DC has been on something of a hot streak with the Secret Files lately, as far as I was concerned. I usually hate the things, but the issues for titles I collect, Hawkman and Catwoman, were both pretty solid. Green Arrow breaks that streak, because even though I'm enjoying the title now, this issue is mostly done by people who have nothing to do with the current title, and more to the point, most of the stories just aren't very entertaining to me. Aside from one of the stories, the elements I found most enjoyable are the ones I don't usually, the profile pages (almost entirely by Phil Hester) and a fantastic two-page "tech specs" page on Arrow's arsenal by Eliot R. Brown.
The strongest story is also the shortest, as Dan Curtis Johnson introduces Green Arrow, the ultimate "anti-government surveillance" guy to Chase, the ultimate "super-heroes need government oversight" girl. It's a cute story that sets up both points of view and then comes to something of a compromise, and it serves both characters well. I was also impressed with the artwork, by Kelly Yates (or Greg Scott, both are listed in separate credits). It reminds me somewhat of Damion Scott and Tim Levins, with cartoony aspects and strong storytelling, and I'd definitely like to see more.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure the same is true of the lead creative team's take on Green Arrow. Diego Barreto and Robin Riggs turn in an art job that seems like an attempt to blend Phil Hester's style with a more realistic and straightforward approach, and it winds up simply looking bland instead. The story, meanwhile, just seems like an odd fit for Green Arrow. The banter between Connor and Ollie seems forced and artificial, not as smooth as the dialogue of Meltzer or Smith, and the plot focused on mystical elements seems a weird choice for the character. Although Stanley and his Monster played a part in Smith's story of Green Arrow, that doesn't mean he's necessarily a character ideal for mystical stories, and the main plot and adversaries of this one, up to and including the surprise reason that Green Arrow was recruited, just didn't work for me.
McCullar's story suffers from the same problem, and from some surprisingly flat work from Rick Burchett and Dan Davis. It fits the nature of a Secret Files, introducing unrevealed elements of Oliver Queen's early life and origins, but it felt a little too goofy, a little too Silver Age. Though the tone is meant to be serious and dark, the coincidences that cost him dearly and cause him to overcome his fear of killing something with the bow make it hard to take seriously. However, the framing sequence does have a nice setup for the one page gag at the end of the book, ably demonstrated by Patrick Gleason and Michael Bair.
While the stories were not my cup of tea, for the most part, the profile pages in this one are really strong, and a treat for anyone who has been enjoying the current Green Arrow stories. All of the pinup pages are done by Phil Hester, with the exception of a really nice Eddie Fyers by Phil Winslade and a Hard Traveling Heroes spread by Charlie Adlard that fits right in with his style, and every one of them looks great. I was also quite pleased, especially in light of the disappointing Marvel Encylopedia in recent weeks, to see that Eliot R. Brown is still doing his technical breakdowns of super-hero gear, and his look at Green Arrow's arsenal is probably the high point of this issue.
