DCU Comic Book Reviews

GREEN LANTERN #1

Airborne

July 2005

Written by Geoff Johns

Pencils by Ethan Van Sciver & Carlos Pacheco

Inks by than Van Sciver & Jesus Merino

Cover by Ethan Van Sciver

Synopsis

Long time ago, Abin Sur of the Green Lantern Corps selected Hal Jordan to become a Green lantern and protect Sector 2814.  Now, Hal Jordan has returned to Edwards Air Force base but things have changed.  His old buddy Shane Sellers is married and with children.  And Hal will have to go through flight school if he wants to fly again.  Via his power ring, John Stewart informs Hal of a ship in orbit around Earth.  Together they investigate.  Not only is the ship entirely yellow, but it also looks as if it was made for a one way trip.  In Barstow California, a couple of Air Force soldiers are driving a truck with Top Secret truck.  After the truck leaves, a strange visitor appears.  Its primary directive is to find predecessor.  Its secondary command is to terminate all life.  Later, Hal returns to his home in Coast City.  Despite government incentives, only a thousand people have moved back.  Hal is visited by his brother Jim, who is freaked out by Coast City and thinks Hal should leave.  Suddenly, an airplane flies past, dangerously out of control.  Hal changes back to Green Lantern and helps pull the aircraft down, saving the pilot, who happens to be a woman.  The damaged plane also reveals to have alien technology inside.  Meanwhile, the truck continues towards Edwards as whatever is inside awakens and says:  “No man escapes.”

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This is the first issue not only of a new story arc or a new writer but also of an entire new series, so this is a little hard to review.  Obviously there are teasers to the imminent danger/threat in the alien and whatever is in the truck, but that is to be expected in any new story arc.  It is the other stuff, the small character touches that need to be established, such as:  Hal’s role at Edwards, his relationship with old friends, his relationship with his brother, his relationship with John and the corps, etc. etc.  So, really not much is going to occur and not much does.  Mostly this issue sets up questions, such as:  will the female pilot become a new love interest?  Will Carol Ferris play a role or is she gone?  As the series progresses, these questions will bee answered.

There are some nice touches in reference to Rebirth and his past.  I liked Hal’s answer when John asks him if the Corps should be restarted.  I liked how Hal decided against going to the Watchtower because Batman was there.  And I liked how Hal and John overcame the yellow spaceship because they knew about the yellow impurity (which was always a stupid idea anyway).  Of course Geoff Johns wrote Rebirth and this but I like the continuation of one from the other.

I am not quite sure why the introduction with the flashback (Abin Sur giving the ring to Hal Jordan) was really required.  Part of me says it increases the page count and thereby justifies the increased price.  All I can say is that certainly makes me long for Ethan Van Sciver to do the art for the entire book and not just the 4 pages.  I really liked his work in Rebirth.  Nothing against Carlos Pacheco whose work is not bad, but there are several drawings that just don’t look right, such as John Stewart in the bottom right panel on page 17.

Reading this issue I was reminded of Escape From New York when everyone told Snake Plisskon, “I heard you was dead.”  This, obviously, will explain the reason why Hal was not around for so long, although he tells Shane, “I went walking,” a sly reference to his days with Green Arrow.  I would like to know how long Hal was considered “dead.”  In real-life time it was about ten years, but how does that work in comic book time?

Overall, a good start to a new series.  Let’s just see if it stays that way.

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