From his dogged optimism to his signature weapon—which was deemed obsolete by most people centuries ago—Oliver Queen has always felt like a bit of an old soul. So, it almost feels appropriate that he’s celebrating his 80th Anniversary this year. Green Arrow’s the sort of character who could easily have existed for far longer than that. And yet, he’s never been more relevant than he is right now. Ollie is a champion of the people, a man born into luxury who has never embraced or trusted the 1% he’s a part of or the governments and corporations that prop them up. He was progressive before most of today’s progressives were even born, and you get the feeling he’ll still be passionately fighting for the cause when today’s activists are long gone and buried.
But for now, he stands alongside us, fighting impossible fights armed with little more than his brain, physical prowess and however many arrows he can fit in his quiver. The 100-page Green Arrow 80th Anniversary Super Spectacular is a celebration of that spirit and its comic book history. Featuring the work of over two dozen writers and artists who have contributed to the Green Arrow legacy or been inspired by it, it’s a must-have collection that reminds us of how little it can take to change the world. Sometimes all you need is a bow.
When Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino took the reins of Green Arrow for what’s now seen as a character-defining run, Ollie was still early in his career as a superhero. He hadn’t yet met Dinah Lance and didn’t even have his signature goatee. Now, nearly ten years later, the iconic creative team returns to the character for the Green Arrow 80th Anniversary Super Spectacular to show us the other end of his life. “The Last Green Arrow Story” reintroduces us to an aged and seemingly retired Oliver Queen as he returns to the island where it all began for a showdown that’s been a lifetime in the making. It’s a story that’s both thrilling and remarkably moving, and you can check out the first three pages of it below. As a bonus, we’ve also included a gallery of the Super Spectacular’s covers, including its eight decade-specific variant covers. It’s all coming to comic shops with the force of a boxing glove arrow next week and you’ll want to make sure you pick it up. After all, what would Ollie think if you missed your shot?
Green Arrow 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 by Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino and dozens of the most exciting creators in comics is available in print and as a digital comic on Tuesday, June 29.
One hundred pages and that’s all we’re giving you? Come on, we wouldn’t do you like that! Check out a sneak peek at Mariko Tamaki and Javier Rodriguez’s Green Arrow 80th Anniversary tale, “The Disappearing Bandit” right now in the DC Community.