Green Arrow: Black Canary's Role In A World Without Oliver Queen - Exclusive

In a world where Green Arrow is missing, Black Canary is rising in her longtime partner's place. In "Green Arrow" #1 from DC Comics, Dinah Lance will try to lead team Arrow in their search for Oliver Queen, as his death has his family wondering what really happened with the Emerald Archer.

In the "Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths" event from DC Comics, Green Arrow was among the Justice League heroes who were transported to paradise realities created by the villain Pariah, who used the mirage worlds to steal the powers of the heroes and fuel his own dark machinations. However, while the Flash, Superman, and Batman could escape the pocket dimensions and fight back against Pariah, Green Arrow never did, resulting in his presumed death. As a result, the Justice League disbanded, leading to the Titans rising in their place. 

In an upcoming "Green Arrow" comic from Joshua Williamson, Sean Izaakse, and Romulo Fajardo Jr., Black Canary will take on a leadership role in a world without Green Arrow. Looper spoke with Joshua Williamson and Sean Izaakse about Black Canary's new normal and what readers can expect from the hero in the series.

In our conversation, Joshua Williamson stressed the importance of reuniting the Arrow family. He shared he felt a responsibility to push for a new "Green Arrow" book with the returns of Roy Harper in "Infinite Frontier" and Connor Hawke in other titles.

"When I started working on it, I felt like it was so long overdue to have this reunion, to have these characters back together. It had been so long that it felt like it was a missing piece of not only 'Green Arrow' but a missing piece of the DCU," Williamson said.

Williamson added that he had the chance to bring back Green Arrow in "Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths," with a couple of potential pages giving him a reunion with his family, but he felt like a miniseries was a much better way to explore the missing hero while giving Arrow family fans character moments they've waited years for. With Green Arrow and his extended family not starring in a book since the start of the DC Rebirth era, the writer wanted to spotlight the heroes again, starting with Black Canary, whom he called "crucial" to the entire series.

As the original Black Canary was introduced in the comics more than 70 years ago in "Flash Comics" #86, just a few years after Green Arrow's debut, she's a hero essential to DC's lore. It's why Black Canary has had multiple live-action adaptations, including most recently in the DCEU's "Birds of Prey." 

Joshua Williamson said she will serve as the "voice of reason" in the new series as she tries to navigate her new normal in a world without Oliver Queen. She will lead the search to find him, not believing the truth about his demise, willing to go through whatever is needed to bring him back. Williamson called Dinah Lance not only "one of the greatest heroes in the DC Universe" but one of its most outstanding leaders.

For those hoping Black Canary will play a significant role in the new "Green Arrow" series, Williamson promises exactly that. He told us there are "lots of cool moments" in store for Black Canary, which should be music to the ears of longtime fans of the hero. The upcoming comic will place the sonic-scream-powered character atop team Green Arrow's leadership hierarchy as her search for Oliver Queen continues.

"Green Arrow" #1 by Joshua Williamson, Sean Izaakse, and Romulo Fajardo Jr., from DC Comics, arrives in comic book stores on April 25.