So, since this week I've been ranting about Civil War or wondering why I didn't notice the pantsless Nazi, I've fallen behind in Warlord-related posts. Time to get back on the stick! From Green Arrow #28 (1989), "Siege" Written by Mike Grell, art by Dan Jurgens and Dick Giordano.
This was the second part to guest-star Travis Morgan's return from the lost world of Skartaris. As if twenty years of change wasn't bad enough, everywhere he goes in Seattle people try to kill him, thinking he's Green Arrow. Beating the scoop out of a goon, the Warlord goes to Oliver Queen's castle (I'm not sure why he lives in a castle, or if there were castles in Seattle?) to punch his lights out.
Punching Ollie? Piece of cake. Backtalking Black Canary? Not so much so. Keep in mind, Travis was an Air Force Pilot circa 1971 or thereabouts, so he's not particularly 'enlightened' or politically correct or anything. Still, it is a bit odd, since there were several women--Tara, Shakira, and Mariah--in his own book, that he never would have said that to, or he would've got punched there too.
But it's such a great set-up, it's easy to let go. This issue is pretty handily the best use of the Warlord in the DCU ever, and I also remember around this time being sad that Canary was being pulled out of the 'bwah-ha-ha' Justice League for Green Arrow. After this, I don't think I minded. Of course, the continuity is a little murky on this too: Ollie shoots quite a few people with arrows, and not the boxing-glove kind, the pointy ones. Dinah also guns a few goons down with an Uzi for good measure, so I'm wondering if that's been ret-conned out. Any Birds of Prey fans out there, let me know if there's any issues where Canary makes a big deal about not killing, 'kay?
There was an issue of Birds of Prey where Dinah held a gun on a terrorist and threatened to use it, but her thoughts suggested that it was all a big bluff. So I would presume all the killing is gone--although the rape is still there, I believe.
ReplyDeleteSee, I thought Grell said the rape in question was inferred by the readers, but not implied by him: That Canary was beaten and torn up, but not necessarily raped. It's over at Comics Should be Good, under Urban Legends revealed, I think...
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