Type Weapon | ||
Publisher DC Comics
Marvel Comics Element of stories featuring (DC Comics)
Green Arrow, Speedy, Red Arrow, Merlyn, Moonbow
(Marvel Comics)
Hawkeye, Kate Bishop, Trickshot, Comanche | ||
Trick arrows are projectile devices that are seen in various media of fiction. Trick arrows are shot with bows like arrows but can possess a specialized function (technological or magical) such as compact explosive charges or rotary drills. They are often found in the world of comic book superheroes, used by archers such as Green Arrow of DC Comics, and Hawkeye of Marvel Comics.
Contents
- Overview from other media
- Green Arrows trick arrows
- Green Arrows aqua arrows
- Miss Arrowette
- Speedy
- Hawkeyes trick arrows
- City of HeroesVillains
- References
In some portrayals, particularly during the Silver Age, trick arrows are sometimes shown to defy the laws of physics and reality, to varying degrees.
Overview from other media
Trick arrows are generally technological, although they can be magical, like those used by the comic book characters Celestial Archer and Maya, or Hank the Ranger of the Dungeons & Dragons TV series.
Explosive arrows were seen in the film Rambo: First Blood Part II and Rambo III starring Sylvester Stallone (an avid bow user). The explosive arrowheads used in the movie are just props; they are Razorback 5 arrowheads with their protective cover left on. The conical covers were hand painted with gold paint with black tips to make them look like RPG warheads. The box Rambo stores them in is the original factory box painted black, with written warnings. The arrows were constructed specifically as props for both films and do not function as they are portrayed.
A live-action variety of explosive arrow, kit-bashed from two M203 grenades, was used in the movie Predator. The character Yeoman of the Wild Cards superhero anthology series also makes occasional use of exploding arrows. Bo and Luke Duke from The Dukes of Hazzard used arrows with dynamite tied to them because they were banned from having firearms after being caught moonshine running. Trick arrows were also featured in the book Mockingjay, the third book in the Hunger Games series, when both the heroine, Katniss Everdeen, and her friend Gale Hawthorne use special arrows against the Capitol including fire arrows and explosive arrows designed by their scientist colleague, Beetee.
In the Thief computer game series, the main character Garret employs several different types of arrow to alter the environment or to assist in gameplay; such as Water Arrows (to extinguish torches), Moss Arrows (to create a "carpet" for silent walking), Rope Arrows (for climbing), Vine Arrows, Fire Arrows etc.
Green Arrow's trick arrows
Oliver Queen is DC Comics' primary archer hero. His arrows over many decades worth of stories (of various tones and degrees of seriousness) have included:
Green Arrow's aqua-arrows
The Aqua-Bow was a cross between a speargun and a crossbow from World's Finest Comics vol. 1 #130 (December 1962).
Miss Arrowette
Arrowette, a female version of Green Arrow, used trick arrows with a stereotypical feminine theme:
Speedy
The miniseries Infinite Crisis introduced a one-off Phantom Zone arrow, used by Green Arrow's sidekick Mia Dearden/Speedy.
Hawkeye's trick arrows
Trick arrows used by Marvel's Hawkeye include but are not limited to:
City of Heroes/Villains
These Superhero-based Massively Multiplayer games had a Trick Arrow power set as a primary power set for Defenders and a secondary set for Controllers, Corruptors and Masterminds. Arrows available in CoH were: