Thursday, April 21, 2011

Green Lantern #65




Story: Geoff Johns
Art: Doug Mahnke, Keith Champagne
Publisher: DC Comics
Publication date: April 20, 2011

The good: From a shocking and beautiful cover, to the first haunting image that leads into an action-packed sequence, this is a solid delivery on the War or the Green Lanterns. We see our heroes reunited, and forced to fight back now that they have regrouped, with nothing but a rash (and yet, seemingly logical) decision from top honcho Hal Jordan. What are the consequences of this decision? The coming issues will tell, but this is a pivotal moment in the War, and it's delivered beautifully. Speaking of beautiful, I'm going to miss the look of the green lantern world when and if Mahnke leaves. The last page reveal is just powerful and gorgeous, and the "All we have to do is choose" close up of Hal is epic and makes a big deal out of this change in the rules of the game.

The bad: (minor spoiler) I'm at a loss as to how the rings are working at this point. Usually, regardless of color, the rings would choose the nearest, most adequate bearer. This time around, not only do John, Kyle, Guy and Hal pick their poison, but they do so with input and dissuasion from Hal. Although I recognize that it's a story element to put Hal in a place where he knows these people best (hopefully?), I would have expected them to be boys big enough to pick on their own. It puts the three other lanterns within a spectrum of knowing who they are. Guy knows exactly what he needs to become, much like Hal thinks he knows what to go for (even at the risk of what it will do to them). Kyle is hesitant and yet correct to go for what he knows in his heart. John is just plain wrong about himself (or is he?).

Final grade: A

Random thoughts:


  • This issue moves us forward leaps and bounds compared to the next part (part five of War of the Green Lanterns) in GL Corps #59, also out this week. Nonetheless, make sure to check out the variant covers that make with next week's Emerald Warriors a full spread of the war, as fought across all three GL titles.
  • The decisions made here seem kind of important in the vein of who will be left as GL of sector 2814 and who will leave to do something else. An important factor not brought to my attention until recently is that there are no Green Lantern solicits for July (panic gasp!)
  • I have thought for a while that this was the story of Hal Jordan, how long he's been without taking the ring off for a while, and how history is meant (or not) to repeat it self with Krona, Sinestro and Hal. I would like to think that Hal leaves the role of Green Lantern for a while, for a temporary retirement. But after this issue, I'm not sure that's where this is headed.

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