Green Arrow #50 Review

Let’s face it: Werewolves just haven’t been done very effectively in any medium as of late. Green Arrow looks to change that as our hero is currently facing a werewolf problem from inside and out. Is it good?

Green Arrow #50 (DC Comics)

Werewolves are spreading across Seattle and Green Arrow is trying to get to the bottom of it. With new blood banks opening due to a shortage, is there foul play involved in making every last person in town a werewolf?

Why does this book matter?

Hit show, werewolf blood, Deadshot appearance and it’s the 50th issue so it’s larger and has much more potential to be great. I call that a fair gamble.

When the art gets dark it gets real good.

Fine, you have my attention. What’s good about it?

Writer Benjamin Percy has himself a solid werewolf horror story in this issue as we see what prejudice can do. The werewolves aren’t even that violent, but are forced to react when a band of presidential masked men come calling with guns and a chainsaw. Forget the fact that a human with a chainsaw fighting against a biker werewolf gang is insane; it still allows for a tense action sequence with a bit of political commentary thrown in too.

The best part of this issue is the man behind it all who’s some kind of vampire turned puppet strung up by IV bags of blood. It’s a cool image and Szymon Kudranski knocks the scenes with the big bad right out of the park. He’s pale, creepy and the mood is set quite well. Kudranski does a great job on any scene with dark shadows, including the werewolf brawl mentioned above. It’s dark, easy to follow and always atmospheric.

There are scenes of strong dialogue too. Deadshot’s are quite good and allow the scenes to flow nicely though they are all talking, and later Green Arrow has some funny and believable bits of dialogue with his Emi as they fly the jet.

It can’t be perfect can it?

This issue doesn’t really involve Green Arrow. When a fight sequence does take place, a good one have you, Green Arrow stands by watching. There’s an explanation as to why he doesn’t jump in (a poignant one about how arrows can’t do much against a gang of werewolves), but the only action he is involved in is inside a jet later on. Really he’s more of a supporting character here, as his computer nerd partner Henry does the real detective work. It’s surprising and a bit of a let down considering this is the 50th issue.

Between the werewolf scene and then the jet sequence, this issue reads like two issues slapped together. Though there is a connection between Green Arrow flying the jet and the werewolf epidemic, it certainly shifts abruptly. It doesn’t help that the werewolf scenes are cast in dark shadows at night while the jet scene, and a scene previous to that, are in bright Africa. As the issue cuts back and forth it’s hard to not be taken out of the story.

Apparently according to comics and movies blood banks are dangerous.

Is It Good?

The darker elements work quite well for a haunting and werewolf-tastic experience. That said, Green Arrow barely does anything beside groan with no fighting to speak of and certainly does nothing heroic.