Review by Brian Grindrod
Longbow Hunters forever changed the US comic book industry with its graphic novel format. With the series' mature, sophisticated and finite story arc, comic books finally gained a level of much needed credibility and acceptance from the public as well as the media. With landmark projects such as The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen, DC Comics drastically altered the landscape of presenting costumed heroes with their simplistic banal stories but it is Mike Grell's masterpiece that set the professional standards. To this day, no project of this magnitude has been able to reach or surpass its artistic level and excellence in storytelling.
Since his first appearance in 1941, Green Arrow was considered nothing more than a second rate Batman with his trick arrows and an alter ego which quite resembled Gotham City's most famous philanthropist. Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams classic Green Lantern/Green Arrow stories brought a certain depth to the character with their alterations that heightened his popularity but it is Mike Grell who was able to launch off the Emerald Archer's first ongoing title. Perhaps Mike Grell's name may sound unfamiliar to new and younger comic book readers but his work on DC's Warlord & Jon Sable, Freelance (published by First Comics) had already garnered him a strong fan base way before Longbow Hunters solidified his reputation as a stellar writer and outstanding artist. Grell also pencilled the third Green Lantern/Green Arrow series back in 1976 with writer Dennis O'Neil.
I always mock those who consider explicit graphic depiction of violence, implicit sexual scenes and profane language as realism in comics. They obviously have no idea that these themes must be handled with a mature approach and sensibility in presenting such matters.
Grell sets Oliver Queen and his lover, Dinah Lance (Black Canary), as a newly arrived couple in the city of Seattle. This move was to get these two characters out of a mythical Metropolis and steer away from presenting stories where they would come across bizarre villains with ludicrous powers and motivations that can only work in the super-hero genre. Green Arrow was going to be presented as an urban vigilante who fights a level of crime that can be read about in any newspaper on a daily basis. You know the kind that I mean; Drug related, rape, murder and criminal gang warfare.
Oliver Queen is also portrayed in a manner which added to the realistic dimensions of these stories to make the character plausible besides credible. He is faced with his own sense of mortality as he reaches the age of 43 and is now a grandfather. This causes a friction between him and Dinah Lance as he wants children but considering their life of vigilantism, it is unacceptable to raise a family although their love for one another is indisputable.
On the hunt of a serial killer whose target are prostitutes, Green Arrow encounters another archer who is later revealed to be Shado who plays a major role in the story. This time, no amount of trick arrows or sonic screams was going to save the day.
This is a pivotal point in the Green Arrow mythos which shows the reader that crime fighting is not a game but rather a deadly choice of life. The true villains are the degenerate drug dealers, murderers, rapists and violent criminals who are allowed to roam freely amidst our society. Not some egomaniacal bozo in an armoured outfit that wants to rule the world and constantly says "Bah & Feh" to four costumed idiots who thwart his doom like plans on a weekly basis. Although Oliver Queen finally hunts down those who would take a life so callously, the repercussions were to be felt for the next six years during the ongoing series and brought a new vision to the costumed hero genre. In a climatic scene, Shado points out to Oliver that recent events have made him a changed man. Indeed it did.
Not only does Grell bring the hero genre to the next logical level but does so with incredible art work. Grell skilfully portrays the humanity of the characters with such realism that you cannot help but believe that you are reading about living breathing people. His depiction of Seattle is absolutely breathtaking while no effort is spared to bring about all the necessary background detail in every panel for each scene. Grell effectively uses cinematic views to bring exceptional visual to all the pages. You will also notice how Grell did not ink certain panels which causes a film like atmosphere to the book. A true piece of comic book art.
Color artist Julia Lacquement should also be noted for her exceptional skills. Her rendering fools the eye into believing that you are looking at painted art work. In an era where computer coloring was not a tool for production, one cannot help but be amazed at how much effort there is injected to make the pencil work unique.
What makes Longbow Hunters a unique and important piece of comic book history is that these characters posses no super powers although they wear the spandex. No boxing glove arrow and Canary Cry shtick. The plot, dialogue and characterization is so powerfully and naturally realistic that we can associate ourselves with the heroes and cast members.
Pick up the Longbow Hunters collected edition which features an authentic Green Arrow. You will never look at the super-hero genre the same way again.
