Arsenal (Roy Harper) Reading Order

This reading order is designed to give an outline of major storylines featuring Arsenal (Roy Harper) throughout DC Comics. It may not encompass every one of his appearances, but is an outline of the major ones and the stories that affect them.

The continuity details relating to each specific storyline are explained in the “Review” of each storyline. Every “Review” link will provide a detailed continuity breakdown of that story and will explain any reference the story makes to other aspects of the DC Universe. All of this can be found under the “Continuity” section of each link.

Jump to: New 52 – Rebirth – Universe

New 52

With the beginning of the New 52, the DC Universe’s continuity was reset and Arsenal effectively had the vast majority of his history wiped out. The only pieces of his pre-New 52 history to remain are a vague connection to Green Arrow, which is explored as this era progresses; a history of substance abuse, though the substance abuse is retconned to alcohol instead of drugs; and a connection to the Titans (Reading Order), which is unclear until the Titans Hunt series.

Arsenal is introduced through Red Hood and the Outlaws. This comic has Roy as one of its main characters and significantly explores his past and his present. After Red Hood and the Outlaws, Roy’s role from that comic continued on in the Red Hood/Arsenal series, which he co-starred in. Finally, the Titans Hunt series brought back elements of Roy’s pre-New 52 past and helped to set up his primary role in the next era.

See our Arsenal Timeline for summaries of each story arc in this reading order.

RHatO = Red Hood and the Outlaws
Red Hood and the Outlaws issues are from the Vol. 1 series.
Teen Titans issues are from the Vol. 4 series

Notes

1. Titans Hunt (Review) does not have much of an impact on Roy's life throughout the New 52. However, it has a huge effect on his standing in DC's Rebirth, which is why we have labeled it as essential. It terms of reading order though, it can theoretically be read at any point before DC Universe: Rebirth. The only reason we placed it at this position in the timeline is because of an extremely small Titans Hunt reference that Roy makes in Dancing with the Devil's Daughter (Review).

Rebirth

The transition from the New 52 to the Rebirth era introduces very few continuity changes for Arsenal. The most significant change is that Arsenal's addiction is changed from alcohol to general substance abuse, like it was before the New 52 change-up. Other than that, Arsenal's story picks up immediately where it left off in the previous era.

Arsenal's story primarily plays out in the Titans series. There, the events of Titans Hunt led to the Titans (Reading Order) reforming and the resumption of Arsenal's adventures with the team. The majority of Arsenal's appearances are alongside the Titans but he also makes a few important appearances alongside Green Arrow (Reading Order) as well.

Titans issues are from the Vol. 3 series
Green Arrow issues are from the Vol. 6 series
Teen Titans issues are from the Vol. 6 series
Deathstroke issues are from the Vol. 4 series
Nightwing issues are from the Vol. 4 series
Red Hood and the Outlaws issues are from the Vol. 2 series

Notes

1. This issue is primarily about Donna Troy (Reading Order), Nightwing (Reading Order), Tempest (Reading Order), and Wally West (Reading Order). Arsenal's appearance here is very small and can easily be skipped.
2. These issues mostly follow Green Arrow (Reading Order). However, Arsenal appears as a supporting character alongside Green Arrow's other allies.
3. This issue is centered around Nightwing (Reading Order) but also includes a fun team-up between Nightwing, Robin (Reading Order), and Arsenal.
4. Arsenal only makes an extremely brief appearance here. However, this appearance helps to directly set up his first appearance in the next era.

Universe

The transition from the Rebirth to the Universe era introduces little to no continuity changes for Arsenal. Instead, it immediately continues the narrative from the conclusion of the previous era, directly picking up on Arsenal's brief appearance in the Red Hood and the Outlaws series.

In this era, Arsenal's story plays out in a few comics before coming to a climax during the Heroes in Crisis (Reading Order) event. This event dramatically changes Roy's status quo in a way that is reflected in every comic after this point.

Red Hood and the Outlaws issues are from the Vol. 2 series
Green Arrow issues are from the Vol. 6 series

Notes

1. Arsenal only appears here briefly. His appearance here helps set up his appearance in the Heroes in Crisis (Reading Order) event and helps set up Green Arrow's (Reading Order) reaction to the fallout from that event.
2. These two issues only feature very brief appearances from Arsenal. However, Heroes in Crisis #8 has the added benefit of explaining the mystery behind what happened in Heroes in Crisis #1.
3. Arsenal's appearances here are flashbacks to his earlier adventures with Green Arrow. These issues serve as somewhat of an epilogue to Arsenal's story from the Heroes in Crisis (Reading Order) event.

 All DC Comics Reading Orders