DCU Comic Book Reviews

GREEN LANTERN: REBIRTH #1

Blackest Night

December 2004

Written by Geoff Johns

Pencils by Ethan Van Sciver

Inks by Prentis Rollins

Cover by Ethan Van Sciver

Synopsis

From the middle of a sun, a green ship explodes out into the stars and heads directly to Earth, falling in near the town of Highway Mill in New Mexico.  From the ship emerges Kyle Rayner.  He does not want to use the ring, nor can he take it off.  Kyle collapses next to a coffin before he can explain what the “it” is that he is so afraid of.  In Northern California, outside of the damaged Coast City, Carol Ferris returns to the abandoned and neglected Ferris Aircraft Field.  In New York City, the Bronx, John Stewart (aka Green Lantern) and Guy Gardner (aka Warrior) attend a baseball game along with Hal Jordan.  Although disguised in his human form, the spectators recognize The Spectre and start admitted their sins to him, forcing Jordan to flee.  In Star City, Black Hand breaks into the home Oliver Queen (aka Green Arrow) looking for the Green Lantern ring Hal had given Ollie “in case of emergency.”  Just as Ollie shoots Black Hand in the right hand, The Spectre appears and deliver Vengeances, by removing the right hand.  In New York City, at Guy Gardner’s restaurant “Warriors,” Gardner and Stewart are discussing Jordan’s past when Gardner suddenly, uncontrollably changes into Warrior and destroys his own restaurant.   In the sky above Northern California, two pilots fly over the crater of Coast City, but instead find a lighted city!  In the Watchtower, J’onn J’onzz (aka Martian Manhunter) attempts to find out what happened to Gardner as the rest of the JLA and JSA examine Warriors as well as Coast City, which is completely empty except for one building:  Hal’s old apartment.  Batman fears that Hal Jordan’s back and, with the power of the Spectre, Jordan would be unstoppable.  Meanwhile, at Ferris Aircraft, all of the damaged plans revert back to new.  Still there, Carol turns around and finds Hal waiting for her.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This is all set-up, which should be not surprising given this is the first issue of the mini-series, but this is more set-up than most first issue.  Part of the problem is that there are a lot of floating pieces that eventually (I would hope) get tied all together at the end.  First there’s the various Green Lanterns, Kyle, John, and Guy and then Hal’s friends, Ollie and Carol, and of course The Spectre as well.  Not only do they need to get introduced with filler information in case readers aren’t up to speed, but then something must happen to them to start the story forward.  That is a lot to handle, even in an oversize 30-page issue.  Having said that, however, I must say it all works.  Obviously the title of Rebirth suggest Hal is coming back, so this works to set up the story and all of the people involved with the story. 

I’m not quite sure what beef Batman has with Hal Jordan (I never read Green Lantern issues with Hal) but I do like John Stewart’s pop psychology:  “Hal is the man without fear.  And what is The Batman when you’re not afraid of him.  Just a man.” 

The brief single page with Hector Hammond was freaky.  His head was just way too large and too grotesque.  I’m not sure I can stand it if he is a larger part of the story. 

And, finally, DC Comics should offer the Green Lantern coffin to anyone who wants it.  It looks cool and I’m sure people would buy it.  Hell, the KISS coffin is selling, so why not a Batman coffin or a Superman coffin.

Comic Connections

If you are interested, the story behind Ollie having Hal’s old ring is explained in Green Arrow issue #20 which is part of the larger arc “The Archer’s Quest” found in issues #16 to #21.