The Good
And the award for my favorite DC book goes to...
That's not hyperbole at all, people. Since taking over on issue #17, the team of Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino and Marcelo Maiolo have transformed GREEN ARROW into a series that deserves every single penny of its cover price and then some. In the event you were unfortunate enough to miss out on #17 through #23 (and Count Vertigo's Villains Month issue), I strongly recommend you pick up #24. This issue is obviously intended to serve as a great spot for new readers to hop on and does a more than able job doing so.
In an effort to appeal to both new and old readers, Lemire quickly rushes through all of the backstory in just the opening splash page. It's all kinds of redundant if you've been reading along, but the artwork makes it worthwhile. And, if you're new, it's certainly an attention grabber and a solid example of the art and sense of adventure that you're diving into. From there, it's applause-worthy how the narrative juggles the beginning of one story and the apparent end of another. Without spoiling anything, the confrontation with Vertigo just oozes villainy and is a remarkable read. The return of Richard Dragon is seriously badass and they're doing a tremendous job incorporating him without taking away from all of the other hectic events taking place. Lastly, there's a surprise cameo which is sure to appeal to fans of the show and the "next month" blurb is sure to get anyone psyched. Lemire has done an absolutely stellar job making this a great read whether you've been following since #17 or just randomly decided to check it out.
Despite opening with a cliche approach, I'm happy to see Lemire isn't forcing the Naomi/Fyff drama too much on us and is instead lightly incorporating it. There's no doubt it'll eventually blow up and result in some serious drama, but for now, there's far more interesting matters going on and it's great to see those are soaking up the vast majority of the pages.
Sorrentino and Maiolo's work never fails to impress. Count Vertigo unleashes so much power in this issue and it's clear they had a blast toying around with all of the craziness that comes with his rampage. There's beautifully bold changes in color and so many moments which left me totally awe-struck and rendered speechless. I honestly lost count of how many times I found myself just totally dumbfounded and staring at all of the details spread across the pages. Sorrentino and Maiolo's artwork is unparalleled and I can't get enough of it.
The Bad
There's one small panel where the coloring and shading are noticeably different (when Shado punches Ollie). It's not bad, but the difference stands out and I couldn't help but be distracted by it.
The Verdict
You know how I've been constantly praising this title? Well, now it's time for you to see why. GREEN ARROW #24 is clearly constructed as a jumping on point, yet it still comes off feeling like an epic finale while successfully building-up something much bigger. There's plenty of hype to be found as a new character enters the fray and the spotlight is given to a character who was previously teased. Additionally, this issue is a prime example of why I love Sorrentino/Maiolo's artwork. In spite of a fair amount of the content being dark or tragic, I couldn't help but smile at how impressive the visuals were. Buy this issue. Like, right now.