9 Storylines That Defined Popular Comic Book Characters

While many fans of the Green Arrow were drawn by his popular show, they might have been surprised to find out that he isn't a whole lot like Batman. He's actually more of a mouthpiece for progressive writers and prefers to use his wealth and vigilantism to help the downtrodden, rather than beat them up. Maybe that's why he never reached Batman's status.

However, the direction of Oliver Queen in Arrow is not necessarily out of character for the Emerald Archer. In The Longbow Hunters, Green Arrow discovers that Black Canary has been kidnapped and tortured, whereupon he murders the man who tortured her. It was the first time that Green Arrow had killed anyone and was obviously impactful for the character and the series.

While the television version of Oliver might drop bodies like nobody's business depending on the season, the comics showed Oliver was actually mortified by this act. It led to one of the character's darkest points, and though his violence has never reached quite the same level as the show, it's the reason that Oliver so often debates his use of fatal force in the show.