World’s Finest #134 (1963)
by Ed Herron & Lee Elias
Now I know what you’re thinking. Did I have to review yet another Miss Arrowette story?
Well it is the last time she shows up on World’s Finest, and how many other occasions will I have to make fun of the awful early Green Arrow?
We begin with Green Arrow and Speedy learning about the disappearance of two scientists, one of which invented an anti-gravity vehicle (!!!!) and the other a “Z-Ray”.
It’s rather sad that this is more detective work than Batman has ever done in all the stories I’ve reviewed so far. Combined.
Green Arrow rescues the two scientists from Not Latveria. That was fast, we’re only at page 2!
I’m not even faulting him for not arresting the criminals, since he understandably prioritizes taking the hostages to a safe place.
Is… is this actually a GOOD story!?
We’ll see about that, because this is when Miss Arrowette enters this story.
I haven’t mentioned it before, and I’m not entirely sure if her civilian name was mentioned before… but it’s an amusing choice.
Because his last name is Queen (despite being a man) and her last name is King (despite being a woman). That’s actually kind of clever!
We’re almost at the halfway point and nothing stupid has happened yet! Even Miss Arrowette… let me repeat it, MISS ARROWETTE… is actually being competent here!
Green Arrow looks like an absolute moron, yes, but still!
She’s in fact completely correct: the criminals only shot blanks, and Green Arrow decides to investigate further. And he congratulates her on her insight by… well this is the 60s, what do you expect?
Okay, I have to ask. His name is Green Arrow… why are the Arrow-Plane AND the Arrow-Car always yellow and never green!?!?!
Turns out Green Arrow didn’t really rescue the inventor… he rescued an impostor, who took the opportunity to steal the anti-gravity craft.
But please, do go on telling Miss Arrowette SHE is the one who shouldn’t play the hero.
Green Arrow follows him, avoiding plummeting to his death only thanks to the Arrow-Chute.
So, uhm, why exactly are we following this doofus instead of Miss Arrowette dealing with A DEATH RAY!?
But she’s still in a Green Arrow comic, so she’s contractually obligated to be kidnapped.
Still, she’s definitely more competent than Green Arrow gives her credit for.
To be fair, after he rescues her he DOES allow Miss Arrowette to participate in the last part of the mission.
And that’s it! Honestly, if only they dropped the gimmick about all her arrows being makeup-themed, I could see Miss Arrowette sticking around.
I mean at this point she just HAS to be more interesting than these two, right?
Historical significance: 0/10
So long, Miss Arrowette. At least you’re awesome in Young Justice.
Silver Age-ness: 8/10
I love how nobody even cares there’s a guy inventing anti-gravity stuff.
Does it stand the test of time? 8/10
If you allow some wiggle room for the writing conventions of the time, this isn’t bad at all! Have the characters give a little more credit to Miss Arrowette and tone down the gimmicks, and I could see most of the story being done today.
Yeah, Golden/Silver Age Green Arrow can be a headscratcher. But if you think a yellow Arrowcar and Arrowplane is odd, then you might be interested to know that in the earliest Green Arrow stories, the Arrowcar isn’t called the Arrowcar – it’s called the Arrowplane! And no, it was never a car that converted to air travel
Sounds legit.
My hunch was the early name for the Green Arrow’s auto, the “Arrowplane”, was intended as a riff off of an actual car brand, the Terraplane, manufactured by the Hudson Motor Car Company from 1932 to 1938.
But was the Terraplane yellow? 🙂
Jokes aside, that’d be a great connection.
They did, indeed, come in yellow:
https://www.findlotsonline.com/auction-lot-details/725945/
You’re awesome as always!
Now all we need is a reason for why Ollie called his base “the arrow-cave” and Green Arrow might start making sense.