DC Just Retconned One of Its Most Controversial Deaths

DC’s Green Arrow series is currently going strong, and it is making some major changes in the lives of Oliver Queen / Green Arrow and the rest of the “ArrowFam.” The series’ third issue, which hit comic shops this week, was no exception, packing in some significant character beats — as well as a reversal of one of the most polarizing deaths in DC’s history. Spoilers for Green Arrow #3 from Joshua Williamson, Sean Izaake, Romulo Fajardo Jr., and Troy Peteri below! Only look if you want to know! The issue partially concerns Oliver Queen / Green Arrow and Lian Harper navigating a wild trip through space and time, which brings them to the 31st century with Connor Hawke and the Legion of Super-Heroes. As they try to get to the bottom of why they’re teleporting so erratically, Lian shares that she has accidentally been doing so for quite some time — as far back as her presumed, controversial death in the 2010 comic Justice League: Cry for Justice. 

As Lian reveals, she does remember the carnage of Prometheus’ attack on Star City, but instead of dying somewhere, she woke up in a lab run by Amanda Waller and a shadowy figure (later revealed to be Oliver himself). Lian then kept teleporting across space and time, even getting close to her dad, Roy Harper / Arsenal, during Justice League: Rise and Fall, only to get teleported away again. Lian eventually relented and stayed in the past, growing older and becoming the teenage vigilante “Shoes” alongside Selina Kyle / Catwoman.

How Did Lian Harper Die?

Lian’s death might be among the most controversial in DC’s comic arsenal, with Cry for Justice brutally killing her in the wreckage of Prometheus bombing Star City. At the time, the ordeal sent Roy into a depressive episode, and led to Oliver and Dinah Lance / Black Canary divorcing.

When Lian was reintroduced in the canon as Shoes, 2021’s DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration insinuated that she had survived her Cry for Justice death another way, with her birth mother, Jade Nguyen / Cheshire, rescuing her and dropping her off somewhere safely. It is unclear at this point if any element of that first retcon is still canon.

What Is the New Green Arrow Series About?

In Green Arrow, the Emerald Archer is lost, and it will take Oliver Queen’s whole family to find him! But dangerous forces are determined to keep them apart at any cost! Spinning out of Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, Green Arrow by DC architect Joshua Williamson (Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths, Superman) and artist Sean Izaakse (Thunderbolts) is an action-packed adventure across the DCU that sets the stage for major stories in 2023! The series was recently upgraded to twelve issues, doubling the previous order of six.

“It’s been a blast writing this series,” Williamson explained in a recent post on his Substack. “A dream come true. My goal for this series to tell a kind of “Hush” level story with Ollie and his family. We’re only 3 issues in and we have a lot of characters to bring in for this Arrow Family reunion.

Did you enjoy Green Arrow #3? How do you feel about Lian Harper’s death being retconned again? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!