It’s elegant, civilized, wins Maid Marion’s heart, and inflicts severe pain upon the victim. No, not Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood movie, but longbow archery.

Kevin Hicks from the History Squad makes it look easy, but it isn’t. Why do you think no hooded vigilante has emerged lately to give the underclasses free money? Not only are today’s sheriffs more trigger happy than the Nottingham version of years gone by, but modern villains seem more obliged to blow their victims up. The arrow to the bullseye may not help you pull off an evil mass destruction master plan, if that’s your goal, but it does demonstrate a note-perfect talent for avoiding the most nit-picky of obstacles.

Hicks makes it look simple. Trust me–it’s not. And I don’t say that because I’ve ever had to murder angry critics, or anything. No, the truth is far more boring: I went to a Ren Faire and I sucked. I can only claim that my mullet was better than Kevin Costner’s, and my face more youthful than Russell Crowe’s.

Oliver Queen has all my respect, just as long as he doesn’t keep leading Felicity on. Because I don’t care how good an archer you are –that’s just plain mean.

Now, readers, how well do you think you’d manage with a longbow? Are we talking superhero in training, or weak-handed wuss? We won’t judge, but Kevin Hicks might.

Twang that string and take aim in comments below. If we missed the bullseye, let us have it. If we hit it, take your shot in the name of the king.

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image: Youtube/TheHistorySquad