It appears that Oliver Queen will once again not have a monthly title from DC!
AN UNHAPPY CHRISTMAS PRESENT!
Word has spread around the Internet that Green Arrow will yet again lose his regular title on the DC schedule, and on Christmas Eve, too!
Author Chris Condon said on Bluesky, “Issue thirty-one of Green Arrow will be my final issue on the title. It’s been fantastic to work with Montos, Buddy, Hass, Adriano, and Chris Rosa on the book. More than that, it’s been a dream to work on a character like Ollie for DC Comics. I’m bummed we have to end things here, but I’m fiercely proud of the work – especially this final issue. Thank you to all of the fans who have been reading month to month for your support. Like you, I can’t wait to see what comes next for the Emerald Archer. @muaadib.bsky.social, who has made each and every cover an iconic piece. This book wouldn’t be the same without him.”
Cover artist Taurin Clarke posted on X: “Our grand finale, Green Arrow # 31 has just been announced. Maybe my proudest run in comics. Thanks to Montos, Buddy, Hass, Adriano, and my boys Chris Condon and Chris Rosa for inspiring the hell out of me every single month. Thanks to everyone who supported our book!”
And, of course, this was made all the more real by DC All-In showrunner Scott Snyder, who posted: “Decisions like these are above my paygrade, but the honest reason is that not enough of us were buying it. The sales numbers on GA were just unsustainable. It’s disappointing to everyone. But keeping it going means not being able to take other chances.”
Here’s the solicitation:
GREEN ARROW #31
Writer(s): CHRIS CONDON
Artist(s): MONTOS
Cover Artist(s): TAURIN CLARKE
Variant cover by SKYLAR PATRIDGE
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
After an explosive domestic squabble between a working father and a teenage daughter boils into the streets, the Emerald Archer must reckon with his past choices and experiences in order to provide a path forward for the two… and himself. On Sale: 12/24/25
I ALWAYS FEEL SORRY FOR GA!
Since I’m a big Batman fan, I always am entertained when Batman-alikes appear to try and claim their share of the Bat-fame and Bat-income.
Look, it’s pretty obvious that Green Arrow was intended to emulate Batman. I mean, he has an Arrow Car, an Arrow Plane, and an Arrow Cave, for pity’s sake! He’s also got a sidekick who wears brighter colors than he has! He now has an “Arrow Family” that rivals the Bat-family these days!
I was optimistic when Joshua Williamson took on the writing duties for this latest version of GA. I have been a huge fan of his writing for years, and things did start off very promisingly for the Emerald Archer. But I heard him say at a recent MegaCon in Orlando that he was advised against scripting Ollie because that character has very rarely found traction among the fans. He did stay on board for several issues, but I noticed he had stopped writing the book after a while. The new writers did a very good job of taking up the mantle, but GA is a very difficult character to sell.
He’s not only a Batman-style character, but archery just isn’t as popular as it may have been in years past. Then, too, all of his adversaries were also archers! It was “arrow” against “arrow” so much of the time. He kind of what I call “Supergirl disease.” Poor Kara has always lived in the shadow of her cousin, Superman, and I fear GA never really got out from under the Dark Knight’s shadow.
THE BEST GA?
It’s true that Green Arrow has had some terrific incarnations. Mike Grell did the Longbow Hunters series of books that I adored! (Yes, he still did face other archers, but the art and the stories were very captivating!)
Then, too, the CW series called Arrow served as the foundation for an entire universe of DC-related characters on TV for several years. Steven Amell, with his Internet-savvy way of communicating with fans, really made the show popular, particularly among comic-familiar fans.
It’s not like we won’t see GA in the comics! He will doubtless be in the Justice League Unlimited comic and will be seen with Black Canary and his other co-horts when the story warrants it.
But I will miss reading his exploits each month!
HOW DO YOU SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE GREEN ARROW?
I often pose this question when a comic book character seems to have run out of steam. It’s often not the character, per se, but it may be that the writing isn’t making fans plunk down their hard-earned quatloos these days.
I take hope from the Hulk comics. Philip Kennedy Johnson has done a fascinating job of focusing on the big green guy’s monster aspects. He doesn’t dress up in Avengers outfits any longer, but instead is dealing with other big, imposing monsters that actually challenge him.
Should DC bring back Mike Grell to tell GA stories? It might be a good start since he was one of the best Green Arrow storytellers. I think some creator will need to distill the hero down to what has made him last so many years, then focus on that quality and go from there. Who can do that? I wish I were a fly on DC’s walls so I could hear just who could be in contention for that, but I’m just not certain.
Until issue #31 arrives on Christmas Eve, I’ll just have to keep enjoying every time Ollie appears in DC’s comics. (By the way, I did enjoy the GA/Daredevil crossover in the recent Deadpool/Batman comic.)
I do hate that I keep finding myself trying to keep some comic characters going. I’m also a big Hawkman fan, but he’s not getting the attention he deserves. However, The Phantom just started his return to comics from Mad Cave, so I’m still staying optimistic that these great characters will get matched up with the creators who know best how to handle them! Speaking of which, I have really enjoyed Jeremy Adams’ writing on Green Lantern, so if he gets an opening in his schedule, maybe he would help GA out?
Until then, I’ll add Green Arrow to my list of heroes who I feel deserve better treatment! I’ll buy every book he appears in, hoping to help him get back to his proper place in the DCU!
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