Absolute Green Arrow #1 Hits May 20; Second Printing Hits June 17

At this point, DC is so confident in this whole Absolute line that they’re ordering second printings before the first printings are even out. The first issue of Absolute Green Arrow doesn’t hit comic shops for two days, but DC has already announced the second run as well as what its covers will look like.

As we’ve covered before, the Absolute line is a new take on DC’s superheroes that cuts out their natural advantages and pits them against overwhelming odds, where they will have to save the day on pure grit and determination alone. Traditionally, Green Arrow is an off-brand Batman who also has a ton of money and fights crime, but with arrows — many of them gimmicky tricks like the famous punching glove. So to make an Absolute Green Arrow, you have to take away all that, right? “Without the trick arrows… without the money… without mercy, what’s left is the Absolute Hunter!” reads DC’s tagline.

The problem with that tagline is that, so far, it doesn’t seem to describe the book at all. Oliver Queen is DEAD, and a copycat is running around in Queen’s trademark hoodie murdering billionaires with arrows. Also, he appears to be Skeletor. Only one person can get to the bottom of this:  executive protection specialist Black Canary — excuse me, ABSOLUTE Black Canary. There are several suspects that could be the killer, but which lead is correct? And is it actually Oliver who faked his death like me and probably everyone else is expecting?

What follows are the second printing covers for Absolute Green Arrow, revealed over the weekend. They may look different from the first printing covers, which will be available at your local comic shop starting Wednesday.