DCU Comic Book Reviews

GREEN LANTERN #38

Rage Of The Red Lanterns, Part 4

March 2009

Written by Geoff Johns

Pencils by Ivan Reis

Inks by Oclair Albert

Cover by Shane Davis

Synopsis

On Earth, Carol Ferris tries to call Hal Jordan, but gets Cowgirl instead.  On Ysmault, Jordan’s rage directed towards Sinestro for the murder of Laira has given him powers of the Red Lanterns.  Jordan tries to control it, but his rage has overtaken him.  Jordan tries to kill Sinestro.  Saint Walker of the Blue Lantern Corps attempts to stop Jordan by giving him a blue ring.  Infused with hope, the power of the blue Corps, Jordan attacks Atrocitus, the leader of the Red Lanterns.  Meanwhile, Yellow lanterns grab Sinestro and flee.  On Earth, Carol misses Jordan.  The Star Sapphire Corps sense her aching heart and decide she will need them, not Jordan.  On the Planet Qward, Sinestro repowers his ring and then heads out to Korugar to deal with a family matter.  On the Planet Okaara, the Controllers have killed the guardians of the Orange Light.  Elsewhere, Scar senses the war of light is erupting and the dead are getting restless. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This title is so insanely terrific that sometimes when Johns and Reis make a misstep it is magnified even further than on any other title.  The misstep this month is the sudden inclusion of the Star Sapphire group into the mix.  It seemingly comes out of nowhere, a random concurrence of events that doesn’t connect to what is going on with Hal.  I don’t recall Carol being so despondent over Hal or being jealous and envious of his relationship with Cowgirl.  Maybe that’s the fault of the weird scheduling of this title, which is wildly late to the point that maybe I have forgotten what has been happening lately.  Or maybe Johns’ pacing is off and he failed to adequately set up the final moments.  It still works mind you, given the history between Hal and Carol, and due to the fact that I am reading the Green Lantern Corps so I am familiar with the Star Sapphires, but these scenes don’t quite work in the context of the larger story told being told.  And that is a shame, because Hal’s transformation from Green to Red to Blue (and I am willing to bet to the other colors as well) is freaking brilliant stuff.  I love Hal spewing bloody missiles and I love the electric chair construct for Sinestro.  Or the fact that Hal attacks Atrocitus he has all three colors (blue, red, and green) covering him.  This build-up to Blackest night is nothing short of awesome, despite a small misstep.

I should also mention that Johns’ rhyming dictionary gets another work out this issue.  I still think that at some point DC should package all of them together with some art to go with the various colors.  It would sell, I’ll tell ya!

I love the single panel where the caption states Hal’s one weakness is the color yellow and the visual underneath is that of Cowgirl, a blonde.  That is brilliant!

Origins & Omens

Written by Geoff Johns

Art by Ivan Reis and Oclair Albert

Commentary

Hey, Johns’ rhyming dictionary gets a double work-out this month.  I think it is unfair that Hal gets two pages while John only gets one.  Unfair, I tell ya!  Anyway, these are not origins.  They are more like a brief look at their pasts and how it shapes the current lives.  It is interesting to now how the Star Sapphires play a role in the lives of both Hal and John.  As for the omens, the panel of Hal and Sinestro is intriguing,  However, I can’t quite figure out who the Guardians are pointing to beyond Alan Scott. 

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