Kevin Smith Proud of Influence He Had on Arrowverse Series

So the last time we engaged in a little Arrow nostalgia, it was nearing the end of March and we were taking a trip down memory lane with now other than series star Stephen Amell. In this case, it came in the form of a behind-the-scenes image from Entertainment Weekly‘s 2016 photoshoot to promote the then-upcoming crossover “Invasion!” sent to Amell that he shared. Along with Amell, the image also featured The Flash star Grant Gustin, Supergirl star Melissa Benoist, and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow stars Caity Lotz & Brandon Routh. This time around, we’re buckling up with Kevin Smith for a… wait, what’s that? You’re wondering what Smith has to do with the long-running & foundational Arrowverse series? Well, before we go any further let’s just remind you that Smith’s Arrowverse “street cred” comes from not just being a fan but also as a filmmaker who’s directed episodes of The Flash & Supergirl as well as making a brief acting appearance in an episode of The Flash and hosting “Crisis Aftermath” (an aftershow in conjunction with the 2019 “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover event).

But when it comes to the Amell-starring series, Smith’s impact was one that was more influential. For those of you not into comics, a little history lesson. In 2001, Smith would begin a 15-issue run on DC Comics’ Green Arrow Vol. 3, with the first 10 issues representing the influential & far-reaching impact-wise “Quiver” storyline. Over the course of his run, Smith would bring Oliver Queen back from the dead and introduce teenage girl Mia Dearden to Queen’s universe (with Dearden eventually taking on the sidekick role of Speedy). It’s a run that smith is rightfully proud of, especially knowing that many involved with getting The CW series on the area credit Smith’s run as being a major factor in their approach to the series and it receiving a green light from the network. So when some sad, tiny person attempted to Twitter-shame Smith for having emotions by tweeting a screen-capped moment when Smith teared up with the words, “It’s hilarious to me that this man is one of the most famous Green Arrow writers,” we knew Smith would find a way to spin a big, steaming pile of trollsh*t into something positive. “What’s hilarious is how far ‘Clerks’ has taken me across a 30-year career,” Smith wrote in a retweet of the half-assed attempt at throwing shade. “Making it led to me eventually writing Oliver Queen back from the dead (which helped [The CW’s ‘Arrow’] get made, [EP/Writer Greg Berlanti] once told me). If I am ‘one of the most famous Green Arrow writers,’ ‘Clerks’ made it happen,” Smith wrote as his retweet response. Here’s a look at a screencap, with certain names redacted so we’re not giving them free press: