ACW #630 – Green Lantern

August 31, 2019 Chris

Action Comics Weekly #630 (Green Lantern)
“Will”
Writer – James Owsley
Pencils – M.D. Bright
Inks – Romeo Tanghal
Letters – Albert DeGuzman
Colors – Anthony Tollin
Assistant Editor – Dan Raspler
Editor – Denny O’Neil

It’s a new week… and a new ten-some of issues! We’re in the six-thirties, gang! We’re rapidly approaching the home stretch here… twelve issues (plus a special) left… and two of those issues are done-in-ones! So, we’re looking at like ten and a half weeks til the finish line!

And they said it couldn’t be done? Actually, nobody said that… mostly because very few people are aware that this little project exists… and most of the ones who do, don’t care!

Let’s get Lanterning!

—

We open with Hal and Captain Atom facing off, and exchanging energy blasts. If you recall, they both recently met an alien in the guise of ~~Sylvester Stallone~~ Randy Violent, and have very different views for how to deal with him/her/it. Hal wants to come to a peaceful solution, while Nate’s fine with a “pieceful” one… as in, blowing the Bethel Traveler to pieces. The two heroes do-si-do over the next several pages trying to convince the other that they’re right. Since this is such an “iffy” subject to begin with, both seemingly become more and more unsure of their position with each shift of the panel.

The Bethel Traveler lay down below, but is still able to “view” the entirety of the fight. He/she/it is very conflicted… but cannot help but to continue to observe.

Hal and Cap continue to fight… Atom makes an offhanded remark about underestimating Green Lantern. After all, all he’s had to go on were stories about Guy Gardner… and, if you recall… Batman took him out in (cue the laugh track) One Punch! ha-ha-ha-ha… tired of those references yet? Me too! Though, in fairness, back in ye old 1988, back before constant retweet and “like” baiting was a thing, this was probably a pretty clever (and topical) callback.

The fight concludes after a last ditch “slam into one another as hard as you can” maneuver. After a massive explosion, and a clearing of smoke, we can see that Captain Atom is the last man standing.

We wrap up with Captain Atom returning to confront the Bethel Traveler. Here’s the thing, though… “Randy” takes Cap out with a single blast. Er, I mean JUST ONE BLAST. Can we make that a meme? Okay, okay, I’ll stop. Anyhoo, the Traveler decides that maybe Earth will be more of a permanent abode for him… heaven help us all!

—

Feels like we’re just filling time here, dunnit? I don’t know why this entire chapter needed to be a fight scene, especially when it feels like the entire fight scene was the same explosive collisions repeated three times.

I will say, however, that I appreciate how Hal and Nate started getting into each other’s heads between blows. Neither of these fellas has the foggiest clue what they’re doing. Are they right? Are they wrong? Are they both wrong? Who knows? But, there comes a time where you’re just so heel-dug on a position, that you refuse to accept any other opinions, regardless of how much sense you know they make! That’s basically American Politics in a nutshell. Lookit that, I think we just solved politics, people!

In all seriousness, not much else to this one though. The Bethel Traveler is intrigued by the battle he/she/it observes, and decides to take their shoes off and “get comfortable”. What does this mean? Who knows? Could be the best, worst, or most indifferent thing to happen to the Earth in eons. It’s ultimately not going to matter, but we’ll burn that bridge when we get to it.

This is an arc that really should’ve been truncated. It’s just so samey and repetitive… and Captain Atom really comes across like a doofus. At least he is depicted as a competent fighter… he’s been such a clown, I almost expected his silver bottom-half to fall down revealing heart-covered boxer shorts.

Oh well, t-minus two weeks til… MALVOLIO!