As Green Arrow and Speedy face a dastardly new supervillain, Oliver Queen crafts his greatest trick arrow yet to stop them.
WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for “The Disappearing Bandit” from the Green Arrow 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 by Mariko Tamaki, Javier Rodriguez and AndWorld Design, on sale now.
In addition to being an unerring marksman, a formidable hand to hand combatant and the current leader of the Justice League, Green Arrow has demonstrated himself to be something of a tech junkie. While Oliver Queen doesn’t boast the same arsenal of gadgets as Batman and his trusty utility belt, he does have a quiver full of trick arrows, each specially modified to deliver a specific payload for a variety of needs that Green Arrow might encounter. And, in a look back at Ollie and Roy Harper’s early days as the Emerald Archer and his sidekick Speedy, Ollie unveils his greatest trick arrow yet.
Back in their clean-shaven, Golden Age days, Green Arrow and Speedy are in hot pursuit of a supervillain that can evidently turn invisible. Undeterred, Ollie decides to craft a new trick arrow that he dubs the “acrylic arrow” which, true to its name, spreads brightly colored acrylic paint all over the immediate vicinity when it strikes its targets. True to Green Arrow’s plans, the acrylic arrow reveals the disappearing bandit as he attempts to make his latest getaway. Despite being apprehended, the disappearing bandit decides to take his revenge on Green Arrow, by obtaining the acrylic arrow for himself before he realizes just how advanced Ollie’s trick arrow really is.
In order to facilitate his escape from prison, the disappearing bandit promised his supervillain benefactors that he would be able to read fingerprints on the recovered trick arrow and use it to uncover Green Arrow’s secret identity. However, as the bandit makes his illicit meeting on the outside, he learns that the Emerald Archer has similarly designed the arrow to turn invisible, turning the bandit’s own gimmick against him. Incensed that they went through such lengths to break out the bandit with no return on their investment, the thief endures a brutal beating.
Ollie has certainly pulled out all the stops to arm himself before, with one of the most devastating trick arrows he has ever designed fitted with a small but potent nuclear bomb. Recently, Ollie has revealed that he has also outfitted his longbow with its own security system to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, going as far as to electrocute anyone who attempts to pull the drawstring without his fingerprint. And with Ollie now richer than Bruce Wayne, Green Arrow can upgrade his arsenal like never before as he continues to show that he’s more than just an archer with a Robin Hood gimmick.
Even back during the Golden Age and his earliest days as a superhero, Oliver Queen proved himself to be as resourceful as ever when designing his various trick arrows, with strategy and foresight surpassed only by his signature marksmanship. With the wisdom that comes with years of experience on the field and the technology only growing greater, Ollie stands to be even more formidable as Green Arrow, with an even more impressive arsenal at his disposal.
With Green Arrow having faced off against some of the most deadly supervillains in the DC Universe, a one-note criminal like the disappearing bandit would never stand a chance against Ollie and Roy now, tempered by their superhero experiences over the years.
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