Arrow Gives Another Judge a Familiar DC Comics Name

This week on Arrow, we didn't have the same downpour of familiar DC Comics names and faces as usual. Well, we did--but they were names and faces that had already been introduced previously in other episodes, so we won't run one of our usual rundowns of all the Easter eggs and DC Comics references, since as far as we can tell there was just the one new one--but it seemed worth mentioning. Mike Carlin, a longtime DC Comics writer and editor, got a name-drop in the form of a "Judge Carlin" this week--and it's a notable move for them to make since as early as the first couple of episodes last year, Arrow made a habit of naming some of the judges that Laurel would go before after DC talent. "Judge Grell" was one of the first, named for iconic Green Arrow writer/artist Mike Grell. Carlin, best known for his run as the editor of the best-selling Superman family of titles in the '90s, has been a Green Arrow editor a number of times for short stretches, most notably on Green Arrow: Year One, a miniseries written by Andy Diggle (namesake to Oliver's TV bodyguard) and that set the tone for much of the TV series. This season also kicked off with a Season One recap episode called "Year One." Judge Carlin doesn't appear on-camera this episode and is only referenced once, in passing, but keep your ears open in case he's referenced again down the line. Mike Carlin currently works with DC Entertainment at their corporate offices in Burbank.