Green Arrow #47

By Julie Benson, Shawna Benson, German Peralta & John Kalisz

Wrapping up the finale of Julie and Shawna Benson’s current arc on Green Arrow in style, #47 ends on a high note that makes the most out of the Black Canary and Green Arrow partnership when Oliver Queen finds himself captured in this Black Mirror-style arc that sees the public hold the final choice over what happens to Oliver. With the fate of the Green Arrow at stake, Oliver must rely on Dinah to intervene.

The dynamic of Dinah and Oliver is on point here as we get to see them working together as equals to take down Citizen. Whilst Citizen himself is underwhelming and never fully developed, the conclusion still takes a satisfying turn that forces Oliver come to terms with his past in a way that the Bensons are able to explore to optimum effect.

The book’s artwork is great and captures the mood of the storyline very well. German Peralta does a good job capturing the stakes of the situation as we see a beaten and dishevelled Oliver in an electric chair at the Citizen’s mercy. The villain himself looks like a strong, physical and intimidating opponent for Oliver to face and proves to be more than a match, with the set-piece showdown providing an entertaining conclusion.



The way Peralta draws Dinah in the Green Arrow costume is interesting and it begs the question what would happen if Dinah took up the mantle permanently. Because she is the real star of this issue, even if naturally, Green Arrow gets all the credit for her work as Black Canary. As a Mission Impossible fan, identity swaps are never not fun to see exposed, and there’s always that satisfaction that comes with them regardless of the person who is impersonating the character. John Kalisz’s colours are fantastic too, and as well as Dinah being brought to life under the guise of the Green Arrow, the panels leading up to her arrival with an arrow putting a stop to the Citizen’s plan being an effective one, brilliantly illustrated with a great combination of lighting and effects

It’s also worth mentioning that Alex Maleev’s cover, as ever, is spectacular, as is Kaare Andrews’ variant of Dinah with a boxing glove arrow. Maleev’s art gives a more accurate taste of what to expect in the issue, with both the Green Arrow and The Citizen coming to blows in a dramatic fashion.

Green Arrow #47 feels like a satisfying conclusion to the end of an arc that wraps up on a high note. It gets across a great political message in true Oliver fashion, and there’s plenty here for the fans of the character to enjoy, even if The Citizen may not be the most memorable of antagonists ever, oftentimes feeling like a villain of the week on Arrow. But as a whole the arc does a solid job at keeping readers entertained, and with some great work from the Bensons, Peralta and Kalisz it emerges as something that’s worth keeping an eye out for.