Green Arrow has come a long way since the character's Golden Age origins. Introduced in More Fun Comics in 1941, Oliver Queen became known for using his archery skills and trick arrows to bring down ruthless enemies. Most agree that the Golden Age Green Arrow lasted from 1941 to the late 1950s before the Silver Age took over.
While many of Green Arrow's most advanced weaponry came later with the development of late 20th and early 21st-century technology, the hero has no shortage of impressive weapons dating back to the Golden Age. While trick arrows are included, Green Arrow also had plenty of alternatives.
10 Acetylene Torch
First seen in Adventure Comics, Green Arrow notoriously used an Acetylene Torch and Arrow to bust out of jail along with his all-time great ally Speedy. While used infrequently, the Acetelyne Torch is a handheld welding tool so hot that it can cut through iron prison bars like a hot knife through butter.
When fired as an Acetylene Arrow with his quiver, Oliver can deliver devastating damage to enemies by scorching them with a 6,000-degree arrowhead. The weapon also appeared in at least two issues in the Golden-Age World's Finest comics. The diverse weapon became so iconic that it returned to Green Arrow Vol. 2 in the Bronze Age of 1971.
9 Compound Bow
While Green Arrow's cool trick arrows get all the publicity, the fact remains, his #1 signature weapon is the Compound Bow he uses to launch his quiver of projectiles. According to Arrow Fandom, Oliver Queen uses an Oneida Kestrel Compound Bow before switching to a Hoyt Formula Faktor HP Recurve bow.
While the technology has improved over time to bolster the strength of his Compound Bows, the weapon has been a staple of Green Arrow's mythology from the character's inception. Without it, he would not be able to dazzle readers with the outlandish trick arrows that continue to define the genius DC hero's trademark attacks.
8 Atomic Arrows
Green Arrow has also struck fear into the hearts of enemies by using Atomic Arrows and Atomic Warheads since the 1950s when nuclear power was all the rage. The timely and topical weapon was used most notoriously in 1968 to save the JLA, but Green Arrow first used an Atomic Arrow in Adventure Comics #194 by Jerry Coleman and John Sikela.
Also using an anti-atomic arrow in the Golden Age, having the ability to launch a full-scale nuclear winter easily ranks among Green Arrow's best and most powerful weapons. While rarely used, the mega-powerful weapon bears a huge responsibility, forcing Oliver to utilize it judiciously. After largely disappearing in the Bronze Age, the Nuclear Warhead arrow made an infamous return in the 2000 Flash & Green Lantern: The Brave and the Bold imprint.
7 Boxing Glove Arrows
First appearing in 1947's Adventure Comics #118 by Don Cameron, John Sikela, and George Roussos, Green Arrow's Boxing Glove Arrows have become the stuff of comic book legend. While silly and somewhat gimmicky at first, the weapon has been redesigned throughout the character's history to pack a powerful punch.
Nowadays, the Boxing Glove Arrows are recognized as Green Arrow's most iconic trick arrow. What makes it so great is that it served as an alternative to all the lethal arrows in Oliver's quiver. Rather than killing a foe from afar, Oliver was able to stun, subdue, and capture enemies with the Boxing Glove Arrows without claiming their lives, something that came in handy as he continued to fight criminals in the Golden Age.
6 Flash-Grenade Arrows
While many of Golden Age Green Arrow's weaponry consisted of ridiculous items such as antlers, balloons, umbrellas, and water guns, when the great Golden Age DC hero really wanted to harm his enemies, he wasted little time using his iconic flash-grenade arrows.
First seen as early as 1956's Green Arrow: Dangers of Tomorrow, the flash-grenade arrows were customized trick weapons that incorporated an incendiary arrow tip to deliver a deadly explosive charge on contact. Green Arrow also used flash-grenades to defeat Mr. Vention in the Golden Age comic story, "Green Arrow: Battle of the Useless Inventions" in World's Finest.
5 Rocket Arrows & Rocket Torpedoes
Even more powerful than his signature flash-grenade trick arrows, Oliver Queen has used Rocket Arrows and Rocket Torpedoes in two separate Golden Age comic titles, including World's Finest and Adventure Comics.
The Rocket Arrows utilize a missile arrowhead that can be used as a strategic utility weapon and a lethal projectile, making it a highly diverse and ultra-powerful weapon. The missile includes a rocket-fueled engine that enables Green Arrow to hit targets with greater accuracy with unfathomable speed and distance. In "Green Arrow: The Rocket Raiders" by George Papp, Oliver infamously fired a Torpedo Rocket Arrow, a two-staged projectile that quickly took out the Rocket Raiders.
4 Lightning Arrows
While newer trick weapons like Oliver's Glue Arrows and Greek Fire Arrows are hard to beat, readers may forget the time the influential DC hero broke out a Lightning Arrow in "Green Arrow: The Magician Boss of the Incas." In the story, Oliver and Speedy take on Mighty Micro, an evil magician hiding out in South America.
Once Mighty Micro takes over an Incan tribe, Oliver and Speedy infiltrate the tribe and neutralize the villain's magical power by launching Lightning arrows, sending roughly 300 million volts of electricity toward his enemy. That makes Oliver's Electro Arrows extremely weak in comparison. Why the lightning arrows rarely returned if ever is a real head-scratcher.
3 Cutlass Arrows
In "Green Arrow: 1,000 Arrows to Doom" story, the Emerald Archer is put to the test when a fan offers to donate $100 to charity for every arrow shaft fired over a 24-hour timeline. This gives Oliver plenty of reasons to break out his rarest and most exotic trick arrows, including a badass Cutlass Arrow.
A cutlass is a short sword with a curved blade often used by pirates and sailors. Firing such a deadly object as an arrowhead that gains momentum and force by traveling through the air only makes the weapon more lethal. It's a shame Oliver never used it more often during the Golden Age, especially considering how Green Arrow fought pirates at sea in the 1980s.
2 Boomerang Arrow
In 1949's "Green Arrow: The Bangs That Boomerang," Oliver notoriously broke out a Boomerang trick arrow that also attached to his Arrowline to take down a masked criminal. The Boomerang Arrow also appeared in a 1946 issue of Adventure Comics, making it one of Oliver's oldest, trustiest, and most versatile weapons on record.
Nowadays, boomerang gadgets are a dime a dozen in comic books. But in the 1940s, the weapon still retained a novelty that proved to be a diverse weapon that could be launched at enemies and quickly return to the thrower for a follow-up attack. Whether bending corners, making complete 180-degree U-turns, or being used to bludgeon enemies up close, the Boomerang Arrow easily ranks among Green Arrow's more unique Golden Age weapons.
1 Arrow-Chute (Parachute Arrow)
Oftentimes, the best weapons are more defensive-based than offensive in nature. Cue Green Arrow's trusty Arrow-Chute, a parachute that allows him to escape from high places and safely fall from buildings, airplanes, mountains, etc. While used most famously in 1958, the Arrow-Chute first appeared in 1952's "Green Arrow: The Make-Believe Archer" (Adventure Comics).
In addition to serving as a substitute for Oliver's short-lived Arrowplane, Green Arrow used the Arrow-Chute to rescue Speedy's friendly monkey. Rather than having an over-reliance on launching deadly trick arrows in offensive-minded attacks, it's nice knowing Oliver has the security to protect himself and one other person whenever they're in a high-altitude jam.