If this series just keeps on giving readers exactly what they want like they’ve been doing from the get go, they’re going to be beyond spoiled. I say this being one of these people myself. While Green Arrow usually works solo or with his very close clique, Black Canary and Arsenal, it was incredibly awesome to see him work with members of a team that always seemed to overshadow him. In general, he’s just never really been a big contributor or even seen as equal to the Justice League.
With this new series that began with the Flash coming to Ollie’s rescue, it sent in motion a chain of events that will lead to every issue for this storyline, including one of the original Justice League members helping Ollie take on the Ninth Circle. I can’t wait for Batman to be part of this though; it’s either going to be incredibly hilarious or a really depressing lesson for Green Arrow…maybe both!
The last time we saw Green Arrow, he was riding down a highway going anywhere, or rather towards the Ninth Circle. While on his motorcycle, he nearly get annihilated by some animals that are affected by the speed force and nearly cause a multi vehicle disaster, but of course Barry Allen is there to save the day. At first mention of a team up by Ollie, Barry is very rude and says he’d rather not. Yet, upon further investigation of the breach in the speed force the Flash decides, hey why not, Ollie can’t be that reckless right?
The two stumble upon a proxy organization mining the area around the breach and using its energy to create a time bomb; it’s a weapon that will leave whole cities intact but cause the entire population to age their whole lives within seconds, obviously leading to their deaths. By the end they defeat the Burned leader and the Flash realizes that Ollie is telling the truth about this villain funding organization and the two disembark to their next destination. Washington D.C.
Green Arrow vs. Wonder Woman
This issue picks up as Oliver and Barry get to Washington D.C. and discover that a campaign office full of liberal lobbyists was massacred by the Ninth Circle. In using the telltale sign of manipulation, they create these “shock events” in order to quickly shift public perception, with Barry giving examples from past issues of how they operated. Yet he does realize that this attack was simply not big enough to attract so much attention that as their past attempts such as the speed force bomb and the destruction of the space needle in Seattle, this was just the beginning. With a multitude of evidence needing to be looked over, Flash leaves Ollie to handle this on his own for now.
The next day we are shown an arms vendor showcase in which Queen Industries shows off to the US military their newest toy, a exo-skeleton suit armed with some really big guns. Whether it’s because he is old school and actually cares about his soldiers’ lives or just simply finds it easier to bomb a country to hell is unclear. He wants us to believe the former, explaining that the suit would be far too expensive and put his own men’s lives on the line for pointless risks. Clearly, the Ninth Circle didn’t like this answers because before he can even say no to the proposal, the prototype’s pilot fills him with bullet holes and flies off. That is, until Ollie catches him midair and attempts a very intense interrogation.
Yet like her best bubbly friend, Superman, Wonder Woman is not okay with torture, so a fight between the two ensues. Obviously Green Arrow has no super powers, so for a while the is pretty much just Diana tossing him around until she gets it through her head that this suit guy is firing back at her. Poor Ollie doesn’t really get to enjoy this fight as Diana is pretty much moving too fast for him to even shoot an arrow. By the end, it is uncovered that yet another Burned man is taking control of the suit.
Diana still has some trouble trusting Ollie until she uses her ever-so-useful lasso to make sure he isn’t lying about his going-ons in D.C., and like with the Flash, the two become fast friends and partners. Keeping to what Barry and Oliver spoke about at the start of the comic, the two now realize that an attack would be orchestrated not on a person, but on a symbol: the Washington monument. Oliver moves to rescue the senator who survived the previous attack while Diana moves to stop the missile now heading towards the monument.
This part was my absolute favorite; Oliver gives us a grand speech…one that we really need to hear. We need to be above our political parties, even when the true heroes save the day they never win. The war always continues after because the people of this country have forgotten what truth and honor are, that our nation should not be a business, it should be a light in the dark, and a hero in its own way.
By the end of the comic we not only learn that the Senator was in on this ploy, but to a role she did not understand. The Ninth Circle was raising her so she could fall, in front of everyone, to show why this weapon was needed. Diana makes a heartfelt compliment to Oliver saying that he should run for office just as Barry contacts him letting him know that all the evidence of the lobbyist massacre points to someone working in Lexcorp. It seems like Metropolis is Oliver’s next destination.
Back in Star City
Back home Emi and Dinah are keeping up the good fight in searching for the elusive Auctioneer, a man or creature rather, responsible for kidnapping the less fortunate population of the poor districts. It’s not an overly long portion of the comic, only two pages, but we get closer to uncovering the mystery of what the Ninth Circle is doing in Star City after they’ve all but won. The only closer they come to solving it, however, is that the Auctioneer is looking for young people, whether only girls or both can be up to discussion, and that they deal only in Lexcoins. Perhaps the next issue will see Oliver and Dinah reunited in Metropolis.
The Art
Jamal Campbell takes the helm of this explosively action packed and political savvy book, and he’s just the right person for the job. His own work includes some pretty heavy shading and incredibly-done action sequences that fully use vibrancy and dullness as duality for a great effect. The underground where the Auctioneer is feels grime-filled and very uncomfortable, while D.C. is sinister and inspiring in both night and day, calm and destructive. The realistic facial expressions are what sold me though; no cartoonish art style was to be found. Instead, we got some beautiful moments where we can really feel what’s going on in our heroes’ minds. Good job!
Final Thoughts
Another great entry into this wonderful story of sacrifice and dedication, Wonder Woman was perfectly placed in D.C. as she is really the only patriotic hero that DC has. I would have liked to see her role expanded more, since he was really only there to fight once and then stop a missile. When you think of it, does sound like more than it is but they could have fleshed her out more like Barry had been in the previous issue. Yet, like I said, this is what happens when you spoil your fans. I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen in Metropolis in the next issue.
Final Score: 9/10
Green Arrow Rebirth #27 Credits
Story: Benjamin Percy
Art: Jamal Campbell
Letters: Nate Piekos
All Images Courtesy of DC Comics
