Ollie is in distress

[CaptCleghorn]

I always thought Ollie would be a good fit as the leader of a team like the Outsiders.

I've had Ollie leading a team of heroes who are currently in legal trouble and in need of redemption and/or name clearing. Outsiders was my name of choice for them.

[Grim Ghost]

I don't think Green Arrow needs a solo title. Other than a few blips here and there like Longbow Hunters and his Green Lantern team ups his comic has not been very popular. I much prefer seeing him cause friction on a team. Maybe a one shot or limited series now and then.

Great that it has been popular on TV but that doesn't always translate to comic sales.

I totally disagree that GA should update his weapons. There are TONS of characters with old fashioned weapons running around, so many that I actually find the guy who is really good with a bow to be one of the more realistic ones. Green Arrow sounds cooler than Green Gun or something.

[JackDaw]

I totally disagree that GA should update his weapons. There are TONS of characters with old fashioned weapons running around, so many that I actually find the guy who is really good with a bow to be one of the more realistic ones. Green Arrow sounds cooler than Green Gun or something.

Jeez, I didn’t think that was possible.

What do the others use that’s even less realistic?

Do some of the kid side kicks use catapults, pea shooters, potato guns?

[Carabas]

Jeez, I didn’t think that was possible.

What do the others use that’s even less realistic?

Do some of the kid side kicks use catapults, pea shooters, potato guns?

Lots of characters just go with fists and feet.
There's a whole bunch of them who just have a shield, (and most of them aren't super soldiers).
Swords are popular as well.
A few have a sword AND shield.
There are a couple of whip users.
Harley Quinn has a honking huge hammer.
Nightwing and Mockingbird like sticks.

At least a bow has range.

[Trey Strain]

I'm so glad that fans don't make creative decisions for DC. It'll be terrible ideas all around. I can see it already. Giving Green Arrow superpowers is one of the WORST ideas ever. You give Ollie powers, he automatically loses his appeal. Not up for debate. We like Oliver because he's an underdog. He is someone people overlook but not someone you should underestimate. And for a guy who's 'powerset doesn't make sense' he sure does pretty well in a universe with demons, aliens and other huge threats.

Out of all the absurdity in comics, that bothers you? Weird. Might as well give Shang-Chi, Katana, Black Widow, Punisher, Nightwing and Winter Soldier some powers because they don't make any sense. The non-powered archer who has held his own without superpowers needs superpowers. Wow.


Edit: Looking at these posts and reading the Green Arrow series. The current arc reads like meta-commentary to me now.

I get it that you like the comic, but how would you make it sell?

[Trey Strain]

I don't think Green Arrow needs a solo title. Other than a few blips here and there like Longbow Hunters and his Green Lantern team ups his comic has not been very popular. I much prefer seeing him cause friction on a team. Maybe a one shot or limited series now and then.

Great that it has been popular on TV but that doesn't always translate to comic sales.

I totally disagree that GA should update his weapons. There are TONS of characters with old fashioned weapons running around, so many that I actually find the guy who is really good with a bow to be one of the more realistic ones. Green Arrow sounds cooler than Green Gun or something.

So you'd cancel the comic instead of changing it so that it might sell, because you like it the way it is?

[WhipWhirlwind]

If I were DC, I would cast a wide net for liberal politically active comic book writers. Hire the best writer who actually has something to say with a plan on how to say it and let him go nuts.

Without his politics he's just another dude.

[JackDaw]

Lots of characters just go with fists and feet.
There's a whole bunch of them who just have a shield, (and most of them aren't super soldiers).
Swords are popular as well.
A few have a sword AND shield.
There are a couple of whip users.
Harley Quinn has a honking huge hammer.
Nightwing and Mockingbird like sticks.

At least a bow has range.

Perhaps, I’ve been barking up the wrong tree...and maybe Ollie actually has “too much gun” if anybody is to take him seriously as an under-dog.

Seriously, your examples show how out of kilter the DC shared universe has got. A large number of their heroes ought to be routinely blown away by any villain with decent energy powers, or even ability to use modern weaponry and ability shoot straight.

I know the constant retort to that point is: “if you don’t like that you don’t “understand” comics”. But there’s another possibility...perhaps not enough people like that style of story telling to allow DC super hero comics to sell in healthy numbers.

I actually think there might be some mile-age in one of Trey’s ideas of long ago. Use the multi-verse to create more coherent story telling worlds.

[Trey Strain]

Perhaps, I’ve been barking up the wrong tree...and maybe Ollie actually has “too much gun” if anybody is to take him seriously as an under-dog.

Seriously, your examples show how out of kilter the DC shared universe has got. A large number of their heroes ought to be routinely blown away by any villain with decent energy powers, or even ability to use modern weaponry and ability shoot straight.

I know the constant retort to that point is: “if you don’t like that you don’t “understand” comics”. But there’s another possibility...perhaps not enough people like that style of story telling to allow DC super hero comics to sell in healthy numbers.

I actually think there might be some mile-age in one of Trey’s ideas of long ago. Use the multi-verse to create more coherent story telling worlds.

There are some people who will say, "I like this comic the way it is now, and I don't care that it's not selling. I'd rather it not be published than to be changed in any way."

Now if you're Dan DiDio or Jim Lee, how would that argument sound to you? Wouldn't it sound like those folks were saying, "This not about your stockholders! Where did you get such a crazy idea as that? This is about MEEEEEEEEE!"

[Frontier]

If I were DC, I would cast a wide net for liberal politically active comic book writers. Hire the best writer who actually has something to say with a plan on how to say it and let him go nuts.

Without his politics he's just another dude.

Green Arrow might be Nick Spencer's calling as a DC character .

I think the politics have definitely become an important part of GA's character, but I think he can be a fun hero without it. It's his personality, costume, and skills that really sets Ollie apart from other heroes, I think.

[Agent Z]

I'm so glad that fans don't make creative decisions for DC. It'll be terrible ideas all around. I can see it already. Giving Green Arrow superpowers is one of the WORST ideas ever. You give Ollie powers, he automatically loses his appeal. Not up for debate. We like Oliver because he's an underdog. He is someone people overlook but not someone you should underestimate. And for a guy who's 'powerset doesn't make sense' he sure does pretty well in a universe with demons, aliens and other huge threats.

Out of all the absurdity in comics, that bothers you? Weird. Might as well give Shang-Chi, Katana, Black Widow, Punisher, Nightwing and Winter Soldier some powers because they don't make any sense. The non-powered archer who has held his own without superpowers needs superpowers. Wow.


Edit: Looking at these posts and reading the Green Arrow series. The current arc reads like meta-commentary to me now.

Actually Winter Soldier and Black Widow do have powers. They have variants of the super soldier serum which slows their aging and Bucky has s cyber arm.

[Raijin]

Actually Winter Soldier and Black Widow do have powers. They have variants of the super soldier serum which slows their aging and Bucky has s cyber arm.

Meh. Yet Bucky exists in a universe where his arm can possibly be hacked, severed, controlled by Magneto or be the subject of an EMP.

[Dr. Ellingham]

The key thing here is - DC is aware that B-list characters tend to decline in readership over time, and so they shake things up a bit. Giving him powers temporarily might do that. A new # 1 would work too.

They know GA isn't broken - he's just a mid-list character that typically sells 30k / month. And the bloom is off the rose - at this point the TV show has added all the additional readers it's going to.

[skyvolt2000]

I get it that you like the comic, but how would you make it sell?

Remove it from the comic book store.

[CaptCleghorn]

There are some people who will say, "I like this comic the way it is now, and I don't care that it's not selling. I'd rather it not be published than to be changed in any way."

Now if you're Dan DiDio or Jim Lee, how would that argument sound to you? Wouldn't it sound like those folks were saying, "This not about your stockholders! Where did you get such a crazy idea as that? This is about MEEEEEEEEE!"

Readers all have an uncanny tendency to like and buy what they like. It takes a firm grip on reality to know the difference between readers and DC employees.