Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn II #1 (1991)

Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn II #1 (April, 1991)
"90 Days, Part I: The Powers That Be"
Story - Keith Giffen
Dialogue - Gerard Jones
Pencils - M.D. Bright
Inks - Romeo Tanghal
Letters - Albert De Guzman
Colors - Anthony Tollin
Assisant Editor - Kevin Dooley
Editor - Andy Helfer
Cover Price: $1.00

Depending on your mileage, today we're getting a bit sinful.  I can't seem to locate the exact quote, but it is said that Dan DiDio referred to the Emerald Dawn series' as a "sin" in that they portray a somewhat different Hal Jordan than we've gotten post Green Lantern: Rebirth (2004).

Newer fans only know Hal Jordan as the fearless ring-wielder who appears to have very little in the way of flaws.  In the post Rebirth (the old Rebirth) landscape, Hal was brought to the forefront of the DC Universe with many of his past transgressions either explained away or just plain retconned out.

Emerald Dawn (I and II) would be one of the latter.

The first Emerald Dawn miniseries ends with Hal turning himself in for driving under the influence of alcohol.  Couldn't imagine that happening to the contemporary Hal Jordan... Emerald Dawn II opens up with Hal owning up to his misdeed and being given his punishment... Did Hal's own sins transcend the comic book page?  Is this issue a sin?  Let's find out...

--

Hal Jordan has just pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol.  He's guilty as sin (!!!) and he knows it.  He doesn't even have an attorney, having chosen to represent himself.  The judge reads Hal the riot act, and decides to give him the absolute harshest sentence possible... ninety days in the state penitentiary under maximum security.  The sentence will start at once, and our ring-slinger is whisked to holding straightaway.

Before being transported to his new digs, he is given a brief opportunity to confab with his lady friend Carol Ferris.  He regrets not having a high-powered attorney to try and fight this... and Carol offers that he's simply being made an example of, after all, "there's some public feeling against drunk drivers lately".  If only he drank and drove during the time when drunk drivers were embraced and held up by society!

That damned "public feeling"... ruining everybody's good time

Hal's loaded into the paddy wagon and is headed to the pen.  On the way, he overhears an armed robbery report coming over the police radio.  He whips up a "Hal" construct, and takes off in his guise of Green Lantern to see if he can be of any help.

At Coast City Savings, a crew of ski-masked jerks are in the middle of their attempt at robbery.  They load all of the workers into the vault... where one might assume the money would be kept... Green Lantern arrives, just in time to be hit with one hell of a threat.  Like seriously... check this out...

do wut now?

Moments later, likely after regaining his composure, Hal makes short work of these goofs.  He whips up several ring constructs, and ultimately entraps them in a cage made of the floor's linoleum tiles.  He frees the shocked civvies and flies off.  This is a time when Green Lantern was an unknown entity in the DC Universe, so villains and civilians alike don't really know what to make of him.

Hal makes it back to the police van just before it arrives at the state prison.  He listens in on the police radio, and hears the telling of an unknown savior who intervened and smiles to himself for a job well done.

During processing, Hal is instructed to leave all of his personal effects.  The officer noticed that Hal's green ring apparently vanished.  He instructs our man that they give all of their "magicians" a special prize... in the form of a strip search.  Hal's annoyed but not surprised... after all, this is his second kinky proposition in such a short amount of time.

Oh, the humanity...

Are you ready for the story to come to a screeching halt?  No?  Well, too bad... we're going to Oa anyway.  The Guardians are discussing the new reckless and untrained Green Lantern of Sector 2814.  They suggest pairing him with the Green Lantern of Sector 1417 for training... if those numbers are familiar to you, you know they're talking about one of the greatest Green Lanterns going... Sinestro.

We rejoin Hal in his cell.  His cellmate, a devastatingly handsome and well-spoken fellow with a missing front tooth, introduces himself as the King of Hell.  He gives Hal the usual prison tough guy talk... that is, until somebody outside the cell shivs him in the back.  This being prison, nobody saw anything.  Our DUI superhero is now being looked as a murderer as well!

Hal's whisked into an interrogation room to await a meeting with his caseworker... Enter: Guy Gardner... seriously.  Guy "the Pussycat" Gardner believes in Hal, and thinks he is innocent of murdering his royal cellmate.  Hal recognizes Gardner as a standout college football player, and asks what he's doing as a caseworker.  Guy shrugs it off and expresses an interest in dealing with people who routinely destroy their own lives.

In Sector 1417, the hyper-violent Sinestro is dealing with a intergalactic threat.  He may be violent and extreme, but he gets results.  He chases a race of lizard-like humanoids out of his Sector, and cleans up their wake.

He returns to his planet of Korugar, and receives a hero's welcome.  The entire citizenry appears to love and admire him, to the point where several youngsters (including one Katma-Tui) are part of a Young Lantern Brigade.  As the people celebrate, however, Sinestro steps on something... breaking it, and is "popped" out of existence.

We next find Sinestro standing in front of the council of Guardians.  They tell him that he's been tasked with training the young brash Jordan.  He begrudgingly accepts, and heads Earthward.

Back at the prison, Hal is sitting in his cell (now all by his lonesome) running through the events of the day in his head.  His thoughts are soon interrupted however, by his new trainer, Sinestro.

--

Man, do I feel like I gotta say about 15 Hail Mary's after reading that, or what?  So sinful... right?

No, no, no... this was a very good story.  This is a relatable Hal Jordan.  He's not perfect, he makes mistakes... what makes him heroic is his desire to own up to those mistakes and make everything right.  He says all he wants is a "clean slate"... having worked with many people like (this) Hal, I can tell you a clean slate is one of the more noble things a person can endeavor towards.

Is the transgression of having driven while drunk something that damages the character of Hal Jordan?  Of course not.  He's human... he made a (stupid and avoidable) mistake, and he's paying the price.  He's handling his business like a man should, and there's no reason why this needed to be scrubbed from the history books.

This is an almost perfect creative team for a Green Lantern book of this vintage.  I don't usually associate Keith Giffen with GL, but, damned if this isn't plotted well!  Gerry Jones and Doc Bright... jeez, this era Green Lantern just doesn't get better than that!

Jones has one of the great post-Crisis/pre-Emerald Twilight voices for Hal Jordan, while Doc Bright is definitely on my short-list for best Green Lantern artists of all time.  I first "discovered" (that is to say, took notice of) Bright during his time on Quantum & Woody (with another fave of mine, Christopher Priest), and it is always a treat to see his earlier work!

Worth your time?  Hell yeah.  It may not be in continuity anymore (or, maybe it is/will be... who knows?) but it's just an interesting character study on a very similar, but at the same time different Hal Jordan.  These issues are easily found in many'a cheap-o bin... however, if you want it all in one chunk (and have money to burn) it was collected in a now out-of-print TPB.  I have both versions, having lucked into the collection at a record store for about $5... I did get the whole thing in singles for less than the price of a current DC comic, though... so, you shouldn't have a hard time tracking it down, should you be so inclined.

--

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Chain Gang War #1 (1993)

Chain Gang War #1 (July, 1993)

"Chain Reaction"

Writer - John Wagner

Pencils - David Johnson

Inks - John Dell

Letters - Bill Oakley

Colors - Steve Mattsson

Assists - Frank Pittarese

Edits - Dan Raspler

Cover Price: $2.50

... and now for something completely different...

Chain Gang War is odd... it feels like something that could only have been made during the 1990's, while at the same time sorta-kinda deal with some relatively contemporary themes and threats.

This feels as though it's a book for the 99% but produced in a time before that phrase was coined (at least popularly).  That having been said, this one certainly has the potential of being a "soap-box" title... I don't like soap-boxers, and I don't like to be preached to... regardless of whether or not I'm part of their particular choir.

With my fingers crossed, let's see if there's more to this one than all that...

--

Carlo Brunetti, millionaire "businessman" (criminal) has just beaten some charges in court.  He is approached by a news reporter, who provides us with suitable exposition to give this scene context.  Brunetti has the ability to buy his way out of trouble, and therefore appears to be "above the law".

That night, at the Brunetti lodge, three masked vigilantes prowl the grounds.  Through use of stealth and steel chains, they easily take down the security detail.  These are the members of the Chain Gang... and they're ready for War.

Inside, Brunetti is fuming over the way the news is covering his story.  He orders his aide to sic a fella who goes by the moniker "Animal" on the female newscaster to send her a message (ie. cut her up into little pieces, and bury those pieces across five states... that'll show her!).  Before they can act, the Chain Gang bursts into his study.

The Gangsters state that they are only there for Brunetti... and the rest of the crew can leave unscathed and unharmed.  Carlo thinks they'd been sent by his "business" rival Scipio, and has his goon squad attack.

This doesn't really impress the Gang, who rat-tat-tat, budda-budda-budda and whut-whut-whut's the goons til they're full of holes.  They kayo Brunetti and abduct him.

Later, Brunetti wakes up.  His ankles and wrists are shackled, and he appears to be in a small jail cell.  The only light peers in from a tiny barred window.  By the window's location, we get the impression that the cell is for the most part, underground.

The police and media are shortly on the scene of the Brunetti lodge massacre.  Shockingly, there were only three fatalities.  I could have sworn the Chain Gang downed a small army in the prior pages.  The information is shortly broadcast, including bits about Carlo Brunetti being currently listed as missing (and presumed dead).

We now meet Brunetti's rival, Scipio.  He is making a goodwill call to Carlo's son Sammy Brunetti to offer his condolences, and offer his support... he even invites him to his daughter's birthday party.  Sammy thinks Scipio's not only full of crap, but also responsible for the night's events.  After hanging up the phone, he orders an aide to sic the Animal on him (like father like son, I see).

The next day, we find ourselves in the apartment of a shaky man named Ernie.  His wife is asking him how his job search is going, and he admits to blowing it off.  When she protests, he hands her a wad of bills.  When asked how and where he got the cash, he tells her he'd done a job for "Yale" the night prior.  This does not appear to help matters in the slightest.  She fears that Yale is too dangerous a man to be in cahoots with.

Back at the cell, Brunetti is having a pizza delivered by the Chain Gang's very own personal warden.  We get the impression that the makeshift prison is in the basement of Yale Strang's mansion.  We also meet Yale, who's yakking in the toilet... sickened by how he had to commit several murders the night before.

After flushing (and hopefully brushing) Yale calls a fella called Curtis.  They discuss the events of the night before as well as the night to come.  We also learn that Yale's wife/girlfriend was murdered a couple of years earlier.

That night, at Scipio's daughter's birthday party, the Chain Gang plans to strike.  Just like before, they make short work of the security detail.  This time, however, they drip a trail of gasoline across the yard, and light a match.

Why yes, this book was written in the 90's... why do you ask?

Meanwhile, at a meat packing plant we finally (sorta) meet the Animal.  He's interrogating a poor sap named Charlie Smith... trying to get information about Scipio... which is odd, because his employer Sammy Brunetti knows full-well that Scipio is currently having a birthday bash... wouldn't it have made more sense to send Animal thataway?  Anyhoo... when Smith won't gab, the Animal uses a chainsaw to cut off his ear.

Back at the party, Scipio's aides are running around like buffoons yelling about the fire.  This draws the main man himself outside to see what the hub-bub's about.  The Chain Gang goes all Barney Fife and claims "citizen's arrest" before slapping on the shackles.

Gabby Scipio enters the scene to check on her daddy, and finds herself back-handed for her troubles.  These Chain Gangsters don't mess around!

They load Mr. Scipio into one of his cars, and drive through the gates to escape his property.  They bring him down to the makeshift prison, and unmask him in front of Brunetti.  Now they both get a better understanding of the situation they are currently in.  It's no longer a street war... it's something far worse (for them).

--

Ya know... all things considered, this wasn't bad at all.

It addresses something that has been at the root of DC Comics for as long as I remember, the ineffectiveness of their criminal justice system.  Lex Luthor is always doing something illegal, but (almost) never goes to jail... Arkham Asylum may as well open all their windows and remove their doors for as often as creeps break out of there!  Same with Iron Heights.

The Chain Gang fills a void... and I feel had this series caught on, could have been a lot of fun.  Imagine seeing someone like Lex Luthor or Two-Face locked up in their makeshift prison... imagine the possibilities.  Hell, imagine what the established DC hierarchy of heroes would think of criminals being abducted and held without due process!  Keeping in mind, this is the only issue I've read of this series... and the above may as well have actually occurred (at least in part) is still a possibility.

Is it unnecessarily violent?  Maybe.  The "ear cutting" scene was a bit much... though, it may have been in there to start providing a pattern of behavior for this Animal character.  Overall, though... not bad at all.

We get the impression that the Chain Gangsters are compelled to root out crime, and punish those above the law predicated on their own past experiences.  They're compelled... but, (physically) sickened at the same time.  We see Ernie shaking uncontrollably, and Yale losing his lunch.  I get the impression that the only fella actually enjoying the work is Curtis... who may well be a sociopath.  I also gotta wonder if the name Yale Strang is some sort of nod to Kim Yale and John Ostrander... maybe?

Funny, the more I think about it... the more I'm liking it.  This is definitely a story about justice for all, and yet, it doesn't really harp on it.  These are bad guys, that... for whatever reason (money, power, connections) have been able to maneuver their way through the system to the point of abuse... the Chain Gang is, in a small way, trying to tip the scales of justice back to "even".

I can't see this one ever being collected, but it shouldn't be too hard to come by if you are so inclined.  Shouldn't cost any more than a buck either, I got mine for a quarter.  Check it out if you get the chance... it may change your impression of what kind of story may lurk behind a foil-embossed (and thereby terribly difficult to photograph) cover!

--

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Action Comics #761 (2000)

Action Comics #761 (January, 2000)
"For a Thousand Years..."
Writer - Joe Kelly
Penciller - German Garcia
Inker - Joe Rubenstein
Colorist - Glenn Whitmore
Separations - WildStorm FX
Letterer - John Costanza
Associate Editor - Maureen McTigue
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $1.99

It's funny, I'd been looking for this issue for years!  Not quite a thousand years, mind, but a long while.  I first found out about this one during a later Christmas issue (which I'll hopefully get around to looking at around this Christmas) where Clark gives Diana a miniature Mjolnir as a gift.  Ever since then, I wanted to track this one down.  It proved to be one of those issues that just, for whatever reason, refused to show up at any shops in my town... 

From Superman (vol.2) #165 (February, 2001)
Writer: Jeph Loeb / Artist: Ian Churchill

Then, I found it.  In a random bin, at a random record store... right next to the Adventures of Superman issue I reviewed the other day.  I thought it was interesting that they both played with similar themes... the Lois and Clark relationship dynamic, along with a potential romantic rival... then, I realized that they shared the same cover date (Jan. 00)!  What luck!

Does this one live up to my over-a-decade worth of expectations?  Short answer, maybe.  Long answer... read on.

--

It's morning in Amer... Metropolis, and the Kents are huddled up in bed reading the latest edition of The Daily Star.  This is during the "Mrs. Superman" story, and Lois is giving Clark a bit of a hard time over it.  As she playfully gets in her digs and flings open the curtains to let in the morning sun, she is interrupted by a light tapping on the window.

It's Wonder Woman!  This one page sets the tone for this story.  Such a juxtaposition, and masterfully laid out by German Garcia.

Diana and Superman fly off.  Clark lambastes Diana a bit for her rather brash display of showing up at his (proverbial) doorstep in full garb.  She kinda laughs it off, reminds him that he called her, and jokes that she must have "gotten him in trouble" with Lois.  Superman states that Lois isn't the "jealous type", and flies off... Wondy smirks and calls him "Mr. Lane".

Back at the apartment, Lois is sizing herself up in the mirror.  This is a very cute scene, putting all of Lois' insecurities on display.  This is not the light we're used to seeing Lois in... and as such, it makes her all the more relatable...  which, is important for the story to come.

At the Metropolis Police Department, a pair of officers are discussing the recent "Mrs. Superman" controversy while assessing a piece of evidence Mr. Superman dropped off the week prior.  It is a gold-rimmed glass cube with a smoking crystal inside of it.  

This crystal is later served to a cursed female inmate called Encantadora who claims to have kissed Superman.  The smoky shard appears to give her control over those around her (perhaps just men?  perhaps those of her choosing?).  I can't say I'm all that familiar with this story line, so I'll just leave it at that.

Back with Superman and Wonder Woman, they are discussing Clark's recent request that Diana watches over Earth while he is off-planet dealing with the Son of Mongul.  He admits that he has not yet told Lois that he is planning to leave, and Diana is confused (yet touched) that he has confided in her.

Suddenly, a blue bolt of lightning strikes the pair, teleporting them into a battle with an insectoid critter.  Wonder Woman gleefully beats it down, as a shadowy figure approaches from behind.

"Whoa" indeed!

It is Thor... no, not that Thor.  Well, maybe Thor is universal, perhaps he transcends comics universes and the Source Wall itself... I dunno.  He welcomes them to Valhalla, where battles seemingly rage on forever.

Back on Earth, Lois and Jimmy sit on a park bench.  Jimmy is cluelessly going about with how beautiful he finds Wonder Woman... this is clearly not the day to be saying that around Lois, Jim.  Having heard more than enough out of our freckly-friend, she takes the ice cream cone he'd been eating and makes him wear it.

Back in Valhalla, Thor convinces Superman and Wonder Woman to aid him in battle.  Diana is honor bound to help in any Asgardian affairs, and Clark says he won't leave without her.  Thor tells them the last time they'd faced such a threat was against the Frost Giants in a battle that raged for two-thousand years.

What follows is several pages of Valhallan battle montage, in which dozens of years pass.  Superman begins to forget bits and pieces of Lois, including her smell and her voice... while becoming more familiar to Diana's.  During these years, Thor is struck dead.  Clark would go on to wield Mjolnir in his stead.

At the Daily Planet, on the same day Earth-time... Lois is sitting in Perry White's office.  They discuss the pleasure and pain involved in maintaining a healthy marriage.  They share stories, and end on Perry giving her the sage-like advice of "knock it off"... just stop worrying, and be happy... the rest will fall into place.

At this point in Valhalla, 999 years have passed.  On the eve of the one-thousandth year, Clark and Diana share an intimate conversation.  The two appear to very nearly "give in" to their passion, when Clark throws a flag on the play.  Despite how much he cares for, nay loves Diana... he still belongs only to Lois.  Although by now, she is long gone... he cannot be unfaithful.

The following day (in Valhalla) Superman and Wonder Woman enter battle for the final time... prevailing over the Vgrtsmyth Batallians.  At the close of the war, Thor returns to the land of the living to reclaim his mighty Mjolnir.  Clark and Diana ask him for one favor before they return to Earth... which I'm assuming has something to do with giving them back the past millennium of their lives.

On Earth, Lois is leaning on the balcony of their apartment, penning a letter to Clark in which she reveals that she made a deal with Lex Luthor in order to save The Daily Planet.  As she stands, questioning if she's even worthy of being Mrs. Clark Kent...

... her question is answered.  The Kents embrace and promise to hold each other tight for a thousand years...

--

I'm of two minds with this issue.  On one hand, I liked it... really liked it, in fact.  This is a wonderful examination of the unbreakable and everlasting love between Superman/Clark and Lois.  This goes to show that no amount of time or distance can change their (or at least Clark's in this instance) feelings.  

That being said... I really must question Clark's quick agreement to join Wonder Woman in battle, after all, unless I'm mistaken... there wasn't any sort of guarantee that he could return to the present.  In that one moment, he gave up his life, gave up Lois... for Wonder Woman.  I kinda dig the internal conflict... but it still boggles my mind a bit.

Superman never wavered in his commitment to his wife.  This is such a beautiful thing.  Even in the face of (almost) certain doom, he remained loyal to Lois.  Speaking of Lois, her scenes were also quite well done.  Her questioning how she measures up to her husband's unreal superhero social circle was quite interesting.  We are accustomed to seeing Lois as super-confident and career-first... during this issue, however, she was insecure... and full of self-doubt.  Her turning to Perry (and even Jimmy) for guidance really encapsulates what I love about the Daily Planet dynamic.  Perry comes across as the wise fatherly figure, and Jimmy is the goofball little brother.  Love it!

German Garcia's art does a wonderful job of conveying all of the conflicting emotions.  Seeing Lois and Diana share a panel (from Clark's point of view)... where Diana is standing upright and majestic... literally bathed from behind in golden sunlight, and Lois as slouched, knobby-kneed and mussed really captures the theme of this issue.

My main... don't wanna call it a complaint... let's just say the main thing I didn't dig all that much was that 1,000 years went by in this issue.  I never had a problem with the theory that Superman can live far longer than us mere mortals... but, actually experiencing in practice?  I dunno... it just makes me feel... err, uncomfortable?  Detached?  Hmm... it's hard to put into words.

In following the monthly/weekly adventures of Superman (or any character) for all these years... when a massive amount of time passes "without me", I can't help but feel, pardon the pun, alienated.  I don't feel as engaged with the character as I was before.  I had similar feelings during the ElfQuest: Kings of the Broken Wheel series when they time-jumped hundreds (if not thousands) of years.  It just left me cold... this isn't quite that bad, considering Clark was able to return to the "present".

Overall, an issue I have conflicting emotions on... which, I'll concede may be due to my own misunderstandings.  Definitely worth a read!  This one is collected in Superman, Volume 1: No Limits, if you wanna check out the entire Superman family of books in the era (and, I think ya should).

--

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