DCU Comic Book Reviews

The Brave And The Bold #19

Without Sin, Part One

January 2009

Written by David Hine

Pencils by Doug Braithwaite

Inks by Bill Reinhold

Cover by Doug Braithwaite

Synopsis

In West Virginia, Hal Jordan (aka Green Lantern) responds to a summons from the Phantom Stranger.  They investigate a local hospital that cares for children with birth defects caused by an investigational drug.  Recently one of the children has been writing in an alien language, a prophecy of the planet Kahlo and its destruction that has not yet happened.  And she has written the Green Lantern oath on the wall.  Jordan decides to take this information to Oa.  The Guardians are concerned, especially since a city of Kahl had recently been destroyed by unknown forces.  Along with the local Green Lantern, Jordan visits the city of Kymera to learn what happened.  When they get there, the Phantom Stranger tells the magic is at worked and it is connected to the little girl on Earth, who starts convulsing.  In the hospital she sends a message:  “If I die, everyone dies.”

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

I was really enjoying this issue until the trip to Kahlo and then I just kinda lost interest, although I have to admit the ending intrigues me enough that I am curious to see what happens next.  I think the reason the second part failed to work for me is that at the moment it seems like certain scenes have no relationship to the story of the little girl.  I realize that in all probability the girl is connected to the drug in some way (and the ending will see that drug somehow give the children better lives), but the description of the drug and then the fight with the smugglers seems to muddy the waters of the narrative.  Again, I understand that the Belamort drug (and Jordan’s malfunctioning ring) will eventually come into the story, but as I was reading it just seemed like the girl had been forgotten and we were into a new story.  The story seems to lose focus in order to set up elements for the rest of the story, which don’t come into play until the next issue.  I will say that it is not bad and the scenes are not bad, but the structure and writing were not entirely clear.  Overall, I liked this issue, despite the confusing middle section. 

The best scene was when the doctor asks if the dreams will continue and the Phantom Stranger tells them they will, despite the fact that the Stranger has absolutely nothing to do with them.  It is a nice moment that shows how much our own guilt affects us.

When Jordan and the Stranger go from planet to planet, Stranger needs the ring’s power in order to get to his destination.  But once on Kahlo, he can transport himself wherever he wants to go with Jordan’s help.  To me it just seemed like a convenient excuse for the Stranger to be missing when Jordan’s ring malfunctions against the smuggler.  But, then, I can be cynical that way.

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