Comic Book Questions Answered – where I answer whatever questions you folks might have about comic books (feel free to e-mail questions to me at brianc@cbr.com).

Reader diaa sent in the very succinct following question:

I really want to know from where the creators of green arrow choose the name green arrow

Now, generally speaking, these sort of things are often next to impossible to really pin down. However, in this particular instance, there seems to be a pretty reasonable answer that seems so likely that I am willing to go with it as true.

Green Arrow debuted in "More Fun Comics" #73, which came out in September of 1941. Mort Weisinger and George Papp were the creative team on their first appearance.

Obviously, the main inspiration for Green Arrow came from none other than Robin Hood, most likely the then-recent 1938 adaptation of the Robin Hood mythos, "The Adventures of Robin Hood," starring Errol Flynn as Robin Hood and Olivia de Haviland as Maid Marion....

You don't need me to point out the influence there. One influence Mort Weisinger was always irritated about was when people said that he based Green Arrow on Batman. He denied it, but while I will certainly concede that it is not the MAIN influence (as, well, come on, obviously it is Robin Hood), the idea that he was not even slightly influenced by one of DC's most popular characters of the time just seems silly.

But anyhow, what about the GREEN part? Well, as it turned out, in October 1940, there was a very popular film serial called "The Green Archer"...

That was based on the Edgar Wallace's 1923 novel "The Green Archer."

Clearly, the 1940 serial just HAD to be the inspiration for the name, "The Green Arrow," as, well, come on.

So there ya go, diaa, that's the inspiration for the name Green Arrow!

If anyone else has a question, drop me a line at brianc@cbr.com!