Year One or The Wonder Year: Which is the Superior Green Arrow Origin?

[Timothy Hunter]

Green Arrow The Wonder Year was published in 1993 with writing and layout duties by beloved Green Arrow scribe Mike Grell and finishes by Gray Morrow probably best known for his work on Warren's Creepy

Green Arrow Year One was the post Infinite Crisis retelling of Queen's origin brought to you by the same team as the Losers Vertigo series, writer Andy Diggle and artist Jock.

[Flash Gordon]

Tom Scioli's SUPER POWERS

Xeen Arrow! Of the dimension Xeen!

[Rakzo]

Year One no doubt.

Although Lemire's origin had the most potential to be further expanded.

[phantom1592]

This was probably my all time favorite telling. 43920-4004-51240-1-green-arrow-annual.jpg

[married guy]

This was probably my all time favorite telling. 43920-4004-51240-1-green-arrow-annual.jpg

I have to admit, this was great!!

I prefer the Wonder Year over the Year One version, but then I'm an old fart....

[Riv86672]

Year One for me.

[Riv86672]

Year One for me.

[bat39]

Year One is the superior story, no doubt. But I don't think the comparision is quiet justified, since they both cover completely different areas,

Year One is about Oliver's time on the island. Wonder Year is largely about his first missions as the Green Arrow (with some island and even pre-island stuff being covered in flashbacks).

I read Wonder Year a long time ago, back when the first season of Arrow was airing, and I was struck by how different the Oliver in that story was to the character on the show! WY Oliver is no tortured soul returning from "five years in hell" or driven vigilante on a mission to save his city. He's a guy who was forced to rough it out on an island for a few weeks, was bored with his corporate life when he returned, and after foiling a robbery in a Robin Hood costume decides to turn to crime-fighting for excitement.

Its kinda ironic, given that Mike Grell's Green Arrow served as a major inspiration for Amell's portrayal in general, but with this specific story, the two versions are galaxies apart!

That said, I think Grell was the one who introduced the idea of Oliver being a lifelong Robin Hood fan who was already into archery long before the island, something which even Andy Diggle picked up on for Year One. That's one aspect I woudn't mind seeing return in future reboots or adaptations of the character.

[Raijin]

Year One. It’s not even close at all.

[Timothy Hunter]

I prefer the Wonder Year. Year One was much more cinematic and the stakes were higher, but I felt that it didn't really have a good grasp of Ollie as a character. Andy Diggle drives Queen into the dirt, and while he does that to contrast his growth as a character later on, even after that point Diggle's Green Arrow never feels like Green Arrow.

Meanwhile, Grell's Oliver also goes through an arc - from self centered playboy to selfless hero, it feels true to the character and is infinitely more sublte.

[Adekis]

Tom Scioli's SUPER POWERS

Xeen Arrow! Of the dimension Xeen!

Absolutely agree. Cave Carson #3 has my favorite Green Arrow origin that I've ever read!