Kevin Smith was the guest of honor last Friday night at the University of Central Florida. During the question and answer session, Kevin responded to questions about his upcoming film, DOGMA, and several other projects. The subject of the new GREEN ARROW series came up in the discussion. Fans have been waiting for Kevin to relaunch the series after it was announced last year that he would take over after the ongoing monthly series was put on hiatus with GREEN ARROW #137 and #1,000,000. It has been much rumored that Oliver Queen will be returning in Kevin’s series after the archer’s apparent death in GREEN ARROW #101.

Kevin responded to the question at UCF to the fact that “…the Green Arrow books may or may not happen, depending on Jimmy (Palmiotti’s) & Joe (Quesada’s) availability to draw the thing.”

With that stated and repeated on News Askew website (www.newsaskew.com) earlier this week, some fans have begun to worry whether or not if GREEN ARROW will ever relaunch. A few days after discouraged posters left posts of worrying and apprehension on more than one message board across the internet, Kevin Smith posted a message on the Unofficial Green Arrow Message Board (www.sigma.net/alvaro/gamb/ ) on Wednesday the following:

“Some folks have been asking if the Green Arrow I was going to do is ever going to happen. Right now, it looks good. Unfortunately, I’ve gotta wait for Quesada to free up some time to draw the story (he’s the artist I need to use), so it’s kind of subject to that. What this means, really, is that my version of ‘GA’ will happen…

It’s just a matter of when.

Thanks for your patience. I’ll try to make it worth it. “

Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti are currently working with Kevin Smith on Marvel Comics’ DAREDEVIL series. Joe Quesada, whom Kevin has picked out as his choice of penciller to work on the new GREEN ARROW book, responded on the Event Comics Message Board (www.eventcomics.com) which he moderates with the following reply on Wednesday after Kevin’s statements at UCF had been made public across the internet:

“The subject has been discussed, let’s just leave it at that. No discussions have occurred with DC and right now my priorities are to finish my commitment with Marvel whether that ends in a year or it get’s extended.”

There has been no confirmation from DC Comics or GREEN ARROW editor Darren Vincenzo as of yet to the fact or not whether Jimmy and Joe have been signed for the series. Editor Darren Vincenzo has also said in past online chats that the plans for the new GREEN ARROW series are aimed at having it hit the shelves before 2000. Also of note, Mr. Vincenzo stated in DC Online’s SHERWOOD FORUM LIVE chats on America Online that for the new GREEN ARROW series, the artist he had in mind was someone he was working with on the BATMAN: NO MAN’S LAND, yet he never revealed whom.

So right now, Green Arrow fans are just going to have to sit back and wait a bit longer than expected for the return of DC’s greatest archers and their adventures with what looks like the return of Oliver Queen as well as seeing how the creative teams on this highly anticipated book are going align and fall in place.