BATMAN /GREEN ARROW /THE QUESTION : ARCADIA #3 (DC COMICS)
A tangled web just became more complex.
Batman. Green Arrow. The Question. All three vigilantes have been brought together for varying reasons. Sage is trying to stop human trafficking. Queen is searching for his companies involvement with a grifting scheme. Bruce Wayne wants to investigate an assassination attempt.
Their quest for justice seems to have finally aligned their vision. Taking down a deranged billionaire’s personal army will take all the teamwork possible. Can they keep it together long enough to survive?
BATMAN/GREEN ARROW/THE QUESTION: ARCADIA #3 by Gabriel Hardman, Romulo Fajardo Jr. & Simon Bowland (DC COMICS) delivers its’ pen-ultimate chapter.
Let’s take a closer look at where events stand now.
BATMAN/GREEN ARROW/THE QUESTION: ARCADIA #3 by Gabriel Hardman, Romulo Fajardo Jr. & Simon Bowland (DC Comics)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Hardman opens events with a gritty escape form Rotha’s Greenland base. Seeing the heroes working together, albeit loosely, is a welcomed sight. Their dialogue lets their own personalities shine before the work commences. When Rotha’s army decides to make an example out of the innocent workers, it doesn’t take much for one to break away from the plan. Readers watch as the riot commences with grave consequences. The writing sets a fast pace to match the intensity of the escape.
Like all good plans, nothing goes perfect. Hardman shows the miscues while running from the scene. It leaves one hero wide open to be overwhelmed. Batman’s escape takes a different spin, knowing Rotha’s focus was zeroing in on him. Readers watch as the damage is too great to overcome with the rescue plane forced to land due to damage. This allows all parties to reconvene on what’s next. Their banter exposes the fractures in their alliances. One character seems to push more buttons than the others. It results in more than broken trust. The final act indicates that their internal bickering will be the least of the problems. There’s no running away from what’s coming next.
READ LAST ISSUE’S REVIEW HERE!
Hardman displays the tense escape with great close-ups of the heroes. Green Arrow’s eyes tell a story all its’ own as he watches the abuse from Rotha’s soldiers. One murder causes instincts to kick in. A near full shot sees Queen start a riot and rebuttal to the abuse. The Question makes an impact with trying to acquire a plane in solid panels. Nothing steals the spotlight like a full page of Batman descending onto a fight. Pacing matches the action flying across the pages. It leads to a two page spread that gives some hope for survival .
Sadly, the mood changes fast. Readers get a full page shot of the plane crash landing in the mountains. The story moves from fighting criminals to fighting to survive. Queen’s expressions take these moments. The panels also show how Sage’s plans haven’t been as successful as planned. Seeing this vulnerability adds to the reason for fighting. This moves into a stand-out moment of the book. Queen’s confrontation with Batman is filled with frustration and anger. Readers watch how Queen doesn’t bite his tongue and goes for a finish. Their fight carries as much weight as both can handle here. It leads to a realization of what lies ahead. The final page leaves nothing to chance with what is coming in the next chapter. Panels never let up on the grit needed for this story.
FINAL POINT: 9
A fractured union leads to a greater fight for survival in this pen-ultimate chapter. Hardman unloads the deep rooted emotions fueling all three heroes. The art gives a thrilling but doomed escape new life on the pages. This series has been a welcomed throwback for anyone looking for a more gritty story involving these classic heroes.
Let me know your thoughts on BATMAN/GREEN ARROW/THE QUESTION: ARCADIA #3 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
