DCU Comic Book Reviews

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #3

Homecoming

October 2006

Written by Dave Gibbons

Pencils by Patrick Gleason

Inks by Prentis Rollins, Wayne Faucher, & Mick Gray

Cover by Patrick Gleason & Prentis Rollins

Synopsis

On Betrassus, Guy Gardner informs the royal family of Lantern Natu’s death before he flies her body back to Oa. That night, Prince Ragnar is visited by a power ring:  he is to be the next Green Lantern of his sector.  On Staphis, Lantern Vath is attempting to save the planet, but is having trouble since his partner Isamot is missing in action.  When other Lanterns come to help, Vath takes off to search for Isamot.  On Oa, Prince Ragnar thinks he is to be a lantern, but he soon learns that he is to be arrested for murder.  Lantern Natu is still alive; her death was a ruse to get Ragnar to Oa on his own.  Natu has the proof Ragnar murdered numerous others, including his own brother and Lantern Myrrt so that he would be at the top of the list to be the next lantern.  Now, he is to be arrested.  However, Salaak informs Natu that Rangar has diplomatic immunity and he will be returned to Betrassus.  Before Natu leaves, Salaak gives her Myrrt’s old power ring and tells her to give it to her new partner, when the time is right.  Meanwhile, Vath has found Isamot on Thanagar.  Isamot is helping to rebuild Thanagar, but more importantly his biological urges have kicked and he can’t deny them:  Isamot is in love.  On Betrassus, Prince Ragnar is being sentenced to death for his crimes.  Moments before he is to die, Natu offers the power ring to Ragnar’s sister, the new Green Lantern of the sector.  On Restroia, Guy Gardner is enjoying his shore leave, unaware Bolphunga is coming for him. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

The conclusion to this story was fairly predictable, but it was also extremely enjoyable and ultimately satisfying.  While I scream and pound my fists when stories are predictable, I will also gladly accept them on occasion if they are down with style and panache.  In this case, I think Gibbons and Gleason did a great job, especially when Natu offers the power ring to Iolande.  It was not a startling surprise, but it had poetic justice to it and I always like that.

One little nitpick:  there was never a scene that shows Natu getting away from the poisonous gas at the end of the last issue.  Did she overcome the gas on her own or did she need Guy’s help?  There is a brief bit where she describes what the poison was supposed to do her, but I thought she was telling Ragnar how she find it during the autopsy rather than how she beat it when she was dosed. 

I am curious to see if the Varn/Isamot story is finished or if there will be more to it.  The cliché story line would have Varn falling in love with Isamot’s woman; frankly, I’ll stop reading this book if that happens.  No, what I would really like to see is how Oa and the Guardians handle the situation.  One would think there would be a system in place to handle biological problems (when things are out of their control), such as the biological urgings that Isamot described.  Given all of the different species in the Corps, Isamot’s “urgings” would not be the unique. 

Man, can’t a Guy get a break?  He finally gets his shore leave after a full year and now he is about to get attacked by a bounty hunter with vengeance on his mind.  That is just cold. 

I also hope we got more of Natu and her new partner.  While I would like to see more members of the Corps spotlighted in this series, I find Natu’s character too interesting to give up on her now.  In other words, I want different characters, but not at the expense of cutting out Natu.  Can I have my cake and eat it too?