Green Lantern: Rebirth #3

December 24, 2004

Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Yellow

The truth about Parallax – and the Green Lantern Corps!

Writer: Geoff Johns
Pencils: Ethan Van Sciver
Inks: Prentis Rollins
Colors: Moose Baumann
Letters: Rob Leigh
Editor: Peter Tomasi
Cover Art: Ethan Van Sciver
Publisher: DC Comics

A lesser writer than Geoff Johns would have me fuming right now, because of the various theories regarding Hal Jordan’s return as Green Lantern, he seems to have gone with one that I liked the least. However, he’s executing it extremely well, to the point where I find I’m actually accepting of an explanation that I thought would cheapen the character himself and years of stories.

Kyle Rayner and Ganthet find themselves battling maddened members of the Green Lantern Corps, even as the Justice League is battered by brave men who should be their allies. A desperate Kyle heads to the JLA Watchtower for help, only to find the place leveled and only one hero standing – Hal’s best friend, Green Arrow. There, Kyle tells what he found at the edge of the universe, the truth about Parallax, the truth about Hal Jordan, and the truth about the Green Lantern Corps.

This issue, I must admit, really surprised me. We’ve only hit the halfway point of this series, and it seems like Johns has already laid all his cards on the table. All the revelations, all the surprises, all of it is already right here. That seems to leave three issues for an extended fight scene. I hope Johns has more up his sleeve than that.

I’ve also got to deduct points for the last-page surprise appearance by a character that’s died twice already (at least), and who seemed dead for good last time out. He’s apparently going to start trying to rival Magneto in the resurrection category.

Ethan Van Sciver’s artwork is phenomenal. With Moose Baumann giving the entire book a green tinge, this book looks more like a Green Lantern comic than any issue in years. He does a fantastic job not just on the GLs, but on the various other heroes herein. This is a guy who could easy have a spot illustrating the big DC team books – JLA or JSA – they’d be in great hands.

I am enjoying this series. Johns is probably telling the best story about Hal’s return that anyone could, and while I may not be crazy about all of the nuances of the tale, he’s executing it better than anyone in comics could.

Rating: 8/10

Green Lantern Corps (2006 Series) #58

April 2, 2011

Title: War of the Green Lanterns Part Two
Writer: Tony Bedard
Pencils: Tyler Kirkham
Inks: Batt with Rob Hunter
Colorist: Nei Ruffino
Letterer: Steve Wands
Cover: Tyler Kirkham
Editor: Brian Cunningham, Adam Schlagman & Eddie Berganza
Publisher: DC Comics

Things are looking bad for the Green Lantern Corps. In part one of War of the Green Lanterns, Krona unleashed an all-out assault on Oa, using the Guardians as hosts of the Entities he’s been collecting and placing the Yellow entity, Parallax, back inside the main power battery, where he was trapped for millennia. This time, though, the battery isn’t a prison, it’s a conduit to power. Parallax seizes the minds of the entire Green Lantern Corps, except for those few Lanterns who have, however briefly, played host to him before. Although Kyle Rayner and John Stewart both manage to ward off his control, the fear and paranoia he creates begins to seep in, and it’s Lantern against Lantern.

The danger behind War of the Green Lanterns is that the whole premise seems to be anchored in that old chestnut  of brainwashed heroes being forced to fight those that aren’t brainwashed. The fact that the “free” Lanterns are greatly outnumbered makes the story more interesting, but there’s still only so much mileage one can get out of that concept. This issue perhaps takes it a bit farther than it needs to, with most of the book focusing on Kyle and John’s battle, with Ganthet trapped in the middle. It’s an intense fight, although (appropriately enough) the intensity comes more out of the emotion that’s spilled on the page than any of the actual action scenes. There’s little fear that either of these two will actually die (not until later in the crossover, at least) so having them hurl rather hateful, painful statements at each other really is more effective. Superheroes can come back from the dead by next issue. Kyle ripping open John’s emotional scars over the death of Katma Tui, or John comparing Kyle to scared, stupid grunts who get their friends killed? Those are the sort of wounds that take time even for superheroes to heal. It’s good, but it’s a bit much. This issue needed something else, a b-plot to break it up a little bit.

Tyler Kirkham’s artwork is solid, with great action scenes and lots of wild outer space elements. The cover is particularly nice, with John’s ring-constructs eating up most of the art space.

This is a good issue, but not great. Hopefully, the rest of the crossover will improve.

Rating: 7/10

Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #7

March 1, 2011

Title: Last Will: Seeing Red
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Pencils: Fernando Pasarin
Inks: Cam Smith, Oclair Albert & Fernando Pasarin
Colorist: Randy Mayor
Letterer: Steve Wands
Cover: Rodolfo Migliari
Editor: Adam Schlagman
Publisher: DC Comics

Guy Gardner, Ganthet, and Bleez are left to battle Zardor, the rest of the Green Lantern’s having left him behind after the truth of his mission was revealed. Guy could use a little help, though – former Ion-avatar Sodom Yat is back, and he’s got a mad-on for the Guardians and the Green Lantern Corps. It’s good to see just how events of the past year or two have been planned out. Guy’s temporary reversion to a Red Lantern comes back into play this issue, as does everything that happened to Sodom Yat during the time he was the host for Ion. Kilowog and Arisia’s anger at Guy is understandable and palpable. Fernando Pasarin is even more impressive this issue than he’s been in the past, with really exciting, energizing battle sequences, cool looking monsters and aliens, and real anger on Guy Gardner’s face. This book is part of the run-up to War of the Green Lanterns, of course, and it’s been incredibly exciting for that. I’m more excited than ever for that storyline to unfold.

Rating: 8/10

Green Lantern Corps (2006) #50

August 5, 2010

Title: Revolt of the Alpha-Lanterns Part 3

Writer: Tony Bedard
Penciler: Ardian Syaf
Inker: Vicente Cifuentes
Colorist: Randy Mayor & Carrie Strachan
Letterer: Steve Wands
Cover: Ardian Syaf
Editor: Adam Schlagman
Publisher: DC Comics

The Alpha Lanterns, as it turns out, have been taken over by the Cyborg Superman and his Manhunters. Unable to die, the Cyborg has begun plans for war with the lanterns. This issue, Ganthet and Soranik Natu are tied up in battles of their own, leaving the rescue mission for John Stewart in the capable ring of Kyle Rayner. This issue has some fantastic moments, with John facing the Cyborg in the depths of his own subconscious (and conveniently giving the reader a recap of the Cyborg’s origin in the process). The fight scenes are really strong as well, with Ganthet getting a chance to cut loose as only a Guardian can do, and Kyle showing off just how effective in battle he can be.

I guess it’s the anniversary issue mindset, but I do find it a little odd that this isn’t the end of the storyline. We’re sort of accustomed to see stories either beginning or ending when an issue number is a multiple of 25, but instead, this is a strong third chapter, but still ends on an epic cliffhanger. The artwork of Ardian Syaf and the rest of the team certainly helps out. Syaf does a fantastic job with lots of aliens, robots, and other assorted sci-fi and superhero concepts. A book like this one really does require an artist who can handle the science fiction elements, but still have the ability to blend it into the DC Universe proper.

Since taking over this title, Tony Bedard and Ardian Syaf haven’t really reinvented the wheel. It was a solid superhero science fiction yarn before, and it still is. The cast has shifted a little, but Green Lantern Corps remains one of DC’s underappreciated gems.

Rating: 9/10