REVIEW: ‘Green Arrow: Rebirth #1′ brings out the true essence of DC’s Rebirth
With the release of DC Universe: Rebirth #1 last week, DC Comics’ Rebirth initiative was officially underway promising a “return to form” for the publishing company. Now the first wave of Rebirth arrives in full force as four new one-shots hit this week. And surprisingly, Green Arrow: Rebirth #1 issue was the standout among all […]
With the release of DC Universe: Rebirth #1 last week, DC Comics’ Rebirth initiative was officially underway promising a “return to form” for the publishing company. Now the first wave of Rebirth arrives in full force as four new one-shots hit this week. And surprisingly, Green Arrow: Rebirth #1 issue was the standout among all of them.
[CHECK OUT… REVIEW: Rebirth again in ‘DC Universe: Rebirth #1′]
Rebirth aims to bring back the traits fans loved about the characters. For Green Arrow, it means seeing Oliver Queen back to his fun swashbuckling roots and his relationship with Black Canary. But instead of actually reviving the pre-Flashpoint Green Arrow, Benjamin Percy reincorporates these valuable traits to the current incarnation of the character. And it works, most of the time.
Percy’s narrative is a relatively standard fare when it comes to superhero comics, but somehow feels refreshing and at the same time nostalgic as far the character goes. And with Ollie’s relationship with Black Canary being a vital part of his character as a whole, Percy has to somehow incorporate their romance into the story. While her introduction is very much welcome, the execution feels very shoehorned for the sake of reviving the status quo. Geoff Johns has alluded that both characters are drawn to each other for yet unknown reasons in DC Universe: Rebirth #1. And perhaps it is deliberate, giving Percy some time to explore these unknown reasons as we go along.
It is important to mention that artist Otto Schmidt carries the whole book to a new level. There’s an energy to his art that makes the action jump out. The faces are very expressive and body language is used effectively. Schmidt creates a fun vibe all around that works really well for Green Arrow. Furthermore, the character designs really pop, appearing very modern while still keeping their classic looks.
Green Arrow: Rebirth #1 delivers everything fans want for the character. Percy gives us a solid contained story and features great art from Otto Schmidt. If this is any indication, then DC’s Rebirth relaunch is off to a great start.
Drew Bagay
