The Good

It's been said before that Mark Waid knows how to write a good story. You immediately feel that he really knows and cares about the Green Hornet. This is a character that can easily be dismissed as an old pulp character that wears green and uses a gas gun. There are clearly many more layers to him than that.

It's always fascinating when writers do stick to a character's original time period rather than try to update them. The updates do work from time to time but having this comic ste in the 1940s gives it a stronger vibe that it's a 'real' story and not just a new attempt to create stories on a decades old character.

Waid also spends plenty of time delving into both personas of the character. The Green Hornet also has his civilian guise which is equally important. With Batman, we could go months without seeing Bruce Wayne in his day-to-day activities. Britt Reid is extremely important to who Green Hornet is.

Daniel Indro's pencils do the script justice. Even though this is set in the 1940s and that's an important part of the story, it doesn't feel like an outdated story. There are plenty of elements in both the art and plot that make it clear what period this is taking place in. It's refreshing to have the story just feel right.

The Bad

Green Hornet is trying to play both sides. His goal is to take down the bad guys while pretending to be bad himself. No one ever said the bad guys were brilliant but you have to wonder how long this charade can last. One moment in particular has Kato taking a picture of a 'bad guy' which later ends up in Britt Reid's newspaper. How would something like this be explained? Obviously there are ways but it's something overlooked and could make other villains wonder.

The story is compelling but hopefully we'll see Green Hornet take on a variety of criminal scum.

The Verdict

Mark Waid is a man that knows what he's doing. For him to take on a GREEN HORNET comic, you know it's going to be exactly what you would want in a GREEN HORNET comic. If you've never read one before, Waid is reason enough to get you started. Seeing this story unfold in the 1940s is a great way to give it a separate feel from the enormous amount of comics on sale each week. It has a classic feel that the character deserves while not being bogged down as a pure period piece. It does take place in the past but the way Waid tells the story and Daniel Indro's art won't make it feel like you're reading your grandfather's comic. This is a great time to check out GREEN HORNET if you haven't tried the character before.

Hey @g_man I read Kevin Smith's arc and enjoyed it but then dropped off soon after. I watched a bunch of the TV show as a kid and was a fan. Should I pick this up?

This is clearly more like the TV show rather than the recent movie. I didn't quite liked the Kevin's Smith arc, good enough to read but too much of a similar copy of Batman.

This new comic stand more as a unique take on the character. I always appreciate Mark Waid's work, this isn't an origin story, the character is already establish and Waid knows how to write a comic.

One moment in particular has Kato taking a picture of a 'bad guy' which later ends up in Britt Reid's newspaper. How would something like this be explained?

They sold it to the highest bidder.

It was funny when the Green Hornet mentioned the Shadow.

Since I started reading comics on a regular basis a couple of years ago I've been waiting for a Green Hornet about the original Hornet and Kato to add my pull list, and with Mark Waid writting it didn't dissapoint.

@g_man

won't make it feel like you're reading your grandfather's comic.

You leave my granddad outta this!