Snowbirds Don't Fly
A two-part story arc about drug addiction in DC Comics.
"Snowbirds Don't Fly" is a two-part anti-drug comic book story arc that appeared in Green Lantern/Green Arrow issues 85 and 86, published by DC Comics in 1971. Written by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams, with art by Adams and Dick Giordano, the story depicts Green Lantern and Green Arrow confronting drug dealers and the revelation that Green Arrow's ward Roy Harper is a drug addict. It is considered a watershed moment in the depiction of mature themes in DC Comics, with the cover tagline reading "DC attacks youth's greatest problem... drugs!"
Quick Facts
- Publisher
- DC Comics
- Titles
- Green Lantern/Green Arrow #85–86
- Writers
- Dennis O'Neil
- Editors
- Julius Schwartz
Facts from the source article.
Plot
In the first part, Green Arrow is shot by muggers using his own arrows. He and Green Lantern discover the attackers are addicts, and find Speedy among them. Though they initially believe he is undercover, Green Arrow catches Roy Harper attempting to inject heroin. The stolen arrows are revealed to be Queen's, shared with Harper during crime-fighting. In the second part, Green Arrow lashes out at Harper, who withdraws cold turkey. The heroes confront the drug ring's kingpin, a pharmaceutics CEO who condemns drug abuse, and attend the funeral of another addict.
Background
During the 1960s, Green Lantern was near cancellation, giving writer Denny O'Neil creative freedom. O'Neil stated that his journalism background and social activism led him to combine those interests with his work, and that writing about real concerns pulled a higher level of craft from him. The first socially motivated Green Lantern/Green Arrow stories were planned with artist Gil Kane, but he dropped out and was replaced by Neal Adams. The O'Neil/Adams run received media attention and critical acclaim, including five Shazam Awards in May 1971. By the time of "Snowbirds Don't Fly", Adams felt they had run out of steam and pushed for a story on drug addiction, an issue both creators had encountered firsthand: Adams chaired his neighborhood drug rehabilitation center, and O'Neil lived in an area with many addicts. When Adams first drew the cover showing Speedy with heroin paraphernalia, editor Julius Schwartz rejected it, as it would not have been approved by the Comics Code Authority, which prohibited depicting drug abuse even in a condemning context. O'Neil noted that Schwartz was very supportive during the run and that the Comics Code was his biggest restriction when addressing social issues.
Awards and recognition
The arc won the 1971 Shazam Award for Best Individual Story. New York Mayor John Lindsay wrote a letter to DC commending the story, which was printed in issue #86. In 2004, Comic Book Resources author Jonah Weiland called "Snowbirds Don't Fly" the start of an era of socially relevant Green Lantern/Green Arrow comics, a slant that eventually opened DC to other minorities and climaxed in the character of Mia Dearden, a victim of child prostitution later portrayed as HIV positive, yet depicted as a positive, pro-active hero by writer Judd Winick.
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