Panel 1: We see from below as Hawk Arrow, a blond, short-haired younger man dressed in a green and purple vest, looks off the edge of a building, his bow in his hand. Maybe it's raining, maybe it's just dark.
Caption: I'M OLIVER CLINTON, FORMER DEVELOPER FOR A SECRET GOVERNMENT ARMS COMPANY.
Panel 2: A bedraggled Oliver fires arrows at stacked milk bottles on a deserted island as a troupe of carnies wearing makeshift island clothes watches on.
Caption: ON ASSIGNMENT WITH A CIRCUS TROUPE THAT OPERATED EXCLUSIVELY ON A DESERTED ISLAND, I HAD TO LEARN HOW TO SURVIVE, AND HOW TO TRICK RUBES INTO PARTING WITH THEIR DOUGH FOR CHEAP CHINESE-MADE TRINKETS.
Panel 3: In a hammock, we see Oliver staring into the sunset, pensive.
Caption: DURING THIS ORDEAL, I HAD TO LOOK DEEP INTO MY SOUL, AND WHAT I SAW WAS THAT I WAS THE REAL RUBE, BEING TRICKED BY THE MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX INTO SERVING THEIR INTERESTS.
Panel 4: An old photograph of Oliver in front of the Sher-hawk-wood Flor-eye-st storefront with Black Widowcanary.
Caption: SO I MOVED TO SEATTLE AND BECAME A FLORIST, WHILE ALSO GETTING ROMANTICALLY INVOLVED WITH A RUSSIAN SPY.
Caption: WHO ALSO HAD SUPERSONIC SCREAM POWERS.
Caption: A LITTLE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE FOR SPYING, BUT I'M NO IAN FLEMING.
Panel 5: The viewpoint moves behind Oliver and we see that he's watching a drug deal, and has nocked a microphone arrow into his bow.
Caption: NOW, AS A MEMBER OF AVENGING JUSTICE, I PATROL THE STREETS OF SEATTLE, AND ON THE WEEKENDS FIGHT MUTANT/ALIEN/SUPERCRIMINAL MENACES FROM DIMENSION M.
Panel 6: Oliver face-first in a flower arrangement at Sher-hawk-wood Flor-eye-st.
Caption: WHEN I CAN STAY AWAKE, THAT IS.
Very amusing mash-up of elements from both characters, and a funny pay-off too. Good stuff!
You've written up a fun little page here, Niel. Thoroughly enjoyed the many jokes you've slipped in here - especially the Natasha Romanov / Dinah Lance amalgamation. No Ian Fleming, indeed.
Damn that Ian Fleming line destroyed me, great piece of gag writing that felt perfectly in keeping with the voice of the character you created.
Nice combination (and I'm not even talking about purple and green) with a nice sense of wit to the page.
Island of carnies made me laugh.