Hal Jordan and Ollie Queen are the hard-travelin’ heroes driving around the United States, ‘finding America’. What they find here is the super-villain Deathstroke, trying to impress a secret organisation by killing Green Lantern and Green Arrow.
Of course, putting two veteran Justice Leaguers in the ground isn’t as easy as surprising them with a rocket launcher. Bringing courage and wits to bear alongside their powers and abilities, Green Lantern and Green Arrow manage to throw a spanner in the works of Deathstroke’s plans. He does, though, escape when Hal’s ring charge isn’t enough to allow them to pursue their would-be killer.
“Livin’ free” is an enjoyable romp from writer Jeremy Adams, artist Lucas Meyer, colourist Marcelo Maiolo and letterer Lucas Gattoni. It’s set during the period when Hal and Ollie were travelling the US, encountering the problems of the day – which was the early Seventies – such as pollution, the treatment of Native Americans, corrupt politicians and the war on drugs… basically, stories that could easily be updated for 2024. Adams, though, keeps well away from what we used to call Relevance, giving us a straightforward buddy adventure with bags of charm. Similarly, the Guardian of the Universe who accompanied them is absent, not meriting so much as a mention, and the original pick-up truck is replaced by a much cooler sports car. The ‘World’s Finest’ tag on the title of this book tells me not to worry about any of this – the creators are aiming for a timeless tale nodding to the past rather than attempting to duplicate it.
Adams gives us plenty of action, but it’s the easy banter between the boys I got the biggest buzz from, you can feel the friendship.
Meyer has the heroes spot-on so far as the classic Neal Adams versions goes. Deathstroke – never named as such here – is interesting in that he’s not in classic orange and blue, but a more muted utility outfit. He looks great, as formidable as ever he has. A choice I love comes when Meyer gives us three panels framed by the car mirror, it’s clever and it works. And Maiolo’s skintones and environmental work is first-class. Gattoni’s lettering is a model of clarity.
While Black Canary doesn’t get any action this issue, she does pop up and I rather think Meyer enjoys drawing her.
Not advertised on Dan Mora’s joyous cover, there’s a second, connected adventure as we move across to Central City where someone is trying to get the attention of Flash Barry Allen.
Guess who…
Yes, him again. And look, Hal is here too, dropping by to warn Barry he’s the latest target of the mystery man who recently attacked him and Ollie. Green Lantern doesn’t know who the shooter is, but he does know he could be deadly.
Adams provides another great-value script, having fun with the idea of whether it’s Ollie or Barry who is Hal’s best pal – GL and the Flash regularly teamed up in the Silver Age, before Green Arrow became Hal’s ongoing partner in the Bronze Age.
The story closes with Deathstroke in custody – well, a custody van, at least – and readers told where they can see the assassin’s exploits continue: ‘The story continues in Teen Titans #2, Dec 1980’. Brilliant.
The smooth art is by Travis Mercer, with colours by Andrew Dalhouse and letters, again, by Gattoni. The art is clean and classic, but there is a new detail I don’t think I’ve seen previously – rather than a simple jagged lightning bolt design circling Barry’s waspish waist, he has an actual belt, with a rather neat buckle. I love it.
We know what happened in 1980, but maybe DC has a plan to follow up the stories in this issue in the same way some threads from Mark Waid’s World’s Finest stories have been continued in current day-set DC books. If it doesn’t happen, that’s fine, there’s nothing wrong with a comic book that exists ‘merely’ to entertain in and of itself. I really enjoyed this. Any quibbles? Well, the cover logo should have the arrow on Ollie’s side only, Hal’s should have flames… the original GA/GL masthead would’ve worked just fine. And if you’re going to bring in Dinah, use her.
But I can live with these – more World’s Finest specials please!
Too Dangerous For a Girl 2 
A story set in this era is much more fun without Hal being treated as racist for saving the world or universe instead of individuals or Ollie being a blowhard asshole about the poor because he was suddenly one of them. (And how poor could Ollie have been if he still never had to get a job? I guess upper middle class would have still been slumming it for him, eh?) It’s also nice to have heroic action instead of a total lack of subtlety on social issues. Thank god Russel wasn’t hired to right it then, eh?
Pre-Titans Deathstroke was interesting but didn’t reveal anything or give a new slant on the original stories. I could live with no more on that period but am curious what Slade wanted from the League of Assassins or why that group wanted the lunkhead, the hypocrite, and the greatest Flash ever killed.
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Excellent points about Ollie, he must’ve had something stashed away… a Cash Arrow, perhaps. I liked his brief time as a PR man. No idea what qualified the old grump for that, mind.
I don’t think it was stated in the comic that these guys were pretending to be the League of Assassins. It makes sense, though.
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I know the current brand is to use Worlds Finest, like the Teen Titans mini series, but for me, it had more of a Brave and Bold vibe. Much like the Brave and Bold mini series DC did a few (or more) years ago.
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Absolutely! Wish I’d thought of that.
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