Coming out of Absolute Power, Green Arrow #17 is a transition point for the series. It is the final issue of the ongoing series that Joshua Williamson is writing, though he has one last Green Arrow issue left with the upcoming annual to wrap up his run. With that Chris Condon is jumping in for the second story in this issue to kick off his and artist Montos taking over as the series creative team. Given Oliver Queen’s role in Absolute Power there are a lot of big things that can be done with the character in the aftermath of the latest DC Universe big event. Let’s find out how things go with Green Arrow #17.
CREATIVE TEAM
Writers: Joshua Williamson and Chris Condon
Artists: Amancay Nahuelpan and Montos
Colorists: Romulo Fajardo Jr. and Adriano Lucas
Letterers: Troy Peteri and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
GREEN ARROW #17 SOLICITATION
“This oversize anniversary issue features legacy numbering as writer Joshua Williamson closes out his acclaimed run on DC’s Emerald Archer. Oliver Queen faces the aftermath of his actions in Absolute Power, having done the unthinkable to protect his loved ones, and the ramifications of his involvement may have gone too far for his family and friends to forgive.
This can’t-miss issue also debuts the opening chapter of Green Arrow’s next adventure, from the new creative team of writer Chris Condon (The Enfield Gang Massacre, That Texas Blood) and artist Montos (Green Lantern: War Journal).” – DC Comics
REVIEW
Green Arrow #17 is very much about cleaning up loose ends and resetting Oliver Queen as a solo hero. The reset mostly works for Oliver who is now carrying the weight of the decisions he had to make during Absolute Power. Though how we get their for Oliver isn’t as clean as the both stories in this issue make it appear to be. Which may end up being the point but may not be for the best for many characters in the Arrow Family.
Joshua Williamson’s opening story revolving around Oliver Queen facing his judgment from the Justice League Unlimited was a logical next step for the character. With everything that went on in the DC All In Special there was no room for the core Justice League members to talk with Oliver. Williamson picking up on that by having Oliver going through his head and out loud what he was going to tell the Justice League Unlimited got us into his frame of mind since the end of Absolute Power.
Oliver avoiding this moment by keeping himself busy by dealing with Peacemaker and Peacewrecker was needed. Oliver’s inner monologue as he tracked them down and quickly captured them spoke to what he thought of his own decisions. He was very much taking out his own frustrations over the repercussions he thought he was going to eventually face when he met with the Justice League Unlimited.
That said, on the Peacemaker and Peacewrecker side of things both of them being so easily taken down removes any credibility they may have had. That’s not a good thing for two characters that DC Comics has invested in so much, both in comics and other media. Seeing them punked out by Green Arrow makes them appear to be characters that will be shelved as they now have zero heat for their next appearances.
Luckily Green Arrow #17 quickly moved on to the more consequential and important scene of Oliver confronting Amanda Waller in her jail cell. This scene even more so than the Justice League Unlimited scene that followed defined who Oliver currently is. He is not the traditional DC superhero. He is going to make decisions that are ultimately guided by his moral principles, whether that clashes with other heroes opinions does not matter to him anymore.
This in turn supported what Oliver ended up telling the Justice League Unlimited as he stood his ground on his decisions during Absolute Power. Even as he was surprised with how he was welcomed back by Superman and the other heroes it doesn’t change his opinion on why he made the decisions he made.
It is something that is carried over well into Chris Condon’s half of Green Arrow #17 with the confrontation with Batman. More than any character Batman is the one who wouldn’t easily accept Oliver back into their circles. Having had his own experience with “betraying” the Justice League in the past Batman understands the weight that carries. The way this is all handled nicely sets the stage for an eventual Batman vs Green Arrow storyline that we could see playout sometime in 2025.
Both Williamson and Condon’s story also provide Oliver even greater justification that he was right for everything he did. There was nothing about what anyone said to Oliver that humbled him through this experience during and after Absolute Power. The Justice League Unlimited warmly welcoming him back further empowered him to make decisions purely on his moral compass rather than taking in others opinions.
The one aspect that didn’t work in this case was that Williamson did no favors to the rest of the Arrow Family. Above anyone else, Oliver put his closest allies in the Arrow Family in the greatest harm without ever telling much less hinting at what he was doing. For them all to easily forgive Oliver and happily all walk out of the Watchtower in a one big happy family moment did not fit who these characters are. At least one or two of the members of the Arrow Family should’ve voiced how Oliver does have to rebuild the trust he lost.
Trust is the specific aspect of this issue that ends up being most impacted by how there is a feeling the Williamson’s story felt rushed. Williamson appeared to want to end his run with the Arrow Family united again. But by doing so there are steps missing that don’t fully tap into the consequences of Oliver’s actions. We even saw in Titans #16 last week that Arsenal does not have a high opinion of his mentor at the moment. That not being brought up here is a big miss of an opportunity to show the importance of all the Arrow Family members being more fully realized characters in this era of the franchise.
Because of this it made it standout more that Condon and Montos decided to avoid the Arrow Family in their story. The tone they present for their run is one that will go back to simply focusing on Green Arrow as a solo hero with others being supporting cast members at best. For how Oliver is present in and out of being Green Arrow that may be the best thing for him. Though that won’t be the best for the rest of the Arrow Family not named Black Canary and Arsenal, who at least have Birds of Prey and Titans respectively to be part of the core cast of.
FINAL THOUGHTS
With Green Arrow #17 Joshua Williamson is able to begin to tie-up some loose ends he’ll wrap up in the upcoming annual and hand the keys over to Chris Condon and Montos to takeover. Through this transition issue we are able to delve further into the aftermath of Absolute Power and what the results of that event means for Oliver Queen’s future. While that does not lead to the cleanest of send offs to a year plus creative run the new foundation that is left behind leaves a lot of potential for Green Arrow’s DC All In direction.
Story Rating: 6 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 6.5 Night Girls out of 10
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