I believe it’s fair to say that last months Green Lantern Corps issue was the most acclaimed among the other Lantern titles, thereby giving the promise of a better issue the following month. They established the role of the new guard while bringing in new characters and a hint to how they will function in this diverse cast. However as with anything serial in nature the question is, can Van Jensen and Bernard Chang continue the momentum from the last thirty days? Well let’s charge our rings and find out shall we?
Now since this Green Lantern Corps, which tends to explore more of the universe than Green Lantern proper, we open up our issue with the Star Sapphire’s battery seemingly fading and not being able to even charge a simple ring, and without the love entity then the Star Sapphires will be destroyed. Now while this may seem as simple exposition, this is a good example of how to have 3 books connect with each other, yet remain independent. Readers from last weeks Green Lantern #22 will connect the dots to here, yet readers who only read Green Lantern Corps will only connect to last months issue. Van Jensen does a good enough job of explaining exposition. What sells this impending doom page is Chang’s good facial expression’s on some of the unnamed Star Sapphires. A filler page for now.
Our attention returns to John Stewart returning from his missions against the Durlans. The next five pages are what makes this issue stand out.We are treated to a lesson from John, the official introduction to our latest corps members, character perspectives on events from another book, and finally furthering the main plot of our story. The first two pages deal with the new recruits helping clear the wreckage while Stewart gives them a lesson on how they use the power ring. We see how Van Jensen handles Stewart handles rookies who may not be exactly right for the position of a Green Lantern, this interaction sticks true to his marine corps roots (or current roots or whatever roots are his roots are?) and sticking true to his voice or whatever voice DC editorial seems to be sticking with. Chang does a excellent job of body language with these few pages, showing little detailed signs of strain or simple facial quirks that add more depth to the characters.
Van Jensen’s conversation between John, Salaak, and Kilowog is a wonderful mixture small character moments while connecting the dots between the other books. When John is told of Hal’s new position and Guy Gardner’s (see Red Lanterns #21) departure from the corps you can feel that Johns world is continuing to crumble around him, thus needing him to see Fatality. In these few panels, Jensen establishes the vulnerability of Stewart, but also demonstrates that the character has resolve and will do what needs to be done, but also that he isn’t going to follow Hal’s orders blindly hinting at trust issues and the questioning of Hal’s current status as leader of the corps. A possible plot point further down the road? One can only hope.
Now while these next two pages does establish the idea of Durlan sleeper agents (always a cool idea imo) the bigger eye opener in this issue is the coloring of Fatality. is really off. She’s colored as a lighter toned girl with light brunette hair, and it doesn’t even look like the same character. Only in context will the reader even know it’s her and not some random Star Sapphire. Hopefully the coloring problem is fixed next month.
We close out this issue with cross action sequences between Fatality against the Durlans and Stewart with the rookies against the Khunds. It really is refreshing for Green Lanterns to be fighting enemies that don’t have rings themselves, and idea that needs to be implemented more in the other books. Although as soon as the action starts to heat up the both Fatalities and Green Lanterns rings malfunction thus leaving these glowing warriors without their weapons. Fatality is caught off guard and is quickly taken down, and normally strength in numbers would come into play here for why she was taken down easily and not the Green Lanterns. It would seem that Stewart will now have to rescue Fatality from the Durlans, because John needs a reason to find out about the Durlans and a kidnapped girlfriend is the way for him to discover it, yeeehawww. Chang excels in these action sequences, and gives sense of fast action movement. We do get a little bit into Jruk’s ruthlessness and that he can kill and will most likely kill anyone who gets into his way, this should make a interesting plot moving forward in the book. All of this climaxes with now the Green Lanterns captured and under the mercy of the Khund empire.
Van Jensen finally leaves us with a tease of the return of the Predator and the return of The Entity (aka White Lantern entity) and seeking out the White Lantern because the entities are dying and they need to find the others. While this does allude to future events, the first panel in this last page was a nice little chuckle.
Overall Green Lantern Corps had a decent second issue, nothing really advances the plot but we do get subtle hints and events to come. Chang continues to the excellent work and doesn’t show the signs of being rushed.
Green Lantern Corps receives a 3/5
Review by Ben Castruita