Things take an interesting turn with the mysterious hooded killer as he is only going after certain targets leaving Canary more confused than ever. Her investigation brings her to a strung out Roy Harper who has been busy burying his skeletons as he brings Dinah down the rabbit hole of conspiracies brought to life.
This review is brought to you by Nerd Initiative’s Megan and Matt!
Creative Team:
Pornsak Pichetshote, Rafael Albuquerque, Marcelo Maiolo, and Jeff Powell.
Writing
Matt: Pornsak is continuously finding ways to combine both new backgrounds for these characters that are melted together with lore that is steeped in history and importance from where they come from. This issue focuses on Roy Harper who in various iterations is known to have struggled with drugs and gone by Red Arrow which Pornsak pays respects to with this issue. Meanwhile, I love a good conspiracy theory and ones that are proven true such as in this issue grab my attention like no other. Roy has secrets to hide and Pornsak makes him a grey character who has history with Ollie and a troubled past. Not everything is clear cut which this story is showcasing to us.
Meanwhile, we have been introduced to a killer for the past two issues and this issue finally breaks the mold and makes us question ourselves a bit. Since this run is also steeped in realism with the modern world, our mysterious Longbow Killer seems to have an agenda and has begun to save innocent lives. Again, the way Pornsak is able to twist and turn and bring out character flaws is so well executed in this issue and run overall. The final pages culminate in what we have been building towards and almost has my initial theories correct while giving us an unexpected surprise character!
Megan: In the Absolute Universe, there’s mystery all around, but the most mysterious circumstances come from Absolute Green Arrow. There’s a serial killer on the loose and their victims are very specifically chosen. Dinah, AKA Black Canary, is on the case, but things just get more and more outrageous the deeper she digs. After coming face to face with the Green Arrow Killer and narrowly escaping with her life, she finds Green Arrows protege, Roy Harper. Roy is filling in the cracks of the story Dinah can’t figure out, and just when she thought this case couldn’t get any more crazy she realizes that what she knows is just the beginning.
Art
Matt: I could not be more in love with the artistic choices in this issue! Starting off with Marcelo’s colorwork which instantly from the first page have a beautiful lightly shaded background of pinks and sunset like colors to them. The way Marcelo is able to make even the gunfire standout with a bright orange against the darker background just fills the panels with amazing eye catching coloring. Rafael gets extra creative with the detailing in the art especially with Roy. One thing Rafael does so well is as the issue goes on and Roy becomes more unhinged his face slowly becomes more and more creepier along with it. The little details in characters faces and things like that tell as much of the story as Jeff’s letters who match intensity as we culminate in a shocking ending to this issue.
Megan: The artists of Absolute Green Arrow #3 really lean into the grittiness of the story, leaving no stone unturned when it comes to the chaos. Rafael Albuquerque, Marcelo Maiolo, and Jeff Powell each do their part to make this run, and this issue specifically, very memorable. Albuquerque brings a lot of horror energy to the comic, from the tension of the characters to the unhinged facial expressions that leave you trusting no one. Maiolo has a beautiful contrast between the darker tones and vibrancy. There’s an interesting use of vibrancy in the shading that makes each panel even more impactful and full of depth. Jeff Powell wraps the comic in a perfect bow with his excellent work on the lettering. The emotions of the characters are felt loudly, but in the dialogue, you can experience them even better as Powell captures the tones with ease.
Final Thoughts
Matt: 10/10: This issue is the best of the run so far in my opinion! Between the incredible artistic decisions that make the panels stand out and grab our eyes and attention to the slow boil of intensity that Pornsak is delivering with the plot. I would love to see this run get extended because I love the world the team is building here!
Megan: 9/10. Absolute Green Arrow #3 really puts it into perspective how high the stakes are and how deep this mystery truly goes. If anyone had any doubts on this run, I can assure you that the third issue will change your mind.
Overall Grade: 9.5/10
How are you liking this Deadpool series? Let me know in the comments
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