Celebrating Artist Ed Hannigan

Celebrating the birthday of artist Ed Hannigan (August 6, 1951) with his covers for the second Annuals for the Question and Green Arrow from July, 1989, focusing on another team up of these streetwise heroes.

Celebrating Artist Shea Pensa

Celebrating the birthday of artist Shea Pensa (March 18, 1968) with his two covers to Brave and the Bold (#1 and #2, of December 1991 and January, 1992), a six issue mini-series featuring Green Arrow, the Question and the Butcher.

Remembering Artist Jim Aparo

Remembering artist Jim Aparo on his birthday (August 24, 1932 - July 19, 2005), who was known for his Batman art, as well as Batman team ups...

...but, you might not be aware of his World's Finest Comics covers....specifically these from the Dollar Comics era, that wraparound the comic, showing off not only Batman, but Superman and as additional features, Captain Marvel (as the Shazam feature), Green Arrow, Black Canary, Creeper, Hawkman, Hawkgirl and Black Lightning!

World's Finest Comics #253 (October-November, 1978)

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World's Finest Comics #254 (December-January, 1978/1979)

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World's Finest Comics #255 (February-March, 1979)

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World's Finest Comics #257 (June-July, 1979)

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Celebrating Artist Hugh Fleming

Celebrating the birthday of cover artist Hugh Fleming (July 1, 1967) with some legendary covers featuring Green Arrow (and the painted work of the artist) from Legends Of The DC Universe and Legends Of The Dark Knight (that featured early tales of your favorite heroes, here, the first meetings of Green Arrow and Green Lantern, and Green Arrow and Batman).

Legends of the DC Universe #7 and #8 (August and September, 1998)

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Legends of the DC Universe #9 and Legends Of The Dark Knight #127 (October, 1998 and March, 2000)

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Legends Of The Dark Knight #128 and Legends Of The Dark Knight #129 (April and May, 2000)

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Legends Of The Dark Knight #130 and Legends Of The Dark Knight #131 (June and July, 2000)

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Celebrating Artist Trevor Von Eeden

Celebrating the birthday of artist Trevor Von Eeden (July, 24, 1959) with the covers to his 1980s Green Arrow mini-series.

Like Green Arrow, Trevor had been working in comics for a time, but this was a chance for him to shine on a cover!

A great mini-series, sadly not reprinted, that dealt with a chance for Oliver Queen to regain his lost fortune.

Green Arrow #1 and #2, (May and June, 1983)

Green Arrow #3 and #4, (July and August, 1983)

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Remembering Artist Neal Adams

Remembering artist Neal Adams on his birthday (June 15, 1941 - April 28, 2022) with a couple of his most famous covers from his Green Lantern run with Denny O'Neil, Green Lantern #85 and #86, (August-September and October-November, 1971), with Green Arrow being confronted with his ward's drug problem..  

This was a big moment, not only for Speedy, but for comics in general, changing the dynamic of the kid partner forever...  

...these stories have been reprinted many times, with Neal providing even more raw emotion on the covers, but provided a wonderful window into the times they were made. 

Wanted Signalman, Clock King, Puppet Master, Joker, Penguin, Trickster

E. Nelson Bridwell was a fan of comics, and an editor at DC.  He loved old comics, and had a bit of success with reprints of heroes fighting villains in two issues of DC Special.  They proved popular enough to warrant the title Wanted -- The World's Most Dangerous Villains!

The first two issues #1 (July-August, 1972, with cover by Murphy Anderson) and #2 (September-October, 1972, with cover by Nick Cardy will be covered now!

Signalman Of Crime

First up, the first story in the first issue is from Batman #112 (December, 1957) by Bill Finger, Sheldon Moldoff and Charles Paris (though this story isn't featured on the original cover by Sheldon Moldoff) which introduces the Signalman!

Phil Cobb was a small time hood who wanted to make it big leading a gang in Gotham....so, inspired by the Bat-Signal, he became....the Signalman!  Vexing Batman and Robin with crimes based on symbols, Signalman fought on land, air and sea before the Dynamic Duo put him in prison, where he joined a different gang.

Signalman would return a few times, then got a revival in the 1970s, being in the feature in an issue of Detective Comics that featured the Calculator, and being a member of the Secret Society of Super-Villains that faced the JLA/JSA.

The Crimes Of The Clock King

Next up from the first issue of Wanted is the story of the Clock King from World's Finest Comics #111 (August, 1960) by France Herron and Lee Elias (though Superman and Batman featured on the Curt Swan/Sheldon Moldoff cover of the original issue).

Clock King started his crime spree in costume all over Star City, using time and clocks as the focus of where he would strike.  Green Arrow and Speedy figured this out and where he would strike next, and, after defeating Clock King's giant hourglass trap, captured the villain!

Clock King appeared next working with the next villain and a few others in an issue of Justice League of America (reprinted in giant size) as a Green Arrow villain, and then got a name for his alter ego (William Tockman) and motivation in an issue of World's Finest, then appeared in Crisis On Infinite Earths where he made enough connections to join the Injustice League during Invasion! along with Major Disaster and Multi-Man! 

Menace Of The Giant Puppet

The last story reprinted in issue one is the last story of Green Lantern #1 (July-August, 1960) by John Broome, Gil Kane and Joe Giella (with a knock out of a cover by Kane/Giella), featuring the premiere of the Puppet-Master.

Oddly, the story begins with Carol Ferris, Hal Jordan's boss, who is playing puppet games of her own, thinking how she can win the heart of Green Lantern (not knowing test pilot Hal IS Green Lantern).  Then, Green Lantern deals with some odd burglaries where criminals are robbing banks, but not under their own free will, during parades (where Hal fights a giant float as well...which is like a giant puppet).  Green Lantern continues to track down the Puppet-Master, who is using a hypno-ray to get criminals to steal for him.  Carol wins a date with Green Lantern, but Puppet-Master tries his hypno-ray on Green Lantern, dragging him away.  Thanks to Hal's willpower, he beats the Puppet-Master, and takes him to jail (and faces Carol's wrath as Hal).

Puppet-Master returns with Captain Cold and others working for Doctor Destiny, then returns as the Puppeteer (a name hinted at in the original appearance) to face the Teen Titans (including Cyborg, Raven and Starfire) for H.I.V.E. (and gets an alter ego, that of Jordan Weir).

Knights Of Knavery

The first story of the second issue features a Golden Age tale from Batman #25 (October-November, 1944) by Don Cameron, Jack Burnley and Jerry Robinson (under an unrelated cover by Dick Sprang), with twice the fun...a team up of the Joker and the Penguin!

Batman and Robin put Penguin in jail, but, there, he meets the Joker, who has hatched a plan to get the two of them free, which is a sweeping success.  Free, the two villains plan to get revenge on Batman and Robin (who become aware of the villains), but also need cash, so plan to steal the Van Landorpf Emerald (and this is the competition to determine which of them will get to remain in Gotham.  Batman uses the gem to lure the villains into a trap, but, they both appear, and, though reluctantly, do work together to escape.  The villains keep the alliance going, and are successful as a duo, even capturing Batman and Robin, but that proves their downfall, as the Dynamic Duo turn the villains against each other, allowing the heroes to capture them!

Joker's origin was reprinted as well in a Limited Collectors' Edition, while it took a while to get an origin for the Penguin (a story for a later time).

The Trickster Strikes Back

The second story of the second issue was from Flash #121 (June, 1961) by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella, under a cover by Infantino/Giella, and is the second story that the Trickster appeared in, as he tried to disconnect the Flash's phone line!

James Jesse is able to use a children's toy to fly free from prison, and, after reviewing his file, reporter Iris West checks in with her beau, police scientist Barry Allen about a date tonight as well as the Trickster (with Barry going off as the Flash to catch him).  After speeding around Central City, Flash tracks down the Trickster (who plays a few practical jokes on the Flash first).  Trickster puts the Flash through his paces, but eventually gets caught.  All this running gives Barry Allen sore feet....which makes him unable to dance with Iris West on their date!

Trickster's first appearance was first reprinted in a Flash Giant, and the Trickster would return again and again to vex the Flash (including two Flashes in his next appearance), as well as later facing Black Lightning and Blue Devil, as well as joining the Secret Society of Super-Villains.

These weren't the only issues of Wanted -- The World's Most Dangerous Villains, and Bridwell had even teased future team-ups in the letters' page of issue number one, as well as answering letters on 100 Page Super-Spectaculars, which were full of reprints, though not necessarily with villains, like the two DC Specials that led to this issue!

Green Arrow Origins

With Arrow ending this week, figured it would be a good time to look back at the origins of the Emerald Archer....

....and over the decades, Green Arrow has had his beginnings told over and over again!

Let's take a look over a few of them, after being thankful that Green Arrow began in More Fun Comics #73 (November, 1941) by Mort Weisinger and George Papp fully formed....

The Birth Of The Battling Bowman

The first telling of Green Arrow's origin happened in More Fun Comics #89 (March, 1943) by artists Cliff Young and Steve Brodie, with millionaire Oliver Queen finding Roy Harper on a lost mesa, and the two using their archery skills to stop crooks from plundering the treasures that were found there.

This adventure ended up being the origin of the Golden Age Green Arrow (and Speedy), who were members of the Seven Soldiers of Victory.

The Green Arrow's First Case

For a telling of Green Arrow's origin, look for Adventure Comics #256 (January, 1959) by France Herron, Jack Kirby and Roz Kirby, wherein millionaire Oliver Queen fell overboard on a ship, ending up on a desert island, and using the local resources to make arrows, hunted for food, then stopped some pirates, and took on his heroic identity of Green Arrow (Speedy getting involved with his own origin told later).  The duo returned to the island as criminals had come across it, and might have found Ollie's diary of his time there and figured out he was Green Arrow.

This introduced the island to the origin of Green Arrow, but that wasn't the end of additions to Green Arrow's origin (but these two origins were reprinted in both the Secret Origins Of The Super DC Heroes of 1976 and in Green Arrow: A Celebration of 75 Years of 2016).

The Origin Of Green Arrow

Green Arrow got his origin revisited in DC Super Stars #17 (November-December, 1977) by Denny O'Neil, Mike Grell and Bruce D. Patterson.  While Oliver had been tracking down a man with proof that his fortune had been stolen, he also remembered his beginnings, very similar to the last telling, but Oliver had grown a beard on the island (and really didn't fashion clothes there as well).  Still stopping pirates (who also had thrown him overboard to begin with), he went on to become Green Arrow, joining the JLA, and losing his fortune.  It also added that he had learned archery from Howard Hill in Hollywood.

This origin is about to be reprinted in a facsimile edition of this issue, with origins of the Huntress and Legion of Super-Heroes as well!

Sometimes A Fool Notion

DC had a Crisis, and its heroes were all living on one Earth, so Ollie got an enhanced origin in Secret Origins #38 (March, 1989) by Mike Grell (who revived Green Arrow as more of an urban hunter with his Longbow Hunters mini-series and Green Arrow regular title) and for the origin, artists Hannibal King, Dick Giordano and Arne Starr.  It was a drunk Oliver Queen who fell off his own yacht who ended up on the island, but this Oliver Queen had fancied himself Robin Hood as a child, with movie stunt archer Howard Hill as a friend, and the "pirates" he stopped on the island were simple weed farmers. 

Going to a costume party soon after his return, Oliver was mulling over the idea of Robin Hood when his party was crashed by criminals, who he stopped in costume (even using an unintentional trick arrow....an arrow with a golf ball on the end) to stop them.  The main thief, Lester Norton, as being taken away, was upset about being stopped by that "green arrow guy", and the Star City papers stuck that name on Ollie's heroic identity.

Speedy's adjusted origin filled the second half of this book, and this tale has yet to be reprinted.  This Green Arrow origin showed Oliver as not much of a businessman, but more of a romantic, wanting to be a hero.

From The Beginning

This origin started similarly to the DC Super Stars one, with Green Arrow having a showdown with someone in the rain.  Green Arrow Annual #7 (1995) by Chuck Dixon, Rick Burchett, Chris Renaud, Eduardo Barreto and Gerry Fernandez introduced a pathetic playboy Oliver Queen, who had inherited his money from his parents, who fought with the crew of his yacht, and got no help when he fell overboard. to end up on an island. 

Recalling his childhood when his dad gave him a bow and arrow for Christmas (which young Ollie went outside with and accidentally killed a bunny), Ollie fashioned a bow and arrow to hunt for food, and came upon a wrecked ship on the island, and a survivor of that ship.  The pair fashioned a small raft on the island, but Ollie left his helper behind when he found out he was Nicholas Kotero (noted serial killer of women). 

Ollie ended up on another island, and found some weed farmers, and ended up back home, taking on the Green Arrow identity (and mismanaging his inherited fortune while playing hero).  It was Kotero he was confronting in the rain, as the killer also escaped the island, looking for revenge.

This origin showed Oliver being on more than one island, and that more could have happened to him in isolation.  This tale has yet to be reprinted.

The Mantle

While there were many stories in Green Arrow Secret Files & Origins #1 (December, 2002), the one by Scott McCullar, Rick Burchett and Dan Davis, where Oliver told his son, Connor, of his parents, Robert and Moira Queen.  Robert founded Queen Enterprises, had the Star City Bay Bridge build, owned the Star City Rockets (a baseball team who played at Papp Stadium).  All this, and that the Queens were descended from Sir Robert Queen the Earle of Dornee....which is what gave Robert the idea to give his son a bow and arrow one Christmas. 

Still, Ollie had no use for it after killing a rabbit, but, after a trip to Africa with his parents, guided by stunt archer Howard Hill and big game trapper Congo Bill, Robert explained to his son that he gave him the bow and arrow to help toughen the lad up...and he need to, as the party was set on by lions, killing Robert and Moira, and Ollie only survived because of his archery skills.  Congo Bill sent him home to live with an uncle, who sent Ollie to boarding school...then, Ollie was misspending his money on yachts after....until one day....

This issue also has other stories, and features on Green Arrow, Black Canary, Arsenal and more, as well as Green Arrow's trick arrows and even a chili recipe; but the issue has not been reprinted.

Green Arrow: Year One

Green Arrow: Year One is a six issue mini-series from 2007 by Andy Diggle and Mark Simpson, this time fighting with drug dealers as part of crime syndicate (introducing readers to China White, a female assassin).  Oliver was marooned on an island thanks to his bodyguard, Hackett, came to enjoy the solitude after figuring how to make a bow and arrow to get food, and found "China White"...

...who had enslaved the island's population to produce her drugs, and was working with Hackett.  Ollie fought for the people (including Taiana, a native of the island who helped nurse Ollie back to health when he was injured fighting Hackett). 

Ollie took down the operation with Howard Hill's bow (which the criminals had won in an auction), but didn't take credit for it when the authorities arrived, having a new appreciation for the people of the island.....and that he would take on a new identity, to become someone else, something else....the Green Arrow!

These six issues have been collected a few times since their original publication.

Hopefully, though a little repetitive, this should give you a little insight into the Green Arrow and how he came to be, how a spoiled rich boy became a man and a hero given the right time and circumstances....but that grew from one man, who could say that "my name is Oliver Queen....".

Green Lanterns And Green Arrow

Even though Green Arrow did have his own alternate Earth doppleganger, the two Oliver Queens never met outside the pages of the Justice League of America.

Green Arrow did get involved with a little Earth-1/Earth-2 crossover....this in the pages of the Green Lantern title, with Green Lantern Hal Jordan of Earth-1 working with Green Lantern Alan Scott of Earth-2, under two covers by Mike Grell!

Here's how that tale went....

Dark Things Cannot Stand The Light

It all started in Green Lantern #111 (December, 1978) by Denny O'Neil, Alex Saviuk and Vince Colletta, with Green Arrow taking Green Lantern out for eats in Star City...and coming across muggers working on an old gypsy fortune teller.  Green Arrow took out his criminal, but as Green Lantern went for his, his ring froze, but the man turned into a green statue.  It was magic in response to Madame Eva's curse....but magic usually didn't flow this freely.  After prompting by Ollie to review his origin, Hal and Ollie headed to Oa, home of the Guardians of the Universe, to find out what might be happening. 

There, a Guardian explained how, when they were charged with keeping order to the universe, they gathered up all the magic, and contained it in the heart of a star  (The charging was self-imposed, as an Oan had let evil loose in multiverse, and the Guardians wanted to combat it).  Yet, there was a thief from outside the galaxy who stole the Star Heart....and loosed random magic again.  So, to combat this new threat, Hal decided to call on Alan Scott, the mystical Green Lantern from Earth-2.  After the pair charged their rings at the main Power Battery, the three heroes went after the villain in the empty space between galaxies.  Asking him to stop, the thief hurled power bolts taking out the two ring-slingers...at least until the next issue....

Starheart Connection

Dennis O'Neil, Alex Saviuk and Vince Colletta picked up the story in Green Lantern #112 (January, 1979), with the heroes in hot pursuit of the Star Heart thief.  The Green Lanterns compare notes on the blasts that took them out (magic for Hal, electricity for Alan), and Green Arrow asks Alan of his origin as the trio continue out of Hal's jurisdiction, with Ollie wondering where the meteor that formed the original Lantern came from, and what was the voice. 

Finally, the trio came upon a split planet in the void, half city, half forest, with a building/castle on the dividing line.  As they approached, a pair of beams drained the ring slingers power, and took the Green Lanterns inside, as Green Arrow crashed to the ground.  There, he faced future soldiers and ancient trolls....until he was captured as well.  Inside the duo dwelling, Green Arrow met Jack-lord Zalaz, who had snatched the Starheart for his queen, M'la, who was dying and neither science nor magic would cure her. 

Sending Green Arrow to the prison he had for the Green Lanterns (a cell of yellow petrified wood), the two Green Lanterns combine their power (made possible by Alan charging at the Oan Power Battery), and, by using their power together, are able to confront Zalaz....who, at first was draining the Starheart to fight, then used it to transfer his life to M'la, reviving her (the most beautiful woman in the universe).  M'la, an adept sorceress, healed Green Arrow, then tasked herself to return the Starheart to its home, as Alan learned that the Starheart was the source of the meteor that eventually became his Green Lantern, and the heroes were returned home.

An issue that explained much, linking the two Green Lanterns as never before, as well as giving more history of the DC Universe, not unlike when the Green Lanterns first met solo, and learned of the origins of the Guardians of the Universe and the hand at the Dawn of Time! 

But, this was to be the last solo meeting of the Green Lanterns before the Crisis (with Alan appearing here after the end of the 1970s All-Star Comics series, and a few solo back ups in the back of the regular Green Lantern magazine before this issue, and a small spot in fighting histories heroes in a JLA/JSA team up, before more adventures in Adventure Comics, and losses of JSA teammates there and in the next JLA/JSA team up....with both those team ups chronicled here).  All awaiting a larger Crisis On Infinite Earths.....