This is my second installment on
Arrow Season 2.5 to help us get through the hiatus. The first installment can be read
here. Of course, I don’t think anything could make the time go any faster than knowing that the CW has already renewed Arrow for season four! I expect we can also look forward to a Season 3.5 from the comics as well… In this installment, I’ll be looking at
Volume 3: Blood: Outnumbered and
Suicide Squad: Crisis in Kahndaq Parts 3 & 4.
Blood: Outnumbered was written by Marc Guggenheim, and again, it’s a real luxury, I think, to have someone as close to the heart of the show writing these stories. We know he’s considering the back and forth between the two mediums as the stories are unfolding. We also have continuity with Joe Bennett doing pencils, Craig Yeung on inks, Jim Charalampidis providing color, and Deron Bennett doing the lettering. Keto Shimizo returns to write the script for both
Suicide Squad parts, with Szymon Kudranski once again doing the art, and Charalampidis doing color and Deron Bennett on the lettering. Alex Antone did edits for both.
Given the continuity between issues, there’s not a lot more to be said about the art. In general, characters aren’t photographic likenesses though there is the occasional panel that is more faithful than others. Is still interesting to see that the crooks have a “sketch” of Diggle that looks more like him than the comic version though. What there always is to talk about in the comic medium is how well the panels are used to tell the story. For instance, there’s a nice close up of Laurel’s shocked face when she learns from the suspect she’s interviewing that Brother Blood is somehow still alive.
This issue doesn’t include any flashbacks but is mainly centered on some intense action. We do have Laurel dropping into the Foundry to update the team on the possible resurrection of Brother Blood. There’s a nice moment between Laurel and Diggle as she asks about Roy, and Diggle, always the big brother to everyone, asks how she’s doing. I like how the comic fleshes out Laurel’s relationship with the rest of the team – something that really seems to be lacking so far on the show.
I loved Felicity defending her considering Blood coming back from the dead based on the unbelievable things that happened in Season 2 with the mirakuru. It’s also a nice moment of foreshadowing as we see that Hogue has one of the mirakuru soldiers and is planning to use his blood to create more. While Oliver is right in insisting that this isn’t Sebastian Blood returned from the grave, the next panel does show us someone who has seemingly returned from the grave – Malcolm Merlin.
The panels from Corto Maltese are colored much more brightly than those from Starling City, but they are still heavily bordered by black. This is a nice reflection of what Malcolm is trying to teach Thea. Thea is immediately enchanted by the place, seeing only paradise. Malcolm pulls back the veil, however, to tell her that at night, even paradise is as bad as Starling City. He tells her that if she really wants change, she has to changer herself.
The majority of the issue deals with the Arrow’s and then Diggle’s infiltration of Blood’s stronghold. The panels are mostly small and dark, helping to reinforce the feeling of claustrophobia. There is one terrific sequence of panels where Blood is in the top panes with his hands raised. Below him, his disciples attack the Arrow and it seems like they are extensions of his arms – it almost feels like Cthulhu.
There’s another great moment when Oliver shows up in the nick of time to rescue Diggle. I was a little miffed that they simply leave Hogue where he is rather than either expose him or take him with them, but that might bring the entire storyline to too quick of a resolution… Regardless, they make their way out of the tunnels only to be surprised by… the Huntress! Who has somehow managed to get out of jail. I doubt she’s looking for Oliver to get back together again…
The
Suicide Squad in this issue actually shares a theme with Arrow 2.5. In both stories, religious extremism is the root of the problem. Blood has taken advantage of the weak and disenfranchised, but in
Suicide Squad, they are dealing with “the worst kind of religious extremist.” Khem-adam has had his men kidnap girls to punish them for going to school. Waller hand picks Layla to lead the Suicide Squad to take out Khem-adam, but Layla insists that getting the girls out has to be a priority. Waller asks how far along Layla is in her pregnancy. In possibly the worst drawn panel of a pregnant woman ever, Layla replies four months. Clearly, her pregnancy has her re-thinking some of her priorities, and it’s likely that she and Waller will come into more conflict over what the priority of the mission should be: assassination or rescue?
As always, the comics provide a nice counter-point and addition to the television universe. They are available in hard copy at your local comic store or online. Have you had a chance to check out any of the
Arrow tie-ins yet? Have your read volume 3 yet? If you want to read my review on volume 1 & 2, it's
here. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
About the Author - Lisa Macklem
I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Forever, Defiance, Bitten, Glee, and a few others! Highlights of this past year include covering San Diego Comic Con as press and a set visit to Bitten. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.
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