Review: GREEN ARROW/BLACK CANARY #5

It's rare for me to love a comic book issue after issue. So I was stoked to find that Judd Winick had managed to continue all that I had loved so far.
He was rescued by Dinah Lance, aka, Black Canary, with Connor Hawke, aka the second Green Arrow, Ollie’s son, and Mia, aka, Speedy (I hope you appreciate the aka-ing). GABC5_002

However at the end of issue #3 Connor is shot from somewhere above; presumably part of that overall plot thing I mentioned. The next issue opens with a heart wrenching series of panels where Ollie screams for Clark, aka, Superman. Within seconds Superman is speeding away with Connor in his arms, leading to the rest of the issue dealing with the fate of Connor.

Connor survives, yes, but with his mind entirely wiped of all that made him who he was.

This is where issue #5 begins, with Black Canary conducting a Batman-designed scan of the area in which Connor was shot from. Dr. Mid-nite enters the room, doctor to the superhero fraternity who is popping up just a little too often sadly, and presents his diagnosis. Sadly, we find out that it is also Connor’s birthday, which spirals us in to a series of pages showing Ollie reliving Connor’s life, his own mistakes in ignoring his son, and him wanting to make up for it.

I will stop ruining the story for you, as you simply must get this issue in to your hands. But I will draw on one more scene to seal the deal for you.

Dinah, upon hearing that Ollie wants to drop the Green Arrow mantle and dedicate his life to looking after Connor, asks Ollie to marry her. But instead of “another damned COSTUME PARTY with everyone in creation,” we get a simple ceremony. This is where the lives of Ollie and Dinah are put in to clear focus. Attending the wedding are the bride and groom (thankfully there are no fakes this time; or Skrulls), Roy Harper, aka Red Arrow, Hal Jordan, aka Green Lantern, Mia, and Barbara Gordon, aka Oracle.

GABC5_004

Presiding over the wedding is Princess Diana, aka Wonder Woman, with Superman and Batman providing cover over the wedding to keep the almost expected super-villain attacks away. It is a beautiful scene, which once again presents to us just who are family in the world of the DCU; and fittingly, Barbara Gordon is amongst the non-Green Arrow fraternity.

There has been a lot said about Andre Coelho’s art in this issue. Matthew Peterson over at Major Spoilers described it as “Cuehlo seemingly told to draw like Chiang in every panel,” which I would have to agree with. Chiang’s art has been stunning from first to last page, and this issue somewhat suffers from his departure. Nevertheless, it doesn’t I don’t think detract substantially from the storyline.

Because of the art in this book, I’ll have to give it 3 out of 5, but those 3 points are all for the storyline, which in and of itself would have been 5 out of 5. Make sure you get your hands on this series as soon as possible, because you will not want to miss whatever happens next? Why? Because we’ve on idea where Connor’s body has gotten too!

Also, lastly, possibly one of the best and greatest GA panels you’ll ever see takes place at the end of this book; upon seeing the empty hospital bed, Ollie turns to Dinah; “Get me my damn bow!” ‘Nuff said!

GABC5_003

0 Yes
0 No
JHill
2/20/2008
Earth's Mightiest