9 Problems Nobody Wants To Admit About The Arrowverse
1. Arrow Has Nothing To Say, And No Way Of Saying It
You'd be hard pressed to find a comic that didn't at least have something to say. The medium, all the way through to the Second World War, has always made an effort to make a statement, whether it be by preaching the virtues of assaulting your average Nazi, taking a stance in regards to the Civil Rights Movement, the move for Marriage Equality or - certainly in the seventies at least - by focusing on two hard-travelling heroes as they toured Nixon's America.
The two heroes in question were Green Arrow and Green Lantern, and the comic, written by Denny O'Neil and drawn by Neal Adams, was revolutionary for its time. Political, challenging and compelling, Green Lantern/Green Arrow was the book that defined Oliver Queen in the twentieth century, leaving the Bat-comparisons in the dust and pushing DC into a whole new era of storytelling.
Queen has since become DC's veritable left-wing icon - it's intrinsically embedded in the character's DNA, visually as it is thematically apparent. Heck, even Justice League: Unlimited made a point of portraying the character's politics, and it's a cartoon!
And yet Arrow still shirks this dynamic, exemplifying its apathy by Having Queen run for Mayor with no platform to stand on. He just... runs, says nothing, and goes about his business.
In truth, this would be laughable save for the important fact that Arrow's silence is indicative of a conservative mindset; audiences are genuinely investing in a character they'd have no business with if they walked into a store and picked up any of his comics.
It's a massive distortion of one of the medium's most powerful icons, and while the show can create the illusion of social commentary anytime it likes, it's incredibly easy to see through.
Are there any other problems with the Arrowverse? Be sure to let us know in the comments below and, before you do, be sure to check out both WhatCulture TV and WhatCulture Comics on Twitter. They're good Tweets, Bront.