Notice! Spoilers ahead for Green Arrow 2024 Annual #1!All this time, Green Arrow he had a villain who challenges him almost as much as the Joker challenges Batman. An era comes to an end and a reflection on the past reveals a surprising enemy that almost escaped the Emerald Archer for good.
As a seasoned hero, Green Arrow has had many villains that have gotten him into trouble. Count Vertigo’s head was spinning, Onomatopoeia attacked the hero’s throat and Merlyn coordinated a plan with Amanda Waller to try to ruin Green Arrow’s life. But while Oliver Queen faced off against this collection of bad guys, another sinister threat has haunted him over the years.
Green Arrow reveals Firestarter, a villain he almost never caught
Firestarter’s first (and only) appearance
In Green Arrow 2024 Annual #1 by Joshua Williamson, Sean Izaakse, Amancay Nahuelpan, Romulo Fajardo Jr and Troy Peteri, we are years in the future and Olive Queen has returned to Arrow Island to look after the next generation of the Arrow Family. Uninterested in playing, the children ask Green Arrow to tell them a story, mainly about a time when the hero missed one of his targets. Oliver agrees and tells the story of when he returned from the island and found an arsonist that Green Arrow can’t arrest.
Don’t be confused if you’ve never heard of Firestarter. This is the first time he has appeared!
Green Arrow reveals that he has been chasing the mysterious arsonist for years, but unlike most of Oliver’s other thugs, this criminal has been more difficult to capture. Over the years, the arsonist became more deadly and exaggerated, even taking on the name Firestarter thanks to the news. Eventually, Green Arrow deduces that Firestarter must be one of three people: a demolitions expert, a former fire captain, or an employee of Queen Industries. Green Arrow and the Arrow Family work together to capture the suspects.but all were dismissed for lack of evidence.
Green Arrow reveals he pursued the mysterious arsonist for years…
Green Arrow reveals that Firestarter disappeared after the apprehension, but Oliver never got the closure he wanted. He reminds the young members of the Arrow Family that the important thing he’s learned over the years is the value of teamwork, which ultimately helps Oliver discover that Firestarter was never one person, but all three suspects working together under a shared identity. Oliver Queen dons his old Green Arrow costume once again and finally brings all three Firestarters to justice, ending the mystery that has haunted him for years.
Firestarter is the perfect foil for Green Arrow
An intense hero/villain dynamic that lasted years
Firestarter’s existence surprises many because, until now, Green Arrow has never talked about him, nor have fans ever seen this character. To be fair, Oliver admits this is due to how frustrated he was at never being able to catch Firestarter, no matter how many times they fought. Oliver has many villains who give him a run for his money, but unlike classic bad guys like Count Vertigo, Green Arrow was particularly frustrated by Firestarter’s brand of cruelty.
Green Arrow is someone who wants nothing more than to build a better world while Firestarter tries to completely destroy it…
He may not have as sick a sense of humor as the Joker, but Firestarter’s history with Green Arrow is no different than the Clown Prince of Crime’s dynamic with Batman. Both are villains who always seem to escape the hands of the heroes, whose identities have remained a mystery for years. Not to mention, just like the Joker, the Firestarter has only gotten worse over the years, evolving from lower-stakes crimes into larger, deadlier acts of destruction. But luckily, unlike Batman, Green Arrow finally managed to bring his longtime enemy to justice.
Although his debut and subsequent capture come as a surprise, Firestarter is a great foil to Green Arrow. Green Arrow is someone who wants nothing more than to build a better world while Firestarter aims to completely raze it to the ground (seemingly for profit, another thorn in the side of the socially conscious Queen). The real shame is that, despite Firestarter’s potential as a true foil to Green Arrow, his entire story is presented in a single issue. PerhapsThere is another story further detailing Firestarter’s history with Green Arrow. to flesh out their fiery rivalry.
Green Arrow defeated Firestarter, but is there more to the story?
Fans Should See More of Oliver’s ‘Joker’
While this story makes good use of Firestarter, it would be sad to see this idea completely abandoned after just one issue. Green Arrow could always use another villain in his rogues gallery, and someone who has avoided him for years would be the perfect addition. Hopefully a future Green Arrow the story will somehow incorporate this underrated Clown-as an enemy to anger the Emerald Archer once again.
Green Arrow 2024 Annual #1 is now available from DC Comics.