26 Years Ago, the Last DC Hero Anyone Expected Became the Bestselling Character in Comics

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DC Comics is currently seeing strong sales, which many fans are happy about. While Batman consistently sold well, other DC titles didn’t often reach the top of the charts from the mid-2010s onward. Things were different in the 2000s, though. DC was a stronger competitor to Marvel, and this began at the start of the decade. Surprisingly, in 2000, a DC comic became the best-selling title overall: Green Arrow.

Green Arrow is a long-running DC Comics character with a fascinating history. He first appeared in the Golden Age of comics as a Batman-like figure inspired by Robin Hood, then faded into obscurity with many other heroes from that era. He resurfaced in the Silver Age and gained popularity through appearances in Justice League of America and a story arc called “Hard-Traveling Heroes,” but his popularity waned again. He got another boost in the 1980s with the Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters storyline and continued to be featured until the 1990s, when in a very typical move for DC at the time, the character was killed off and replaced by his son, Connor. He remained dead for the rest of the decade. Then came a surprising turn of events: a well-respected filmmaker wanted to revitalize Oliver Queen’s comic book, and the effort unexpectedly began at Marvel Comics.

Kevin Smith Said He Would Make Green Arrow the Bestselling Comic and He Did It Perfectly

Kevin Smith played a big role in making ‘nerd culture’ popular in the 1990s. His early, low-budget films like Clerks and Mallrats featured relatable characters – often Gen X slackers – who bonded over shared interests in pop culture and comics. He continued this theme with Chasing Amy, which focused on the world of comic book creators. A lifelong comic fan himself, Smith was tapped to write Daredevil in 1998, a move that helped revitalize the character and launched the successful Marvel Knights imprint, ultimately leading to Joe Quesada’s rise to editor-in-chief at Marvel.

Kevin Smith had opportunities to work on various comic books, but he specifically chose Daredevil because he wanted to revitalize the character. Throughout 1998 and 1999, he frequently discussed his passion for Oliver Queen (Green Arrow) with Wizard magazine, stating he believed he could make the character a massive success. DC Comics, impressed by his work at Marvel and on the View Askewniverse comics for Oni Press, decided to give him the chance to prove it.

Kevin Smith was chosen to create a new Green Arrow comic series, working with artist Phil Hester. Early previews appeared in Wizard magazine, and fans who enjoyed Smith’s previous work—a large portion of the comic book audience at the time—were eager to see it. When the first issue was released, it surprisingly became the top-selling comic, launching the well-known Green Arrow storyline, “Quiver.”

The “Quiver” storyline brilliantly revived Queen and took the narrative in unexpected and exciting directions. Even readers initially drawn in by Smith’s signature humor—which he delivered without relying on profanity—found themselves captivated by Oliver Queen. Smith cleverly explained the hero’s resurrection, successfully modernized the character, established a fresh dynamic, and reintroduced a long-forgotten DC character as a crucial element of the story. The 12-issue arc is a true achievement, delivering on its promise to make Green Arrow the top-selling comic book on the market.

Smith’s Success Helped Make Green Arrow an A-lister Again

As a long-time comic and movie fan, I remember when Green Arrow really started to take off in the 2000s. It’s wild to think it all started with Kevin Smith jokingly telling a comic magazine he was going to make Green Arrow the biggest character around! Back in the ’90s, most of us didn’t buy it – Ollie Queen felt a bit outdated, and a lot of fans actually preferred Connor Hawke as Green Arrow. But then Smith’s ‘Quiver’ storyline came out, and it was so good, it completely changed everything. It really made everyone sit up and pay attention to the character again.

The character has become much more popular since then. While his comics don’t always top the charts, he’s now a household name thanks to his TV show, which helped revitalize DC’s presence on television. Smith’s work reminded everyone why this character is a legend, and paved the way for fantastic Green Arrow stories in the future. It was a really exciting period, all stemming from one writer fulfilling a seemingly impossible promise.

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2026-03-07 17:14