Writer: Judd Winick
Artists: Phil Hester (p), Ande Parks (i)
Publisher: D.C. Comics
The Plot:
As Star City remains sealed inside a seemingly impenetrable barrier, we see the situation inside is starting to get ugly, as the demons arrive whenever a crime is being committed and kill the offender no matter how minor their transgression. As the food supplies start to dwindle, we see Green Arrow presses the issue, by paying a visit to the Riddler and forcing the villain to give up the man who hired him the gather the magical artifacts that Oliver believes were responsible for unleashing the invasion.
The Good:
Well if you're going to offer up a demon invasion plot than having the demons imposing martial law is certainly an idea that plays to the sensibilities of Green Arrow. I mean this demon invasion is exactly the reason why Green Arrow takes such a hard view about protecting the civil liberties as while the demons are practicing a rather extreme take on the idea, I imagine this is exactly the type of society that Green Arrow believes bigger brother is looking to set into place if not for his continual efforts to stop them. This issue also nicely plays up another element that sets Green Arrow apart from many other heroes in the DCU, as during his questioning session with the Riddler it's clear that Oliver has very little patience when it comes to criminals, and is willing to get his hand dirty if he feels it will get the job done. I mean the Riddler squares off against Batman on a regular basis, and it's clear he's not used to this type of abuse from a costumed hero, which acts as a pretty powerful indictment of Green Arrow's questionable treatment of people that he considers evil. I also have to give the book credit for making the Riddler out to be a pretty cold customer in his own right, as even after Green Arrow spells out the nightmare that has fallen over the city, the Riddler is still willing to keep the identity of the person who hired him a secret. The issue also offers up a nice emotionally heated exchange between Oliver and Mia, as we see she is starting to rebel against Oliver's overprotective nature, but he's never been one to back down from argument when he believes he's right.
Phil Hester's work isn't the most detailed of styles and there are moments where I find myself wishing there was a little more on the page, as there's panels where the work looks a little too open, and the shadows are a little too overpowering. Still, the art does a wonderful job capturing the key moments of the issue, as the violence of Oliver's attack on the Riddler is a visually powerful exchange with the final page of this exchange being particularly unsettling. The opening introduction shot of Green Arrow in the story is also a great looking heroic shot. The last page shot of the army that Oliver and Connor will have to make their way through if they want to reach the man responsible for this invasion makes for a powerful final image. I also have to say I loved the cover image that this issue is sporting, as while the text doesn't make much sense, the shot of Green Arrow flipping his way over the crowd of demons below makes for a lovely image.
The Bad:
The demon invasion plot is not one of my favorite, as even with their activities being tailored to play off Oliver's beliefs about the rights of the individual over the ever encroaching influence of the governing powers, the simple fact of the matter is that demons make for one of the dullest opponents that one can send a hero's way. They're right up there with giant killer robots, but even than demons lack the rewarding mindless property damage that tends to come with an oversized rampaging engine of destruction. Instead we spend the issue watching Green Arrow pumping arrow after arrow into a bunch of mindless demons whose dialogue consists of a single three word statement, and the big cliffhanger this issue offers up looks to promise more of the same. I also have to question why having an entire city encased inside a magical barrier didn't draw out more magic users, as while Jason Blood is a semi-regular part of this book's cast, one is left to openly wonder why Star City's plight hasn't drawn in a number of magic-users, who would combine their efforts to bring the barrier down. There's also curious little details like the book's insistence that all mechanical devices don't work, but apparently Connor's night vision binoculars appear to be working just fine, as does the gas-powered heater that is used to heat up the air inside the hot air balloon that our heroes are using to move around the city. One also has to openly wonder why the demons didn't put in an appearance when Oliver was questioning the Riddler, as beating a man senseless would seem to fall under their rule of peace of perish.
What's Green, Black And Blue All Over:
This issue holds up better than I had gone in expecting, as Judd Winick manages to give the demon invasion a mildly engaging hook, as we see unlike most invasions of the underworld these creatures look to be under the control of a man who wants them to make the world a safer place. This in turn creates a situation that nicely plays off Green Arrow's crusade to protect the little guy from the unwanted attentions of the governing powers, though the demon invasion offers up a rather extreme version of the concept of government interference, as even the most pro-government individual would draw the line at having people killed for stealing food. The issue also does a pretty fair job of offering up a motive for why the man responsible for the demon invasion would have unleashed it upon the city, and it's a welcome touch that his intentions aren't evil, but rather misguided. The issue also offers up a wonderfully intense little exchange between Green Arrow and the Riddler, as we get a pretty jarring display of the level that Oliver will descend to in order to protect the people of his city.
What did you think of this book?
Have your say at the Line of Fire Forum!