DCU Comic Book Reviews

GREEN LANTERN #5

Feeding Frenzy

November 2005

Written by Geoff Johns

Pencils by Ethan Van Sciver

Inks by Prentis Rollins

Cover by Ethan Van Sciver

Synopsis

On a plane to Coast City, William Hand (aka Black Hand) is beset by a bunch of winged creatures.  At Edwards Air Force Base, Colonel Stone calls upon Hal Jordan (aka Green Lantern) to investigate the dismembered bodies of a solider and his girlfriend down at the beach.  Hal recognizes the teeth belonging to Shark and goes out to the ocean to find him.  He finds that the Shark has grown and continues to grow as he searches out food, in particular brain food.  At Belle Reve Prison in Louisiana, Hector Hammond is also beset by the same winged creatures.  Meanwhile in Palmdale, Black Hand lands in a garden.  He experiences a strange sensation with his hand as he smells death all around; he heads for the local hospital.  Meanwhile, Hal retrieves his power battery to power his ring, but loses it during his fight with the Shark.  The two of them are falling in the ocean, when suddenly a disc of lights propels them to the air.  Hal is surrounded by the winged creatures.  At the hospital, wherever Black Hand walks, death follows until he eventually is able to re-grow his hand back.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

Man, that is one big shark.  In the beginning I had images of that Twilight Zone episode with William Shatner and at the end I had images of The Abyss (and in the previous issue it was Jaws).  I am not sure it is a good thing to be reminded of other works, except Johns continues to create fantastic issues and this is no exception.  The fight with the Shark was great, especially with Jordan connecting the dots with the alien experiments and Hector Hammond.  Mostly, though, this issue really is a transition issue as bits and pieces of information are given to Hal and to the reader, but otherwise not much happened.  A couple of issues ago, it was all conversation with very little talk. Now, we have all action with very little.  The fight with Shark took up a large chunk of this issue.  I am not complaining, mind you, I love Ethan Van Sciver’s work and this is no exception.  The entire fight is handled brilliantly.  Plus, there were several full page drawings that I just loved, including the ones back to back with Hal in the cage, Hammond getting his shower, and Black Hand with his new hand and the litter of corpses littered behind him.