Roy Harper (Speedy/Arsenal/ Red Arrow,/Arsenal again) Appreciation

[Frontier]

Roy's unnecessary parkour was like its own character.

[Herowatcher]

Roy's beginnings...

[Frontier]

Looks like Roy will be returning to Arrow .

[Herowatcher]

Every hero and their sidekick has had a special relationship between them.

Bruce and Dick - Father /Son
Barry and Wally - Uncle /Nephew
Arthur & Garth - Big Brother /Little Brother
Diana & Donna - Big Sister /Little Sister
Kathy & Betty - Aunt /Niece
Katar & Charley - Mentor/Student


I've always felt Ollie and Roy's relationship was a cross between adopted Father /Son and Big Brother /Little Brother.
Does that seem about right?

[Frontier]

Every hero and their sidekick has had a special relationship between them.

Bruce and Dick - Father /Son
Barry and Wally - Uncle /Nephew
Arthur & Garth - Big Brother /Little Brother
Diana & Donna - Big Sister /Little Sister
Kathy & Betty - Aunt /Niece
Katar & Charley - Mentor/Student


I've always felt Ollie and Roy's relationship was a cross between adopted Father /Son and Big Brother /Little Brother.
Does that seem about right?

I think Oliver and Roy have a complex relationship, particularly depending on what continuity you're looking at.

Post-Crisis I'd say Ollie was the closest thing Roy had to a dad outside the Native American family that took him in, though now in the current continuity where they were closer in age it was more of an older brother/younger brother dynamic in line with Arrow.

In both scenarios Oliver ends up screwing things up because of his own hang-ups and insecurities.

[baycitybomber]

Is the Native American family still in continuity in Rebirth?

[ed2962]

Is the Native American family still in continuity in Rebirth?

Yes, although there seems to be tension between Roy and some of the members.

[Assam]

Is the Native American family still in continuity in Rebirth?

Thankfully, yes. See "The Return of Roy Harper" arc for details.

[ed2962]

How old was Roy's daughter when she died in the old continuity? About 5 or 6-ish? If I were a staff writer at DC I'd pitch a story where she was still alive. I think there's a lot that can still be done in cape comics with superheroes who are active parents.

[Assam]

How old was Roy's daughter when she died in the old continuity? About 5 or 6-ish? If I were a staff writer at DC I'd pitch a story where she was still alive. I think there's a lot that can still be done in cape comics with superheroes who are active parents.

On top of Lian just being the most adorable thing ever, Roy's position as a father is among the main things which elevated him from another sidekick to one of my all time favorite characters. As I said in the OP, I'm very happy that Roy got Lian resurrected and the two got to have a happy ending.

While RebirthRoy at least acts like himself more than the utter disgrace that was Lobdell's take on the character, he's still a shell of himself without Lian. Recent issues of Green Arrow though have made it clear that he and Cheshire HAVE had a relationship in the past. The door is open to just introduce Lian as a toddler (Time doesn't move in comics anymore so we can't start her as a baby again) and make things awesome again.

[Jekyll]

I REALLY wish they would get rid of that stupid hat and sunglasses look.

[Assam]

I REALLY wish they would get rid of that stupid hat and sunglasses look.

What's your preferred costume for Roy? His Devin Grayson suit is by far my personal favorite. (Speaking of which, can we please get rid of those stupid generic tattoos and bring back the Navajo tattoos that just...disappeared?)

[Frontier]

What's your preferred costume for Roy? His Devin Grayson suit is by far my personal favorite. (Speaking of which, can we please get rid of those stupid generic tattoos and bring back the Navajo tattoos that just...disappeared?)

Outside the classic Speedy costume, I'll always be fond of his Arrow look and his Young Justice and Teen Titans costume .

[Jekyll]

What's your preferred costume for Roy? His Devin Grayson suit is by far my personal favorite. (Speaking of which, can we please get rid of those stupid generic tattoos and bring back the Navajo tattoos that just...disappeared?)

The classic speedy look was great but the "red arrow" look is my favorite.
IMG_1857.jpg

[K. Jones]

I think there's a great costume out there for Roy that incorporates different elements from a lot of his past looks, but they haven't struck upon it yet. But I was pretty cool with his Divergence-era Red Hood/Arsenal costume and it's limited tweaks to the New 52 costume, though it was absurdly over-rendered and Nineties in style. There's definitely a balance to be struck. His Rebirth-look is way too douchey, though.

I'd hope for something akin to the Young Justice TV Red Arrow look. It's really streamlined, and with a couple classic nods and tweaks, would be iconic and probably the ultimate look for him. His alt-green Denny-style Red Arrow "Rise and Fall" costume from immediately post-Flashpoint was not my favorite at all, though - WAY too reliant on the love of the Denny/Adams/Aparo era of Green Arrow costuming - which is fine for flashbacks to that era but not to current appearances. As Arsenal I want to seem him more militaristic and tactical than Ollie for sure. And I really like the trucker hat thing - I wish they'd push him even a little more as the kind of "white trash superhero" in a way - I don't mean that as an insult, I mean it more in the Hank Williams "White Trash" sense, this kind of blue collar, rural, pride in his upbringing because it's so the opposite of Ollie Queen kind of chip on his shoulder sensibility.

So yeah, where was I? Oh his Rebirth costume is bad, but Roy is a great character all the same. His guest spots in Green Arrow have been on point, entirely, and he's been good enough in Titans, too.