Continuing on from War of The Green Lanterns, Geoff Johns’ title has barely been affected by the relaunch, aka The New 52. Sinestro has a Green Lantern ring, Hal Jordan is on Earth, and Sinestro has plans for him!
+Continue Reading
As the DC relaunch sweeps across September, the effects have reached the Green Lantern titles! Sinestro is back in green, Hal is back on earth, and we can do nothing but sit back and watch! Let’s get started with the inaugural issue of the relaunched Green Lantern title!
+Continue Reading
On Friday afternoon at C2E2, I attended the Green Lantern Panel hosted by DC Editor extraordinaire Eddie Berganza, and attended by Doug Mahnke, Ivan Reis, Tyler Kirkham, Joe Prado, and Christian Alamy. While, as typical in a DC Green Lantern panel, many things were teased without being confirmed, hinted at, and completely held hush hush, the panel’s cast of artists proved to be an entertaining hour.
+Continue Reading
The very odd retelling of the history of the DCU spins on in Legacies 9. Paul Lincoln continues his narration, talking about how Superman and Batman returned from their injuries in Death of Superman and Knightfall, but then Green Lantern goes mad and eventually becomes Parallax. Paul complains about growing old, and then goes back to his story. He and his partner see televison coverage of the debut of Green Lantern Kyle Rayner. This also leads into the storylines of part of the Legion of Super Heroes being trapped in the 20th century, and Final Night. The gathered heroes include Young Justice, Extreme Justice, the Legion team, and others.
Paul, his wife, and their daughter, watch the dying sun, and the news covers the historic team up of Luthor and Superman to combat the darkness. Hal comes back as Parallax and says he’ll take care of it, saving Ferro from his attempted self-sacrifice, and reigniting the sun while reciting his Green Lantern oath. That crisis over, Paul helps his brother-in-law with his rehab, and they both wonder what happened to the stolen exo-suit that cropped up a few issues ago. We also see Hal Jordan end up as the Spectre
In the back up, the Wizard Shazam recounts his very long life, specifically his early years. We see some near misses for people he would have made his champion, including Kha-Ef-Re, who had what eventually became the scarab used by the Blue Beetles, and Khufu, the first incarnation of Hawkman. Both were killed just before Shazam could get to them. He then talks about his biggest mistake being giving the vast power to Black Adam (I was never quite clear on why he just didn’t take it back).
What I liked and what I didn’t:
This series is a decent, if odd, recounting of the DCU History, I’m just not sure of which Earth. At least this time there were no random retcons for no apparent reason. The characterizations were good here, and reminded me of some things I had forgotten, like the Legion being around for Blackest Night. I liked the near misses the Wizard had trying to find a new champion, I could see that getting very frustrating.
The narrator continues to not seem quite right. He looked middle aged during Blackest Night, which wasn’t that long ago, and seems a lot older now, presuming “now” is in our present. He also continues to know things he really shouldn’t if he’s a Metropolis cop, like Hal going after the Guardians and the Corps. The back up was drawn by Bill Sienkiewicz, a very stylized artist who some like and I’ve never cared for.
This issue just seemed to happen, no real new revelations, no changes, and it just didn’t do much.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| no random retcons | odd aging narrator |
| Rating |
So Tony Bedard has been doing pretty good things with this title, and Green Lantern Corps #55 is another great example of that. It’s flowing nicely, the stories are good, the characters are being portrayed nicely, and the art has been stellar since Tyler Kirkham joined the team. I’ve enjoyed the latest arc a lot, it’s filled in some gaps here and there and it’s been greatly entertaining. Bedard has been able to add to the already large history of the GLC in a way that fits, makes sense, and is really enjoyable.
Like I said, Bedard has done well with this title, and it’s getting better each and every month. It seems like he’s really getting used to the characters and the protocol that comes with writing the GLC, and he’s adjusted to it very well, while also adding a unique flair to the stories that only add to the already good stories he’s been writing. The Weaponer is a villain I’ve come around to, he shows a lot of promise and there’s some great stories that could be told with him. This particular issue does a great job of explaining the secret pact between Guy Gardner, Ganthet and Atrocitus. I love the way Bedard presents the story in a way that fits the characters and the situation he had presented in the previous issue. Overall, Bedard was a great choice to write the title after Peter Tomasi went to do Brightest Day and Emerald Warriors.
Tyler Kirkham is quite the breath of fresh air at the moment. Doug Mahnke’s work on the main Green Lantern title has been pretty sub-par lately, and after the previous artist on this series, Ardian Syaf, it’s nice to see an artist with an attention to detail and a great eye for emotion in characters. Kirkham brings a lot of power to the page, taking what he’s given in the script, combining it with the dialogue and creating a bond between the written words and the art that is very rare today. I think Kirkham works on the title because Bedard is a great writer and their styles seem to work amazingly. I hope Kirkham is around to stay for a while, I enjoy his work on the title just about as much as I enjoyed Pat Gleason’s.
Overall, the creators on this title are doing great things with the characters, and turning out a product that is incredibly entertaining and high quality in general. If you aren’t reading this series, pick up the rest of this arc and don’t stop now.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great story, characterization, and flow. Stellar art works great with the story. | Absolutely none. |
| Rating |
Email me at moyermason@yahoo.com, or follow me on Twitter! I’m @MasonACB
+Continue Reading
Green Lantern Corps #52 is not only the conclusion to the “Revolt of The Alpha-Lanterns” storyline, but also the last issue for artist Ardian Syaf. This story arc was the first since Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason’s run on the series, and the story is honestly pretty damn good. The art was a little hokey, but next issue will see the debut of Tyler Kirkham of New Avengers/ Transformers fame on the series. Anyway, here’s the review:
Tony Bedard‘s first run on this series was actually pretty good. I had high expectations, and he came as close as you can get to fulfilling them, especially with this conclusion to the storyline. This storyline was a major plot point in the GLC mythology, because it really helped round out the tension created since the creation of the Alpha-Lanterns. We finally went somewhere with that concept and explored it pretty well. He proved himself writing Kyle Rayner, Ganthet and John Stewart in the early issues, and this issue he did great things with Boodikka and Hannu. He really did something cool and fresh with the Alpha’s, and I’m really looking forward to what he will explore next. It kind of seems like he’s approaching the series by exploring old bits of information and concepts that weren’t fully explored. His next arc involves the man who forged Sinestro’s first Qwardian ring, so he obviously is digging into GL lore.
Ardian Syaf, I’ll be honest, it’s a good thing he’s leaving the series. In the beginning of the series him seemingly forgetting power rings was kind of acceptable, but four issues into the arc I’d expect a little more attention to detail. His portrayals of certain characters is a little off, and it seems like it’s easier for him to draw odd looking aliens rather than humanoid looking beings. He draws some amazing constructs and his action scenes are nice, but overall his style seems too rough for the series, especially right after the departure of Patrick Gleason.
Overall, the story in this issue was great, while the art was far from spectacular. The Alpha’s were actually used in a non-typical way and character moments were plentiful, but lack of detail on the art side takes away from the overall experience.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great story, characterization and a good progression for the series. | Under par art, mainly lack of power rings or weird looking faces. Overall too rough of a drawing style. |
| Rating |
–moyermason@yahoo.com
+Continue Reading
The first issue of Emerald Warriors, which will chronicle Guy Gardner’s adventures while exploring the unknown sectors of the universe, is a very intriguing read. Peter Tomasi is creating a story around Guy Gardner, a character he has pretty much defined for me, and it’s great seeing Guy kicking ass by himself again, but still adding dimensions to his character. Guy’s future is a total mystery, but Tomasi was able to pretty much hook me to this series within a few pages.
Tomasi has done great things with Guy Gardner over the last few years. One of the things he did with the character that really impresses me is how he’s been able to take the multiple personalities of Guy we’ve seen over the years (cocky & arrogant, caring & mature) and find a great combination of them all. We’ve seen Guy fighting his hardest against the Sinestro Corps, doing his best to balance his terrestrial and extra-terrestrial affairs, and becoming enraged at his best friends death causing a Red Ring to bond to him, then proceeding to tear the Black Lantern’s apart above Oa. Overall, Tomasi’s given us some amazing Guy character moments and I have a feeling this series will be full of them.
Fernando Pasarin is penciling the series, Cam Smith is inking, and Randy Mayor is coloring. As of right now, I’m not completely sold on Pasarin’s art, he seems to forget rings every once and a while, and his approach seems a little off. I think Pasarin could be a great match with the GL franchise, but for now he seems to just be getting the hang of it. I hope he improves over the next couple of issues because I do like his art it just needs to be refined a bit. Cam Smith’s is a good match with Mayor’s coloring, and I really want to see this issue play out and see the artistic side mold together a little more.
I’d have to say this was a pretty good first issue, it laid groundwork for the series but kept many elements mysterious. The events of Blackest Night obviously changed Guy, but it will be a while before we find out if it’s better or worse. If there’s anything this issue has done wrong, I can’t find it because it was a great foundation for the series. Here’s my rating:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great foundation for the series. Tomasi writing Guy Gardner is always a plus. | Pasarin seems to forget rings every once in a while, the art needs to adjust to each other a little bit. |
| Rating |
–moyermason@yahoo.com
+Continue Reading
So, let me tell you right now, I think this issue is amazing. I think this is probably the best issue since Green Lantern #43, the Black Hand issue. This story was simply amazing, and I’ve never loved Larfleeze, Hal or Hector Hammond more, and I will get to why later.This issue comes after a two issue fight between Hal & Atrocitus Vs. Lobo, and is substantially better than that story, which seemed to not advance the story very much.
Geoff Johns killed it in this issue; every little detail was cool, from the Hammond-headed rats on a rampage, to Hal dumping a bunch of junk food constructs into an orange construct and blowing it up, to Hammond eating the orange power battery…this story was great. Those humorous tidbits weren’t anything compared to the story though, with Hector Hammond and Larfleeze in particular standing out. This story is way better than the previous issues featuring Lobo, and leave me more excited for the next issue than any comic in a while. I really hope Geoff Johns can keep it up in the coming months, because the expectations are pretty severe among fans.
I don’t know what’s different about this issue, but Doug Mahnke was also amazing on this month. The colors by Randy Mayor, Gabe Eltaeb and Carrie Strachan are great, and are nearly identical to the level on Green Lantern Corps in terms of quality. Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne and Tom Nguyen seems like the style was a little different too, but I might just be imagining things. One thing I have noticed though, is that they have changed up the Red Lantern Corps logo. Just check the last few issues and it’s been different, even in Atrocitus’ s appearance in Green Lantern Corps #48. Just a weird note.
The story kept it going all the way through, and small details only enhanced the experience. Larfleeze was exceptionally cool in this issue, and he’s becoming one of my favorite characters in comics. I just kinda wish they would find a good mix of bad-assery and foolishness instead of switching between the two. Geoff Johns is taking the series in an interesting direction, and I think I like it. Let me just say that if you’ve read early volume three you should know what I’m talking about.
Hector Hammond on the other hand is progressing along quite nicely, and I am interesting to see what Lex’s reaction will be to what happened in this issue. If you haven’t already, I suggest you get this issue right now, you won’t be disappointed. If there’s one thing Geoff Johns knows how to do it’s expand on nuggets of info in new, fresh ways. I’m really looking forward to where he takes the series in the a year or so and where the GL mythos goes. So, here’s my ratings:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great story, great art and interest generating direction for the arc. | I honestly don’t have any. |
| Rating |
–moyermason@yahoo.com
+Continue Reading
After a two month absence from doing reviews, I’m back and eager to review my two favorite series in comics, Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps. Let’s get started, shall we?
This months issue of Green Lantern Corps marks a milestone for the series, as it is #50 so far, and it doesn’t look like it will be stopping anytime soon. The series has been a big moneymaker for DC, consistently coming in the Top 10 best selling comics per month list, and igniting interest in a whole audience it had never reached before. This issue continues the “Revolt of The Alpha-Lanterns” storyline, in which Cyborg Superman has taken control of the Alpha’s, and is building a Central Power Battery, for reasons unknown. The arc is the first with Tony Bedard writing the series with Ardian Syaf penciling, and is refreshing when compared to the last few years of non-stop events and tie-ins.
Tony Bedard’s writing is fast paced and completely story driven. If you blink, you’ll miss it if Bedard wrote it. His writing style doesn’t really conform to what we’ve seen on the title in the past, instead it reminds me a lot of Green Lantern volume 3 with it’s epic scope and fast pacing. The GLC is still in the process of recovering from the Blackest Night, which left them basically starting over. Bedard’s take on the characters is interesting, and it’s great to finally see some John Stewart development after years of him taking the backseat in the main GL title, and Ganthet is steadily becoming a pretty compelling character. He hasn’t touched on Kyle too much, just his relationship with Soranik and his new outlook since Blackest Night. Tomasi seemed to inject a lot of sensitivity into Kyle, but when Blackest Night rolled around he knew the character would have to change. Bedard has given Kyle a more determined, tough attitude, and I like it.
Ardian Syaf is definitely a capable artist, and when it was announced that he would be taking the art duties on this arc, I was ecstatic. Since then, I’ve been partially let down. His facial expressions and perspective seems skewed at times, like looking through an off-balanced camera lense. He can definitely draw amazing battle scenes, and Vicuente Cifuentas inking and Randy Mayor coloring alongside Carrie Strachan make some pretty sweet visuals. The opening page with Kyle flying at high speed is bad ass, and conveys a sense of urgency or panic. The only bad thing about the art is that Syaf keeps forgetting power rings, the second page has a panel which shows a ring-less Ganthet flying away from a ring-less Alpha Lantern, who are supposed to have two rings.
The story has had me hooked from the very beginning, and I can’t wait for the conclusion. I just hope Bedard will follow up this arc with an even better one and continue with the character development and fast pace. Here’s how the issue stacks up:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Very interesting story that hooked me in from the get go, amazing visuals on the art side. | Ardian Syaf seems to be forgetting the power rings. |
| Rating |
–moyermason@yahoo.com
+Continue ReadingWB has released the first 4 Green Lantern movie posters. Combined they recite part of the original Green Lantern oath and show us our first official images of Peter Sarsgaard as Hector Hammond and Mark Strong as Sinestro. The 4th poster, featuring Hector Hammond, also has part of the Green Lantern logo traced by the color yellow. Click images for larger picture.
Uh…WB…while Marvel was making everyone drool over the weekend at the biggest comic book convention ever with all their movie news you really had these laying around?
Green Lantern hits theaters June 17.
Continuity fun fact: the reason the Guardians are old gnomes is because of the sheer will required to create the GL Central Power Battery. Every time I see a new green CPB being made, I can’t help but remember this. Still, what a way to start the issue! with the Cyborg Superman questioning the creation of the Alphas as he stands before his battery, Very like him. He’d also made his own CPB before, using the shards of the original back in early Volume 4, so this has precedent. But why no yellow rings? Or green rings for that matter? Did he feel like he didn’t need them anymore?
This issue has Boodikka and John travel to Stel’s world. And there’s nice characterization from Boodikka. FYI: she DID have a fling with Lobo in the middle of a battle. During Trinity. I can’t recall offhand if the feud with Kreon actually happened, though. This is really the first time an Alpha has had a conversation without being “on” and it’s nice to see. This is a great scene from John and Boodikka. But the Alphas are NOT drawn with 2 GL rings. I think they forget they were supposed to have two of them.
We get some development of Kyle still being in love with Jade. And we get a Brightest Day tie-in. Evidently Deadman’s net has not disappeared (why not?) and some Qwardians have found it. I like that we’re gonna get something from those guys. The Qwardians have been portrayed as such losers lately, and totally inconsistently as well. Let’s see if Bedard does better with them.
We get Kyle, Soranik, and Ganthet come to the planet, but are assaulted by a few Alpha Lanterns. Actually, I recognise the new Alphas from the Sin Corps War Special! Geez, they need to update the list of GLC members… After this and Blackest Night that list is definitely outdated!
Another great issue of GLC. Although, like the previous one, there’s some continuity problems. The fact that the Cyborg doesn’t have any rings bothers me. I mean … why not? Seriously. And how easy is it to make these Central Power Batteries? But, the Cyborg has been shown to have the capability and, as a master of technology, it makes sense that he’d be able to do so.
The art, as usual, is great. No complaints here! Every page is rich with detail. My only beef is that he forgot Alphas have two Power Rings.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Just about everything | No rings for Cyborg? No second ring for Alphas? One white construct stayed in place when every single other construct any Corps has made hasn’t … why? Small bits of continuity like that bug me |
| Rating |
Geoff Johns’ Brightest Day continues and I swear, after each issue, I’m even more clueless than I was before. Not only that, but I’m finding myself becoming more tangled up in the story and hardly being able to wait to see what happens next.
+Continue Reading
