Arrow S05 E07: Vigilante

After quite a bit of foreplay, we're finally getting Vigilante, or at least the 1980s Wolfman/Perez version of the character. When we first saw Adrian Chase, we hoped we'd see his anti-superhero identity, and not be red herringed and disappointed like we were with Kate Spencer AKA Manhunter earlier in the series. Now here it is.

We open on a white slavery ring being taken down by Vigilante, though unseen, we see through his infrared goggles. Like the Hood and the Arrow of old, he kills the bad guys, with guns rather than arrows. And he leaves two hanging outside for the police to find in the shape of a V, with Vs cut into their faces as well. If nothing else, this new killer in Star City has a demented sense of style.

The discussion with Team Arrow is not so much of another killer on the streets, as much as it is - should they stop this one that is killing bad guys? Oliver is adamant that he must be stopped, the others not so sure. After a bank robbery where Vigilante takes out some of the Spooky Crew Team Arrow is still unconvinced. Could Vigilante be a new recruit where Oliver gets outvoted?

I have to confess some disappointment in Vigilante's outfit. After seeing his comics costume look in that police sketch since the beginning of the season, I expected something slicker, less bulky, and more like the comics than what we've gotten. He's more Wild Dog than Vigilante. If they couldn't pull off the look, why use that sketch to begin with?

The final fight between Green Arrow and Vigilante is better than a lot we've seen lately. Being a Silver Age fan I dig the use of more trick arrows, and we got a few this episode. I did hate that Mr. Terrific got the worst of a beating again, and that we were faked out by the unmasking of Vigilante in the coming attractions.

In the soap opera portion of the show, Quentin offers his resignation. When Thea confronts him, he comes clean about his drinking, and his suspicious blackouts, as well as the throwing stars. She takes him to rehab, notably not telling her brother about any of it right away. I guess stubbornness is genetic.

Oliver goes on a date with Susan Williams, the nasty news reporter from channel 52. Many folks might not be aware, but she's also from the comics, a minor character from Green Lantern. She was the reporter wife of Hal Jordan's brother who believed her husband was actually the Green Lantern. On the show, it's hard to tell if she really likes Oliver (although technically it was the Human Target who charmed her) or is leading him on. She does have proof he was in Russia when he was supposed to be on a desert island.

Speaking of Russia, in Flashback Russia, as opposed to Island or Hong Kong, Oliver has a stressful dinner with Konstantin Kovar. Dolph Lundgren shows that he can still be scary after all these years. And after he beats Oliver down, our hero learns the hard truth, that Kovar and Bratva have made a deal.

Did anyone else catch the name drop of the Papp Hotel? Nice reference. George Papp was the co-creator of Green Arrow in 1941, along with Mort Weisinger. Papp was responsible for the look and design of the character, and the series artist for years. He also co-created Congo Bill and drew Superboy for a long stretch as well.

The closing stinger was a bit of a shock, but completely believable. We see Artemis meeting with Prometheus. Obviously here, just as in "Young Justice," Artemis is a double agent...

Next: Invasion!

Arrow S03 E03: "Corto Maltese"

Corto Maltese was originally the name of a late sixties European comics series by Italian creator Hugo Pratt about a sailor adventurer named Corto Maltese. Writer/artist Frank Miller liked it so much he used the name for an embattled South American island nation in his classic The Dark Knight Returns. Later in homage to that, it appears in the photography of Vicki Vale in 1989's Batman film. It was later brought into the DC Universe proper and was even mentioned on TV's "Smallville."

In the Arrowverse, Corto Maltese was first brought up waaay back in the first season episode "Lone Gunmen" as a place Deadshot was operating. Here, it is where Malcolm Merlyn has brought Thea Queen for training. Oliver is obsessed with finding her and is off to Corto Maltese, with Roy and Diggle in tow. Diggle has a second mission while he's down there however, checking on an operative named Mark Shaw who had gone dark.

Yes, the DCU is alive and well in this episode of "Arrow." Mark Shaw is just one of the people who has gone under the name Manhunter. Another would be Kate Spencer, who, still alive and active as Manhunter in the comics, died at the hands of one of Deathstroke's soldiers in last season's "Streets of Fire." Here Mark Shaw is not quite as heroic as in the comics, and ambushes Diggle. Anyone who knows Shaw's earlier Star Tsar and Privateer background, this shouldn't be a surprise.

While Diggle and Oliver are off playing spy with Mark Shaw, Roy does what they actually came to Corto Maltese for, he talks to Thea. He seems to get through to a little, but then Oliver tries his brand of pseudo-truth, which of course he tells her everything but. Just when you think Oliver has changed, has learned something... it becomes apparent he's the same guy he was years ago.

We also meet a very young Ted Grant, better known in the comics as Wildcat, Golden Age superhero and Justice Society member. Notably he taught many heroes to fight including Batman, Catwoman, and yeah, the Black Canary. Laurel comes to his boxing gym looking for a Tom Bronson, who in the comics is his son, his namesake, and a were-panther... but I don't think we're going there... Where we are going should be obvious however, Laurel will at last become the Black Canary.

Thea's training seems awful Batman-ish, but what can you do. John Barrowman is the perfect melding of father, mentor, and sociopath as Malcolm Merlyn, it is hard to dislike him. I want him to be Captain Jack, but I'm relishing him as Malcolm. In a nod to the comics, and the second Speedy, Thea is called Mia. Finally. I like it.

Shaw is making a deal with the ARGUS intel he stole with a man named Armitage. Sharp viewers will remember that Armitage supplied Malcolm Merlyn with the Markov device back in "Tremors." I love that Oliver was able to fashion bows and arrows from stuff in their hotel room. I wonder how much they'll be charging his credit card?

In the end, we get no real resolution to the Mark Shaw storyline. Does he go free? Go to jail? Extradited to ARGUS? If the answer was there, I missed it. Thea comes home with the boys, but Malcolm says he'll see her soon. Felicity takes some time off to go over to "The Flash" this past week, and Ray Palmer discovers Queen Consolidated was making high tech weapons. Laurel begins her training with Ted Grant after Oliver refuses to help her. And Nyssa drops by the Arrowcave looking for Sara.

Other DC Comics references include the executive assistant Ray Palmer assigns to Felicity, Jerry Conway. Gerry Conway was the creator of Firestorm, a character and comic that both "Arrow" and "The Flash" reference constantly, and also longtime writer of Justice League of America, a comic that regularly featured Green Arrow, Black Canary, and the Atom. There's also Coast City, home city of Green Lantern and Ferris Aircraft.

Next: The Magician!

Beware the Batman: "Nexus"

Regular readers of my work at Biff Bam Pop! know that I recently wrote an overview of the most recent Batman animated series - "Beware the Batman." The show continues to air at the ungodly hour of 2:30 AM on the Cartoon Network late Saturday nights/early Sunday mornings. Thank goodness for DVRs.

A couple weeks back Batman finished a large story arc where he faced off against Ras Al Ghul and an odd assemblage of his foes

from the series. Circumstances of the conflict caused Alfred to leave, so now Batman and Katana are on their own. Onto this relatively clean slate we get the introduction of a classic Batman character and future villain, District Attorney Harvey Dent, who in the comics, after an unfortunate encounter with acid, becomes the sinister split personality Two-Face.

Here, in what is possibly the best episode of the series so far, "Nexus," Dent is the adversary and the force behind capturing the masked vigilante Batman. So simple, so pure, and so back to basics, I liked this a lot. Batman and Katana are working well as partners, Gordon is finally in place as Police Commissioner, the Bat-Signal is in use, and Dent is anti-Batman.

Speaking of the anti-Batman, Anarky is also here to play. Originally, in the comics, Anarky was a potential Robin, but here in "Beware the Batman," he is more like a subtle version of the Joker, with a bit less insanity, and wearing a cross between Batman's traditional costume and Moon Knight's.

This is an awesome episode, and a great introduction to the series if you're coming in late. And of course, you'll have to be coming in late because that when Cartoon Network airs it. Good stuff is coming, Metamorpho returns this weekend, and then, the Paul Kirk Manhunter!

Arrow S02 E22: "Streets of Fire"

Now the first thing I think of when I hear the words "Streets of Fire," the title of this week's episode of "Arrow," I think of that less than satisfactory musical by Walter Hill from the early 1980s. Hopefully this will wipe that image from my mind.

When last we left Team Arrow, Brother Blood's Mirakuru army was on the rampage in Starling City. Diggle was about to get his ass handed to him by Isabel/Ravager, Arrow and Laurel were trapped underground, Thea was in danger, Quentin was in danger, and Felicity was taking a call... but I'm sure in danger as well. We pick up moments after we left off.

The cliffhangers are handled better than they have been recently. It's good to see the good guys on top of their game for once. I like seeing resourceful heroes. There is a great moment when Kate Spencer confronts Sebastian Blood about the chaos in the city, and the fanboy in me just wanted her to take matters into her own hands and change into Manhunter. But that ain't gonna happen. Apparently there is a limit to heroes in Starling City, and it's not cool, not cool at all.

And then there's the return of John Barrowman as Malcolm Merlyn, coming to Thea's rescue in full Dark Archer regalia. He claims he heard about Moira's death and returned to make sure his daughter was all right. Canary is also back, seemingly for the same reasons, but no, it's more like she needed to confess to her sister.

Felicity's phone call panned out however. Vibe and Killer Frost, ahem, I mean Cisco and Caitlin over at S.T.A.R. Labs in Central City have come up with a cure for Mirakuru. It just has to be retrieved, unfortunately Slade knows all about it. The team is intercepted en route with Slade's forces closing in. The episode is actually very much like the end of the first season, with the city in ruins and the cast dispersed.

We also see pieces of the puzzle finally coming together in this episode. We see the beginning of a trust between the Arrow and the police. Quentin's words about masks tearing up the city, and needing a mask to put a stop to it ring in a new era. On Flashback Island, we see the bond of trust made between Oliver and Anatoly, who in the comics becomes the KGBeast, cementing his connection to the Russian mob.

And now for the bad stuff. Sebastian Blood, becoming more and more dissatisfied with Slade's plans, devastation of the city, and obsession with the Arrow, betrays his superior. The cure goes from Slade's hands to Blood's to the Arrow's, thanks to Blood, and for that, the Ravager kills him. I'm not a fan of villains killing villains. It takes it out of the hero's hands, making the heroism a little less satisfying. We want to see the hero beat the villain, so let us.

And don't let the hero's kid sister kill the villain either. But we'll see how that works out next week as well. Amanda Waller and A.R.G.U.S. has blocked all roads and bridges out of Starling City in an effort to keep Slade's army from getting out. She'll level the city at dawn if the Arrow hasn't stopped them. That's the cliffhanger for the season finale, with a nice shout out to the JSA's Monument Point thrown in just for good measure. See you next week.

Arrow S02 E17: "Birds of Prey"

In the last episode of "Arrow" we got a peek at a live action version of a comic book phenomenon, the Suicide Squad. This week we get a live action version of another unorthodox comic book super-team, but one we've seen in TV before, and on this particular network.

Made famous by comics writer Gail Simone, Birds of Prey was a team-up guest-star title that revolved around the core characters of former Batgirl then Oracle, Black Canary, and the Huntress. During Simone's run it was probably one of the best series of its time. Riding on the success of "Smallville," the CW then the WB was looking for a companion series and developed Birds as a series.

Put bluntly, it was a bit of a disaster. Set in a Gotham City slightly in the future where Batman and Catwoman had produced a daughter, the Huntress, the Joker had put Batgirl in a wheelchair, and Black Canary had a daughter as well. They threw in weird elements from everywhere, and the big bad was Harley Quinn. It could have been good, but it wasn't. You can see my reviews of the series as the episodes were aired here.

Now that "Arrow" has both a Black Canary and a Huntress, I suppose it's time they met. I'm not fond of the "Arrow" version of the Huntress or the actress who plays her, Jessica DeGouw, so up front I am not thrilled by her return. DeGouw is terrific in "Dracula," but her Huntress does nothing for me. I love the Huntress of the comics, but this psycho ex-girlfriend is not her. Honestly I had hoped the Huntress would have returned to help Arrow against Deathstroke… but alas, not to be…

We open this episode with Quentin Lance prepping a police raid to arrest a criminal named Hugo Mannheim. Hmmm... now this is an intriguing possible DC Comics reference. Usually "Arrow" sticks to the Bat side of the DCU, but could Hugo Mannheim be related to Bruno Mannheim of Metropolis' Intergang, an organization funded by Darkseid? Perhaps this is a hint to one of next season's big bads?

Either way, after some decent Arrow and Canary action, they end up bagging not Mannheim, but surprise surprise, Frank Bertinelli. For those of you don't remember, the Huntress has a bit of a psychotic obsession with vengeance on her father. Yep, Oliver sure can pick them. And it's not just me saying that, the rest of Team Arrow feels the same way. Anyway, with Dad in custody, it's only a matter of time before the Huntress is back in town.

In other news, Laurel is going to AA meetings and Adam has asked her to return to the DA's office, specifically to try Frank Bertinelli. Favors owed under the table took care of any messy disbarment problems. Laurel's been through hell, it's true, but quite honestly with a blonde Lance lady in the Canary costume at Oliver's side and in his bed - I haven't cared. Laurel is almost redundant. If this was a Joss Whedon show she might not be long for this world.

Also, in tracking the Huntress, Roy joins Arrow and Canary in the field. The red hood is nice, but let's face it, he needs a mask, and a codename. Speaking of which, when Arrow feels the Mirakiru boy is about to lose control, he calls him "Speedy," but we learn later he was just trying to remind him of Thea to calm him down. It's a bit lame, but I like it more than the possibility of him taking the name in her memory if she dies.

When Frank Bertinelli is brought in for trial we get a peek at how things are. In the words of Admiral Ackbar, it's a trap. This version of the Huntress is a super-villain, complete with henchmen. They take over the courthouse, and hold Laurel among their hostages. The Canary is also inside, and Oliver is waiting outside for his work clothes. I guess Oliver just can't do that stay in the shadows stealth stuff anymore without his costume, eh?

Regarding the inevitable clash between Canary and the Huntress. I was surprised that someone trained by the League of Assassins could be taken advantage of by someone trained by Oliver. Maybe Canary was holding back for Oliver's sake, as she said. They fight it out a bit more satisfactorily later in the episode however. I do wonder where Canary gets these climbing scarves though.

There are some great lines in this episode, like when Roy tries to break up with Thea and she tells him no. Or when Laurel meets Canary and asks if she's one of the good guys and she also tells her no, "but I'm friends with them." Then there's the Huntress commenting upon meeting Canary that Oliver likes to dress up his girls. Felicity is priceless when she talks about how hard it is to tell who knows whose secret identity. Gold.

In the various wrap ups, Laurel keeps her job through blackmail, and Adam is fired, although it is nice to see Kate (Manhunter) Spenser again. Roy and Thea are broken up. The cliffhanger stinger has Slade picking up Thea... so maybe the Speedy name is going to stick... for all the wrong reasons...

Arrow: Betrayal

"Arrow" is at a point now where you need a score card to know what's what and who's who. I'm not sure that's a place this show should be at right now. I'm sure there's a core audience, but despite the handy elevator pitch origin story in the opening of every episode, I'm not sure that any new viewers wouldn't be hopelessly lost. No matter how you slice it, even I was having trouble keeping all the balls in the air at the beginning of "Betrayal."

Oliver confronts his mom about the notebook full of names that he got from Felicity last episode. She throws it in the fireplace, suggesting the only way the family can heal is to stop asking questions. Diggle tails her throughout the episode, discovering some nasty secrets. When Oliver confronts her later as Arrow, heh, well, that's this episode's cliffhanger.

In the main story this episode, Cyrus Vanch, former muckety-muck of the Starling City underworld has been released from prison, Iron Heights specifically - nice shout out to the comics. He wants what's his back, as well as the Triad's and the Bertinelli family's (I guess that means we haven't seen the last of China White or the Huntress). And he also wants Arrow out of the way. Using his contacts on the police force, he learns Laurel knows Arrow, so he kidnaps her. This forces Dad to cooperate with The Hood.

In the attack on Vanch, I am again struck by the violence of this so-called hero's methods. By my count, there are at least eight of Vanch's men who take arrows right in the chest. Can you live through that? It's what bothered me about previews of the show before it aired. Have they made Green Arrow into a serial killer? Man, give me an old-fashioned boxing glove arrow any day.

In the soap opera portion of the show, honesty gets between Laurel and Tommy. Disappointingly this coupling has yet to be used to its potential as far as being a plot complication. So much unused potential, but I'll keep waiting. Laurel's relationship with her dad is suffering from problems similar to hers with Tommy as well this episode. I wonder what's next on "All My Arrows"...

On the island, Oliver meets Slade Wilson, played by Manu Bennett, Crixus of Starz' amazing "Spartacus" series. Comics readers will immediately recognize the name Slade Wilson as the not so secret identity of Deathstroke. Again, for TV they have flipped things. Wilson is apparently one of two Deathstrokes, and not the one Oliver encountered earlier. Apparently Slade is who trains Oliver. I won that bet.

There are other cool shout outs this episode as well. Vanch's lawyer worked for Wolfman and Perez, referencing the writer/artist team of Marv Wolfman and George Perez, who created the New Teen Titans, a team that occasionally featured Speedy. They also, most notably, created Deathstroke. Laurel wants to call DA Kate Spencer for help to put Vanch back in prison. Kate is of course the civilian identity of Manhunter. Arrow and Laurel meet atop the Winick building - Judd Winick, former MTV "Real World" wrote the Green Arrow comic for a while.

Be here next episode when Oliver tells his mom that she's failed the city, same Arrow time, same Arrow channel.

Arrow: Legacies

Before I start my review of this episode, I want to backtrack to something I missed initially in last week's "Damaged." The attorney prosecuting Oliver in that episode was none other than Kate Spencer. In the DC Comics source material, crusading attorney Spencer is the secret identity of the crime fighting superheroine Manhunter. Perhaps that's a hint to an upcoming encounter.

"Legacies" represents a turning point for Oliver in his vigilante mission, going from personal vendetta to full-on crimefighter and protector of Starling City. To make that transformation, enter the Royal Flush Gang. In the comics these high tech card-themed villains regularly took on the Justice League with a revolving cast of thugs behind the masks. Here in "Arrow," they are a family of bank robbing terrorists in painted hockey masks. Same as they ever were, just with less special effects.

I'm impressed that Diggle is able to turn Oliver's head in this way. He can't just fight the cause of his city's sickness, he has to fight the symptoms as well - and this week, the symptoms are the Royal Flush Gang. I did not however dig Diggle's Alfred impersonation when he saved Oliver from brunch to stop a bank robbery. Speaking of Batman, I loved seeing Oliver stealthily break into police headquarters, kinda part Batman, part Dexter.

We get more trick arrows this time around as well as more Felicity Smoak. Tommy Merlyn has a bigger part, trying to get back into Laurel's pants. I'm not sure which is creepier - Tommy and Laurel or Tommy and Thea. Maybe the latter is what pushes him and Oliver apart? Get to it already, when is he finally putting on the black leather and crossing bows with our hero?

Tidbits from the quiver: Yao Fei is finally named in the show, Keystone City, Coast City, a pseudo Legion ring, and Stagg Industries are among the comics name drops this time around. I see that Philadelphia's Comcast building has been added to Starling City's skyline. And there's also the fact that Laurel's law firm is abbreviated CNRI - yeah, that's right, Canary.