, written and illustrated by Mike Grell, who had previous experience dating back to Green Arrow features in Action Comics. In this three-issue prestige format limited series, Green Arrow abandons gadget arrows and fights crime in Seattle, Washington, where he now lives with Black Canary (Dinah Laurel Lance). The series took on a more gritty, violent, and urban tone, befitting the series' mature audience label. While fighting drug runners, Oliver Queen encounters the enigmatic female Japanese archer, Shado, whose family suffered in a World War II internment camp. While uncovering the connection between the drug operations and Shado's quest for vengeance, Green Arrow also kills a murderer to save Black Canary. This was the first time that he had deliberately killed someone. He could have disarmed the man, but in his rage over the torture (and implied rape) of Black Canary, he chose to kill him instead. This was the first of many that he would kill during Mike Grell's run. Shado and Green Arrow join forces against the criminals, later becoming occasional allies and, on one occasion when Oliver was injured and delirious, lovers.
The Longbow Hunters mini-series led to a long-running regular series (Green Arrow), which Grell wrote and occasionally drew for 80 issues. Grell tried to redefine Oliver Queen as a realistic and flawed character, a middle-aged man aging in real time, purging the series of any superhero characteristics other than the costume and his vigilante heroism. This incarnation of Green Arrow would still team up occasionally with Batman (as in the graphic novel Poison Tomorrow), but his past with the Justice League rarely came up: when Green Lantern or The Warlord appeared, they were out of costume and referred to only by their civilian names. Dinah Lance (Black Canary) remained Oliver Queen's domestic partner for most of the series, although she lost her 'sonic scream' ability during her ordeal in The Longbow Hunters . Green Arrow even lost his mask a couple of issues into the regular series when he learned it no longer obscured his identity. His overall look underwent slight changes, as he began to don a hood instead of the cap, and his outfit was given long sleeves. Dinah explained this as being a costume more suited to the Pacific Northwest, most likely referring to the cold climate and rain.
The Green Arrow series dealt largely with serial killers, terrorists, and street gangs, with Oliver Queen sometimes working with Seattle Police Lieutenant Anderson, who sometimes resents Green Arrow's penchant for vigilante justice. During one storyline, Green Arrow wounds a teenager with a paintball gun, thinking him a criminal. This near-tragedy forces a crisis intervention from Hal Jordan, who rallies his depressed friend. Another notable episode involves Oliver Queen's framing for a terrorist bombing, which destroys his heroic reputation until he is given a presidential apology. During his disgrace, Queen traveled across Great Britain, Europe, and much of Africa before returning to Seattle. He leaves Dinah Lance behind, in part because her inability to conceive children causes a change in their relationship, and she begins a flirtation with another man before she and Queen are reunited.
In the course of the Mike Grell run, Green Arrow's politics become increasingly conservative, as he adopts a harder approach to crime and becomes increasingly willing to sanction the breaking of the law in order to protect society from the people he deems wrong-doers, maiming and killing criminals with little regret.
During The Longbow Hunters, Green Arrow fell afoul of renegade CIA agent Greg Osborne, who begins to monitor Oliver Queen's activities. At first, mercenary Eddie Fyers is introduced as Oliver Queen's adversary, but he becomes a companion of necessity when Green Arrow is forced to leave Seattle. This event is accelerated when Dinah Lance discovers Shado has had Queen's son, Robert. When Lance catches Oliver kissing their houseguest, Marianne (who had a long case of hero worship for Green Arrow), she permanently breaks off their relationship.
This period also saw repeated team-ups with Denny O'Neil's take on The Question, both in the pages of The Question and in frequent crossovers in both titles' annuals. A budding friendship between Oliver and Dinah with the enigmatic Vic Sage bloomed, with Vic travelling to South America with them after his title ended. Subsequent writers have not discussed this relationship.
Connor Hawke
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After believing he killed supervillain Parallax, Oliver Queen flees to a meditational retreat in Star City. There, he meets a young monk named Connor Hawke, created by writer Kelley Puckett and artist Jim Aparo, who teams up with Green Arrow and mercenary Eddie Fyers. Hawke is later revealed to be Oliver Queen's son, conceived during Queen's stay at the retreat. In a 1995 storyline, Queen dies in Green Arrow vol. 1, #100-101. This occurs when Queen infiltrates a group of eco-terrorrists known as the Eden Corps, climaxing with him defeating their leader on an airplane over Metropolis. In his attempt to prevent a bomb from being dropped, his arm is trapped, and Superman is unable to save him when the bomb explodes (safely over the city). After his death, Hawke takes over the role of Green Arrow. Connor Hawke starred in the series, taking up his fathers name and mantle, from issue #102 until issue #137, when it was canceled in 1998. Since the resurrection of Oliver Queen, he is now a recurring supporting character in the restarted series. He still retains the title dually with his father.
Kevin Smith, Phil Hester, and Ande Parks, 2000–present
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In 2000, Oliver Queen is revived in a new Green Arrow series, written by Kevin Smith and illustrated by Phil Hester and Ande Parks. Smith's storyline returns the character to life from a point before the Mike Grell period, although the world around him still reflects the changes that have taken place. Smith's fifteen issues are followed by Brad Meltzer's story arc "The Archer's Quest," who in 2002, handed the title over to Judd Winick. Hester and Parks remained as the art team throughout.
In the story, the soul of Oliver Queen is contacted by Hal Jordan during his incarnation as the Spectre, who wants to bring Queen back to life because he regrets not having been there to save him. Queen refuses, preferring the peace of Heaven, but finally allows Jordan to resurrect his body. Oliver returns to crimefighting, but is evidently traumatized by the experience of resurrection. He lives as a vagabond in the back alleys of Star City, creating a costume and weapons from garbage and castoff material. Oliver is found, confused and delirious by Stanley Dover, who takes him to his home to recuperate. Dover, while appearing altruistic, is a praticioner of black magic, and recognizes Oliver's body as lacking a soul. Dover soon realizes that Oliver believes it to be several years earlier, and decorates his home appropriately (old computers, etc) to ease Oliver back into reality. In the meanwhile, Oliver is being attacked by monsters. The Demon Etrigan attempts to destroy Queen, and finally explains that his soulless body acts as a gateway for demons wishing to enter the world. In addition, his lack of a soul makes him a target for Stanley Dover's calling of "The Beast with no name." Dover had earlier summoned the Beast, but it escaped his control, and he is unable to find it. He intends to transfer himself into Queen's younger, healthier body as part of his overall plan for power and immortality, and search for the Beast from the Justice League watch tower. Conner Hawke locates Oliver, but is caught in the fight for Oliver's body. Queen's soul finally makes the decision to return to Earth to help his son Connor Hawke fight a mass of demons. Dover is defeated and actually consumed by the Beast, who then leaves of his own accord. Queen also finds himself independently wealthy again, as Dover had transferred all his financial assets to Queen in anticipation of taking over his body.
Art by Matt Wagner.
Following Smith's run, Brad Meltzer takes Oliver Queen and Roy Harper, his former sidekick, on a trip across the country recovering old possessions (including a Green Lantern power ring entrusted to him by Hal Jordan many years earlier). At the end of the arc, an old photo and Queen's inner monologue reveal that he had been present at Connor's birth, but later ran from the responsibility of being a father.
One of writer Judd Winick's most publicized innovations was to reveal that Mia Dearden, a former prostitute unofficially adopted by Green Arrow during Kevin Smith's run, tested positive for HIV. Winick had published a graphic novel, Pedro and Me, about a gay friend who died of HIV/AIDS, and subsequently wrote a Green Lantern storyline about homophobia, so some critics have pigeonholed him as a writer of social-commentary storylines. In response, Winick noted that socially relevant storylines are part of the Green Arrow tradition, and that he intends to show Mia living a normal life, "living with HIV, as many people do." [1]
During this new series, Queen builds up a Rogues Gallery, including Merlyn the archer, Constantine Drakon the Greek martial artist, the Japanese vigilante archer Shado (infamous for being the mother of Queen's son Robert, after raping Queen while he was wounded and drugged), Danny Brickwell or the Brick the meta-human mob boss, the illusion-casting Count Vertigo, and the enigmatic Onomatopoeia.
The last issue before DC Comic's "One Year Later" depicts Green Arrow in a showdown with Merlyn on the rooftops of Star City. As Green Arrow is about to win, Dr. Light detonates a series of explosions destroying a large portion of the city while a horrified Green Arrow looks on. This gives Merlyn the opportunity to throw Green Arrow on his back, who is then pierced through the chest by arrows previously embedded in his quiver.
Queen survives Merlyn's attack, but remained in critical condition. He is transported to a remote island along with Connor and Mia for treatment, and uses his recuperation time to retrain with several expert instructors, including a sensei known as Natas, one of the people who initially trained Deathstroke.
"One Year Later"
In the 2006 "One Year Later" jump after the events in Infinite Crisis, Oliver Queen is the newly elected mayor of Star City, continuing his fight on the streets and through the system. At the onset, it seems Mayor Queen is most interested in the "shock value" of his office, although his controversial decisions and statements are actually meant to draw attention to and benefit the devastated Star City. He uses an open interpretation of the town charter to perform same-sex marriages in Star City as a both a political statement and a way to boost the local tourist economy. He also exercises the power of his office to do things such as blackmail corrupt businessmen, or have the Star City SWAT unit back up his actions as Green Arrow while publicly condemning his alter ego. (He also used his connections to enable his longtime friend and former lover Black Canary to bring a young Vietnamese girl, Sin, into the country to be raised by Canary.)
During the year long hiatus, Queen also amassed a quite large personal fortune by manipluating stocks of companies he sees as unscrupulous. While never stated outright, it appears Oliver Queen is now worth billions. The former gangster Brick now fights crime in Star City and allies himself with Green Arrow, although he evidently still traffics in drugs and prostitution. Deathstroke returns as well, looking for a rematch from the events in Identity Crisis. Deathstroke loses the rematch and makes the observation that during the one year absence, Green Arrow has become a much better fighter and now carries a sword which he wields proficiently.
He also has a new costume, which appears to be a combination of the classic Neal Adams costume and the Mike Grell Longbow Hunters costume.
Skills, resources and abilities
Green Arrow is considered one of the best archers in the world. He has the ability to shoot 29 arrows per minute (he stated this himself, in the Sound of Violence story arc, when he corrected Black Canary for saying 26). He has a wide-variety of trick arrows, ranging from bola arrows to time-bomb arrows to his infamous boxing-glove arrow. In recent years he has used these arrows sparingly, preferring the time-tested simple arrow. Green Arrow has shown the ability to shoot an arrow down the barrel of a gun, pierce a drop of water as it leaves a tap and shoot almost any part of the human body; although he aims only to wound and not kill when he shoots.
Severely injured as a result of a defeat suffered just before the One Year Later event began, he decided just being an archer (even one of his caliber) was no longer enough in the world he lived in. Between issues #66 and #68, while he was recovering from said injuries on an island, he hired some of the best martial arts (among other disciplines) instructors in the world to come and train him and his companions. He is proficient in several forms of hand-to-hand combat including judo, kickboxing and karate. Proclaimed as a martial arts master, he has shown the ability to take on seven people at once. He is also very proficient with a sword, as evidenced by a battle with Deathstroke in issue #62. Under his alias, Oliver Queen, Green Arrow sports a fortune in the billions of dollars, though the exact amount is unknown.
Other versions
Green Arrow of Earth-Two
There was an Earth-Two version of Green Arrow who was a member of the Seven Soldiers of Victory and All-Star Squadron in the 1940s along with his sidekick Speedy. Aside from their origin, having been trained on a mesa top together, their history nearly parallels the history of the Earth-One version up until the point when Green Arrow and Speedy, along with their teammates, were thrown into various periods of time during a battle with the Nebula Man. He and his teammates were later retrieved by the Justice Society and the Justice League in order to assist them in saving Earth-Two from the machinations of their old foe the Iron Hand. Years after returning to the present, Green Arrow came out of retirement until he died during the Crisis on Infinite Earths.
August 1972
(as per Justice League of America 100-102)
On Earth-1, on the occasion of the 100th meeting of the Justice League of America, the team gathered in their original headquarters. Instead of enjoying themselves, they were transported to Earth-2 by the mystic powers of Dr. Fate. Earth-2 faced peril and destruction literally at the hand of the Iron Hand. This villain gave an ultimatum to all the nations to "turn supreme domination of earth over to him." The Justice Society of America had tried twice to defeat the stellar hand that seemed to hold the earth in its grasp, but they failed. Before trying a third time they summoned the JLA in order to help them.
Doctor Fate had already turned to his mystic crystal in hopes of a solution, but it revealed only the image of a grave inscribed with these words: Here in honored glory rests an unknown soldier of victory who died that his world might live. Not understanding what this might mean, Dr. Fate had specifically brought Zatanna to his world, knowing that with her magic power, added to his and that of Johnny Thunder's Bolt, they could breach time and space and find the entity named Oracle.
Once Oracle was summoned to the JSA's hidden sanctum, it showed the assembled heroes an event of the past which none had memory of - an image of a monster called the Nebula-Man. In the past this monster killed many during its rampage, but a group of mystery-men named the Seven Soldiers of Victory gathered to combat it. They followd the monster to the Himalayas, but they too failed - until they regrouped and used a secret weapon to destroy the behemoth, yet at the cost of a life of one of the Soldiers - the one called Wing. Another consequence of the battle was that the mighty forces which were unleashed tore apart the very fabric of time and space and the existence of each hero present. They were hurled from out of their continuity into the infinite corridor's of time itself - and as a result all memory of their existence was erased.
Though no one could remember such a group ever having formed, nor their members, Oracle showed who they had been - included was the millionaire financier Oliver Queen who defended justice as the emerald-garbed Green Arrow!
Oracle sent the heroes into the past to find and bring back the lost mystery-men. The Earth-1 Hawkman and the Earth-2 Dr. Mid-Nite and Wonder Woman materialized in the forest near Nottingham in England. The three heroes entered Nottingham castle and found the Green Arrow in the dungeon. He had been mistaken as the outlaw Robin Hood by the sheriff's men, and taken into custody. The real Robin Hood was recuperating from a previous fight in the lodgings of a friendly friar. Once together, Oracle returned Hawkman and Earth-2s trio of heroes back to 1972.
Once all the Seven Soldiers were returned, they fought the Iron Hand - actually their old nemesis The Hand. The Earth-1 Wonder Woman took him down easily, and then the Seven Soldiers went after the menace of the celestial hand using the same device they used against the Nebula-Man. The weapon needed to be brought to the monster creation, however, a mission that would end in the death of the hero who chose to do so. The android Red Tornado took the task upon itself and was obliterated even as it destroyed the menace. The world was saved from annihilation, and Earth-2 regained seven time-lost men, including Oliver Queen.
Elseworlds and other visions of Green Arrow
Oliver Queen was a major player in Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and the sequel Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again.
The death scene in Green Arrow #100-101 pays tribute to Miller's story, where Oliver Queen resurfaces as a hard-bitten old revolutionary missing one arm. Never on the best of terms with Queen, Superman intends to rescue Green Arrow by removing his arm, but Queen refuses to let him, thus bringing about his apparent death.
In Dark Knight 2, Queen's situation has improved to the point where he's been fitted with a robotic arm. He is usually seen debating with the right-leaning Question on a point/counterpoint news program.
A similar version of the Green Arrow, but with both arms, would later appear in Mark Waid and Alex Ross' Kingdom Come, where Oliver Queen has joined forces with Batman and also shows some enmity towards Superman. Although Oliver is politically opposed to Superman, in the final battle, the two work together. Other appearances of Green Arrow include an appearance in League of Justice, a The Lord of the Rings-inspired fantasy where the character is renamed "Longbow Greenarrow", a mysterious wizard resembling Gandalf. Also, in JLA: Age of Wonder, Green Arrow is seen as an opponent of the inventor's consortium run by that book's Superman, defending ghetto communities against oppression, much as he does in the present day. In the alternate reality of JLA: The Nail, Queen was crippled in a fight with Amazo, leaving him bitter at the metahuman community. Later on, in the sequel JLA: Another Nail, his brain was, somewhat ironically, transplanted into Amazo, but Queen/Amazo was then forced to give his life to save the world from a pan-dimensional creature that was damaging the timelines.
Oliver Queen would also appear in Mike Mignola’s Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham, where he was portrayed as a latter day Templar equipped with magic arrows dipped in the blood of Saint Sebastian. He was killed off in issue two by Poison Ivy.
Other media
With the new found popularity of the O'Neil/Adams version in the 1970s and beyond, the once ignored character began to attract some interest in televised adaptations, as well as the collectible toy market.
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 became irrelevant, 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 in short, conformed to the bland characterizations of his fellow Superfriends. 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 the moderate fanbase. For a brief period, a Green Arrow television series had been bruited about in the late 1980s. This series would have likely been based upon the Longbow Hunters incarnation of Green Arrow, based in Seattle. But after Mike Grell's Jon Sable pilot episode failed on ABC in 1988, nothing came of this proposal.
Justice League Unlimited
A more faithful portrayal (to most of the comic book iterations, at least) is used in the animated television series, Justice League Unlimited. In this version, 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 (although 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. That decision proved 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 and his political sophistication allowed him to explain the situation to his peers in a diplomatically effective manner.
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.
In the second-to-last episode of the show's second 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 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. He is voiced by Kin Shriner.
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 will be on the show for "at least seven episodes" says Alfred Gough, co-creator of Smallville and is being billed as a member of the cast by TV Guide and other sources. Lois Lane is a potential love interest during his appearances. "Ollie," as he is known to his friends, is older than Clark, in his mid-to-late twenties. After a rough start, he becomes a trusted ally and friend by his last appearance. Green Arrow retains his many unique arrows and demonstrates expert archery skill.
Storyline
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 prepschool classmate Lex Luthor. Oliver also mentions that he gained Queen Industries after his parents' death.
In "Arrow", Oliver makes his first official appearance in costume as Smallville's Green Arrow. Doing so, he becomes the second costume 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 nightvision, can lock onto targets and act as camera-like binoculars. He also sports a more high-tech version of his bow, 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.
The episode "Reunion" revealed that Oliver was once an arrogant prep school bully who often harrassed 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 Clark.
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[1] 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 (place)|Smallville]], Oliver and his team prepare to leave. He regretfully kisses Lois goodbye and is last seen walking out of the Kent family barn.
Similarities and homages
- 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." The scene is set in a helicopter with Lionel and his then pre-adolescent son Lex Luthor, just before Smallville's 1989 meteor shower.
- When dressed as Robin Hood for a costume party, Oliver wears an outfit similar to a Green Arrow's classic look in comics.[2]
- Oliver founds a group of superheroes commercially promoted as a Smallville version of the Justice League. The comic book version of Green Arrow has generally been less interested in the League.
Video games
- Justice League Task Force Sega Genesis/Super NES fighting game.
- Unlockable character in the 2006 video game Justice League Heroes, voiced by Ralph Garman.
Secret origins
Green Arrow has had several official "secret origins" attributed to his character, but most versions agree that Oliver Queen began as a wealthy playboy who lived like Robinson Crusoe on a semi-deserted Pacific island, after having been washed overboard during an ocean cruise. Forced to hunt for survival, Queen developed his natural archery skill to a peak level. When criminals (originally pirates, but later changed to drug-runners) came to the island, he captured them and returned to civilization. The Longbow Hunters gives this origin a humorous twist, as Queen recounts that the "drug runners" were two ordinary guys with a small boat growing pot on the island. He claims that when he reached civilization, and the story got out, the media and urban myths trumped it up to something else entirely.
Green Arrow's code against outright killing is established firmly, with the development of trick arrows to subdue or outwit opponents. Perhaps the most mature origins tale came from Mike Grell's four-part 1992 limited series, Green Arrow: The Wonder Year. Grell portrayed Oliver Queen as a thrill-seeker who inherits his family business at a very young age. Changed by his sojourn on the island, Ollie decided to take up crimefighting as a means of rebelling against his responsibilities. During his first adventure in Star City, Oliver Queen meets an old flame, Brianna Stone, a former college radical who warns him if he continued to carry his bow, he would one day have to use it for real. Grell's limited series also established Queen's attraction toward dangerous women.
During his early days, Oliver Queen also befriended a boy living with a Native American tribe, Roy Harper Jr., whom he nicknamed Speedy when the youth collared a criminal before Green Arrow could. Harper eventually becomes Queen's adopted son, as well as Green Arrow's sidekick. Speedy, who would eventually become the grown-up hero Arsenal, battled a heroin addiction in Green Lantern vol. 2, #85-86 (Sept. & Nov. 1971).
Oliver and Warlord
Oliver bears a striking resemblance to Mike Grell's Warlord, Travis Morgan. According to an interview with Grell and editor Mike Gold, this began as a joke when someone suggested to Grell that he could only draw one type of character. [citation needed] Grell incorporated the joke into his run on Green Arrow, when Travis Morgan shows up in Seattle in issue #27. After being attacked on sight by half the Seattle underworld population (all of whom mistake him for Green Arrow), Morgan shows up at Queen's house and lands him on his ear, declaring, "Whatever you've been doing to piss these people off... cut it out!!" Finally appearing on-panel together, Grell illustrates that while there is an uncanny resemblance, Travis Morgan is significantly taller then Oliver Queen, and seemingly several years older.