Green Lantern (vol.5) #1 (November, 2011)
"Sinestro, Part One"
Writer - Geoff Johns
Pencils - Doug Mahnke
Inks - Christian Alamy w/Tom Nguyen
Colors - David Baron
Letters - Sal Cipriano
Assistant Editor - Darren Shan
Editor - Brian Cunningham
Cover Price: $2.99
Here's a little secret... I've never read the book we're about to cover today. Ya see, where DC planned for The New-52! to be a jumping-on point, I viewed it more as an opportunity to leave certain books (and families of books) behind.
When I saw the title announcements and solicits, and saw that there were going to be four Lantern books as part of this reboot (Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps., Green Lantern: The New Guardians, and Red Lanterns), with the edict that everything is starting "fresh", I didn't see any reason to pursue a family-of-four (books)... and if you know me, I'm kind of an "all or nothing" sorta comics guy. If I wasn't going to commit to all four... I was going to commit to zero.
It wasn't until a couple of years later, (oddly) after Geoff Johns left the book, that I decided to dip my toe back into the Lanternverse. Me, being me, had to madly dash through town to fill in the issues I missed... but, that really wasn't ever in question. In fact, if you're familiar with cover variances, you'd see (above) that my copy of Green Lantern (vol.5) #1... is actually the second-printing! I don't even own a first-printing of this one!
Anyhoo... let's see how they rebooted Hal. That's what happens in this one, right? Right? Right...?
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We open this... Brand-New Era for Green Lantern, by... picking up from the end of the previous issue? Waitasec... I thought The New-52! was for new readers?! Anyhoo... Sinestro is now Green Lantern, having been chosen by Hal Jordan's ring following the events of the War of the Green Lanterns. He says the thing, charges the ring... and gets a stern talking to by the Guardians of the Universe. They look at this opportunity as a chance for redemption... but Sin just ain't feeling it. He's not sure he wants this in his life again. Either way, he takes the battery and heads off, leaving a quarreling bunch of little blue fellers in his wake.
We shift scenes to Earth, and check in on now-former-Green Lantern, Hal Jordan... who is three months behind on his rent, probably plenty of other bills too. He's told his checks are no longer going to be accepted, which sounds pretty fair considering they never clear anyway.
As he's being harangued by his landlord, Hal overhears a struggle going on in the next apartment building over. Without even thinking, he leaps from his patio (which is seven stories up) across to the next building to save a woman from her attacker...
... only, it turns out they were just filming a movie. Wonk wonk?
We jump ahead a couple of hours, and Hal is in jail waiting to be picked up by Carol Ferris, who doesn't really get what I'd consider to be a proper "New Reader friendly" introduction. Actually... nobody really does!
As Carol and Hal leave the clink, Hal asks her if he can have his old job back. She'd love to have him, but if she were to take him back, their insurance company would drop them due to his recklessness. Then they talk about the recent Sinestro-happenings, which Hal doesn't know the complete results of. Carol suggests that might be a good thing, and comments that she hasn't put her Star Sapphire ring on since the War either. Hal then asks her out to dinner.
We rejoin Sinestro at his homeworld of Korugar, where he sees that his own Sinestro Corps have gotten a bit out of control. He finds himself attacked by one of them, mistaking him for a "real" Green Lantern, before realizing who he really is. Sinestro kinda flips the script on them by acting like a "real" Green Lantern... annnd then sawing through one of their necks with a construct-garrote.
Jumping ahead to the next night, Hal and Carol are out at a swanky joint for dinner... when Hal pops the question. "Carol Ferris, will you... co-sign on the lease for my car?" Just what every woman wants to hear, am I right?
Wellll... Carol thought he was going to ask a different question, surely, as she tosses her drink in his face and storms out of the restaurant. It takes Hal a minute or two to realize what she was expecting... which, I mean, these two are so "on-again/off-again" why in the world would he ever ask her to marry him?! They'd likely break all sorts of records for "most divorces and remarries for a single couple".
Hal then walks back to his place (Carol left him behind... and she was his ride). He is greeted by an... eviction notice.
But that's not all! He's also greeted by... Sinestro, who has a whopper of a proposition for him... and it doesn't seem to have anything to do with co-signing on his Ford Focus.
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This kinda goes against type, but... I loved this! It just goes to show that if you're a writer with the right amount of pull and "cache", and your book was pulling in the sort of numbers DC was happy with... you could beat The New-52!
This issue could just as easily been the next issue of Green Lantern (vol.4)... and for all I know, was exactly the direction that book was going before that "other shoe" dropped, and the toilet was announced as being about to be flushed.
I mean, we literally pick up right where we left off in the pre-Flashpoint series... which, is good news for someone like me... but, what about the new readers, maaaaaaan?! How could someone wandering in off the streets pick up this issue... with Sinestro on the cover and in the green duds, and not instantly feel like they'd missed something (because they had!)?
This is just another check mark in the "DC didn't know what the hell they were doing with The New-52!" column... and also, fuels my own speculation that the entire endeavor was some sort of a last-minute decision, with precious little more in the way of planning than "Hey, New #1's"... and little more in the way of goals than "Maybe we'll beat Marvel for a month or two". Such short-sighted dunderheadedness... that they're still paying for nearly a decade later.
Now, for this issue... Hal's no longer a Lantern, which... if you read the War of the Green Lanterns crossover in the closing months of the pre-Flashpoint continuity, you'd already know. Sinestro was chosen... and Hal's back to being a bum.
We get mention here that Carol is a Star Sapphire... which, I mean, a "new" reader is probably going to glaze over without realizing just what that means... or they'll have to go to Wikipedia until they get bored... or even more confused. Really... the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that... regardless of how much I personally enjoyed this one, since it didn't go tabula rasa... or half-ass tabula rasa, I don't think this one is anywhere near "new reader friendly".
I mean, even if you're a "new reader" who prefers to read your comics in trade collections... you'd still be pretty lost with this opening "chapter". You'd almost have to read War of the Green Lanterns... and in order to fully appreciate that, you'd have to read Blackest Night... and in order to full appreciate that, you'd have to read the entirety of the Geoff Johns run... and in order to fully appreciate that, you're reading Green Lantern: Rebirth. I could go on... but I'm sure you've got the point. This isn't a "fresh start", which sort of undermines the entire New-52! endeavor... in my opinion.
So, as a "welcome" to new readers, who may or may not exist, this isn't that great a jumping-on/jumping-in point, in my opinion. If you're a seasoned reader, and want more of what came before... this is as good as a lot of it. Art is solid-to-great, and it's a fun (though breezy) little chapter. Worth a look, and as with anything post-Flashpoint, is available digitally... this one for only 99-cents!
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Green Lantern (vol.5) #21 (August, 2013)
"Dark Days Ahead"
Writer - Robert Venditti
Penciller - Billy Tan
Inker - Richard Friend
Colorists - Alex Sinclair & Tony Avina
Letterer - Dave Sharpe
Associate Editor - Chris Conroy
Group Editor - Matt Idelson
Cover Price: $2.99
Following Flashpoint, it's no secret that I whittled down my pull-list a great deal. Among those dropped were all of the Lantern books. I just couldn't jump into four new titles. I stayed away for the first year and change... but then, found myself oddly curious about the direction the books might have gone.
I decided that I'd jump back in at the next "jumping on" point... which just happened to be the issue we're going to look at today. Geoff Johns was stepping away... and we would be getting a fresh(ish) start... and hopefully a little less of the monthly crossover grind!
So, let's take a look at how the post-Johns era of Green Lantern started...
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We open with the Corps on the run. They're fighting off... I wanna say Relic, and their rings are very nearly out of juice. As they begin to perish one by one, Hal and John order them to double back to the Central Power Battery for a recharge. Unfortunately for them, even that battery is dead!
That was "then"... so we shift into the "now", where Hal is popping in for a visit with his sorta-kinda girlfriend, Carol Ferris. It's more of the same from the two of them... do they love each other? Are they good for each other? Stuff like that. Hal's cool with whatever, but Carol ain't sure. So, it's basically "Tuesday" for them. Before they can come to any sort of resolution, Hal is called away to Oa by the Guardians.
Upon arrival, Hal is offered... or given (it doesn't seem like he has much of a choice here) a promotion... he is now the leader of the Green Lantern Corps. I mean, he basically has been for a half-century anyway... might as well push the paperwork and make it official. Kyle and Hal discuss all the reasons why this is a terrible idea... but the blue boys ain't hearing it.
Later, Hal meets up with his his new Protocol Officer, Kilowog. Together they look at all of the orphaned Lantern rings... the rings of "the fallen". Hal decides, that in his first official move as leader, to send the rings out to find new owners. Kilowog isn't so sure this is the best idea.
Just then... the see a whole lotta orange on the horizon. Larfleeze is incoming! It would appear he wants all of those rings.
Hal assembles the Corps and takes the fight to the greedy beast. Larfleeze and his construct army prove to be a pretty tough fight for Hal and the Gang... but, not to worry, his new ring-bearers should be here annnnnnny minute. Well, don't look now but here they are. Yikes.
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Not a bad start to the post-Johns world.
There isn't a whole lot "new" here, outside of Hal officially becoming the leader of the Corps. Feels like one of those "We can't give you a raise, but here's a new title" propositions so many of us have faced in our professional lives. New responsibilities, and... oh yeah, all of your current workload. No raise, but... your new business cards will arrive in 6-8 weeks.
I really liked the scene where Hal and Kyle talk about what a bad idea this all is. You'd figure, with how old the Guardians of the Universe are, the whole Parallax mess must feel like it happened like two weeks ago. Weird that they'd forget... or choose not to remember that. I mean, John Stewart... a trained field leader... is like right there. Why choose Hal instead of him?
Well, I guess Hal is still the star of the book... so, whattayagonnado? His impetuous ring-slinging in hopes of rebuilding the Corps feels in-line with his character... definitely something he would do before thinking of the ramifications. It's no surprise that all of the pretty shiny rings might gain the attention of Larfleeze... and really, he is as good a baddie as any for Hal's first time out as Corps Leader.
The Hal and Carol scene felt... a bit tacked on. I mean, it's always the same song and dance with these two... and didn't really feel necessary. I suppose it was as good a bridging scene as any... but I wish it would have added something new to the dynamic. It's just more of the same from their dysfunctional romance.
Overall... not a bad start. Decompressed, however, things do actually occur. The art is pretty good, however, a bit scratchy at times. Tan's work evokes a bit of the 90's line-heavy aesthetic that hasn't really aged well to me. I'd say this is worth a look... after all, back in 2013, I did come back for the next issue, and have been back "all-in" with the Lanterns ever since.
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Channel-52!
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Green Lantern (vol.5) #41 (August, 2015)
"At Odds"
Writer - Robert Venditti
Penciller - Billy Tan
Inker - Mark Irwin
Colorists - Alex Sinclair & Tony Avila
Letterer - Dave Sharpe
Assistant Editor - Andrew Merino
Group Editors - Eddie Berganza & Matt Idelson
Cover Price: $3.99
We took a look at some DCYOU Superman not too long ago... and I lamented the fact that the initiative felt kinda doomed from the get-go. Too many big changes all at once made it feel as though nothing much mattered.
I'm sure there's a word for it... it's like a bell-curve of engagement... you start off disengaged... then add some stimuli, and engagement rises... however, you reach a point where you get overloaded... and you just stop caring altogether. That's how DCYOU made me feel.
It's kinda like when I'm looking at my "to read" pile... as it grows, it feels kinda urgent, like I gotta make time to get around to it... but then it hits that "tipping point", and I wind up just filing them all away.
Anyhoo... let's get to it!
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We open at the Gaming Dens of Y'Gaal, somewhere in Sector 3087. A well-dressed blue alien stands in the arena... ready to face off against a beast referred to as a "Kreeak", very likely because that's the sound it makes. The creature lunges, only to find itself impaled by an emerald construct sword. The fix is in!
Or is it? Well, the bloodthirsty crowd seems to think so, and I suppose that's all that really matters at this point. Feeling as though the "house" scammed the gamblers, a riot breaks out... and the blue-skinned alien is returned to his cell. Later, he is joined by the man who put that sword in his hand... the Renegade Green Lantern, Hal Jordan. Hal looks quite a bit different than he used to... longer hair, longer coat... and a gauntlet in place of his ring.
Hal breaks this alien (named Virgo) out of his cell... the escape route, however, is blocked by a trio of guards led by a Darth Maul-looking fella named Trap. Despite the new-look, he immediately recognizes Hal... and a fight is on.
Hal eventually gets the better of things, however by this point the rioting patrons have begun to storm the pens. Hal headbutts Trap, and takes him hostage as he and Virgo attempt to make their escape.
To hasten their egress, Hal uses his gauntlet to open all of the creature cages... allowing them to run free among the rioters. Hal and the gang then hop on a construct aero-bike, and head off...
... Arriving some time later at Hal's Class III Light Cruiser, Darlene! This is one sassy ship, who doesn't shy away from talking back to Mr. Jordan. On board, we see that Hal has locked Trap away in a cell... and learn that he rescued Virgo in order to get payyyyyyed.
They're heading to Ketleth Prime to return the blue prince, however are taking the scenic route through Sector Zero... where we see that the Green Lantern Corps have... vanished!
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Ya know... as overwhelmed as I am by DC's current bi-weekly shipping model, I gotta say, I think I'm a bit spoiled by it.
In reading this issue I just feel like we didn't get quite enough. Knowing that we had to wait an entire month for the follow-up... I dunno. It's weird, I never thought about stuff like that before Rebirth. Once a month comics were always enough... it's just the way it's always been, so I didn't think much of it. Even as concepts like decompressed storytelling were introduced... and the entirety of the Bendis Avengers, I never felt like the these books needed to be anything more than monthly.
Nowadays when I think of DC's "monthlies", they almost seem like afterthoughts. Like, their stories don't matter as much as the "flagship" titles... they're a buck more expensive... and it's almost as though they're on-deck for cancellation.
It's interesting to go back... even just a couple of years, and think about what it was like to wait for an entire month. This isn't Green Lantern-specific or anything, just some thoughts that popped into my head while reading. Can't really hold them against the book itself... but worth mentioning, if only to get it out of my head. Oh yeah, one more thing... this is a four-dollar book. For the amount of story we get... I gotta say, I'm really glad DC decided to "draw the line" one more time.
For the issue itself, it was really quite good. I actually dig the new-look Hal Jordan here. Feel like the longer hair and coat suits him... it's different enough to stand out (could even get its own action figure), but not so alien as to look weird. Plus, seeing Hal in a hood takes me back to his days as the Spectre... which is a neat touch.
Renegade Lantern Hal Jordan rescues a rich alien... and takes a bad alien hostage, setting up an interesting Odd Couple... er, Triad (?) going forward. Outside of our cliffhanger, that's really about all that goes down.
Now... speaking of the cliffhanger, this is one I was pretty excited for. Over the past decade-plus, I've grown a bit weary of constant Corps stories. I came in to the franchise during the Kyle days, where there was no Corps... and the stories were mostly Earth-based. I miss stories like that... where we're not spending a quarter of each issue "checking in" on Oa, or Mogo... or wherever the hell the Corps is hanging out.
I think that might be one of the highlights of this DCYOU era of Green Lantern... the Corps were off doing their own thing, and Hal got to spend a bit of time on Earth. Of course, the eventual clash with Parallax was... a bit underwhelming. Okay, it was really quite awful... but that's a discussion for another day.
Overall, an interesting "first chapter" for this (sadly) short-lived Renegade Green Lantern arc. Definitely worth checking out. Venditti gives us many questions... and thankfully, they're all ones I want(ed) to stick around to get the answers for. Billy Tan's artwork here is really good... despite the "new look", Hal still looks like Hal.
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