Arrow Writers Introduce Mia Dearden To the New 52: Could It Be a Hint For the TV Series?

In today's issue of Green Arrow, #35, new writers Andrew Kreisberg and Ben Sokolowski didn't take much time at all reimagining the world of the series to more closely resemble the TV show. Gone was the stylized art and larger-than-life adventure of the Jeff Lemire run, replaced with a more down-to-earth, gritty realism.

And, yes, we were introduced to a villain who looks like he could be the New 52's take on Malcolm Merlyn -- a well-dressed man, he is, and with a penchant for hanging people up and torturing them for information.

...but what's arguably more interesting than that is the fact that he's looking for Mia Dearden, whom he says is "more dangerous" than Green Arrow.

Of course, Mia hasn't shown up in the TV series per se, although Oliver's sister -- created for TV -- is named Thea Dearden Queen. And, as of last season's finale, she's being trained in the martial arts by her biological father...Malcolm Merlyn.

They've played it fairly coy about just who or what Thea could be -- there are a number of names that have been mentioned, including Speedy, Arrowette or Cheshire -- so could whatever happens in the comic over the next few months give insight as to just where to expect Willa Holland's character to end up by the end of the season? Don't rule it out.

Mia Dearden was a character introduced by Kevin Smith during his run on Green Arrow, shortly after he brought Oliver Queen back from the dead. Co-created by Smith and The Flash: Season Zero artist Phil Hester, Mia became a notable member of Team Arrow and occasionally worked with Young Justice, The Titans and other teen super-teams. The panel at top is the first indication we've got that she exists in the New 52.

...So, here's the question: Who is Mia's father?