[Editor’s note: This review may contain spoilers.]
Writer: Benjamin Percy
Artist: Stephen Byrne
Summary
Oliver and Dinah discover the secrets of the island they’re on while trying to rescue Diggle.
Positive
The cover is amazing. The mirror-effect of the arrow head with the two sides of the face is a cool image. I also like Ollie and Digg on each side of the arrow head.
The interior art is drawn and colored by Stephen Byrne. It’s really good work. The art is not as detailed as the other artists alternating on the book but that’s why I like. I want this art to be the style of a Green Arrow animated show or film if one was ever made. It’s very fluid but knows it’s a comic book. I like comic art that is not afraid to look animated; it’s a useful aesthetic. Black Canary’s canary cry looks absolutely amazing. The faces are wonderfully expressive as well.
I think I misunderstood the setting. I assumed this was the island Oliver was stranded on that created Green Arrow. However, that does not seem to be the case. There are no ties to the Outsiders or Ollie’s origin. However, Benjamin Percy does create an interesting history for this island that does involve Robert Queen. I liked all of that information and how quickly the mystery was unraveled. Percy gets a lot done in this issue. He also does a good job of integrating the consequences of heroism. The heroes do a good thing in the issue but there is a cost for other people. It’s not an easy victory.
The back and forth between Ollie and Dinah is still fantastic. Every issue, I am always surprised by how fun their dynamic is for some reason. It never gets old and Percy is writing terrific dialogue.
Verdict
This is a strong issue. The antagonists are interesting and have a neat history that ties into the main story of the book. The characterizations of the main protagonists featured are still pitch perfect. And the art is fantastic as well. This is well worth the read; I highly recommend it.
