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  1. #1
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    Default Make Your Own Green Arrow Continuity

    This is a thread for fans to create their own Green Arrow series as they see fit. History, villains, supporting cast, location, etc.

  2. #2
    Astonishing Member Adekis's Avatar
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    First thing I'm gonna do is give him the origin from Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye # 3, "Did You Ever Wonder How Green Arrow Came To Be?" in which Starfish Island is actually Starro of the Elder Gods, and an interdimensional super-being Xeen Arrow instructs Oliver to "string his bow to the vibrational frequency of the universe. Fight greed in all its forms. Use trick arrows," in a vision Ollie sees while high as a kite.

    So that's gonna set the baseline: my Green Arrow is extremely trippy, capable of being very psychedelic. Green Arrow's now-traditional progressive politics are going to be on spotlight too of course, but I like the spaceyness of Xeen Arrow. I see Oliver's less frequently showcased "zen" side as a good counterpoint to his fiery temper and leftist politics, and I would mix the psychedelia in with that. He's both wiser than most men, capable of living perhaps at a greater remove from earthly possessions, yet also extremely passionate about fighting earthly injustices. And all that wisdom and passion, it's also layered over a man who was already naturally kind of a hothead, and he sometimes crashes back down into that part of himself. But overall, I want to treat him more as wise, less as hotheaded, than I'm used to. (Though perhaps I'm used to that because I've been reading a lot of '70s JLA recently, haha)

    The second thing I want is to use Speedy again, as an actual sidekick, someone who genuinely both learns from and teaches his mentor the way that Robin does with Bruce.
    To be honest, I don't even really know a lot about Speedy as a sidekick, aside from a handful of Golden Age comics I happened to read. I'm more familiar with Arsenal. But I think, you know, Speedy has been fairly consistently secondary to GA since the Bronze Age, and I'd like to see him get more prominence. I like sidekicks.
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  3. #3
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    Location: Star City (structured similar to post-Brightest Day (A forest in the middle of the city, I just love that idea; shame New 52 never kept it)

    Supporting Cast: Team Arrow (Black Canary, Roy Harper/ Speedy I/ Arsenal, Mia Dearden/ Speedy II, Emiko Queen/ Red Arrow), John Diggle, Naomi Singh, Henry Duff, Sin, Lian Harper

    Other Heroes: The Question, Shado, Huntress, Katana, Onyx,

    Rogues Gallery: Malcolm Merlyn, Count Vertigo, Brick, Onomatopoeia, Cupid, Killer Moth, Red Dart, China White, Clock King, Cheshire, Eddie Fyers, Star City Slayer,


    History: An amalgamation of Kevin Smith/ Brad Meltizer/ Judd Winick/ Jeff Lemire's runs on the comic. Green Arrow's personality would be pretty much what he was like in "Justice League Unlimited" (an "old Lefty"), a street-level hero having recently sold his company, fighting for the little guys. Throughout the series, he finds himself caught up in gang wars (normally between Clock King and BricK), shadows of his past (in the form of Merlyn and Shado), and high-level criminal actives in Star City's upper class (especially in dealing with Count Vertigo)

  4. #4
    Extraordinary Member HsssH's Avatar
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    One thing from Lemire's run that I keep remembering and thinking about is his father. At the moment they had Ollie as younger guy and his father kinda looked like an older version of GA. Then, in my opinion, Lemire kinda fumbled rest of his run and that was that. Now, what do others think about his father being older GA? Kinda like a proto-GA? And giving GA franchise a longer legacy than whatever the year Ollie is now supposed to have appeared.

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    Quote Originally Posted by HsssH View Post
    One thing from Lemire's run that I keep remembering and thinking about is his father. At the moment they had Ollie as younger guy and his father kinda looked like an older version of GA. Then, in my opinion, Lemire kinda fumbled rest of his run and that was that. Now, what do others think about his father being older GA? Kinda like a proto-GA? And giving GA franchise a longer legacy than whatever the year Ollie is now supposed to have appeared.
    Not a bad idea, making Robert Queen a Proto-Green Arrow (heck make him the one who joined the original Seven Soldiers of Victory).

  6. #6
    Astonishing Member Mutant God's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Multiverse View Post
    Not a bad idea, making Robert Queen a Proto-Green Arrow (heck make him the one who joined the original Seven Soldiers of Victory).
    With an assassination attempt kills him and his wife and leaves Ollie on the island. Black Canary also loses her mom to a villain or assassin which gives them a bond, maybe its the same villain too.

    Also Roy's father and Uncle, Roy Sr. and Jim Harper was also in 7 Soldiers as Red Arrow and Guardian.
    Last edited by Mutant God; 02-20-2021 at 10:46 AM.

  7. #7

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    I would love to see a 'What If' style story of what would have happened if Ollie crash landed in different islands:

    -Themyscira: Nursed back to health, mind wiped and immediately kicked out for leering at the Amazons (because he is still a spoiled rich playboy at this point).
    -Atlantis: Nursed back to health, gets caught in the middle of an Atlantean political struggle.. Has to decide between doing the right thing and running off to save his skin.
    -Skartaris: Is chased around the land because they keep mistaking him for Travis Morgan.
    -Rann: Instead of Adam Strange, Ollie Queen is caught in the Zeta Beam and he has to fill in for Adam Strange during a crucial intergalactic threat.

  8. #8
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    It's hard to top the TV show but if I had complete control I'd probably do something like "The Most Dangerous Game" situation where Ollie ends up on an island owned by some rich weirdo and when the guy finds out he decides to hunt him for sport. The guy's house has all kinds of weapons and the only one Ollie knows how to use is the bow because he took archery at summer camp one year or something. He hides out on the island for years evading this guy and when he finally beats him, he gets to go home. And decides to use his now honed archery skills to stop other rich weirdos from hurting people.
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  9. #9
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    Oliver pretty much has the same origin as before, albeit more restrained in personality. He doesn't have a secret identity.

    Roy is of mixed Navajo and Spokane descent but still retains his red hair. He works as a federal agent.

    Artemis Crock is part of the Arrow clan like in YJ and is also Jade Nguyen's sister. She, Roy and Jade run a spy for her agency. Artemis is in a relationship with Icicle, jr.

    Will Harper exists as a super powered clone of Roy's. He moves to Canada and works for an agency specializing in metahuman cases.

    Sara Lance is present as Dinah's half-sister.

    Roy has a cousin named Brooke who is a metahuman.

    Mia isn't an archer but is one of the world's greatest fencers.

    Diggle and Lyla are government agent allies.

  10. #10
    Astonishing Member 9th.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Adekis View Post
    First thing I'm gonna do is give him the origin from Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye # 3, "Did You Ever Wonder How Green Arrow Came To Be?" in which Starfish Island is actually Starro of the Elder Gods, and an interdimensional super-being Xeen Arrow instructs Oliver to "string his bow to the vibrational frequency of the universe. Fight greed in all its forms. Use trick arrows," in a vision Ollie sees while high as a kite.

    So that's gonna set the baseline: my Green Arrow is extremely trippy, capable of being very psychedelic. Green Arrow's now-traditional progressive politics are going to be on spotlight too of course, but I like the spaceyness of Xeen Arrow. I see Oliver's less frequently showcased "zen" side as a good counterpoint to his fiery temper and leftist politics, and I would mix the psychedelia in with that. He's both wiser than most men, capable of living perhaps at a greater remove from earthly possessions, yet also extremely passionate about fighting earthly injustices. And all that wisdom and passion, it's also layered over a man who was already naturally kind of a hothead, and he sometimes crashes back down into that part of himself. But overall, I want to treat him more as wise, less as hotheaded, than I'm used to. (Though perhaps I'm used to that because I've been reading a lot of '70s JLA recently, haha)

    The second thing I want is to use Speedy again, as an actual sidekick, someone who genuinely both learns from and teaches his mentor the way that Robin does with Bruce.
    To be honest, I don't even really know a lot about Speedy as a sidekick, aside from a handful of Golden Age comics I happened to read. I'm more familiar with Arsenal. But I think, you know, Speedy has been fairly consistently secondary to GA since the Bronze Age, and I'd like to see him get more prominence. I like sidekicks.
    Wow I'm to seek that issue out right now, that sounds so cool.
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  11. #11
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    I've had an idea for what a potential Green Arrow film or TV reboot will look like kicking around in my mind for a while now (though this could work as a Black Label mini-series or OGN as well). Here are some of my loosely connected thoughts.

    The Set-Up: In the near-future (read: mid-2020's) Star City has effectively become a kind of police state, run by a highly militarized private police force called the Emerald Guard.
    They are owned and supplied by none other than - Queen Industries. The CEO of the company, and its public face, is Isabel Rochev, it seems that she answers to some unknown individual behind-the-scenes. A significant section of the population (especially the wealthy and the upper middle class) actually supports this status quo because they're worried about the anarchy that is tearing through several other American cities. But obviously, there are a lot of people who either feel that the Emerald Guard needs to be made more accountable, or that it should be dismantled altogether. And there are of course innumerable incidents of police brutality and profiling. Class, racial and political tensions are rising and the city is a powder keg.

    In the meantime, Oliver Queen is living on Starfish Island, his mission as the Green Arrow having ended in failure and disgrace. He's basically regressed back to the only time in his life he knew absolute peace, with no obligations - back when he was stuck on the island the first time. The plot kicks off when Mia Dearden and Dinah Lance show up on the island with some terrible news - Roy Harper, who'd been leading an underground movement against the Emerald Guard, was killed under mysterious circumstances. They suspect that it has to do with the Emerald Guard but there's no real evidence who or what actually killed him. Tensions in the city are at an all time high, and they need the Green Arrow to return. Oliver reluctantly agrees, mainly because he feels he failed Roy.

    The Backstory: Throughout the series, we get the backstory of this version of Green Arrow in snippets. Oliver Queen, despite being the heir to the Queen business empire, spent his college days as a bit of a hippie and a radical leftist, angry at the establishment and big business and the government...but mostly his dad. That changed when both his parents died in a mysterious plane crash, and he was forced to step up and take over the family company and business. Oliver throws himself into the business to honor his parents legacy and actually does a great job with it. His leftist leanings are toned down, though he retains some of his early principles and gets Queen Industries out of military and law enforcement contracts, and focuses more on initiatives like clean energy and low-cost healthcare. But on some level, he feels a bit stiffled in this role...as though this is really not what he's meant to do and he's trapped by obligation.

    He decides to take a vacation after years, heading out on his private yacht - practicing archery with a Howard Hill bow he bought at an auction. That's when his business partner Hackett is revealed to be working with a crime-lord named China White, smuggling drugs and arms across the globe through Queen Industries supply chains. Hackett's men blow up the yacht, but Oliver manages to make it to Starfish Island. He spends weeks on the island using his bow and makeshift arrows to hunt food and survive, and he actually feels the most peace he's ever felt in his life. But he makes it to the other side of the island, and discovers that this is China White's base of operations, and she's been using slave labor. He meets a local woman named Taiana and helps her escape. Taiana trains him to use the bow to attack humans, and some basic martial arts moves, and together they're able to attack China White and free the slave labor, sparking off an uprising. Oliver kills Hackett but China White gets away.

    He decides to return to Star City where he exposes Hackett's misdeeds, to dismantle China White's control over his company - which damages his company's reputation. Amidst the stress of criminal investigations and lawsuits and media scrutiny, Oliver one day puts on the makeshift 'costume' he wore for camoflag on the island while attacking China White's base and takes down some street criminals. He starts operating as a vigilante, for catharsis and out of a sense of actually doing something good. This leads to the legend of the 'Green Arrow' beginning...

    Before long he gets a better suit, sets up a bunker under his building, gets some more training, and is operating as the Green Arrow on a regular basis. He takes on a bunch of partners over the next few years - John Diggle (his ex-military bodyguard), Naomi Singh (a Queen Industries computer whiz), Roy Harper (a petty street criminal turned hero) and later Mia Dearden (a former prostitute turned hero). He becomes a member of the Justice League and thus meets Dinah Laurel Lance AKA Black Canary, with whom he starts an on-again off-again romance. He takes down a bunch of villains, including China White herself, Prometheus, the Clock King, Brick, Constantin Drakon and many more. His arch-nemesis is Merlyn AKA Arthur King, his father's former friend and business partner who orchestrated the deaths of Robert and Moira Queen. In a final confrontation, Oliver killed Merlyn, but no body was ever found.

    However, the years of vigilantism, while it made the Green Arrow a folk hero, led to an escalating cycle of violence, and diminished the public's faith in the police force and the authorities over time. Green Arrow started to be branded as an anarchist and the police as too 'soft' to reign in the chaos. In the meantime, Queen Industries declined, due to Oliver's neglect (as he was too busy being the Arrow), and ultimately suffered a hostile takeover from Isabel Rochev. Oliver runs for mayor and succeeds in restoring some semblance of normalcy to the city, but the most devastating terrorist attack in the city's history occurs, destroying the public's faith in his 'liberal' approach and in the Green Arrow. Oliver leaves the city in disgrace. In his absence, the Emerald Guard rises. Five years pass till the present day...

    The Story: Oliver returns and Team Arrow is rebuilt, operating from the ruins of the old Queen Mansion. They investigate Roy's death, while also taking down both criminals and Emerald Guard officers who go out of line. In the meantime, in his civilian identity as the former mayor, Oliver becomes the face of opposition to the excesses of the Emerald Guard and the current staut quo.

    Over time, they discover that the terrorist attacks caused the rise of the Emerald Guard were caused by the same mastermind who's behind Isabel Rochev - Merlyn, who's alive, and who's goal was to not only take over Star City, but to tear down the legacy of the Queen family and turn their company into what Oliver never wanted it to be.

    So I haven't actually thought too much about how the actual story plays out, but I'm fairly clear on the backstory, which I feel is a good distillation of the comic-book mythos, with some elements of Arrow. Maybe instead of Merlyn it could be Robert and Moira as the real 'Big Bad', or a significant character at any rate? Maybe instead of Roy, someone else dies to kick off the plot? Maybe Oliver's identity is public knowledge? Bunch of different variations I have in mind...
    Last edited by bat39; 03-08-2021 at 12:04 AM.

  12. #12
    Ultimate Member Lee Stone's Avatar
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    I would go back to the Grell version.
    Have him form a new Outsiders with Bronze Tiger, Huntress and Question.
    And I’d give him Cheshire as a villain.

    However, I would use the 'spoiled rich kid stranded on a deserted island and having to fend for himself' as a start.
    It has a lot of character potential.

    Then have him fight regular thugs, mobsters and gangsters, with a sprinkling of costumed villains that are more in the style of '60s TV Batman than the JLA.
    But with a more serious tone. Something more like '70s cop shows like Starsky & Hutch. Gritty, grimy and realistic.
    This would lead into Grell's Longbow Hunters and ongoing series, which would still be in canon, as well as Justice League Task Force #5 and 6 (which would be used as the foundation for a new Outsiders team).

    The new series would pick up where Grell's run ended, erasing everything that has happened since #80.
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  13. #13
    Constable of Continuity Gero4568's Avatar
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    Set Up: It's the early 2000s. Star City has become one of the most crime-ridden cities on the planet, second only to Gotham. The city has lost hope since their champions vanished more than fifty years prior. And the city fell to the one known as "Merlyn." Meanwhile, Oliver Queen, formerly known as Green Arrow, is lost on an island in the North China Sea. He has a series of adventures on the island, encountering Shado, battling China White, and several other things.

    Backstory: Oliver was a wealthy man of indigenous American background, who collected historical artifacts. As a young man, Oliver also became an expert archer. After his father was killed and artifacts were stolen, Oliver took to the streets as the Green Arrow to take down the criminal element in Star City. Not long after, he adopted a young boy named Roy Harper, who became his sidekick, Speedy. The two would later become members of the Seven Soldiers of Victory, and allies of the All-Star Squadron. Their greatest enemy would be Professor Merlin, otherwise known as Malcolm Merlyn. Merlyn was a member of the League of Assassins, as well as an ally of the Hand. The Hand was later responsible for the release of the Nebula Man in 1948. In that battle, the Seven Soldiers disappeared, dispersed throughout time. Oliver was shot fifty years into the future, arriving on the island.

    Story: Returning home, Oliver discovers he's been gone for more than fifty years. Realizing that there's no way back, Oliver sets up a bunker in Star City and begins finding new allies. He builds a team with John Diggle (ex-military bodyguard) and Naomi Singh (a computer expert). Oliver soon discovers that Merlyn is still alive, and so is his mother, who was recruited into the League of Assassins by Merlyn. Merlyn and Moira had a daughter, Thea, who will in time become the new Speedy.

    While Merlyn is Oliver's arch-nemesis, Oliver has a variety of enemies, including the larger League of Assassins, China White, Onomatopoeia, Count Vertigo, Cupid, Clock King, Pinball Wizard, Printer's Devil, Bad Penny, Dodger, Blue Lancer, Ricardo Diaz, Prometheus, and more.

    A subplot in this series is Oliver trying to figure out what happened to the original Seven Soldiers. Roy returns a few years in and becomes Red Arrow, before later suffering drug addiction and all that.

    Both Sara and Dinah Lance exist in this continuity. Oliver eventually ends up with Dinah.

    By the time that we get to Hard Traveling Heroes, the stories basically mirror the comics from that point onward with only a few changes.
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  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gero4568 View Post
    Set Up: It's the early 2000s. Star City has become one of the most crime-ridden cities on the planet, second only to Gotham. The city has lost hope since their champions vanished more than fifty years prior. And the city fell to the one known as "Merlyn." Meanwhile, Oliver Queen, formerly known as Green Arrow, is lost on an island in the North China Sea. He has a series of adventures on the island, encountering Shado, battling China White, and several other things.

    Backstory: Oliver was a wealthy man of indigenous American background, who collected historical artifacts. As a young man, Oliver also became an expert archer. After his father was killed and artifacts were stolen, Oliver took to the streets as the Green Arrow to take down the criminal element in Star City. Not long after, he adopted a young boy named Roy Harper, who became his sidekick, Speedy. The two would later become members of the Seven Soldiers of Victory, and allies of the All-Star Squadron. Their greatest enemy would be Professor Merlin, otherwise known as Malcolm Merlyn. Merlyn was a member of the League of Assassins, as well as an ally of the Hand. The Hand was later responsible for the release of the Nebula Man in 1948. In that battle, the Seven Soldiers disappeared, dispersed throughout time. Oliver was shot fifty years into the future, arriving on the island.

    Story: Returning home, Oliver discovers he's been gone for more than fifty years. Realizing that there's no way back, Oliver sets up a bunker in Star City and begins finding new allies. He builds a team with John Diggle (ex-military bodyguard) and Naomi Singh (a computer expert). Oliver soon discovers that Merlyn is still alive, and so is his mother, who was recruited into the League of Assassins by Merlyn. Merlyn and Moira had a daughter, Thea, who will in time become the new Speedy.

    While Merlyn is Oliver's arch-nemesis, Oliver has a variety of enemies, including the larger League of Assassins, China White, Onomatopoeia, Count Vertigo, Cupid, Clock King, Pinball Wizard, Printer's Devil, Bad Penny, Dodger, Blue Lancer, Ricardo Diaz, Prometheus, and more.

    A subplot in this series is Oliver trying to figure out what happened to the original Seven Soldiers. Roy returns a few years in and becomes Red Arrow, before later suffering drug addiction and all that.

    Both Sara and Dinah Lance exist in this continuity. Oliver eventually ends up with Dinah.

    By the time that we get to Hard Traveling Heroes, the stories basically mirror the comics from that point onward with only a few changes.
    That's a great way to tie the Golden Age and modern continuities together!

    I don't think most people have realized that there was a 'Merlin' in the Golden Age Green Arrow stories as well! (Hell, come to think of it, even the modern-day Merlyn was a fairly obscure character, until Arrow).

    Its actually difficult, if not impossible, to reimagine the Green Arrow mythos now without taking inspiration from the show.

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by bat39 View Post
    That's a great way to tie the Golden Age and modern continuities together!

    I don't think most people have realized that there was a 'Merlin' in the Golden Age Green Arrow stories as well! (Hell, come to think of it, even the modern-day Merlyn was a fairly obscure character, until Arrow).

    Its actually difficult, if not impossible, to reimagine the Green Arrow mythos now without taking inspiration from the show.
    Funny you say that, because I would make it THE golden rule that Absolutely Nothing From Arrow or Young Justice Is to Be Incorporated Into the Comics. Not Diggle, not Thea, not China White or Tommy Merlyn or Diaz or Sara Lance. And certainly, under no circumstances whatsoever, not Artemis or Will Harper. (And no token race-bending, either.)

    It's really incredibly frustrating to see that, for the most part, nearly everything proposed thus far is just a bunch of different ways of repackaging individuals' personal favorite elements from one TV show or the other into comic book form. This is supposed to be the comic book version of Green Arrow; he's not supposed to be remade into a bad (and uninspired) carbon copy of ancillary adaptations, I don't care how popular they are.

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