What do you think?
Rate this book
Green Arrow (2011)
Green Arrow, Volume 4: The Kill Machine
Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino begin their ground-breaking saga in the fourth volume of Green Arrow!
A mysterious villian called Komodo knows Oliver's secrets and uses them to rob Oliver of all his wealth and his company. Now on the run from this seemingly unstoppable force, Oliver finds himself in a mystery involving the island where he first became Green Arrow and his father! Everything will change for the Emerald Archer in this new beginning for the character.
This volume collects Green Arrow #17-24 and 23.1
A mysterious villian called Komodo knows Oliver's secrets and uses them to rob Oliver of all his wealth and his company. Now on the run from this seemingly unstoppable force, Oliver finds himself in a mystery involving the island where he first became Green Arrow and his father! Everything will change for the Emerald Archer in this new beginning for the character.
This volume collects Green Arrow #17-24 and 23.1
208 pages, Paperback
First published March 19, 2014
21 people are currently reading
1160 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Lemire
1,419 books3,890 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
May 17, 2014
As much as I like the idea of Green Arrow, this volume still isn't what I was looking for.
But
Lemire is such an improvement on Nocenti that I can't help but breathe a sigh of relief. At least this made sense, even if it wasn't mind-blowing.
I was a little disappointed that they seem to be trying to take a page from the tv series, though.
Instead of having Oliver's father give him a list of his wrongs to right, his father was part of some ancient Arrow Tribe....or some such nonsense.
No. It's not an exact copy of the show, but it felt tainted and stinky. Oliver's father has never (that I know of) really played a big role in his backstory before this, so why the sudden change?
Although, the show is pretty popular, so I can see why they'd maybe want to take things in that direction, and I'm probably one of the few people who didn't like it.
I'm still hopeful that this can eventually become something great, but for now I'll just settle for what it is...better.
March 5, 2014
Why’s it so hard to make Green Arrow good? His counterpart, Hawkeye, over at Marvel has the best series ever but Green Arrow continues to stink up the New 52 like a month old dead dingo.
This new run on the character, this time with one of DC’s “best” writers (more on that later), Jeff Lemire, has Oliver Queen visit the head of Queen Industries who’s an old friend of his father’s. A heated argument over who controls what ends with the old friend being shot through a window by an arrow, then dragged off the building and Ollie being accused of his murder.
Right away this story screams stupid – if a projectile weapon somehow manages to get through plate glass and kill someone, the glass is going to be on the floor of the office, right? Which is of course the case here. But the guards run in, see the mess and instantly accuse Ollie of the murder when, after just a few brief moments of thought, they could’ve determined otherwise. But no, this is now unfortunately the main plot of this book.
Ollie has to fight a dark archer called Komodo (like the dragon – so you know he’s evil, because dragons are evil, get it?) and bizarrely, Komodo’s daughter as well, who, despite being 10, manages to kick Ollie’s ass up and down the place (this is why the Justice League didn’t want him!). There’s some mystery over the island where Ollie became Green Arrow – it always comes back to the island for this guy doesn’t it? – and some guy with X’s for eyes called Magus is on a magical mystery tour.
Ollie and Komodo battle numerous times in the first half of the book until Ollie nearly kills him by stabbing him in the eye with an arrow. Didn’t a king die in the Battle of Hastings that way 1000 years ago? So Ollie basically tries to murder his enemy, which isn’t the most heroic move – he’s lucky he didn’t die!
I’m going to have to revise this assessment that Jeff Lemire’s a good writer because of his work on this book. His writing is what made me abandon the book halfway through. After Komodo’s beaten, Ollie heads to Black Mesa, Arizona. Here’s the actual dialogue from that page which I wrote down because it is the worst expositional writing I’ve read all year:
“So tell me again, Ollie, why you have to drive all the way out to the middle of nowhere, alone, while you’re still recovering from injuries that would keep most men in a hospital bed for a month?”
“The Magus told me to go to Black Mesa if I wanted answers”
“The creepy guy with no eyes is your only lead?”
“At this point, yes. and, while I don’t completely trust him, he does seem to … know things. And if what Komodo said is true… if he really did kill my dad … well, this is something I need to do alone. and I need to know what the hell they were doing on the island together all those years ago.”
Ouch.
I can’t remember the last time I read such clunky dialogue. “Here’s a summary of the story so far AND an explanation for my motivations, idiots!”.
This was followed up by a redneck Arizona sheriff hassling Ollie (“’choo doin’ out here, boy?” etc.) and I gave up. Crappy writing and stereotypical characters are a powerful one-two punch to end any reader’s relationship with a book.
Andrea Sorrentino’s art isn’t bad but nothing very special. It’s not done in the DC house style which is definitely a plus and I did like the way the hallucinatory sequences were rendered, and even some of the action is pretty decent, but the art isn’t enough to save this book.
Lemire has written some good books, though none at DC, and his Green Arrow is just plain terrible. I could’ve either stuck with it and read another 100 pages of this trash or put it aside for good and read something worthwhile – I chose the latter.
Cue comments like “But dude it gets WAYYY better in the second half - you should've stuck with it!” which are never true. Or my favourite - "if you didn't finish it, you can't review it!".
This new run on the character, this time with one of DC’s “best” writers (more on that later), Jeff Lemire, has Oliver Queen visit the head of Queen Industries who’s an old friend of his father’s. A heated argument over who controls what ends with the old friend being shot through a window by an arrow, then dragged off the building and Ollie being accused of his murder.
Right away this story screams stupid – if a projectile weapon somehow manages to get through plate glass and kill someone, the glass is going to be on the floor of the office, right? Which is of course the case here. But the guards run in, see the mess and instantly accuse Ollie of the murder when, after just a few brief moments of thought, they could’ve determined otherwise. But no, this is now unfortunately the main plot of this book.
Ollie has to fight a dark archer called Komodo (like the dragon – so you know he’s evil, because dragons are evil, get it?) and bizarrely, Komodo’s daughter as well, who, despite being 10, manages to kick Ollie’s ass up and down the place (this is why the Justice League didn’t want him!). There’s some mystery over the island where Ollie became Green Arrow – it always comes back to the island for this guy doesn’t it? – and some guy with X’s for eyes called Magus is on a magical mystery tour.
Ollie and Komodo battle numerous times in the first half of the book until Ollie nearly kills him by stabbing him in the eye with an arrow. Didn’t a king die in the Battle of Hastings that way 1000 years ago? So Ollie basically tries to murder his enemy, which isn’t the most heroic move – he’s lucky he didn’t die!
I’m going to have to revise this assessment that Jeff Lemire’s a good writer because of his work on this book. His writing is what made me abandon the book halfway through. After Komodo’s beaten, Ollie heads to Black Mesa, Arizona. Here’s the actual dialogue from that page which I wrote down because it is the worst expositional writing I’ve read all year:
“So tell me again, Ollie, why you have to drive all the way out to the middle of nowhere, alone, while you’re still recovering from injuries that would keep most men in a hospital bed for a month?”
“The Magus told me to go to Black Mesa if I wanted answers”
“The creepy guy with no eyes is your only lead?”
“At this point, yes. and, while I don’t completely trust him, he does seem to … know things. And if what Komodo said is true… if he really did kill my dad … well, this is something I need to do alone. and I need to know what the hell they were doing on the island together all those years ago.”
Ouch.
I can’t remember the last time I read such clunky dialogue. “Here’s a summary of the story so far AND an explanation for my motivations, idiots!”.
This was followed up by a redneck Arizona sheriff hassling Ollie (“’choo doin’ out here, boy?” etc.) and I gave up. Crappy writing and stereotypical characters are a powerful one-two punch to end any reader’s relationship with a book.
Andrea Sorrentino’s art isn’t bad but nothing very special. It’s not done in the DC house style which is definitely a plus and I did like the way the hallucinatory sequences were rendered, and even some of the action is pretty decent, but the art isn’t enough to save this book.
Lemire has written some good books, though none at DC, and his Green Arrow is just plain terrible. I could’ve either stuck with it and read another 100 pages of this trash or put it aside for good and read something worthwhile – I chose the latter.
Cue comments like “But dude it gets WAYYY better in the second half - you should've stuck with it!” which are never true. Or my favourite - "if you didn't finish it, you can't review it!".
April 7, 2019
God, that was awful. I think the only reason I didn't give it one star is because I still love Green Arrow. I wanted to like this because apparently Lemire brings this series up from the depths the previous writers had it in. But it was terrible. Still. I skipped volumes 2 and 3 under the impression this was an improvement over the first volume. And it was terrible.
One, the plot was really weird and didn't allow Oliver to be classic Oliver. Two, the artwork added insult to injury by being really ugly. Third, to be picky, there's this fictional country called Vatlava or something, and Lemire can't write a consistent accent. It ranges from being written in perfect English, country English, and broken English. One character was written speaking perfect English on the left page and then somewhere in the seams leading to the right page, the English broke! It's just not good writing for the plot or that minor detail.
I think I have to tap out on this series. Again. I just want a good Green Arrow comic to remind me of why he's one of my favorite heroes. Accepting recommendations. -_-
One, the plot was really weird and didn't allow Oliver to be classic Oliver. Two, the artwork added insult to injury by being really ugly. Third, to be picky, there's this fictional country called Vatlava or something, and Lemire can't write a consistent accent. It ranges from being written in perfect English, country English, and broken English. One character was written speaking perfect English on the left page and then somewhere in the seams leading to the right page, the English broke! It's just not good writing for the plot or that minor detail.
I think I have to tap out on this series. Again. I just want a good Green Arrow comic to remind me of why he's one of my favorite heroes. Accepting recommendations. -_-
November 26, 2013
Finally, after 16 pointless issues, Green Arrow hits the bullseye! With Lemire-Sorrentino gripping the reins of Ollie's story, we are confident that GA is on a great run. This volume collects the first of Lemire's issues, from 17 until issue 24. A sort of re-reboot, Green Arrow's status quo has been drastically changed - there's an almost new team, new villains and a deeper mythological element in the Green Arrow.
Though some questions might have been answered by reviewers., let me answer two:
1. Is it okay for me to start reading GA #17 and skip all previous issues altogether? YES. Though there may be some parts wherein you see characters from the previous issues, all of them are just artwork and doesn't really affect the story. Reading issues 1-16 though gives you that tired and annoyed feeling, things which add to the excitement and relief once you get to read issue 17. For completist, of course buy all New 52 GA but for readers who don't want to see crap, then start definitely at issue 17.
2. Is Green Arrow (considering only Lemire's run) better than Hawkeye comics? Man, this is very, very difficult. Clint's is not a typical hero comics, but it's so entertaining and oh so consistently good, though it has gone stale on its recent issues, IMHO. Ollie's, on the other hand starts to build up momentum and an interesting plot. Each comics has its own merits and both awesome, so I'd reserve the judgment on which is better.
Though some questions might have been answered by reviewers., let me answer two:
1. Is it okay for me to start reading GA #17 and skip all previous issues altogether? YES. Though there may be some parts wherein you see characters from the previous issues, all of them are just artwork and doesn't really affect the story. Reading issues 1-16 though gives you that tired and annoyed feeling, things which add to the excitement and relief once you get to read issue 17. For completist, of course buy all New 52 GA but for readers who don't want to see crap, then start definitely at issue 17.
2. Is Green Arrow (considering only Lemire's run) better than Hawkeye comics? Man, this is very, very difficult. Clint's is not a typical hero comics, but it's so entertaining and oh so consistently good, though it has gone stale on its recent issues, IMHO. Ollie's, on the other hand starts to build up momentum and an interesting plot. Each comics has its own merits and both awesome, so I'd reserve the judgment on which is better.
July 26, 2015
This was more like it. A big overall improvement in the New 52 Green Arrow series, even if they are playing with continuity again. I have read several of the New 52 series, and I'm still not sure if it was all supposed to be a hard reboot, or if they just did that with some titles and others are supposed to still include the old continuity. I think it depends on the series.
In any case, we get to see the story of the death of Oliver Queen's father. We also get to see Shado and Richard Dragon, as well as a cameo from a personal favorite of mine, John Butcher. (Let me recommend THE BUTCHER and THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD Limited series. Both of these were published by DC in the early 1990s. I think Mike Grell wrote both series and starred John Butcher. I will admit I don't know how well they have held up over the years, but at the time they were good.) We also get to see the new Count Vertigo, but the jurys still out on this guy.
The art is also improved. The style is somewhat like Jae Lee with an interesting use of color. Overall, it's good, and compared to how the art has been in this series, it's REALLY good.
So overall, this volume takes Green Arrow closer to the quality I'd expect from the character. I'd actually say if you want to read the New 52 Green Arrow series, start with this volume. There will be a few things you'd need to catch up on, but overall this volume is much better than the ones that came before.
In any case, we get to see the story of the death of Oliver Queen's father. We also get to see Shado and Richard Dragon, as well as a cameo from a personal favorite of mine, John Butcher. (Let me recommend THE BUTCHER and THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD Limited series. Both of these were published by DC in the early 1990s. I think Mike Grell wrote both series and starred John Butcher. I will admit I don't know how well they have held up over the years, but at the time they were good.) We also get to see the new Count Vertigo, but the jurys still out on this guy.
The art is also improved. The style is somewhat like Jae Lee with an interesting use of color. Overall, it's good, and compared to how the art has been in this series, it's REALLY good.
So overall, this volume takes Green Arrow closer to the quality I'd expect from the character. I'd actually say if you want to read the New 52 Green Arrow series, start with this volume. There will be a few things you'd need to catch up on, but overall this volume is much better than the ones that came before.
October 7, 2014
I don't get the negativity some people give this book. Sure, it is a simple 'take everything from the hero to make his life even harder', something that is done all the time in comics, but it's really well executed.
A new villain named Komodo has emerged to make Olivier's life hell. He's tied into his past (Olivier's Dad and The Island are referenced a bit). He's a decent New 52 villain, and is much better than Count Vertigo who is introduced towards the end of the volume.
Sorrentino's art helps give this book a great visual style. It's similar to Jock, and at times goes into a multi-panel mode that's got shades of Aja to it.
But DC and their numbering though. You gotta love them for it. If this had been a Marvel book, it would have relaunched with a new number 1 when Lemire took over. Instead, this fresh new TV inspired take on the character is volume 4. I'm not reading the previous 3 volumes, DC. I'm not THAT interested in Green Arrow.
A new villain named Komodo has emerged to make Olivier's life hell. He's tied into his past (Olivier's Dad and The Island are referenced a bit). He's a decent New 52 villain, and is much better than Count Vertigo who is introduced towards the end of the volume.
Sorrentino's art helps give this book a great visual style. It's similar to Jock, and at times goes into a multi-panel mode that's got shades of Aja to it.
But DC and their numbering though. You gotta love them for it. If this had been a Marvel book, it would have relaunched with a new number 1 when Lemire took over. Instead, this fresh new TV inspired take on the character is volume 4. I'm not reading the previous 3 volumes, DC. I'm not THAT interested in Green Arrow.
February 2, 2025
A relatively effective thriller, although it does put the suspension of disbelief to the test on more than one occasion. It might work with Batman, but not so well with GA.
I'm not a particular fan of Sorrentino's style, cold and stiff despite some fine examples of storytelling.
I'm not a particular fan of Sorrentino's style, cold and stiff despite some fine examples of storytelling.
May 27, 2014
It's amazing to me how small details can either sell me completely on a story or pull me out into The Land of Critical Thinking.
Exposition-heavy. Lemire spells stuff out just a little too much for my taste (tells rather than shows, and emotes heavily when it feels like the characters would say much less). Like the aftermath of a battle, where characters are yelling at each other and over-explaining stuff for the audience that the characters all already know.
Antagonists who like to talk and talk, even if it's cryptic mumbo-jumbo. Protagonist whose every movement is captioned with inner monologue. I mean, I think to myself all day, and tend to rehearse or rehash conversations to death in my head - and even I think Ollie is a little whiny.
And I'm sorry - I like the concept of taking Ollie's billions away, stripping him down to just the naked bow & arrows. But seriously, he's wanted for murder in what any Law & Order/CSI junkie can tell will be an easily-resolved mixup - which makes me feel like some of the tension we're supposed to feel wasn't earned.
Why does Green arrow feel compelled to go it alone, when he could so easily accept help he so badly needs? It's not like he's just some hothead bro who believes too much in his own legend (he's thinking too many self-flagellating thoughts for that), and he isn't reeling himself he has a debt to repay. It's certainly convenient enough for a solo book like this that he's not going to leverage the team he's on, but it makes completely no sense. With all the things that Lemire overexplains, it's painful when he misses these dead-obvious holes in his script.
"I need to shoot." The antagonist actually says this to his manservant, and disrespects his fellow Illuminati because, as an expert archer, he needs to practice *right now*?
And one more niggle for fun: when a dude loses an ear, how the hell do his sunglasses stay on?
All in all, I wish I could be Lemire's editor, and cut all the superfluous words in his script. There's the heart of some good ideas here, and if he would just shut up when he made his point it would feel like a comic written for triple-digit IQs, and not like a remedial reading lesson. For a guy who started out illustrating his own scripts, he's surprisingly poor at judging what could be done better with pictures than words.
When Ollie's "Call To Adventure"'finally comes mid-way through this book, I finally feel like I'm being told a story. Unfortunately, there's very little tension built up after that, and it gets squandered by the end.
The art's stylish when everyone's standing around, but it's often confusing when they're actioning with each other. The "light boxes" that focus the reader on certain details can be very effective, but Sorrentino overuses them to the point they're an irritating tic. I wanted so badly to enjoy the art, and if it wasn't so deliberate in re-using the b&w or the panels-within-panels, I might've been able to relax and enjoy the ride.
I think this is the last I'm ready to see of this creative team. I'll have a look at them in other settings - especially Sorrentino who shows a lot of raw talent if she can just relax and stop trying to show off. As for Lemire, I have a tortured relationship with him - his writing does nothing for me, and even his art is hard for me to enjoy. I'll try another couple of books of his (like JL:D), but I'm afraid he's not long for my bookshelf.
Best I can say for this book is at least I didn't suffer Nocenti before getting here. But when they spend pages after pages in the second half telling us what the big mysteries are, the entire premise loses all steam.
And frankly, I'm still bothered by the contradiction between the amount of time Ollie spends talking about what he's doing and the total lack of real explanation for Ollie's motivations. Why the hell did he *need* to do this alone? Not once was this rather defining personality flaw ever even tangentially accounted for.
If not for Sorrentino's (unfocused and gimmick-burdened) talent, this book would be one star. I want to see her prove her storytelling craft and blow me away in five years. I think she has the potential.
Exposition-heavy. Lemire spells stuff out just a little too much for my taste (tells rather than shows, and emotes heavily when it feels like the characters would say much less). Like the aftermath of a battle, where characters are yelling at each other and over-explaining stuff for the audience that the characters all already know.
Antagonists who like to talk and talk, even if it's cryptic mumbo-jumbo. Protagonist whose every movement is captioned with inner monologue. I mean, I think to myself all day, and tend to rehearse or rehash conversations to death in my head - and even I think Ollie is a little whiny.
And I'm sorry - I like the concept of taking Ollie's billions away, stripping him down to just the naked bow & arrows. But seriously, he's wanted for murder in what any Law & Order/CSI junkie can tell will be an easily-resolved mixup - which makes me feel like some of the tension we're supposed to feel wasn't earned.
Why does Green arrow feel compelled to go it alone, when he could so easily accept help he so badly needs? It's not like he's just some hothead bro who believes too much in his own legend (he's thinking too many self-flagellating thoughts for that), and he isn't reeling himself he has a debt to repay. It's certainly convenient enough for a solo book like this that he's not going to leverage the team he's on, but it makes completely no sense. With all the things that Lemire overexplains, it's painful when he misses these dead-obvious holes in his script.
"I need to shoot." The antagonist actually says this to his manservant, and disrespects his fellow Illuminati because, as an expert archer, he needs to practice *right now*?
And one more niggle for fun: when a dude loses an ear, how the hell do his sunglasses stay on?
All in all, I wish I could be Lemire's editor, and cut all the superfluous words in his script. There's the heart of some good ideas here, and if he would just shut up when he made his point it would feel like a comic written for triple-digit IQs, and not like a remedial reading lesson. For a guy who started out illustrating his own scripts, he's surprisingly poor at judging what could be done better with pictures than words.
When Ollie's "Call To Adventure"'finally comes mid-way through this book, I finally feel like I'm being told a story. Unfortunately, there's very little tension built up after that, and it gets squandered by the end.
The art's stylish when everyone's standing around, but it's often confusing when they're actioning with each other. The "light boxes" that focus the reader on certain details can be very effective, but Sorrentino overuses them to the point they're an irritating tic. I wanted so badly to enjoy the art, and if it wasn't so deliberate in re-using the b&w or the panels-within-panels, I might've been able to relax and enjoy the ride.
I think this is the last I'm ready to see of this creative team. I'll have a look at them in other settings - especially Sorrentino who shows a lot of raw talent if she can just relax and stop trying to show off. As for Lemire, I have a tortured relationship with him - his writing does nothing for me, and even his art is hard for me to enjoy. I'll try another couple of books of his (like JL:D), but I'm afraid he's not long for my bookshelf.
Best I can say for this book is at least I didn't suffer Nocenti before getting here. But when they spend pages after pages in the second half telling us what the big mysteries are, the entire premise loses all steam.
And frankly, I'm still bothered by the contradiction between the amount of time Ollie spends talking about what he's doing and the total lack of real explanation for Ollie's motivations. Why the hell did he *need* to do this alone? Not once was this rather defining personality flaw ever even tangentially accounted for.
If not for Sorrentino's (unfocused and gimmick-burdened) talent, this book would be one star. I want to see her prove her storytelling craft and blow me away in five years. I think she has the potential.
January 18, 2016
In my opinion, the New 52 has generally been a creative failure. It's been filled with mediocre writers and grimdark, angry, and arrogant superheroes — all beholden to poorly conceived, overly intrusive editorial mandates and a house style that's often dull.
Jeff Lemire's Green Arrow shows what the New 52 could have been. He reinvents Green Arrow in a meaningful and interesting way and just drenches his stories with characterization. Hand-in-hand with that we've got a brave reinvention of the Arrow Mythos with the Outsiders. Finally, we've got strong art and interesting coloring that together make the book stand out on all fronts. Even better, this book stands as a cohesive whole.
Kill Machine (17-21). Lemire rather bravely starts off the volume by dismantling the Green Arrow comic of the first year and a half. It allows him to be dramatic, but this sort of thing can be overdone. Beyond that, there's great tension and great mystery. Ultimately, this is just a setup, with Ollie only learning about the Outsiders and setting out to search for the dragons as the story ends ... but it's a great setup [8/10].
Vertigo (22-24, 23.1). The reinvention of Shado and Vertigo is well done, and again shows off what the New 52 could have been. Overall, this is a nicely presented Ollie, a nicely presented Team Arrow, and an exciting story [8/10].
Jeff Lemire's Green Arrow shows what the New 52 could have been. He reinvents Green Arrow in a meaningful and interesting way and just drenches his stories with characterization. Hand-in-hand with that we've got a brave reinvention of the Arrow Mythos with the Outsiders. Finally, we've got strong art and interesting coloring that together make the book stand out on all fronts. Even better, this book stands as a cohesive whole.
Kill Machine (17-21). Lemire rather bravely starts off the volume by dismantling the Green Arrow comic of the first year and a half. It allows him to be dramatic, but this sort of thing can be overdone. Beyond that, there's great tension and great mystery. Ultimately, this is just a setup, with Ollie only learning about the Outsiders and setting out to search for the dragons as the story ends ... but it's a great setup [8/10].
Vertigo (22-24, 23.1). The reinvention of Shado and Vertigo is well done, and again shows off what the New 52 could have been. Overall, this is a nicely presented Ollie, a nicely presented Team Arrow, and an exciting story [8/10].
October 30, 2017
FINALLY, a writer who knows how to tell a good GA tale. No more Jurgens or Nocenti (ever again, purty please?).
This book is in masterful hands with Lemire and Sorrentino, who really knock it out of the park with this one. Although much of the material is reminiscent of the tv show Arrow, it still stands on its own as something firmly set in the DCU.
Great colors by Sorrentino and Marcelo Maiolo make this the best looking DC book at the moment. Catch Sorrentino's work on I, Vampire, too.
Re-read in 2017, still great.
This book is in masterful hands with Lemire and Sorrentino, who really knock it out of the park with this one. Although much of the material is reminiscent of the tv show Arrow, it still stands on its own as something firmly set in the DCU.
Great colors by Sorrentino and Marcelo Maiolo make this the best looking DC book at the moment. Catch Sorrentino's work on I, Vampire, too.
Re-read in 2017, still great.
August 24, 2014
Green Arrow has often been seen as a more liberal version of Batman, but to take away the multi-billion dollar Queen Industries from him and have his reaction be "Oh well, the Justice League pays a salary" is, pardon my French, God-Damn Retarded.
On the other hand, introducing a new backstory filled with ancient weapons and secret clans seems like it will pay dividends for a long time.
On the other hand, introducing a new backstory filled with ancient weapons and secret clans seems like it will pay dividends for a long time.
December 14, 2021
Upon reread this is seriously one of the beat green arrow stories. It's like a nonstop action movie with high stakes. Loved it.
April 10, 2021
Wow what a volume! It is like a long read and one of the best runs on GA, it starts off with Ollie and Emerson talking and the other dying before revealing the truth about his father and Ollie faces off against a man named Komodo and its a big battle and its bloody, Ollie loses everything and has to survive somehow and meets a man named Magus who tells him more things, then he teams with Henry Fyff whose a computer expert and then more shenanigans ensue and its fights and revelations, learning about the outsiders and the Arrow clan and Magus again and the revelation of the Green Arrow totem his father wanted him to be and meeting Shado and then his enemy: COUNT VERTIGO! There is a story about the latter exploring his origins and then there is a big battle with Vertigo and the way they come against each other just wow! And also Richard Dragon!? This volume has so much stuff and handles it brilliantly BUT the art is freaking gorgeous, those white panels and the enhancements of the zoom sized panels or close up fights and the aesthetics just wow! One of the best comic volumes ever!!
June 24, 2016
Amazing. I had heard this was great, and kept meaning to get around to it. After reading the recent Green Arrow Rebirth #1 and Green Arrow #1 and loving both, I finally decided to start Lemire's run on Green Arrow. I wasn't disappointed. Which I really thought I would be because of how much I loved the new #1s, but this really was just a super fun read. Can't wait to plunge into the next two volumes.
November 27, 2021
Green Arrow Vol. 4 The Kill Machine collects issues 17-24 and 23.1 of the DC Comics series written by Jeff Lemire and art by Andrea Sorrentini.
Olliver Queen is framed for the murder of the CEO of Queen Industries by the mysterious "dragon" Komodo. Komodo almost gets the jump on Green Arrow until he is saved by Magus, a blind warrior who has answers about Ollie's past, but warns Ollien that he isn't ready for that knowledge. Green Arrow sets out to find other "dragons" on his quest for answers and encounters count Vertigo.
The book was a lot to unpack. It's a welcome change from the first three volumes of the book. The book takes a lot of the mythos of 80s-00s Green Arrow but flips them on their head. Lemire does a great job of making a cheesey villain like Count Vertigon seem like a badass with an interesting background. The art is also very unique for a DC main title and compliments Lemire's story very well. I'm still not a big fan of Arrow's costume in New 52, but I am finally getting used to it. This volume strips down some of the excessive armor and the goggles seem like they like are finally gone (thank God). Very interested to see where the book goes from here.
Olliver Queen is framed for the murder of the CEO of Queen Industries by the mysterious "dragon" Komodo. Komodo almost gets the jump on Green Arrow until he is saved by Magus, a blind warrior who has answers about Ollie's past, but warns Ollien that he isn't ready for that knowledge. Green Arrow sets out to find other "dragons" on his quest for answers and encounters count Vertigo.
The book was a lot to unpack. It's a welcome change from the first three volumes of the book. The book takes a lot of the mythos of 80s-00s Green Arrow but flips them on their head. Lemire does a great job of making a cheesey villain like Count Vertigon seem like a badass with an interesting background. The art is also very unique for a DC main title and compliments Lemire's story very well. I'm still not a big fan of Arrow's costume in New 52, but I am finally getting used to it. This volume strips down some of the excessive armor and the goggles seem like they like are finally gone (thank God). Very interested to see where the book goes from here.
April 21, 2014
In the 'Kill Machine', Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino have reinvigorated Green Arrow in the New 52, surrounding him with a compelling mystery bigger than himself. The trade consists of two main storylines, the first centred around new villain Komodo, and the second introducing long-standing Green Arrow villain Count Vertigo to the DC Universe once more, as well as the 'Villain's Month' issue for the latter of the two. These are connected by an overarching plot concerning Oliver Queen's hunt for the legendary weapon of the Arrow Clan as well as building towards a story called the Outsiders War.
The first of these stories, focusing on the appearance of the archer Komodo, sees Oliver Queen framed for murder and reduced to nothing but his bow and a dozen arrows. Tasked by Steve Trevor to end the situation with 48 hours or have the Justice League of America called in, Ollie must find a way to defeat an archer who outclasses him in every way. The story sees the introduction of the aforementioned Komodo, his daughter Emiko and the mysterious shaman-like figure of Magus. These new characters are enjoyable to read if not entirely original. Komodo serves as a menacing enough villain, even if he is a little too cliché as a dark reflection of the hero. This doesn't make him bad, just something we've seen all too often in comics. Emiko is also very interesting, with her lust for blood reminding me of the young children shown in the Batman storyline 'The Court of Owls'. She even gets the opportunity to demonstrate her skill with a bow, proving that she could well be a threat to Ollie in the future, and making me very interested to see where Lemire will take these characters in later issues. Magus is perhaps the most interesting of the three, serving as a guide of sorts to Green Arrow: issues #17 to #20 begin with scenes of Ollie wandering Arizona's Black Mesa is search of Magus. These culminate in issue #21, where Magus gives Ollie visions of the island where our hero was stranded, and pushing the book forward into the next arc, instructing him to seek out three Dragons (one of whom he has already met in the guise of Komodo). They all fit well into the story, but I can't help wish they had something to elevate them above these roles we've seen all too often.
During the second issue of the trade, new character Henry Fyff is also introduced, recruited by Ollie to help build new trick arrows for use in the field. I found Fyff to be pretty bland, though fortunately he's never annoying. Perhaps the only interesting side of him is how his designs for trick arrows serve more towards combat, while series regular Naomi Singh's arrow designs seem more geared towards technology and spy-like espionage. This does make for an interesting contrast, but not enough to elevate Fyff beyond being one-note.
The second storyline, focusing on Green Arrow's mission in the fictional country of Vlatava is, in my opinion, much more interesting than the first. It is here that we get to see Green Arrow on both the offence and the defence, something which is very fun to watch. Throughout the story he is given the chance to demonstrate his heroics and skill with a bow in a way he never was when he fought Komodo. Vlatava is ruled by the mysterious Count Vertigo, who is holding one of the Dragons, a woman named Shado, captive. Both of these characters are excellent, with Count Vertigo serving as a threat who is just the right side of legitimately dangerous yet also overconfident. His 'Villain's Month' issue (#23.1) shows off his background and gives him a believable character arc. As for Shado, she is clearly established as a future mentor for Ollie, and Lemire gives her great ties into the Queen family. Her back story also links nicely into the first arc, fitting into the history of Komodo and the Outsiders in a natural way and making him somewhat more interesting in hindsight.
While Green Arrow deals with the situation in Vlatava, we also see glimpses of a turf war back home, with three gang bosses discussing the arrival of a threat to their control over their territories. This threat, we later learn, is the third Dragon, a man named Richard. Though we never see Green Arrow address this brewing tension, it would seem it will boil to the surface later in the run.
Sorrentino's art takes a little getting used to, the character designs having a very unique look to them which is difficult to compare to anything I've seen before. A lot of the pages include panels within panels, a layout style which reminds me of JH Williams III and W. Haden Blackman's 'Batwoman'. While I often find this style hit-and-miss, distracting from the art itself, it is more tolerable here due to the use of different colours in these panels (in particular, red). By the time the book reaches issue #21, however, the art really makes the book pop, and there is always something a little different and creative to see in each issue.
'The Kill Machine' takes a little while to get used to. However, once the book settles into its rhythm, it is a hugely enjoyable read, and one which will make you eager for the next trade to be released. The mysteries present are compelling, and the three Dragons each have distinct personalities and roles within the story. We also get a chance to see the raw power behind each of them, something while makes us want to see a lot more of what they can do, most notably Richard. The art is very good, but takes a few issues to really get used to. Lemire is making this book his own through new characters, or bringing back own favourites and making them his own. He is clearly playing the long game with this book, but it is a game which is hugely enjoyable to watch unfold.
The first of these stories, focusing on the appearance of the archer Komodo, sees Oliver Queen framed for murder and reduced to nothing but his bow and a dozen arrows. Tasked by Steve Trevor to end the situation with 48 hours or have the Justice League of America called in, Ollie must find a way to defeat an archer who outclasses him in every way. The story sees the introduction of the aforementioned Komodo, his daughter Emiko and the mysterious shaman-like figure of Magus. These new characters are enjoyable to read if not entirely original. Komodo serves as a menacing enough villain, even if he is a little too cliché as a dark reflection of the hero. This doesn't make him bad, just something we've seen all too often in comics. Emiko is also very interesting, with her lust for blood reminding me of the young children shown in the Batman storyline 'The Court of Owls'. She even gets the opportunity to demonstrate her skill with a bow, proving that she could well be a threat to Ollie in the future, and making me very interested to see where Lemire will take these characters in later issues. Magus is perhaps the most interesting of the three, serving as a guide of sorts to Green Arrow: issues #17 to #20 begin with scenes of Ollie wandering Arizona's Black Mesa is search of Magus. These culminate in issue #21, where Magus gives Ollie visions of the island where our hero was stranded, and pushing the book forward into the next arc, instructing him to seek out three Dragons (one of whom he has already met in the guise of Komodo). They all fit well into the story, but I can't help wish they had something to elevate them above these roles we've seen all too often.
During the second issue of the trade, new character Henry Fyff is also introduced, recruited by Ollie to help build new trick arrows for use in the field. I found Fyff to be pretty bland, though fortunately he's never annoying. Perhaps the only interesting side of him is how his designs for trick arrows serve more towards combat, while series regular Naomi Singh's arrow designs seem more geared towards technology and spy-like espionage. This does make for an interesting contrast, but not enough to elevate Fyff beyond being one-note.
The second storyline, focusing on Green Arrow's mission in the fictional country of Vlatava is, in my opinion, much more interesting than the first. It is here that we get to see Green Arrow on both the offence and the defence, something which is very fun to watch. Throughout the story he is given the chance to demonstrate his heroics and skill with a bow in a way he never was when he fought Komodo. Vlatava is ruled by the mysterious Count Vertigo, who is holding one of the Dragons, a woman named Shado, captive. Both of these characters are excellent, with Count Vertigo serving as a threat who is just the right side of legitimately dangerous yet also overconfident. His 'Villain's Month' issue (#23.1) shows off his background and gives him a believable character arc. As for Shado, she is clearly established as a future mentor for Ollie, and Lemire gives her great ties into the Queen family. Her back story also links nicely into the first arc, fitting into the history of Komodo and the Outsiders in a natural way and making him somewhat more interesting in hindsight.
While Green Arrow deals with the situation in Vlatava, we also see glimpses of a turf war back home, with three gang bosses discussing the arrival of a threat to their control over their territories. This threat, we later learn, is the third Dragon, a man named Richard. Though we never see Green Arrow address this brewing tension, it would seem it will boil to the surface later in the run.
Sorrentino's art takes a little getting used to, the character designs having a very unique look to them which is difficult to compare to anything I've seen before. A lot of the pages include panels within panels, a layout style which reminds me of JH Williams III and W. Haden Blackman's 'Batwoman'. While I often find this style hit-and-miss, distracting from the art itself, it is more tolerable here due to the use of different colours in these panels (in particular, red). By the time the book reaches issue #21, however, the art really makes the book pop, and there is always something a little different and creative to see in each issue.
'The Kill Machine' takes a little while to get used to. However, once the book settles into its rhythm, it is a hugely enjoyable read, and one which will make you eager for the next trade to be released. The mysteries present are compelling, and the three Dragons each have distinct personalities and roles within the story. We also get a chance to see the raw power behind each of them, something while makes us want to see a lot more of what they can do, most notably Richard. The art is very good, but takes a few issues to really get used to. Lemire is making this book his own through new characters, or bringing back own favourites and making them his own. He is clearly playing the long game with this book, but it is a game which is hugely enjoyable to watch unfold.
July 28, 2017
Eu não sei o que falar. A arte disso é uma benção. Abdrea Sirrentino é uma deusa, na moral. A arte dela, os desenhos disso, são a 8 maravilha do mundo.
O roteiro é ótimo também, mas os desenhos roubam a atenção. O meu queixo caia a cada pagina. As cenas de ação são algumas das melhores da história dos quadrinhos.
O roteiro é ótimo também, mas os desenhos roubam a atenção. O meu queixo caia a cada pagina. As cenas de ação são algumas das melhores da história dos quadrinhos.
December 24, 2020
Just not for me.
March 23, 2017
If you're setting out to read the New 52 G.A., don't bother with the earlier volumes and just start here. A little rocky, but infinitely better than the garbage that came before.
September 6, 2016
In the DC Comics world, I've always been a fan of the 'Greens' -- Green Lantern and Green Arrow. This may have come from reading those great, topical, relevant Green Lantern/Green Arrow comics in the 70's with the fantastic Neal Adams art. But whatever the reason, I've periodically picked up an issue here and there to try to keep up with the stories.
This particular graphic novel seems to feature a rebooted Green Arrow, which is more in line with Arrow television show on the CW channel. And yet...it's not quite the same as the television rebooted character, which is a little distracting if you, like me, are familiar with both.
The Kill Machine's Green Arrow works in a dark, gloomy setting, wonderfully illustrated by Andrea Sorrentino, which evokes shades of Batman. But Arrow/Oliver Queen is very much not Batman. This Green Arrow is immature. He suffers some from the little boy syndrome in that he is living and fighting in the shadow of his father. Ollie loses control of the industry his father built. Throughout the novel, he is surprised by information he learns about his father and his family. He is bested, time and time again. His aim is off, and he gets beat up by a ten year old girl. This is not a mature, super-heroic Green Arrow.
And yet...
And yet this is a nice beginning, a nice reboot, to a Green Arrow that actually has growth potential. As much as I liked the golden, cloven goatee'd Oliver Queen, starting over allows the reader to share in the growth of a character. However, based on what we have in this book, we're living in a dual world... readers are likely to buy it because of familiarity with the established character (old world), yet he has hardly any of the skills or maturity to actually be a superhero at this time (new world). I don't believe in the Oliver Queen of "Killing Machine." I don't see the drive, or the know-how ... only the slightest bit of skill. Certainly a reboot needs to build a character from the ground up, but this character, in this book, shouldn't become a super-hero.
The art, as I said earlier, is beautiful. The brooding darkness fits the story well. Sorrentino uses small, rectangular 'targeting' panels to emphasize a drawn moment. This is interesting at first, but I grew bored with the effect by the end of the book. The psychedelic sequences were tremendous, and the two-page spread is like something pulled from the 60's and worthy of taping to your bedroom wall.
I'm clearly torn with this book. There is much to like here, but it's almost as though the character isn't ready for his own book yet.
Looking for a good book? This graphic novel re-boots the Green Arrow character with wonderful art, but the character himself seems a little immature to have his own title. I'd wait a bit and check in on him again when he's grown some.
This review originally published in the blog Looking For a Good Book.
This particular graphic novel seems to feature a rebooted Green Arrow, which is more in line with Arrow television show on the CW channel. And yet...it's not quite the same as the television rebooted character, which is a little distracting if you, like me, are familiar with both.
The Kill Machine's Green Arrow works in a dark, gloomy setting, wonderfully illustrated by Andrea Sorrentino, which evokes shades of Batman. But Arrow/Oliver Queen is very much not Batman. This Green Arrow is immature. He suffers some from the little boy syndrome in that he is living and fighting in the shadow of his father. Ollie loses control of the industry his father built. Throughout the novel, he is surprised by information he learns about his father and his family. He is bested, time and time again. His aim is off, and he gets beat up by a ten year old girl. This is not a mature, super-heroic Green Arrow.
And yet...
And yet this is a nice beginning, a nice reboot, to a Green Arrow that actually has growth potential. As much as I liked the golden, cloven goatee'd Oliver Queen, starting over allows the reader to share in the growth of a character. However, based on what we have in this book, we're living in a dual world... readers are likely to buy it because of familiarity with the established character (old world), yet he has hardly any of the skills or maturity to actually be a superhero at this time (new world). I don't believe in the Oliver Queen of "Killing Machine." I don't see the drive, or the know-how ... only the slightest bit of skill. Certainly a reboot needs to build a character from the ground up, but this character, in this book, shouldn't become a super-hero.
The art, as I said earlier, is beautiful. The brooding darkness fits the story well. Sorrentino uses small, rectangular 'targeting' panels to emphasize a drawn moment. This is interesting at first, but I grew bored with the effect by the end of the book. The psychedelic sequences were tremendous, and the two-page spread is like something pulled from the 60's and worthy of taping to your bedroom wall.
I'm clearly torn with this book. There is much to like here, but it's almost as though the character isn't ready for his own book yet.
Looking for a good book? This graphic novel re-boots the Green Arrow character with wonderful art, but the character himself seems a little immature to have his own title. I'd wait a bit and check in on him again when he's grown some.
This review originally published in the blog Looking For a Good Book.
February 19, 2014
Having been recently pained by being forced to describe one of my all-time favorite writers take on one of my all-time favorite DC teams as “all that could go wrong with the New 52, Jeff Lemire’s captivating take on Green Arrow might (just might!) make me reconsider my views on the entire relaunch enterprise. Here is a writer whose work just drips with so pathos, drama, and storytelling talent that the volume is almost impossible to put down. Like others, I’ve only read a bit of the first 16 issues of the Green Arrow relaunch and found little to impress. Lemire locates the beating heart at the center of Oliver Queen -- a character in a way always trying to find himself and his purpose – and shows a great deal of humility in borrowing generously from the popular (and fun!) television adaption, Arrow, pulling some of the best bits into his story. One can also detect his appreciation of Kevin Smith’s excellent take on Green Arrow of some years ago. Yet it is what Lemire brings as new that really makes this book sing.
Lemire digs deep in order to broaden and deepen the Green Arrow mythos. A whole new back story threat fits neatly into all that has gone before and yet also changes everything. Also in the spirit of the New 52, Lemire revisits some old (and perhaps tired) villains breathing life into their stories and motivations. Not to give too much away, this certainly isn’t your dad’s Count Vertigo. Lemire also impressively recognizes that Green Arrow’s success depends on how interesting he can make its title character; in the finest tradition of cold hearted writers, he shows an excellent willingness to explode his character’s entire life in order to reveal his true motivations.
My praise of this book would be incomplete if I failed to mention the wonderful artwork of Andrea Sorrentino. Lemire’s script is emotionally heavy and packed with action, yet this could all land with a thud if brushed by an average artist. Sorrentino’s work proves that she is anything but. Remembering that Green Arrow isn’t superpowered (and here is returned to his youth), Sorrentino gives the reader page after page of emotional intensity and fluid action. We see the surprise in Oliver’s eyes when he feels surprise. We recognize his pain and his doubt in Sorrentino’s sharp lines. Look no further than the cover to see her gifts. Just extraordinary.
To answer a question sure to come, yes, if you’ve picked up not a single issue of Green Arrow before, you can certainly start here. I found myself with a few questions, but Lemire made sure to answer them as he moved the story along, all without slowing down. As for me, I can tell you that I won’t be missing another of his issues. Yes, it really is that good.
A free copy was provided by DC Comics through NetGalleys in exchange for an honest review.
April 29, 2014
Wow this was long. That's my first honest reaction. It's really like 2 volumes in 1, including 2 full plot lines (for real, 9 issues for only $17!). Both are pretty solid, but the first definitely stands above the second.
Also, I came into this fresh. I purposely avoided volumes 1-3 because of all the bad reviews and it worked out. There's enough recap that I wasn't lost but it still felt like I was coming on board to something already underway. It worked really well.
The Komodo story, again, was very well executed. It was intriguing and action packed and actually had some nice nods to the outside world (Ollie actually CALLING Steve Trevor and explaining why not to involve the JLA). It's incredibly frustrating when a book acts like it's in a vacuum when you know it shouldn't be, no matter how good the book is (Wonder Woman, I'm looking at you).
On the flip side, the Vertigo story sort of lost me. It wasn't bad, it just seemed a little longer than it needed to be. It did get a nice resolution and the villains month issue about Count Vertigo was an interesting back story. It's my first villains month issue, and I'm excited for more now. There were also some moments, particularly in that issue, where a character went from normal English to broken English as some caricature. Just a little mishap with the writing I guess.
On the art side, I was a little wary going in. I know everyone praises Sorrentino for his work, but I'd already gone through his run on I, Vampire and know some of his quirks that I'm less than fond of. For one, he has characters in this book that look exactly like characters from I, Vampire. Plus, did you ever notice that the guys in his books only have like 2 different hairstyles? They all look the same. If not for different hair colors and outfits you wouldn't know who was who. That said, the layouts and the overall effect are fantastic. He's definitely got talent and the book is gorgeous, there are just some things I've noticed that bug me.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. I think the main reason I gave it only 4 stars instead of 5 is that I didn't read the other books. If I'd come off of those monstrosities, this would be a masterpiece. As-is, it's very well done, great stories, cool backstory, awesome mythos, and impressive art, but it's far from perfect. If you've been waiting to try Green Arrow, now's the time.
Also, I came into this fresh. I purposely avoided volumes 1-3 because of all the bad reviews and it worked out. There's enough recap that I wasn't lost but it still felt like I was coming on board to something already underway. It worked really well.
The Komodo story, again, was very well executed. It was intriguing and action packed and actually had some nice nods to the outside world (Ollie actually CALLING Steve Trevor and explaining why not to involve the JLA). It's incredibly frustrating when a book acts like it's in a vacuum when you know it shouldn't be, no matter how good the book is (Wonder Woman, I'm looking at you).
On the flip side, the Vertigo story sort of lost me. It wasn't bad, it just seemed a little longer than it needed to be. It did get a nice resolution and the villains month issue about Count Vertigo was an interesting back story. It's my first villains month issue, and I'm excited for more now. There were also some moments, particularly in that issue, where a character went from normal English to broken English as some caricature. Just a little mishap with the writing I guess.
On the art side, I was a little wary going in. I know everyone praises Sorrentino for his work, but I'd already gone through his run on I, Vampire and know some of his quirks that I'm less than fond of. For one, he has characters in this book that look exactly like characters from I, Vampire. Plus, did you ever notice that the guys in his books only have like 2 different hairstyles? They all look the same. If not for different hair colors and outfits you wouldn't know who was who. That said, the layouts and the overall effect are fantastic. He's definitely got talent and the book is gorgeous, there are just some things I've noticed that bug me.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. I think the main reason I gave it only 4 stars instead of 5 is that I didn't read the other books. If I'd come off of those monstrosities, this would be a masterpiece. As-is, it's very well done, great stories, cool backstory, awesome mythos, and impressive art, but it's far from perfect. If you've been waiting to try Green Arrow, now's the time.
August 22, 2025
Whoa!!! Ever since the New 52 stories began with Oliver Queen's adventures in Seattle instead of Star City, and with next to no familiarity from past incarnations aside from his obvious Smallville-style outfit. It made me wonder what the point was. But finally! They made some progress here with Oliver being forced out and later framed for murder.
The character of Komodo was pretty cool. I've never read much of Green Arrow before, but I have seen him here and there on TV and have some vague familiarity with Oliver striking it out on his own after the death of his parents. But in the New 52, it brings to life an interesting setup with his father and an almost secret society element concerning a tribe of Arrow warriors.
It saddened me to see the death of an old friend and an immediate replacement, though I can grow used to it. More trips outside of Seattle and leading to a pretty epic confrontation. Great story.
The character of Komodo was pretty cool. I've never read much of Green Arrow before, but I have seen him here and there on TV and have some vague familiarity with Oliver striking it out on his own after the death of his parents. But in the New 52, it brings to life an interesting setup with his father and an almost secret society element concerning a tribe of Arrow warriors.
It saddened me to see the death of an old friend and an immediate replacement, though I can grow used to it. More trips outside of Seattle and leading to a pretty epic confrontation. Great story.
November 3, 2016
Tiene algunas cosas maravillosas (soy una gran fan del dibujo de Sorrentino) y otras para cortarse las venas (no haces equipo con el tío creepy que acosaba a tu mejor amiga como si nada macho, qué secundarios tan meh).
En cualquier caso no sé si lo recomendaría pero es Ollie y yo lo he disfrutado mucho ❤
En cualquier caso no sé si lo recomendaría pero es Ollie y yo lo he disfrutado mucho ❤
January 14, 2016
Až na blbý souboj na hřbitově super. Má to spád a skvělou dynamiku, o ději se zatím moc nedá mluvit. Sorentinovy rámečky a zvýrazňovačky jsou zatím fajn, ale už se jich pomalu začínám přejídat.
Zelenej Hawkeye zatim dobrý.
Zelenej Hawkeye zatim dobrý.
October 18, 2014
Much better than the first three volumes. Still not perfect, but yeah...
November 26, 2022
Reprints Green Arrow (4) #17-24 (April 2013-December 2013). Oliver’s company has been lost, and now Oliver is wanted for murder as everyone he knows is under attack. When a mysterious man called the Magus intervenes in Komodo’s attempt to eliminate Green Arrow, Oliver learns there is more to his past than he was ever told…and the appearance of a woman named Shado and a young girl named Emiko could change Oliver’s world forever!
Written by Jeff Lemire, Green Arrow Volume 4: The Kill Machine is a DC Comics New 52 superhero comic book collection. Following Green Arrow Volume 3: Harrow, the comic features art by Andrea Sorrentino. Issues in the collection were also featured in Green Arrow by Jeff Lemire & Andrea Sorrentino: The Deluxe Edition and Green Arrow: War of the Clans.
The start of the Green Arrow series was pretty rocky and some of the worst of the New 52. With Jeff Lemire’s turn at the character, the comic really changes, and Green Arrow starts a potentially great run.
Green Arrow 4: The Kill Machine not only works to deepen Oliver’s character, but it also works to incorporate aspects of the Arrow TV series. Much of Arrow involved Oliver’s family, secret clans, and of course some new characters. This volume dives into that a bit and introduces the Diggle character to the DCU proper.
The story is divided into essentially three storylines (or potentially two) storylines, but unlike a lot of DC Comics at the time, it also doesn’t feel as it is constructed for trade paperback collection. The story has some conclusions, but it feels largely that Lemire is building to something bigger. Not much is resolved from the beginning of the collection to the end of the collection…and that feels good.
The art by Andrea Sorrentino is good and adds a lot of grittiness to Green Arrow. The start of the series featured a much cleaner style and Sorrentino brings the darkness and deadliness. The collection has some complex page layouts that don’t always work (it is difficult to follow story flow a couple of times), but they are pretty minor in the big picture.
Green Arrow 4: The Kill Machine shows the potential of Oliver Queen. The character is tricky to writ because “a guy with a bow” can be dumb, but if written right, he can be great (as he has shown through his storied history). Lemire is on the right track, and I look forward to seeing where he goes. Green Arrow 4: The Kill Machine is followed by Green Arrow 5: The Outsiders War.
Written by Jeff Lemire, Green Arrow Volume 4: The Kill Machine is a DC Comics New 52 superhero comic book collection. Following Green Arrow Volume 3: Harrow, the comic features art by Andrea Sorrentino. Issues in the collection were also featured in Green Arrow by Jeff Lemire & Andrea Sorrentino: The Deluxe Edition and Green Arrow: War of the Clans.
The start of the Green Arrow series was pretty rocky and some of the worst of the New 52. With Jeff Lemire’s turn at the character, the comic really changes, and Green Arrow starts a potentially great run.
Green Arrow 4: The Kill Machine not only works to deepen Oliver’s character, but it also works to incorporate aspects of the Arrow TV series. Much of Arrow involved Oliver’s family, secret clans, and of course some new characters. This volume dives into that a bit and introduces the Diggle character to the DCU proper.
The story is divided into essentially three storylines (or potentially two) storylines, but unlike a lot of DC Comics at the time, it also doesn’t feel as it is constructed for trade paperback collection. The story has some conclusions, but it feels largely that Lemire is building to something bigger. Not much is resolved from the beginning of the collection to the end of the collection…and that feels good.
The art by Andrea Sorrentino is good and adds a lot of grittiness to Green Arrow. The start of the series featured a much cleaner style and Sorrentino brings the darkness and deadliness. The collection has some complex page layouts that don’t always work (it is difficult to follow story flow a couple of times), but they are pretty minor in the big picture.
Green Arrow 4: The Kill Machine shows the potential of Oliver Queen. The character is tricky to writ because “a guy with a bow” can be dumb, but if written right, he can be great (as he has shown through his storied history). Lemire is on the right track, and I look forward to seeing where he goes. Green Arrow 4: The Kill Machine is followed by Green Arrow 5: The Outsiders War.
August 2, 2024
З 17 по 21 номер відбувається сюжет "Машина Вбивств". Сюжет починається з того, що Олівер вривається до Емерсона в офіс оскільки Квін Індастріз було продано. Між ними розпочинається суперечка під час якої з'являється загадковий лучник Комодо й вбиває Емерсона, а також підриває Кю-кор.
Почнемо з того, що Лемір тут вирішив проігнорувати те, що на момент рану Носенті Олівер так і не повернув Квін Індастріз під свій контроль й зробити це заново, що з одного боку може виглядати зайвим переускладненям, але з іншого минулий ран це такі величезні помиї, що я не здивований. Лемір тут взагалі застосовує тактику випаленої землі й вирізає деяких персонажів які грали ролі в серії до цього.
Щодо самого сюжету то він вийшов прикольним та динамічним. Спостерігати за тим як руйнується життя Оллі і як він дізнається про таємне життя свого батька було досить цікаво. За словами Леміра він прочитав минулі номери які були в серії й, на його думку, Оллі вийшов персонажем якого було складно полюбити й асоціювати з собою, а тому він вирішив "зламати" його, для того, щоб Оллі міг подивитися на себе й стати кращим персонажем. Щодо малюнку Сорентіно то він вийшов досить специфічним. Ця серія є однією з його найперших робіт і видно, що він ще не відточив свій стиль, через що персонажі місцями виглядають досить так собі. Тим не менш коли справа заходить до динаміки та самої презентації то тут можу його тільки похвалити
З цікавого то тут вперше, у всякому випадку мені так здається, згадується Рой та те, що Олівера його прогнав. Під кінець сюжету ми дізнаємося, про існування 7 кланів сформованих навколо тотемних зброїв які називають себе Аутсайдерами. А також те, що Комодо, чиє справжнє ім'я Саймон Лакруа був другом батька Олівера і що саме він вбив його на тому самому острові на який в результаті потрапить Олівер.
У 22 і та 23 номерах відбувається сюжет "Шадова". Після зустрічі із загадковою людиною, на ім'я Маґус в минулому сюжеті Олівер вирушає у Влатву для того, щоб знайти людину яка може знати про місцеперебування Комодо. Проникнувши в замок місцевого правителя, яким є Граф Вертіґо, Стріла рятує жінку яку звуть Шадо і яка заявляє, що дівчинка яка тусується з Комодо є її донькою, а також сестрою Олівера
І тут я вкотре повинен похвалити Сорентіно за те як від досить непогано представив здібності Вертіґо. В цій історії є також невеликий підсюжет з тим, як декілька лідерів банд у Сіетлі проводять зустріч оскільки на них почав хтось нападати й під кінець виявляється, що це був Річард Дракон, ДСішний майстер бойових мистецтв, який має намір захопити Сіетл
Номер 23.1 є частиною ініціативи "Місяць Лиходіїв" в якому нам розповідають оріджин Н52 версії Графа Вертіґо. Загалом вийшло досить непогано, плюс його походження наративно дещо паралелить історію Олівера
У 24 номері завершується протистояння з Вертіґо, який прибув до Сіетлу та почав погром. Річард Дракон вступає в пряму конфронтацію з Шадо, а також відбувається дебют Джона Діґла в коміксах, так того самого з сідабу. За словами Леміра коли він тільки отримав посаду сценариста то серіал, ще не почав виходити, однак вже після того, як він написав сценарій для шести номерів він таки глянув пару серій і Діґл йому сподобався найбільше, в результаті чого він почав обдумувати над можливістю ввести його в комікси. Загалом весь цей сюжет про Вертіґо мені знову ж таки сподобався. Ми дізналися трохи більше про батька Олівера, а також побачили появи нових персонажів
Почнемо з того, що Лемір тут вирішив проігнорувати те, що на момент рану Носенті Олівер так і не повернув Квін Індастріз під свій контроль й зробити це заново, що з одного боку може виглядати зайвим переускладненям, але з іншого минулий ран це такі величезні помиї, що я не здивований. Лемір тут взагалі застосовує тактику випаленої землі й вирізає деяких персонажів які грали ролі в серії до цього.
Щодо самого сюжету то він вийшов прикольним та динамічним. Спостерігати за тим як руйнується життя Оллі і як він дізнається про таємне життя свого батька було досить цікаво. За словами Леміра він прочитав минулі номери які були в серії й, на його думку, Оллі вийшов персонажем якого було складно полюбити й асоціювати з собою, а тому він вирішив "зламати" його, для того, щоб Оллі міг подивитися на себе й стати кращим персонажем. Щодо малюнку Сорентіно то він вийшов досить специфічним. Ця серія є однією з його найперших робіт і видно, що він ще не відточив свій стиль, через що персонажі місцями виглядають досить так собі. Тим не менш коли справа заходить до динаміки та самої презентації то тут можу його тільки похвалити
З цікавого то тут вперше, у всякому випадку мені так здається, згадується Рой та те, що Олівера його прогнав. Під кінець сюжету ми дізнаємося, про існування 7 кланів сформованих навколо тотемних зброїв які називають себе Аутсайдерами. А також те, що Комодо, чиє справжнє ім'я Саймон Лакруа був другом батька Олівера і що саме він вбив його на тому самому острові на який в результаті потрапить Олівер.
У 22 і та 23 номерах відбувається сюжет "Шадова". Після зустрічі із загадковою людиною, на ім'я Маґус в минулому сюжеті Олівер вирушає у Влатву для того, щоб знайти людину яка може знати про місцеперебування Комодо. Проникнувши в замок місцевого правителя, яким є Граф Вертіґо, Стріла рятує жінку яку звуть Шадо і яка заявляє, що дівчинка яка тусується з Комодо є її донькою, а також сестрою Олівера
І тут я вкотре повинен похвалити Сорентіно за те як від досить непогано представив здібності Вертіґо. В цій історії є також невеликий підсюжет з тим, як декілька лідерів банд у Сіетлі проводять зустріч оскільки на них почав хтось нападати й під кінець виявляється, що це був Річард Дракон, ДСішний майстер бойових мистецтв, який має намір захопити Сіетл
Номер 23.1 є частиною ініціативи "Місяць Лиходіїв" в якому нам розповідають оріджин Н52 версії Графа Вертіґо. Загалом вийшло досить непогано, плюс його походження наративно дещо паралелить історію Олівера
У 24 номері завершується протистояння з Вертіґо, який прибув до Сіетлу та почав погром. Річард Дракон вступає в пряму конфронтацію з Шадо, а також відбувається дебют Джона Діґла в коміксах, так того самого з сідабу. За словами Леміра коли він тільки отримав посаду сценариста то серіал, ще не почав виходити, однак вже після того, як він написав сценарій для шести номерів він таки глянув пару серій і Діґл йому сподобався найбільше, в результаті чого він почав обдумувати над можливістю ввести його в комікси. Загалом весь цей сюжет про Вертіґо мені знову ж таки сподобався. Ми дізналися трохи більше про батька Олівера, а також побачили появи нових персонажів
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2023
The Kill Machine is a new saga for Green Arrow, and a new direction for the series, I may add. After another argument with Emerson about the company's loss, Oliver loses everything. Q-core, Emerson, Jax and Naomi have all been eliminated and Oliver is framed for the attacks. But these attacks are done by a new enemy, Komodo. Now Green Arrow is left with nothing and is forced to restart everything from scratch. From the advice of the mysterious Magus, he must find the three Dragons if he ever wants to take down Komodo.
While I honestly thought the first three volumes of New 52 Green Arrow were okay, I did feel there was something lacking in the stories. With Lemire taking over here, there were changes done that made this story arc much more satisfying to read about. My only complaint would be that Arrow has to find a new crew now that his old team is gone, which is a shame as I liked his comrades. Regardless, both the writing and art are a definite improvement to how things are going for Green Rrow now!
While I honestly thought the first three volumes of New 52 Green Arrow were okay, I did feel there was something lacking in the stories. With Lemire taking over here, there were changes done that made this story arc much more satisfying to read about. My only complaint would be that Arrow has to find a new crew now that his old team is gone, which is a shame as I liked his comrades. Regardless, both the writing and art are a definite improvement to how things are going for Green Rrow now!
August 26, 2019
This is exactly the book that I wanted to read about the Green Arrow. The Killing Machine/Shado story arcs not only dovetail nicely, but move Green Arrow beyond the scope of a "cape and mask superhero" book. The story is about as tight a storyline as I've seen in a comic book in a long time. It moves GA beyond the hero vs villain trope into the psycho-drama territory of a great story like "Batman: Year One". It is all about GA vs himself and rewriting what he believes to be true about himself and his personal history, even as the world around undergoes a similar reconstruction. And the artistic style changed with the start of this book and reminds me a lot of a style that I generally associate with Marvel comics, invoking Elektra and some of the Black Widow books I've read.
I'm really glad that I just didn't read the JL books, but instead added in some of the individual lines. This book and the two Captain Atom volumes are better than the JL books.
I'm really glad that I just didn't read the JL books, but instead added in some of the individual lines. This book and the two Captain Atom volumes are better than the JL books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews