LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX BABY! LET’S TALK ABOUT YOU AND ME! Okay I’ll stop before Salt-N-Pepa sue us, this is a topic that does come up once in a while when discussing superheroes. It’s a subject that DC can’t write about in detail. Talented writers can skewer around the messier details and make our heroes deal with a huge facet of our daily lives. Warning this review will contain spoilers. Be sure to read your comic before reading this review. You have been warned.
One of the best aspects of the DCU is its variety of superheroes. Don’t get me wrong i’ll never get tired of seeing the Justice League team up to fight Darkseid or Starro, but every once in a while you want something a bit…stranger. If you would have told me that Simon and Jessica would team up with the Bulleteer, I would have said you’re crazy and please leave me house. It’s only one scene out of an entire comic but it makes the DCU feel bigger when you showcase random heroes who haven’t been seen in some time. Hopefully this is a small glimpse of what Seeley plans to bring as he continues his run on Green Lanterns.
Comedy is one of the trickier aspects to nail in comics, at least comedy that’s doesn’t revolve around quips. The best sequence from in this comic, is Jessica swiping right before she’s shown her perfect match. The joke itself is perfectly paced, it doesn’t interrupt the flow of the story and it nails the punchline. Even though the result of said joke isn’t something I want, I can still appreciate the effort that both Seeley and Bagenda put into this wonderful sequence. Also it proves that almost every woman in the DCU wants a piece of Nightwing.
Even though I deeply enjoyed the humor that Seeley brought to this issue, I can feel him become more comfortable with Simon and Jessica. They still feel similar to Humphries voice, but Seeley brings a livelier approach to how they exchange dialog with each other. I’ve read a ton of superhero stories over the course of my life, and you’ll see a lot of rinse and repeat but that can’t be said for Green Lanterns #40. Seeley formats the plot around this dating app for superheroes and the local heroes are being rounded up after using said app. It’s relevant to current society and Seeley manages to skirt around the superhero and sex aspect just enough to make it feel realistic yet humorous.
It was a pleasant surprise to see Barnaby Bagenda drawing a Green Lantern comic once again. Even though this issue wasn’t his finest work, I still loved what he brought to this chapter. Namely Jessica’s facial reactions as she ponders over her choice, the small little mannerisms that make Jessica ooze with personality. Not only Jessica but the level of detail that Bagenda brought to Simon as well. Bagenda’s line and body work remained stellar but as I finished this issue it’s clear that this didn’t have that fine tuned polished. Plus it’s nice that Seeley will be using the Omega Men with Bagenda on pencils, it’s like a mini reunion.
Green Lanterns #40 earns a 4/5