Strictly speaking, the Green Arrow constitutes a superhero the same way a half-eaten bologna sandwich constitutes a full meal. You think Aquaman’s lame? Try a middle-aged hippie who’s really good at archery. And yet…I find myself, a bitter young reactionary, strangely drawn towards Oliver Queen as of late. Maybe it’s Judd Winick’s understated dialogue. Maybe it’s Scott McDaniel’s grasp of kinetics. Maybe it’s the gentle kiss of a mild summer evening. Whatever it is, it’s strange and new and I can’t fight it any longer. I’ve started buying back issues of Green Arrow.

Green Arrow #62 is a One Year Later tie-in. Deathstroke corners Green Arrow. Thirty-two pages of energetic fun ensue. Sure, there’s nothing tremendously deep about the story (whenever Winick tries to be deep, he bombs), and the cover’s about as subtle as a Gunther video, but this issue’s a blast. The strategy of the fight unfolds entertainingly, and Winick uniquely tells the issue from Deathstroke’s point of view. The ending provides fantastic payoff, and as you read, you feel that the effect of GA #62 is what the entire DC staff should have aimed for with One Year Later.

Scott McDaniel is one of comics’ unsung heroes. In the early nineties, his work on Daredevil unsuccessfully mimicked the look of Sin City. Thankfully, he’s improved and now draws motion with the zest, though not the look, of Frank Miller. The point of view and layout are exciting, and the proportions are consistent. McDaniel’s rough precision is a joy to indulge in, and one hopes the DC staff will find an equally suitable project for him now that Green Arrow has been cancelled.  

Worth the money? Yes. For a cheap back issue, it’s amazingly fun.