GREEN ARROW #46

Teamwork

March 2005

Written by Judd Winick

Pencils by Tom Fowler

Inks by Rodney Ramos

Cover by James Jean

Synopsis

In Star City, Ollie Queen (aka Green Arrow), with the help of Conner Hawke and Mia Deardon (aka Speedy) stop a shipment of guns being sent to Brick from the Penguin in Gotham City.  Afterwards, Ollie tells Mia they are taking a trip to San Francisco.  At first she thought it was a vacation, but so learns she is going to become a member of the Teen Titans.  After passing a few tests, the titans welcome her onto the team.  Afterwards, Mia tells Ollie that she doesn’t want to tell the titans she is HIV positive until they get to know her better.  But she does want to be part of the team.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This feels like a transition issue or perhaps a fill-in issue until the next big storyline.  The decision had finally been made to put Mia into costume and call her Speedy, so now Winick spends an issue showing her getting her feet wet.  Perhaps Winick will back off Speedy or phase her out of this title and allow Geoff Johns to use her more in Teen Titans, a place where she belongs more than in Green Arrow (who as a sidekick in Conner).  The scenes at the Titan Tower were fun and it was great to see Speedy as part of a large group of friends.  I don’t think we ever saw Mia have friends, so it is nice to Speedy with friends. 

It wasn’t until I opened this issue that I realized just how long Hester and Parks had been on this title:  nearly four years.  I had gotten so used the style and to the exceptional quality.  I wouldn’t say I took it for granted, but I certainly appreciated it a lot more when I got to this issue.  Fowler’s art just doesn’t cut it.  part of that is, of course, the comparison to Hester’s work, but also part of it is Fowler’s work, which seemingly puts these Joker like grins to all of the characters.  Mia, especially, comes across as looking a little bit evil.  Other times the look is cartoonish, with wonky facial expressions and a loose feel to the character’s bodies.  And what is the deal with Ollie’s beard?

PREVIOUS	Main		Page	NEXT