DCU Comic Book Reviews

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #28

Eye Of The Beholder, Part Two

November 2008

Written by Peter J. Tomasi

Pencils by Luke Ross

Inks by Fabio Laguna

Cover by Rodolfo Migliari

Synopsis

On Oa, Lantern Saarek is able to generate a latent image of the murderer who killed numerous family members of rookie lanterns.  The image is the same for all of the dead people, but no one recognizes the face.  Later, Ice arrives on Oa to talk to Guy Gardner.  Before they can say much, however, Salaak reports a sighting of the murderer and Guy is forced to leave.  Meanwhile, the rookie lanterns, upset the Guardians won’t let them leave Oa to protect their loved ones, decide to quit the corps.  Salaak urges them to reconsider.  On the Planet Seekworm, Guy Gardner finds the one responsible for the family members’ death.  Before he can capture it, it commits suicide.  On the planet Kautnom, Kilowog finds another one, the brother of the one that killed itself.  However, Kilowog is able to capture this one.  Later, Saarek speaks to the dead one and determines there are three other siblings.  They are quickly captured and sent to jail. Elsewhere on Oa, the scared Guardian makes a request to Saarek that he keep quiet:  she wants him to talk to the corpse of the Anti-Monitor. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

As a murder mystery or even a suspense drama, this second part of the story falls flat.  There really is no suspense and the identity of the killers is solved fairly quickly.  In fact the Quintent offers no new surprises, such as having them be Red Lanterns.  The plot pushes from here to there, offering nothing more and nothing less than what it is.  But I don’t think the plot was really the point of the story.  The plot was just there to provide an excuse to trot out Saarek, to introduce a character that may very well become a big part of the upcoming Blackest Night story coming early next year.  Taken on that level, this issue is very effective.  Tomasi gives Saarek just enough to do to establish the character, who he is and what he can do.  The rest of the story focuses on the main characters of the book, Guy (Tora’s appearance) and Kyle (strange drawings), but at the same time offering insight into the fragile state of mind of the Lanterns during the uncertain time after the War.  And of course, Tomasi provides the ending, which is a big honking signal that Saarek is involved in Blackest Night.  In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Johns created the character and then handed it off to Tomasi to flesh it out (much the same way Grant Morrison created the Alpha Lanterns, but Johns provided the origin for them).  Regardless, this issue does its job well, effectively helping to build up to the big story to come. 

I don’t know enough of the history of the Green Lantern Corps, but I think I know enough to realize that Tora’s appearance on Oa seems more significant than Tomasi makes it out to be.  Tora wasn’t summoned by the Guardians or being taken to one of the ScienceCells and she is obviously not a Green Lantern.  She is the significant other (stretching that a little bit, though), but I always thought loved ones were not permitted on Oa.  Or maybe I just don’t know enough. 

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