If you have been reading Green Arrow, you know what to expect from Sorrentino's art. He does the same great work in this issue, especially in the darker, more brutal moments. This issue is light on action, and the characters tend to look a little stiff and awkward when they are just talking. When people's heads start exploding and the such, it looks great, but there's not a ton of that here. Colorist Marcelo Maiolo does some fine work, as well, only briefly using the black and white panels this series has become known for. Read Full Review

Art like this is definitely worth the extra dollar for the awesome cover. And this issue actually made me excited for next month's continuing adventures, which is an extremely welcome (if not long overdue) surprise as far as I'm concerned. I'm glad that Count Vertigo was given a chance. I'm glad that I didn't drop this book. But mostly I'm happy to finally see the Lemire that everyone has been ranting and raving about all this time. Read Full Review

Green Arrow has taken an old character and made it all kinds of new badass. Read Full Review

Before Lemire, Sorrentino and company got their hands on Count Vertigo he was a B-lister at best. Thanks to this creative team it's pretty safe to say that Vertigo will soon be joining the ranks of the recognizable A-list villains. Buy this book. You would be wise not to disrespect the Count. Read Full Review

Overall this is a very strong issue, providing insight into Count Vertigo's motivations and tragic past, setting him up to be a threatening villain for Green Arrow. Rather than feeling out of place on in the Green Arrow series, this instead is a very relevant issue, contributing nicely to the current story which Lemire and Sorrentino are crafting on Green Arrow. If you aren't sold on Count Vertigo as being a serious villain, then this issue could finally convince you that he isn't a joke of a character. Read Full Review

"Green Arrow" #23.1 is a huge success, and at the end of the day I feel like it's a template for future event tie-in books to follow. Lemire and Sorrentino have kept their book's narrative moving forward, while still providing a story that stands alone on its own right for new readers. Of course, they achieve both of those points while entertaining and engaging their audience. Once you read "Green Arrow" #23.1, just understand that you'll need to read all the other issues by Lemire and Sorrentino, too. Well done. Read Full Review

The beauty of this issue is that it gives us a different perspective, a human one, on the Count, but this in no way diminishes his power. Indeed, Lemire's version is far more formidable than the often cartoonish pre-Crisis version ever was. One of the first recommendations of the month. Read Full Review

Lemire, Sorrentino and Maiolo are without question the best thing to happen to Oliver in The New 52 and continue to deliver. I can't wait for the next issue. Okay, I can, but seeing as the book is so good, I'd prefer not to. Read Full Review

Outstanding artwork from Sorrentino as always, revealing dimensions to Count Vertigo that Lemire doesn't entirely succeed in capturing in his script. Read Full Review

Over all, Lemire and Sorrentino have a very solid and interesting story in telling the New 52 origin of Count Vertigo that is a quick and easy read that doesn't tie-in to Forever Evil, but is rather a side story from the current Green Arrow story. Read Full Review

Sorrentino's art continues to shine and is a great fit for this book. I would compare his work to David Aja's work on Marvel's Iron Fist series from a few years back. It's a detailed, but unique line that uses color to highlight action and focal points. His pencils have a grittiness to them that fits Green Arrow's world, and I'm excited to see his work on this book in future issues. Read Full Review

Count Vertigo will likely end up being one of the weaker issues to come out this month and won't be a necessary issue for anyone looking to get into the current run of Green Arrow. There's nothing offensively bad with this issue, there's just not a lot that it brings to the table and it ends up feeling a bit hollow. The art is really nice to look at but as the old saying goes, “What's a good plate with nothing on it?” Or “What's a good Count with nothing to count on.” Read Full Review

Lemire and Sorrentino successfully create a monster in Green Arrow #23.1, but at the end of the issue I found myself wanting much more than the generic story that was told. This is a story of brutality and abuse, but one that could be applied to any number of super villains with hardly any modifications. This reduced its impact significantly and left the issue feeling hollow despite some gut-wrenching artwork. This issue is not for the faint of heart, with some brutality and dark subject matter that is definitely not typical for superhero books in the DCU. Read Full Review