Some might call the character a Batman knockoff or a DC Sideshow Bob.However, I draw great inspiration from the character Oliver Queen, known as the Green Arrow.
For those not familiar with the Emerald Archer, Oliver Queen acts as a sort of Robin Hood (the character and the writer drew inspiration from both Robin Hood and a 1940 film The Green Archer) to fight for the middle class of his home of Star City. The Green Arrow fights crime with an arsenal of trick arrows (except for in The Longbow Hunters, the one time he uses deadly force), the most memorable being the famous boxing glove arrow.
While this may sound like a Batman spin-off character, the core personality of the character sets him apart from the Dark Knight. While Bruce Wayne is a calculating and often angry character, Oliver Queen solves many of his problems with wit and a sense of humor, making him (in my personal opinion) a bit more likable.
One thing that put the Green Arrow comics in the spotlight was the 1990s series known as Green Lantern Green Arrow, in which the two titular heroes went on a journey across the country, encountering several small situations that looked at social problems. These included racism, pollution, and most famously, drug addiction. While other superhero comics focused on developing and bringing back a small set of villains, the Green Arrow comics tackled problems in our society, allowing the reader to connect more with the good deeds Queen was performing. Sure, we love a good Batman/Joker showdown, but Oliver discovering his sidekick, Speedy, is a heroin addict? That’s an impacting story many can connect to.
Going back to the trick arrows mentioned before, Green Arrow is also a bit more creative than the other members of the Justice League. While Batman has a utility belt of a few multipurpose devices, an arrow can only be used for one purpose at a time. So, Queen has to get creative. Just a small list of trick arrows include the jack-in-the-box arrow, the fire-extinguisher arrow, Greek fire arrows, chimney sweep arrows, mummy arrows, umbrella arrows, donut arrows, and even an arrow to hack computers.
And there’s my comic rant for today. Just thought I’d share exactly what makes the Green Arrow as much an inspiration for me as Batman is to the other main writer on this blog. Until next time, I wish you all good night, and good luck.
Rants of Geeks 