Trick Arrow Tuesday! #10 - "Specialty" Arrows

Frankly, I'm not sure I want to live in a world where someone felt that Green Arrow's Trick Arrows would be taken more seriously by someone who doesn't go for that sort of thing if only they were referred to as "Specialty" arrows. I suppose the sort of person who goes for calling them Specialty Arrows rather than Trick Arrows is the sort of person who felt they needed a "scientific" explanation of how these wonderfully entertaining yet preposterous goodies worked in the first place.

MEH!

Trick Arrow Tuesday #9 - The Glue Arrow

GLUE ARROW



Okay, I know what you're saying- "But you already DID the Glue Arrow. Yeah, I guess I did. But that was the Silver Age Glue Arrow as drawn by Lee Elias. This is the Bronze Age Glue Arrow as drawn by Dick Dillin. So. There.

Just speaks to the longevity of an arrow that was clearly working.

Trick Arrow Tuesday #8

The Bolo (or Bolas) Arrow

No doubt about it, it's a classic. Along with the Boxing Glove Arrow, it's one of the trick arrows featured in Kevin Smith's revival of Green Arrow back on 2001.



Always a crowd-pleaser. And it's been a staple of G.A.'s quiver for quite some time. But just how long has it been around?

Well, it seems to have debuted in More Fun Comics #77.



Which makes it not only a very old trick arrow, but, as near as I can tell, the FIRST trick arrow. Prior to this, Green Arrow and Speedy just do arrow-tricks. The closest thing to a trick arrow is just tying a rope to an arrow. Which is cool, but not as "fantastic" as an arrow that releases a bolas to ensnare a fleeing suspect.

I submit the above panel is the first use of a trick arrow ladies and gents! Bask in its glory. :)

Trick Arrow Tuesday #7

THE LAVA ARROW

Frankly, I'm speechless.

Trick Arrow Tuesday #7

The Glue Arrow



Because Green Arrow knows that sometimes, the best way to get out of a sticky situation is to get someone else into one!

I would also like to say that the second panel is a wonderful example of the artistry of Lee Elias. When drawing our heroes, his work sometimes seems a little staid, but when he draws incidental characters, he cuts loose with a beautiful, expressive style that really hearkens back to his work for EC.

Trick Arrow Tuesday #6

FAKE CAT ARROW



By special request, the "Fake Cat" Arrow.

This unlikely projectile hails from the story "The Cop Who Lost His Nerve". Apparently, having a cop who's afraid of cats is just an excuse for an all-out crime spree. Green Arrow knows how to fix that, though; simply have the cop's life saved by a cat. Simple enough. Especially when you have the Fake Cat Arrow.

Trick Arrow Tuesday #5

The Mummy Arrow



I think it was probably the last try-out for it as well. I mean, they already had Net Arrows, Bolas Arrows... A lot of arrows meant to entangle and incapacitate. The Mummy Arrow seems like it would not only be redundant, but expensive to make and time-consuming to load. Still, I have to admit, that little, green sarcophagus is adorable!!!

Trick Arrow Tuesday #4 (Plus Green Arrow being the MAC!)

The Feedback Arrow


At first glance, the Feedback arrow may appear to be one of those instances where we have a device that seems like a weird thing to put on the end of an arrow (like, for instance, the Fountain Pen arrow). However, if you shoot it at an electronically-based baddie like, say, Count Vertigo, this happens...



And Speaking of FEEDBACK...

Please visit the new poll on the upper right to let me know which of the current features you are enjoying. You can vote for multiple features. Additionally, I'd love for anyone who has suggestions for other features or types of features to comment on this post, or e-mail me directly. Thanks, folks!

Trick Arrow Tuesday Update! The Poll Results are In!!

By an overwhelming majority of 20 to 6, the fans have spoken! Trick arrows are preferred to the pointy kind.

No offense to the pointy arrow lobby, but personally, I'm a fan of the Trick Arrows. I mean, I'm no Howard Hill or anything, but I could go out and put on a Robin Hood outfit and shoot people with my bow and arrows-but it wouldn't exactly make me JLA material.

Thanks to everyone who voted!

Trick Arrow Tuesday #3

Okay. I have to admit it. I'm stumped. I have no idea what this particular trick arrow is called. Apparently, it's sole purpose is to keep someone from being able to turn a doorknob. Honestly, it's a lot like the things we have on our doorknobs to keep our two-year-old from getting outside unattended. But, you know, on the end of an arrow.

Maybe this trick arrow explains why Ollie is so successful with the ladies?

Trick Arrow Tuesday #2

The Antler Arrow



Sorry for the weird crop. I had to scan this from one of those Showcase editions. the full text of the ballon on the far left reads: "GOOD GRIEF, LAD! A YOUNGSTER'S RUN INTO THE MOOSE CAGE AT THE ZOO! HE'LL BE TRAMPLED!"

I sincerely love trick arrows, but even i have a hard time imagining that Green Arrow goes around with an Antler Arrow in his quiver all the time-just in case...

Trick Arrow Tuesday!

From Action Comics #449 (July, 1975) comes this wonderful, two-page spread highlighting some of Green Arrow's more entertaining trick arrows. It also features some narration by one of my favorite spokesmen: the disembodied, stock-art head of Green Arrow.