COMIC BOOK REVIEW - Green Arrow: The Kill Machine
By The Masked Medic
It’s full steam ahead these days with film reviews, here at theMaskedMedic.com, but I am keen to return to my roots and bring you some comic book reviews as well. It’s been a while, and I needed to ease myself into something that would catch my attention immediately. Don’t worry, I’m not talking about Bat-Family today, but it’s a return to Seattle to see what Oliver Queen has been up to!
‘The Kill Machine’ starts with an argument between Oliver Queen and Walter Emerson, the current CEO of Queen Consolidated. However, just as Walter is about to reveal some life-changing information to Oliver, he is taken by a new villain, Komodo. Komodo also knows about Oliver’s alter ego and comes after him relentlessly, decimating his company, taking his team hostage and attacking him wherever he shows his face. Green Arrow, who is now on the run for something he didn’t do, must travel to Black Mesa, a desert in Arizona, to find a mysterious man called Magus, who claims to have the knowledge Oliver needs in order for him to defeat this new enemy. Naturally, hallucinogens are involved, and in the haze of his drug-fueled trip, Oliver sees three dragons and is told that he must find these ‘dragons’ to find what he is seeking. His journey takes him to Vlatava, a small country in Eastern Europe. As the Green Arrow, he breaks into the castle in Vlatava to find an imprisoned woman, Shado, there. She immediately recognises him under the mask, despite Oliver’s surprise, revealing that she knew his father, with whom he shares an uncanny resemblance. However, the rescue is not yet complete because the two of them still have to compete with Count Werner Zytle, aka Count Vertigo, the ruler of Vlatava. Can Oliver find out how to stop Komodo? And how will Zytle react to a superhero entering his country illegally and taking his prisoner?
You guys know that Green Arrow is one of my favourite comic book characters; he makes the Top 10 easily. That being said, this novel was way too long. It should have been split into two separate novels, because I really couldn’t keep up with all the new characters introduced and the constant travelling between places and time eras. Individually, Komodo, Shado and Zytle are very interesting, but the novel only gives us limited time to learn about who they are. My assumption is that it is because there will be more development later down the line. Oliver, however, goes through a whole bunch of character development, essentially learning that everything he thought he knew is wrong, and he must now reevaluate who he is!
The artwork was an area which I felt the novel fell short on. I try to be mindful of the fact that everyone has their own style and opinion on artwork, but I like crisp and clean lines and colours, of which this novel has so few. The covers were of a similar style, so again, not really to my liking. Overall, a very long and complicated novel, with interesting introductions, but one that ultimately is a struggle to read!
Favourite Panel:
I’ve always liked Green Arrow, especially because I feel that he was always one of the most self-aware heroes out there!
Favourite Character:
I mean, it should definitely be Oliver, but the small amounts I saw of Shado make me really like her!
Rating:
Story Arc: ★★★½
Character Development: ★★★★
Artwork: ★★
Enjoyability: ★★★
Re-readability: ★★½
Level: Advanced