A wacky, fun Green Arrow is just what DC needs

Green Arrow is one of DC's most legendary superheroes. A member of the Justice League and one of the brand's most long-standing characters, Oliver Queen has been protecting Star City - and the world - since 1941. In recent years, he's more well-known to TV audiences due to the success of his small screen adaptations in both Smallville and Arrow.

The second of those spawned an entire franchise, with The CW's Arrowverse becoming one of the most successful superhero shared universes the live-action medium has seen. And it all started with a darker, broodier Emerald Archer who was praised for his more grounded adaptation. It was a game-changer, but it also strayed from the source material quite a bit - particularly the character's early stories.

Green Arrow's early stories highlight how fun he is

While Green Arrow's more mature adaptations have been great, his classic self is one of DC's most light hearted and fun characters. The character had many wacky adventures, full of boxing glove arrows and fun villains.

Green Arrow first appeared in 1941's More Fun Comics #73, an anthology series. Green Arrow and his sidekick Speedy made their debut, but they weren't the cover story; Dr. Fate was. Another character made his first appearance in the very same issue, although in another story, that being Aquaman.

More Fun Comics #73 is certainly a critical piece of comic book history, one celebrated by DC in the Aquaman/Green Arrow miniseries Deep Target, released for the characters' 80th anniversary. Green Arrow would become a defining character of the silver age of comics.

The silver age was a big step forward for DC and the comic book industry as a whole. Green Arrow was noteworthy for being the first addition to the Justice League outside of it's original seven members. The Justice League went up against some of DC's wackiest villains, as well as becoming one of the greatest superhero teams ever.

The Emerald Archer made waves in the '70s. Green Lantern/Green Arrow stood the test of time, and has been regarded as a true classic ever since its release. With good reason, too, as it maintained a fun and comical atmosphere all the while dealing with the social issues of the time. Green Arrow was balancing fun and wackiness with a serious story, characters, and issues.

Green Arrow has had an amazing 80 years, and there are many more to come. While his more mature adaptations have their merits, there is a huge amount of potential to be found in his earlier, sillier years. And with that, if the character is ever introduced into the live-action DC Universe by James Gunn and Peter Safran, it would be a great idea if the movie and TV franchise adapted the more comic-accurate, light-hearted version of the character. The Green Arrow of the past may be the best man to become the Green Arrow of the future.