Connor Hawke: Dragon's Blood # 1 (of 6)
DC COMICS
WRITER: Chuck Dixon
ARTIST/COVER: Derec Donovan

Connor Hawke, son of Green Arrow-Oliver Queen is invited to join a tournament of the world's greatest archers but it soon becomes obvious that something sinister is really afoot. This issue pretty much just sets the stage for the story. We hear a legend of how a Chinese archer defeated an evil dragon (aren't Asian dragons wise, benificent creatures?) and we are told that this is what inspired the contest. We are also introduced to a number of other top archers-- most of them new characters and most of them will likely be killed off as this miniseries progresses. The art, while not spectacular, fits the story well, giving all the characters their own individual look. Connor looks quite good too: a superhero who isn't sarcastic, overbearing or intimidating but who has a sense of daring and exuberance about him. One thing that does stick out like a sore thumb is seeing an old-school writer like Dixon resorting to the now-overused "decompressed storytelling" style. It doesn't help that he has used the old "gathering of martial arts masters" plotline several times in the recent past. Hopefully, the rest of this story will move at a faster pace.