Earning His Name
Ryan Sook has continuously been nailing it with these DC Universe Presents covers. I mean, Ryan Sook always nails it on covers, but it's even more impressive to continuously do so well with such a variety of protagonists and themes across one series. Even during a crappy story I could always enjoy the gorgeous covers. And of course Ryan Sook is one of the few artists who could make a cover with such a focused and action pose cover actually work. Awesome.
The artwork is excellent for this story. It's all fast and loose, and really helps capture all the various weapons used by Arsenal, and the general lighthearted tone of the character. It's not my favorite art ever, but it worked so damn well for this issue I wouldn't have it any other way.
I'm EXTREMELY glad that neither Red Hood nor Starfire really got much of any spotlight in this issue, because an Arsenal story needs to be about Arsenal. The Outlaws are used simply as a framing device, and a grounding anchor for Roy Harper. Some of the best moments of the issue touch back to these people who, if he admits it to himself, are his best and perhaps only friends that he'd do anything for. And so is, amazingly enough, Killer Croc. One of the things this issue does is show just how strongly Arsenal is a good guy down to his core. He came all the way out to Hong Kong and fights the triads to save Killer Croc because he helped him when he was at the bottom of the barrel. He even gives it just as much effort when he finds out it's not actually Killer Croc there. Roy is really dedicated to his friends, and that character trait shines through so brightly in this issue, it could easily be the cause of an increased popularity for him.
Another big thing this issue does is justify him as a hero, after so many characters have mocked his trucker hat and reliance on a bow and arrow; Arsenal lives up to his name. He's not 'Green Arrow' or 'Red Arrow' or any kind of archer name; he's ARSENAL. An arsenal is a whole stash of various weapons, and that's what Roy's weapon cache is. In fact, he's a walking arsenal. His body is not a weapon, but anything he grabs can be a viable weapon, whether it be a screwdriver or a quarter (or quart-like object).
In Conclusion: 5/5
This may not be the biggest story, or the most serious, but it's highly entertaining. After reading Nightwing and Red Hood's intense Death of the Family aftermath stories, I needed something like this. Arsenal is so upbeat and comical, he never appears to be taking anything seriously, but with a spark very unique to the jokester kind of character. His humor is a tool to annoy those after him, make them drop their guard or act with rage, or just misdirection for how serious he is deep down; or maybe he's just overcompensating for the time he spent in the gutters. Regardless, Arsenal is a hilarious character who can be taken incredibly seriously, and this issue validates him as a character like nothing else. Any Arsenal or Red Hood and the Outlaws fans NEED this issue, it's pretty much perfect.
