Review: Green Arrow Vol. 8- The Night Birds

Quick Summary

Pros: Horror takes over this book in a unique change of pace. The narrative is full of suspense and tension. The artwork perfectly reflects this change in tone.

Cons: The first arc ends rather suddenly and feels a bit unresolved. Readers not partial to horror will miss out on many of this book’s positives.

Overall: This is a Green Arrow horror story in the best way. It throws readers into two separate tales of suspense while constantly finding new ways to creep them out. Though it stumbles in a few places, especially at the end of the first arc, it proves to be entertaining throughout. This is a book for fans of horror or for Green Arrow fans looking for a change of pace.

Story

This is a large changeup for the series in terms of both quality and tone. For one, Green Arrow Vol. 8: The Night Birds is a much better story than the previous volume and ends up being one of the best books in this current series, outside of Jeff Lemire’s run. In addition, the tone is radically different as horror takes over from action and adventure.

These changes create a volume that works well on its own while still providing a nice transition into Benjamin Percy’s run on Green Arrow. The two tales here are short and relatively isolated, allowing them to serve as a nice palate cleanser before entering any longer arcs. However, their brevity can also be seen as a drawback, since the first story’s conclusion feels cut off and not fully realized. In summary, this is an above average collection that brings Green Arrow’s more classic elements into a spooky world of horror.

(spoilers start here)

The Night Birds begins with a sneak peak issue that firmly establishes this collection as something that will be pushing Green Arrow’s limits when it comes to horror and the supernatural. Defining this right from the start was a great move and is something that goes a long way in setting expectations for the rest of the book.

From here we get the story of the Night Birds, a legend in Seattle about a mysterious force that is kidnapping and killing people in the poor and marginalized sections of society. The public’s response is to create an army of killer robots that can sense the “threat” in people before they ever commit a crime. While the depictions of these crimes are firmly based in horror, the concepts behind them are perfect for the socially conscious Green Arrow. This creates a macabre story with a clear and relevant message, a unique pairing that proves to be very entertaining.

The only downside is that the conclusion of this arc comes about so suddenly that it feels almost unnatural. Both of the arc’s villains are killed in a few brief moments and all of the dramatic tension instantly dissolves. Even the fallout from the police department’s extremely controversial tactics is left unaddressed. This lack of resolution gives a hurried feeling to the end of the arc and retroactively makes the entire endevor feel a bit shallow.

The second half of the book is similar in terms of tone but different when it comes to execution. The horror elements are even stronger here, with a direct focus on the occult instead of shadowed references to it. This is paired with a change of setting, as Percy moves the story out of Seattle. The location change suits the amped up horror well by allowing it to flourish in an environment more foreign to the reader. Doing this also allows this arc to avoid the pitfalls of the previous one, by distancing Green Arrow’s home from the fallout of his adventures.

Overall, this makes for a better and more enjoyable story. The plot is straightforward, but not without its surprises, and tells a story that feels unique among this comic landscape. It has tons of tension and suspense, while still making time to deliever a message at the very end. There is also a nice prelude here for the next volume, as Oliver’s dog is given some characterization that can play out in a number of different ways. All in all, this is the second of two solid storylines and a nice way to cap a successful collection.

(spoilers end here)

Art

An intense change in tone also calls for an intense change in visuals. For this collection, Patrick Zircher takes over pencils, and most of the inks, while Gabe Eltaeb takes over colors. The result of this changeup is a book that looks like the horror comic it is trying to be. Washed out colors and creative villains give this comic the creepy undertones it needs.

However, unlike many horror comics, this one achieves its dark look by sticking as close to reality as possible. Zircher does not draw hideous monsters or grotesque displays of occult power; instead, he draws villains that barely look different from a regular person. They might wear makeup or masks but, underneath, they are undeniably human. This makes the entire premise of the story feel more real and almost makes it seem like this is a story that could play out in real life, something that makes it even creepier.

Continuity

Green Arrow Vol. 8: The Night Birds continues the story from Green Arrow Vol. 7: Kingdom (Review).

The story here continues in Green Arrow Vol. 9: Outbreak.

This volume also references another comic book, detailed below:

• The musician Black Canary is brought up a few times. She became a famous singer in Black Canary Vol. 1: Kicking and Screaming.