Green Arrow: Year One #1–6 by Andy Diggle and Jock

The Losers by Diggle and Jock is a great espionage action comic book that is very deserving of its adaptation into a film coming out this year (and I’m looking forward to it very much). Therefore, anything that these two work on together is definitely worth a look.

I don’t know if Oliver Queen’s origin story has been told before but, if it hasn’t, then this works perfectly for me. In fact, it works as a damn good action story without having to worry about the eventual spandex that awaits; this is an exciting adventure that could be adapted for screen and be entertaining in its own right.

Diggle has a good handle on the character of Oliver Queen, a wealthy adrenaline junkie who is betrayed by his bodyguard and left for dead in the middle of the Pacific ocean. On an island somewhere there, he rediscovers his natural ability with a bow and his love of Robin Hood, and re-evaluates his life, while in the middle of guns and explosions and playing the hero. There are some great narrative lines, good dialogue and it lays the basis for the future of the character. It can definitely stand by its ‘Year One’ title.

Of course, a good story in a comic book needs good art, and Jock does a fantastic job here. I really like his style – action-filled and dynamic, but also good with the character moments and facial expression. The storytelling is great, the line work jumps off the page and you can see the book as a storyboard for a great action film. This is a very enjoyable trade paperback.