DCU Comic Book Reviews

GREEN LANTERN #39

Agent Orange, Part One

April 2009

Written by Geoff Johns

Pencils by Philip Tan

Inks by Jonathon Glapion

Covers by Philip Tan

Synopsis

In the Vega System, the Controllers find the entrance to the Orange Light of Avarice.  When they attempt to take the Orange Power Battery, they are attacked and killed by Larfleeze and the Orange Lanterns.  On Odym, Hal Jordan searches for Ganthet and Sayd to find out what happened to him when he was given a Blue Power Ring.  He wants the ring gone.  They want him to be both Green and Blue Lantern to fight against the War of Light.  When he finds someone who has faith in the Brightest Day, he can then give it to them.  Hal flies away to search for Sinestro.  As he flies away, the green ring claims Hal has been comprised and takes him to Oa.  In Sector 2828, Green Lantern Stel chases a member of the Sinestro Corps.  When they reach the Vega System, an Orange Lantern consumes the Yellow Lantern, and then attacks Stel.  On Oa, the Guardians try to remove the blue ring from Hal with little luck.  Suddenly, Salaak interrupts.  Stel has returned, branded with the symbol of the Orange Lanterns.  Larfleeze appears to admonish the Guardians for breaking the treaty and they will answer to him or else.  The Guardian Scar sends Larfleeze away.  They don’t negotiate with terrorists.  Later, the Guardians create the fourth law:  the Vega System is no longer outside Lantern territory.  The Guardians need to get involved in the War of Light.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

Overall, this issue wasn’t quite as good as some of the previous issues of this title, but given the high quality of what we have been seeing lately, it still means this is a very good issue.  The basic problem, I think, is that this is somewhat of a transition issue, with Hal leaving behind the Blue before leading into the Orange.  And while transition issues can work sometimes, Johns’ decision to delve right into the Agent Orange story in the midst of the transition creates a weird balance that doesn’t quite work.  We get the Orange, but we’re still dealing with the Blue, and in the midst of all of this is the Green.  If that makes sense.  The opening sequence is fantastic and sets the tone for Larfleeze’s avarice regarding what belongs to him.  The following bits, however, feel a little rushed maybe a little crammed (take a look at the massive amounts of word balloons on page 12).  Perhaps if Johns had been able to take his time, transition the story to Agent Orange a little bit slower, this issue wouldn’t feel slightly off balance.  Having said that, this is still good stuff and with the story moving forward, it shall be a doozy of a ride. 

Geoff Johns walks a fine line sometimes with the War of Light between creating an event that readers will embrace for its inventiveness and creativity or creating an event that will be ridiculed for being silly.  This fine line is very apparent in this issue with the introduction of Agent Orange (which is an unfortunate choice of a name, but I suppose inevitable).  Greed can be portrayed in a silly manner (such as the little boy screaming, “it’s my ball” in the playground), which I don’t think is the tone that Johns is going for.  Luckily, Johns manages to find a workable solution, giving Larfleeze with a background that provides some semblance of reasoning on why he would be so protective of what he thinks belongs to him.  It also gives Johns and excuse to generate some conflict that will escalate the war that apparently has already started.

I think Larfleeze is the only member of the Orange Lanterns, which make sense given the Orange corps is supposed to have the characteristics of avarice.  Given how greedy Larfleeze is about the battery and being disturbed, I can hardly imagine he would be able to share his power.  The beginning portion, with the attack on the Controllers, shows Larfleeze using his power to create constructs, perhaps those he killed before he settled into the Vega System (or even during). 

There is a level of confusion for me as I was reading this issue that I hope is somewhat explained as the story moves onward.  It revolves around the Controllers and the Vega System.  I don’t know enough about the history of the Green Lantern franchise to know what the particulars of what Johns is referencing in terms of the treaty that Larfleeze talks about.

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