Review: Stargirl: The Lost Children #2
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Geoff Johns
Art:Â Todd Nauck
Colors:Â Matt Herms
Letters:Â Rob Leigh
Reviewed by:Â Matthew B. Lloyd
Summary
Courtney and Emiko follow the clues to the Arrow Cave and Starfish Island. Their ocean voyage leads to another mystery a deeper connection for Emiko.
Positives
In just the first few pages of Stargirl: The Lost Children #2, Geoff Johns and Todd Nauck completely sell the idea that Oliver Queen and Roy Harper time-traveled back to the Golden Age as the Green Arrow and Speedy. Perhaps, part of it is a desire for all those Golden Age tales to have a place in DC continuity.
While it’s a completely different method, it incorporates an era that feels incongruent with the modern take on the character much like Grant Morrison’s placement of the Batman of Zur-en-Arh into Bruce Wayne’s canonical adventures. Additionally, Johns also acknowledges the criticism that the Golden Age Green Arrow was just a Batman ripoff complete with Arrow Cave and Arrow Car.
We even get a glimpse of the Golden Age Green Arrow’s Joker-styled, clown-themed nemesis, Bulls-eye. The fun nostalgia doesn’t end there, as Chapter 2 is titled, “More Fun,” referencing More Fun Comics, the title in which Green Arrow made his first appearances and was his home for his first five years. Â
Johns develops the relationship between Emiko and Courtney as Emiko shares the story of her difficult youth in captivity on Starfish Island. It not only lets the reader in on Emiko’s backstory, but it ties in nicely to the plot of missing children and gives her personal motivation on this mission. For Courtney, it brings out her compassion as she sees the connections between Emiko and the missing sidekicks.
Along the way, we get some of the histories of these missing sidekicks that develop the world a bit. The more that is revealed, the more the concept seems to work. Truly, Johns is developing a new Golden Age. Combined with his approach to the historical Green Arrow, he’s not looking to rewrite, but rather bring together existing aspects from the Golden Age with new concepts and ideas, There’s just enough contemporary continuity to connect it to current DC events.
Negatives
It’s unclear at this point how niche this will be. For those fans of DC’s Golden Age and legacy characters, it should ring true. The question remains if there is enough here for a more conventional DC Universe audience. Stargirl: The Lost Children #2 and indeed the series so far, relies on a lot of existing love for the Golden Age and its legacy.
Verdict
Stargirl: The Lost Children #2 is “more fun” than issue #1. After the drama of the setup, Emiko and Courtney’s visit to the Arrow Cave as their journey begins gives the issue a light-hearted start. The plot moves along as the duo finally gets confirmation that they are on the right track. It’s the right combination of fun and adventure with a touch of drama and world-building that is geared toward the Golden Age/ legacy fan.
