DCU Comic Book Reviews

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #25

RingQuest, Part Four

August 2008

Written by Peter J. Tomasi

Pencils by Patrick Gleason

Inks by Drew Geraci

Cover by Patrick Gleason and Prentis Rollins

Synopsis

On the Black Mercy Planet, the Green Lanterns encounter Mother Mercy, who is angry at the intrusion to its home.  Kyle Rayner wants to make contact.  Soranik Natu says Mother Mercy is too angry to communicate.  Slowly, Mother Mercy alters Gravity around them and drags the Lanterns to it.  Sodam Yat has a plan.  With Stel’s help, he flies straight at it and is able to disable Mother Mercy.  On Oa, the Guardians watch as the Star Shapphire Corps starts to rise.  Meanwhile, Mother Mercy releases Arisa and Sodam Yat from the Black Mercy.  Mother Mercy then tells the Lanterns the history of herself and the Black Mercy plants, revealing that Mongul had altered Mother Mercy to become a weapon of the mind.  After Mother Mercy finishes her story, the Lanterns decide to search for the Black Mercy, but they are interrupted by the arrival of Mongul. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

More exposition?  I thought we were done with it based on the last issue and hopefully, given the fact that this is part four of the story, Tomasi has done enough at this point to set up the finale to the story and whatever else needs to be done for the upcoming Blackest Night story.  Don’t get me wrong, I am enjoying what Tomasi is doing with the Black Mercy and how it ties into the overall Green Lantern mythology that Geoff Johns is weaving right now, but this story is essentially no more than the writer telling us a series of events rather than showing us those events.  The problem, of course, is that to show us Mother Mercy’s story would mean leaving out the Green Lanterns entirely, so in order to include Green Lanterns in a Green Lantern book, Tomasi is forced to re-tell the story he actually wants to tell.  And I hope that makes sense.  Regardless, the issue is saved mightily by Gleason’s artwork in the battle with Mother Mercy.  It is great stuff, wonderful to look at and digest and understand without having to read the words (and don’t you love the shout out to X-men with Guy Gardner telling Stel to throw a “fastball.”  Yeesh).  I also liked the conversation between Arisa and Yat as he tells her not to give not the anger and to use the images shown to her by the Black Mercy to make her stronger and better.

Is it just me or is the Mongul lackey, whose name I have forgotten, but is the one with two heads, seemingly added to this story simply to provide cannon fodder for the Lanterns.  Why do I get the feeling the lackey will be dead or caught as Mongul is making his getaway?

I like the credit page with inker Drew Geraci being introduced as the new inker, which is fine, except for the fact that he has inked this book before.  In fact, the previous issue.  Granted, he was only helping out and not doing it all by himself, but still it seems a little odd to introduce someone who has already been here for awhile.

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