Posted by As I continue to make my way through my obscene backlog of review material, I’ve finally caught up on all the copies of Absolute Green Arrow that I currently own. I am still behind on all of the comic’s released issues, but I’ll get to those reviews eventually. Anyway, let’s talk about Absolute Green Arrow #3.
SPOILERS FOLLOW
This issue picks up shortly after where #2 left off. Dinah Lance is continuing to pursue answers about the Longbow Killer. She has learned a little more about the mysterious child covered in eyes found in Oliver Queen’s bunker, but all that information amounts to a name. Dinah reflects back on a failed attempt to capture the serial killer that almost succeeded until the other members of the security team opened fire too early, and a few nearby civilians helped the killer escape. Dinah tracks down Roy Harper–a millionaire friend of Ollie who seems like the most likely suspect behind the mask. Roy tells Dinah about his history with Ollie, and about a mysterious island connected with Hammond and the super-drug Miraclo that can be used to reverse aging, among a host of other effects, such as resurrecting the dead, which Roy claims Hammond did to Ollie. Roy leads Dinah into a strange building with a hidden laboratory filled with mutilated test subjects, including a belligerent one who introduces himself as Solomon Grundy.
On the one hand, I do not think that #3 suffers from a major drop in quality compared with #1 and #2. On the other hand, not a lot happens in #3. This issue feels kind of like a filler issue meant to pad time and bridge the gap between things actually happening. The only major plot developments occur at the very end in the conversations between Roy and Dinah. This is also the first time that the Longbow Killer is largely absent. Sure, he briefly appears in Dinah’s flashback explaining the failed trap to catch him, but the segment doesn’t add much to the narrative progression.
I do like the ending, and I am very curious to see what happens in #4. With the unveiling of Solomon Grundy, I know that things are about to go down. Solomon Grundy, while not a character I’m super familiar with, isn’t some random nobody or low-level villain. I expect that he’ll be a credible obstacle in the next issue. I’m really curious to see how Dinah handles him, and what the implications of him and his creation entail. My interest has also been piqued by Roy’s revelations about Miraclo and how the drug is being used in Hammond’s experiments. It feels like things are finally starting to be set in motion, which makes sense because I believe this comic is halfway over as of this issue, or at least this arc is. Regardless, while not a lot may happen, I’m still really curious to see what happens next, so in that metric the issue was definitely a success.
Turning to the art, it is once again fantastic. I think that I tend to repeat myself here when discussing the art of the Absolute comics, but the art is just so good every time. All aspects about it from the designs to the color to the action to the character expressions and everything else just looks so good every time. I think that there are a few uncanny panels here, mostly with some of Roy’s facial expressions. I don’t think that they’re anything too egregious or overly uncanny, but some of them definitely don’t look as polished and natural as other panels.
SPOILERS END
Absolute Green Arrow #3 is a bit of a lull in the unfolding narrative mystery. It continues to answer some questions while keeping others hidden, but I cannot deny that much of what happens in this issue could have been paced better. Like the pacing isn’t this horrendous, unreadable mess, but I did find myself asking, “that’s it?” when I got to the end of the issue. Yes, I’m going to read the next issue because I want to see where the story goes. However that doesn’t change the fact that I found #3 a little disappointing in comparison with #1 and #2. It’s still worth reading, but I am glad I don’t have to wait as long to get my hands on the next few issues.
