Here we are, the penultimate issue of this series, and honestly I’m overjoyed that this particular group of Lanterns will at least be getting another mini series. I can see the fascinating ideas that Cullen Bunn wanted to do if was given more time, however the time Cullen Bunn has been given, it wasn’t spent in ways that would make any reader invested into the plot of Lost Army. This particular issue sums up all the problems I’ve had with Lost Army as a series since the very beginning.
John Stewart is arguably the most recognized Green Lantern in main stream media, namely his appearance on the Justice League cartoon. Hal Jordan has since reclaimed that spotlight, but that hasn’t stopped people from investing their time into John Stewart’s adventures. Cullen Bunn firmly secured Stewart’s back round within the first issue, however Bunn seems to want to make sure that people know that John Stewart is a former United States marine, with pointless flash backs and inner monologues about being a soldier. I find the inner monologues less egregious, but my problem with is that the monologues feel stiff and not natural at all.
Five issues into this truncated series and I just have to constantly wonder, what exactly is the point of having flash back sequences to something that doesn’t affect the main story? It’s not simply a page waster, but at this juncture the flash backs, combined with the stilted inner monologues, it’s just beating a dead horse so much that the dead horse doesn’t even give a shit anymore. This all snowballed when Jruk was killed. I’m not angry at his death, despite that he was one of my personal favorite new recruits, it’s how lazily his death was handled. Bunn could have dedicated more time for this small corps of Lanterns and develop their characters further, so that when something tragic happens to them the readers can feel the weight of that moment.
Instead Jruk is treated like a scapegoat to give false stakes to a story that has had no meaning since issue 2, The action sequences are by the numbers with nothing really sticking it out, it’s nothing terrible by any means it’s workman style of pencils. I just question some of the facial expressions during certain segments (one panel Kilowog looks exactly like a pug). Other than that, the art conveys the story well enough, it’s relatively safe otherwise. Certain panels looked a bit more glossy than other panels, which was a tad bit distracting.
There is no way that Green Lantern Lost Army #6 will give any reader the sort of conclusion that one might have hoped. It’s not all Bunn’s fault was the cancellation pulled the rug out the intended length, but I can only judge what is given to me when a new issue comes out. This series is the definition of mediocre and just underwhelming to anybody who has either read Green Lantern or to anybody who has read sci fi comics before. Now all we have to do is beat the dead horse one last time, just in time for the holidays.
Green Lantern Lost Army #5 earns a 1/5