6 Times Arrow Improved Green Arrow Mythology (& 4 Times It Failed)
1. It Got Fans More Invested In The Comics
DC Comics
One of the very best things accomplished by Arrow during the
show’s eight seasons, is that the success of the storytelling and characterisation
of the series has led to fans taking a deep dive into the comic book world of
the Green Arrow.
What greater effect can a TV show have on an established
comic book mythology, than getting people to check out said comics?
That may possibly be the greatest compliment to place on
Arrow – that the show made new fans of Oliver Queen, both in terms of Stephen
Amell’s live-action Oliver and in terms of his comic book counterpart.
Previously, many non-Green Arrow fans may have simply
labelled the Emerald Archer as a Robin Hood knockoff or possibly even
Batman-lite. Instead, Arrow proved that, while Green Arrow does indeed share
certain characteristics with both of those other heroes, the Master Bowman is a
fantastic character in his own right.
Purely from watching Amell’s Oliver Queen for eight seasons,
some have taken to checking out classic comic book runs from names like Mike
Grell and Denny O’Neil. And that can’t be anything but a good thing for the mythology
of the Green Arrow.
Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics.
As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer and Presenter, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic.
Between his main day job, his role as lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund and Eli Roth to Kevin Smith and the Russo Brothers, to Kevin Conroy and Frank Miller, to Bret Hart and Sting, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, and Brian Flynn, to many, many more. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is a long-standing season ticket holder and an FSA Award-winner for his time co-hosting the Fearless in Devotion podcast.
