DCU Comic Book Reviews

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #39

Fade To Black

October 2009

Written by Peter J. Tomasi

Pencils by Patrick Gleason

Inks by Rebecca Buchman and Tom Nguyen

Covers by Patrick Gleason and Glen Fabry

Synopsis

On their return to Oa, Guy Gardner and Kyle Rayner encounter Soranik Natu and Iolande, who are also returning to Oa.  When they get close, they find numerous black power rings also heading towards Oa.  On Daxam, Lantern Arisia is told to leave.  The Daxamites no longer need her help.  In Sector 3599, Kryb’s children are hungry.  On Zamaron, Kryb is being rescued by Tekik.  On Korugar, continues to remark the planet in the image of the newly formed Mongul Corps.  On Oa, the rings arrive at the Green Lantern Crypt.  The dead rise as Black Lanterns.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

Maybe it is just me, but I think this is like the third or fourth comic I have read that shows the dead rising on Oa.  Granted, I don’t think I will actually get tired of the scene, but I think it shows how much of placeholder this particular issue is to the overall Blackest Night story.  Tomasi spends a lot of time bringing the character back to where they need to be, shifting the proverbial pieces on the playing board to get everything in place for the upcoming War of the Light.  So, Guy and Kyle return from Earth along with Soranik and Iolande.  Not coincidentally, we also learned what Kyle really saw and if you didn’t think Jade was coming back after the revelation, you weren’t paying attention.  We also see how Arisia is forced to leave Daxam in a scene that was no surprise and we also get to see Mongul strengthen his hold on Korugar.  I realize that it sounds like I rewriting the issue synopsis, but that is pretty much how it reads.  Don’t get me wrong, Tomasi imbues the issue with some nice characterization, especially the conversation at the beginning between Kyle and Guy.  And I also liked the scene with the Kyle and the others attempt to stop the rings.  And Morro gets a nice scene as he fights his own losing battle.  Ultimately, however, this is just the set-up.  A pretty cool set-up, mind you, but still a set-up nonetheless. 

So Sodam didn’t die, he just bonded with the sun to turn it from red to yellow (does red and green make yellow)?  Was this what happened in the previous issues and I just missed it, for whatever reason.  Or did someone remind editorial that Sodam is needed as a character.  Wasn’t he involved with the Blackest night prophecy? 

Interesting to note that Guy Gardner is observed to have rage while Kyle and Kilowog are observed to have will.  It also fits in with Guy’s personality, although I don’t think he has the same type of rage as the Red Lanterns.  However, I must admit to be intrigued and have to wonder if that is a bit of foreshadowing to what might happen with Guy during the war.

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