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1987 at DC Comics: Green Arrow and the Young All-Stars

We’re continuing our week-long look at old advertisements for DC Comics that began their run in 1987.  What a great year 1987 was for DC Comics! So far this week we’ve looked at the Justice League, Dr. Fate, Amethyst, Suicide Squad, Checkmate, and Doom Patrol.  Today we’re shooting straight for victory with Green Arrow and the Young All-Stars!

Below you’ll find the ad for Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters by Mike Grell and Lurene Haines.   This was a great comic!  Green Arrow went gritty, trading in his trick arrows for traditional pointy ones.  Sadly, this series also marked a huge change for Black Canary.  She was tortured and her vocal chords mutilated to the point where she lost her Canary Cry.  Even with such tragedy, the story was strong and to this day sticks out as one of the best Green Arrow comics.  The series proved popular enough that DC Comics launched the first ever Green Arrow ongoing series, also written by Grell.

Green Arrow The Longbow Hunters by Mike Grell advertisement

Here is the cover to Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters #1 by Mike Grell.  This mini-series premiered in May 1987.

Green Arrow The Longbow Hunters #1 by Mike Grell

As mentioned before, the popularity of the Longbow Hunters mini-series resulted in the first ever Green Arrow ongoing series.  Here is the advertisement promoting the monthly title Green Arrow by Mike Grell, Ed Hannigan, and Dick Giordano.  Interesting to note this book was suggested for mature readers.  I enjoyed this series, but it seemed to me every issue featured a scene of Ollie and Dinah being interrupted during sex.  Maybe that was to justify the mature readers label.

Green Arrow by Mike Grell, Ed Hannigan, Dick Giordano advertisement

Here is the cover to Green Arrow #1 by Mike Grell. This series premiered in November 1987.

Green Arrow #1 by Mike Grell, Ed Hannigan, Dick Giordano

Next up is the Young All-Stars by Roy & Dann Thomas, Michael Bair, Brian Murray, and Malcolm Jones!  This title was a follow-up to the successful Golden Age-themed monthly All-Star Squadron.  After Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Golden Age versions of many characters had been erased from history.  This seriously messed with the All-Star Squadron continuity.  The Young All-Stars was designed to pick up where All-Star Squadron left off, while at the same time replace the missing Golden Age heroes with these new characters in the new continuity.  Iron Munro was intended to fill in the gap left behind by the no-longer-existing Golden Age Superman; Fury was intended to replace Wonder Woman; Flying Fox was intended to replace Batman; and Neptune Perkins was intended to replace Aquaman.  I’ve always found it interesting that the Young All-Stars didn’t include anyone to replace the Golden Age Green Arrow.  In later years writers at DC used The Spider to replace Green Arrow in many Golden Age stories, but in 1987 that hadn’t been established yet.  Poor Green Arrow, no love for you.

The Young All-Stars by Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas, Brian Murray, Malcolm Jones advertisement

Here is the super-cool cover to Young All-Stars #1 by Brian Murray.  The covers to the first six issues all featured a similar frame, with the center piece highlighting a different member of the team each issue.  This series premiered in March 1987.  Man I loved this comic!

The Young All-Stars #1 by Roy Thomas, Dann Thomas, Brian Murray, Michael Bair, Malcolm Jones

That’s it for today!  Come back all this week for more DC Comics advertisements from 1987!

4 thoughts on “1987 at DC Comics: Green Arrow and the Young All-Stars

  1. LOVED those Young All-Star covers. I never really got into the series. OK. I never bought the series at all, but the covers, I thought, were stunning. What can I say, 1987 was before I started earning cash with any regularity (notice I didn’t call it working!).

    Maybe I’ll correct that mistake and pick these books up if I can find them in the dollar (or cheaper) bins this con season.

  2. Dude, I totally own that promo poster with GA standing in the skylight! One of these days, I’ll get it framed.

  3. Are there any sites discussing Young All Stars. I’m re-reading my collection but don’t know what to think. It lacked the teamwork dynamics of ASQ.

    My classmates were more into JLI and Vertigo, so I never got to discuss this book with anyone. I felt that sidelining the original All Stars hurt the book. Too many times, a veteran All Star made up some excuse and disappear from the story.

    Thoughts?

  4. Tony – I’m not aware of any sites discussing Young All-Stars, but you may enjoy the podcast TALES OF THE JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA. They are tackling the All-Star Squadron, so hopefully they’ll delve into the Young All-Stars!

    Thanks for visiting and commenting!

    Shag

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