Green Arrow Annual #1

"Lesson for a Crab" - Sept. 1988

ENLARGE: Script: Denny O'Neil; Pencils: Tom Artis; Inks: Tom Dzon; Lettering: Todd Klein; Colors: Julia LacquementTodd Klein; Editor: Mike Gold; Cover: Ed Hannigan and Dick Giordano; Published by DC Comics

Green Arrow saves a woman's life with a near-impossible shot that blocks the trigger on a gun. He tells Dinah that he doesn't even aim, he just knows where the arrow will land when he lets go.

A millionaire playboy archer named Kalesque reads of Green Arrow's feats and challenges him, via a newspaper ad, to a million dollar duel. When Green Arrow doesn't take him up on it, Kalesque travels to Star City and begins murdering people with green arrows. The real Green Arrow has trouble living with the guilt of people dying because of a vendetta against him, and loses his ability to shoot on target. A new challenge comes from Kalesque -- a duel in the mountains, to the death.

With the Batman's help, Shiva and O Sensei have located Green Arrow. They find him practicing miserably, and Shiva mocks his archery. They explain they're there for a favor -- to be exchanged for a lesson. As Shiva and Dinah duel, O Sensei tells the story of the hermit crab who hides from the raccoon in his shell. Because he will not abandon his shell, he suffocates and the raccoon wins anyway. Had he abandoned his shell, he could have pinched the raccoon's nose.

Green Arrow walks into the mountains without his bow. Kalesque doesn't understand, and Green Arrow knows that the villain won't shoot, because he'll always wonder who was better. Green Arrow walks into point blank range, and Kalesque still hesitates. The Emerald Archer takes Kalesque's bow away, and thinks about punching him. In the end, he pinches his nose instead.

Shiva arrives, having tracked Green Arrow into the mountains. She challenges his ability to shoot now, and he obliges, picking a pinecone off of a tree from a distance.

A more complete summary coming soon!

Characters

Oliver Queen / Green Arrow
Dinah Lance / Black Canary
Kalesque
Lady Shiva
O Sensei
Bruce Wayne / Batman
Alfred Pennyworth
Wittels

Trivia / Minutiae

Relevant Links

DC Comics

Denny O'Neil

The Denny O'Neil Message Board at World Famous Comics Community
From the Cyber-Den at World Famous Comics Community
The O'Neil Observer Internet Archive cache
Interview with Denny O'Neil - Conducted by staff of VicSage.com

Tom Artis

Midnight High - The Deadly Art of Tom Artis on Amazon.com

Views From Other Sources

Got a review? E-mail us!

Book Club Discussion

Coming soon!