Review:Â Green Arrow/ Green Lantern: World’s Finest Special #1
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer:Â Jeremy Adams
Art:Â Lucas Meyer and Travis Mercer
Colors:Â Marcelo Maiolo and Andrew Dalhouse
Letters:Â Lucas Gattoni
Reviewed by:Â Matthew B. Lloyd
Summary
Two stories in World’s Finest Special #1 team Green Lantern first with Green Arrow and then with the Flash for the first encounter with an iconic Teen Titans villain!
Positives
I’ve said before that DC Comics needed to give Jeremy Adams more work, and a book like World’s Finest Special #1 gives Adams the opportunity to do what he does best. Adams hits the trifecta of nostalgia, character and continuity; and these three elements push these two team-ups to the top of the New Comic Book Day stack. If All In is trying to make sure there is something for everyone, then I guess it’s working, because this issue is the type of comic I’d be happy to continue with.
The “World’s Finest” moniker seems to be an indicator of stories set in the past of the current DC Universe. In the main Batman/ Superman: World’s Finest, Mark Waid has been exploring the earlier days of the team-ups between Superman and Batman (& Robin). Waid also took a look at an early story of the Teen Titans in the six issue mini-series World’s Finest: Teen Titans.  Waid is applying the same approach to the current twelve issue mini-series, Batman and Robin: Year One. Now Jeremy Adams is doing the same thing in this special with Green Arrow, the Flash and Green Lantern.
Positives Cont’d
Adams opens with the premise that the Green Arrow/ Green Lantern story is set during the “Hard Travelling Heroes” days when Oliver Queen and Hal Jordan journeyed across America to “find” it and learn something about themselves along the way in a now classic set of stories from the 1970’s by the legendary Denny O’Neil and Neal Adams. For those that are familiar with those stories, it’s a fun and respectful reference. It is an immediate eye-catcher.Â
Adams follows it up with pages just dripping with character. Hal and Ollie not only feel familiar, but Adams captures the particular relationship wonderfully. Part of the premise of the original “Hard Travelling Heroes” stories is their friendship and the subtle question of “how are these two men friends when there are such obvious differences in their personalities and outlook on life. Adams characterization is bang on and relentless, but not over the top. It’s a balancing act that Adams maintains throughout the issue.
Positives Cont’d
Adams establishes this era as part of the continuity for these characters and even works it in to the larger tapestry of the DC Universe as the story impacts another well known story and piece of significant continuity. The resolution to the two stories in World’s Finest Special #1 lead directly into the events of New Teen Titans #2 (1980!) by two more legendary creators, Marv Wolfman and George Perez. Adams isn’t making this any sort of retroactive continuity fix or anything like that, but he uses it as a fun moment to connect the larger DC Universe. Along the way there are details that are sometimes clever and sometimes just funny. Look for Dinah (Black Canary) Lance’s appearance, she’s got a look that updates this story’s time period. Her role as nursemaid to Hal is even a callback to how she’s been a caregiver and emotional support to other characters over the years, most significantly Roy (Speedy) Harper. Also, there’s a little poke at Absolute Batman as a comic book is seen in the story: Absolute Demon! You’ll recognize the cover homage!
Adams continues this first story with a team up between Hal Jordan and Barry (The Flash) Allen. Adams hit the same points in this one albeit with Hal and Barry instead of Hal and Ollie. Both stories are fun super-hero adventure tales that don’t belabor any messaging. The natural socio/ political commentary one would expect from these characters is there, but it is there as characterization and it never overwhelms the fun of the comic book action/ adventure component.
The opening sequence as the two heroes discuss what’s happening while the action plays out in the rearview mirror of the car in which they are driving is a fun and clever bit of storytelling that is wonderfully executed by artist, Lucas Meyer. It leads up to the reveal of their adversary, whom you’ll recognize despite his iconic appearance being somewhat disguised.
Negatives
About the only thing missing was Iris complaining that Barry was late!
Verdict
If you enjoy Jeremy Adams work at DC and what Mark Waid has been doing recently, then Green Arrow/ Green Lantern: World’s Finest Special #1 is a comic you will enjoy. It hits on character, nostalgia and continuity. Above all it’s a fun comic that utilizes the characters to drive the story while deftly weaving in a plot through line that connects it the greater DC Universe and its continuity. It’s definitely at the top of the reading stack this week!
