Review- GREEN ARROW VOL. 1: HUNTER'S MOON

GREEN ARROW VOL. 1: HUNTER'S MOON (DC, 2013; Softcover)

Collects Green Arrow #1-6 (cover dates February- July, 1988)

Writer: Mike Grell

Artist: Ed Hannigan with inking by Dick Giordano and Frank McLaughlin

I didn't read this in the '80s, as I loathed the dark, gritty, “psychologically probing” comics that became the order of the day circa 1987/1988. This was of course the fallout from Watchmen, which I didn't read until many years later. It was a new and different sensibility for comics, especially mainstream American comics which were beginning to ditch the Comics Code Authority for the first time in over 30 years in favor of sales exclusively to comics specialty shops (the Direct Market as the kids these days call it). 14-15 year old me wasn't quite ready for comic books like this.

Mike Grell sticks to the writing of this re-rebooted Green Arrow, dealing with more adult themes and increased graphic violence. Grell was writing narrative and dialogue free sequences long before they became the norm. The first “arc” lasted two whole issues. I can only imagine a modern writer stretching it out to six issues.

Ed Hannigan's artwork is solid but it is great when paired with Dick Giordano's inking. Their artwork may look slightly out of date to modern audiences, but bear in mind that this was pen and brush, folks. Photoshop was Science Fiction to these cats back when this series was originally published.

I normally despise characters deviating from their established norms but let's face it, Green Arrow has had multiple incarnations prior to this, and I can only guess that there have been multiple ones since then. I have no emotional attachment to this or most other DC characters so I can freely accept different interpretations of established characters. I freely admit that I have a double standard, as I cannot tolerate the slightest deviance when it comes to Marvel characters. This was a great read and I have Volume 2 in queue and hope to read it someday.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- This book weighs about as much as a pack of cigarettes due to the cheap paper that DC passes off on folks.

Linework and Color restoration: It looks good, but I didn't bother comparing it to scans of the original issues.

Paper stock: DC's Charmin special toilet paper stock. It looks and feels cheap and will brown with age. My first printing of Batman Chronicles Vol. 1 from a decade ago is browning, and it has been stored in a climate controlled environment in an acid free box, away from sunlight. My old Swamp Thing trades from that era are also browning. What a joke.

Binding: Perfect bound trade paperback.

Cardstock cover notes: Laminated cardstock cover.