Summary
- Green Arrow’s trick arrows are legendary, with unconventional options like the Boxing Glove Arrow and Mind-Reading Arrow standing out among the most memorable. However, there is one arrow in Oliver Queen’s quiver that is much more powerful than anything else he has.
- In Justice League of America #65, Green Arrow unveils his most destructive arrow: the Atomic Warhead Arrow.
- While a Kryptonite arrow can harm Superman, the Atomic Warhead Arrow also has the potential to cause serious damage to the Man of Steel.
One trademark of DC’s Green Arrow is his absurd numbers of trick arrows. Ollie has used Boxing Glove Arrows, Iron-Lung Arrows, Mind-Reading Arrows, and even Kryptonite Arrows in his time fighting crime. Some readers might assume the Kryptonite arrow is the only arrow Oliver has in his arsenal that could harm Superman – but it turns out Oliver has one rarely-used arrow that could take down the Man of Steel.
Justice League of America #65 – by Gardner Fox, Dick Dillin, and Sid Greene – unveiled the unbelievably irresponsible and destructive arrow that could take down Superman.
When the statues in the Justice League’s trophy room are brought to life, In order to take down trophy-Starro, Oliver uses the most ridiculous trick arrow he has, the Atomic Warhead Arrow.
The Atomic Warhead Trick Arrow
Justice League of America #65 featured the return of recurring villain, evil scientist T. O. Morrow. Morrow unleashed several enemies against the Justice League, and as they beat each one, T. O. Morrow upped the ante by animating the trophy statues in the Justice League’s trophy room, bringing to life versions of Amazo, Dr. Light, and Starro as dangerous as the originals. Starro proves to be especially challenging, leading Oliver Queen to have no other choice except to deploy his most over-the-top arrow, the Atomic Warhead Arrow. Green Arrow is no stranger to having ridiculous arrows. Over the years he’s employed Mind-reading Arrow, Iron-lung Arrow, Glue Arrow, Sun Arrow, and many, many more.
In the world of DC, where there are literal Gods walking among mortals, it makes sense that Ollie would need arrows that pack a bit more of a punch, but few readers would expect the pure destructive ability Oliver’s Atomic Arrow seemingly has. While Oliver most famously helped take down Superman in The Dark Knight Returns using a Kryptonite Arrow given to him by Batman, this isn’t the only option he had. Superman has been shown to be vulnerable to nuclear weapons – once even nearly being killed by a Soviet warhead, only surviving by using parasite like powers to drain a nearby flower field of their yellow sunlight.
Superman Is Badly Wounded After Being Hit With A Nuke
As powerful as Superman is, a nuclear warhead would absolutely deal serious damage to him. Superman is without a doubt one of the most powerful people in the DC Universe, and he’s not the only one with that level of power. That’s why mere mortal characters like Batman and Green Arrow need options to be able to stand up against characters who are just so absurdly strong. While Batman often turns to Kryptonite, this only works against Kryptonians. Green Arrow seems to have realized he needed a universal solution that’ll destroy pretty much anything in a several mile radius if the situation calls for it.
