Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia #1 is a Gripping, Character-Driven Tale (Review)

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If you’re a Batman fan like me and you’re craving something with a little more edge and really well-developed characters, you need to check out the first issue of Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia. It’s a new Black Label miniseries, and honestly, it delivers. Gabriel Hardman is handling both the writing and art for this first issue, with some fantastic colors by Romulo Fajardo, Jr., and lettering by Simon Bowland. The story kicks off with Batman, Green Arrow, and The Question all independently following clues that seem to lead to one huge, overarching conspiracy. It’s a really compelling start!

Longtime DC Comics readers might notice a connection to writer Denny O’Neil when meeting the book’s main characters—he famously wrote them all at different times. O’Neil was known for tackling current issues with strong, direct storytelling and well-developed characters. Given that this book brings together Green Arrow, The Question, and Batman, expectations were high, and it delivers! It’s a captivating story that highlights the best qualities of these DC heroes with themes that feel particularly relevant today.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Pros Cons
Amazing and relevant themes Might require a re-read
Excellent characterizations Little hero interaction in-story

Gabriel Hardman Delivers a Solid Story with Three Iconic DC Heroes

The story unfolds in three parts as The Question, Batman, and Green Arrow each pursue a different piece of a complex puzzle. The Question starts the investigation, uncovering suspicious activity at Queen Industries related to the exploitation of workers. He travels to Azerbaijan, sharing information with Green Arrow to try and solve the mystery. The Question discovers the operation is illegally transporting workers to Greenland and goes undercover to find out what’s being built and what Queen Industries is concealing.

Green Arrow attempts to gather information about a secretive climate-change project run by his family’s company, Queen Industries, using his connections. He learns the project is operating without much supervision. While the Question looks into the project from the inside, Green Arrow travels to Greenland to find it directly. However, he’s quickly attacked by a group of mercenaries – and shockingly, Batman is leading them.

Bruce Wayne, as Batman, became involved when he attended a Queen Industries conference about Arcadia – a high-tech, floating island designed to survive climate change. However, the conference was attacked by a group called Ceres, determined to destroy the Arcadia project. When Batman learned Ceres might have help from someone within Queen Industries, he offered to assist security in identifying the threat, which unexpectedly brought him into conflict with Green Arrow at a very bad time.

Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia #1 is a Powerful, Modern Mystery Tale

I really enjoy the DC Black Label series, and this comic is exactly what I look for in a good story. Batman/Green Arrow/The Question: Arcadia #1 is a complex mystery. It gives you hints of the bigger picture, but leaves you with a lot of unanswered questions, which is great! I was immediately captivated by the first issue and I’m eager to find out what Queen Industries is up to. When you can’t wait for the next issue, you know a series is doing something right.

Gabriel Hardman excels in both the art and writing of this story. The artwork is consistently strong, particularly during suspenseful scenes like the Question’s abduction. However, his writing is truly exceptional. I especially enjoyed how the story shifted between the perspectives of the three main characters, each investigating different aspects of the central mystery. The themes of wealth inequality and the exploitation of workers are also handled with nuance and would likely have pleased Denny O’Neil.

While I’d like to see more development and interaction between the main characters, this first issue is a very promising start. It effectively establishes the central conflict, makes you care about what happens to the characters, and leaves you wanting more. If you’re a fan of these heroes, definitely read this right away!

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2025-11-26 17:10