This fill-in issue brings a new name to my attention. Writer James Peaty clearly knows these characters well, and he offers up a rather unusual team-up story that actually gets to the heart of the title character as a liberal-minded activist. There are a couple of problems with the issue, though. First of all, the writer assumes thereader knows the characters as well as he does, and given the somewhat obscure nature of Anarky, that's a mistake. Furthermore, while Eric Battle impresses with the evolution of his style, the storytelling is ultimately lacking, as a dark style eclipses clarity. Overall, it's not a bad issue, though, and the creators show some real promise.
A public arena in Star City is decimated by a bombing, and a message to police points the blame squarely on the shoulders of so-called terrorist Anarky. The city's protector, Green Arrow, rampages through the underworld looking for leads when he encounters the masked perpetrator himself. One problem: Anarky proclaims his innocence. Together, the two masked heroes endeavor to find the real culprits, all while the Emerald Archer envies Anarky's determination and socio-political drive, traits Arrow himself claimed in his younger days.
I remember Eric Battle's work on Aquaman and a couple of other DC fill-in jobs from a few years ago, and I also remember being disappointed with those efforts. When I saw his name on the cover, I wasn't looking forward to his return, but I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. A darker, more engaging style has evolved, and it really suited the mysterious, tense atmosphere of the story. Unfortunately, some extreme and odd points of view throughout the book obfuscate what's happening at times, making it a little difficult to follow the flow of the action and plot. Ultimately, I'm more impressed than put off by the penciller's efforts here, and I actually look forward to more work from him.
The plot is a pretty simple one, as two heroes team up, ruffle some feathers in the criminal underworld and get the information they're after in order to identify and beat up the bad guys. The criminal plot they uncover is somewhat clever, and the writer does a good job of conveying the grisly fallout that arises when the plan goes astray.
Peaty's story isn't about bombs, robbers or terrorism. It's about a liberal-minded man growing old and realizing his views have aged along with him. It's a notion to which readers such as myself -- those who have made the transition from their idealistic 20s to their more self-centered 30s -- can relate. Peaty's choice to use Anarky to spark this introspection on the title character's part is a wise one. Unfortunately, this isn't the most accessible script. Readers who don't know who Anarky is and what he's about will no doubt find themselves a bit out of the loop as to the comparison s/he is meant to see. 6/10
