Green Arrow is notable as one of five Golden Age superheroes who saw continuous publication into the Silver Age of Comics. Despite this, he has never had as well-developed a rogue’s gallery as Superman or Batman. The 2024 Green Arrow Annual aims to fix this, by retroactively giving Oliver Queen a worthy villain. It also serves as a capstone to the series run by Joshua Williamson, Sean Izaakse, and Amancay Nahuelpan and a tribute to the history of the Emerald Archer.
The story opens in the distant future, on the island where Oliver Queen first became a hero. Retired, the elder Ollie is babysitting the children and grandchildren of the many heroes he mentored over his life. Any hope he has of a nap on the beach is quickly abandoned, however, as the kids ask for stories of his adventures. Specifically, they ask for a story about “the time you missed,” which is quite rarer than the times Ollie made a perfect shot in the nick of time.
(Image Source: DC)
Oliver obligingly tells the children about the villain called Firestarter. He first encountered the mad arsonist just after he became a vigilante. Unlike most supervillains, Firestarter didn’t announce his crimes or have any clear motives beyond liking to burn things. This made him a perfect foil to the more colorful Green Arrow, who operated openly in his efforts to save people.
(Image Source: DC)
The action of Green Arrow 2024 Annual #1 runs across the length of Oliver Queen’s career as a superhero. The flow of time is charted through the art as Ollie details his long-running battle with Firestarter. As the story unfolds, his costume changes to reflect the designs of the artists who came before Izaakse and Nahuelpan. Every era, from Mike Grell‘s Longbow Hunters to the New 52 revamp, is showcased within the story.
(Image Source: DC)
Things come full circle in the final chapter. Here, Green Arrow assembles the entire Arrow Family to target all three men he suspects are Firestarter. The comic closes with the elder Ollie recalling adventures he has yet to live. These include a time travel trip into the Wild West and an encounter with Kamandi, the Last Boy on Earth.
“Life can be hard,” Ollie advises his charges. “Unpredictable. Not everything goes your way, but I’ve made the best of it.”
Green Arrow 2024 Annual #1 is now available at comic shops everywhere.