Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Green Lantern #26 (plus Green Lantern/Sinestro Corps Secret Files & Origins 1)
Johns, McKone, Lanning & Alquiza
We begin the post Sinestro Corps War era with a solid effort. We tie up some loose ends, we get some future plot development and we get some death. The cover teases this Alpha Lantern concept, but by the end of the issue I couldn’t remember when in this issue the subject even came up. That's how good the ending was in this comic.
We begin the issue with some Guardian discussions about how they had to enable the killing clause in the rings. The odd thing about this was how they are only nine Guardians instead of twelve. This confused me for a couple of reasons. First of all, since when was their only twelve of them? Secondly, if you count them kicking out Ganthet and Sayd that means only one died in the war. Didn't it seem like more died than just one? Anyway, it seems they are taking some dead lanterns and making them Alpha Lanterns. This happens by page three and after it, there is no further mention of the Alpha Lanterns.
From the Alpha Lanterns we get Sinestro and Hal Jordan having a chat. First off, Sinestro is wearing pants, which makes this all the more bearable. This particular sequence is very good. Sinestro reminds the reader that he and Hal were friends and both were rebels. They were very similar Green Lanterns at one time. They were friends. At the end of their discussion, Hal apologizes because Sinestro is sitting on death row. Apparently Hal is pro-life in his post Re-birth incarnation.
Next we get some John Stewart dealing with his pain of having a planet blow up on his watch. This helps to reintroduce him to potential new readers. This is a very good way to spend two pages giving some background without using flashbacks.
Next, Salaak asks the Guardians on behalf of the Lost Lanterns to return one of their dead (Ke'Haan) back to his family. The Guardians aren't thrilled but they show some compasion and allow it. We also learn that one of the Lost Lanterns, Laira, was in love with Ke'Haan.
Then we get some Hal Jordan, the pilot, and his girlfriend, Cowgirl, flying some jets and having a moment together. This part was the only weak point in this issue. It doesn't seem likely that Hal could be a pilot, have a secret identity and a regular girlfriend who knows all his super hero information. The character of Hal Jordan is way past being able to have a "normal" life I would think. Maybe if he moved to a different planet he could have a day job.
Then we get some John Stewart helping out with the construction of Coast City. Plus, we get Tomar-Tu and Graf Toren checking out the Book of OA. It was interesting to see Lanterns studying the book. Of course they look for the information that Abin Sur spoke of, that the Guardians apparently deleted.
Finally, the Lost Lanterns return Ke'Haan to his planet, only to find out that this family has been murdered. In a fit of rage, Laira, kills his killer. I won't spoil who the bad guy is, but I was surprised to see who the killer was and how easily he was knocked off. I thought he was a villain worth keeping around. Oh well.
This issue is great. I thought every part of it was great except Hal's personal life. We danced around a lot of Lantern's lives and get moving pieces of the various plots left over from the Sinestro Corps War. It's nice to see the book not need to be carried by Hal or Kyle for a change.
The artwork is fantastic. My particular favorites were the visuals of death row. But the whole issue has fabulous artwork, especially when you consider there isn't much action in it.
As a whole, this title is so much better off now then it was prior to the Sinestro Corps War. I expected a letdown and I was dead wrong.
4.5 out of 5 geek goggles.
Johns, Gates, Baumann, Lyon, Albert, Reis & Smith
I was almost scared off by the cover price, but I am glad I bought this. I no longer need to lean on wikipedia to get information on obscure Green Lanterns. This issue provides almost everything I would be normally looking for. It gives you sector numbers, first appearances and some bio information. It even lists the dead ones.
This issue includes a small story, bios of some of the Sinestro Corps and other little tidbits you might be interested in. There are even Lanterns listed in the bio section that have their first appearance in this comic. Can you say Alpha Lantern? It is a very comprehensive Green Lantern universe mini-encyclopedia.
Is it perfect? No. I didn't find the bio of the Sinestro Corps virus that killed Kyle's mom and infected Guy. It wasn't even listed in the dead guy's area. Also, if we only have nine Guardians then how about naming them?
I'm sure the Green Lantern experts (pronounced: geeks) will find more things missing, but it beats looking it up on wikipedia.
You get an awful lot for $5 with this issue.
5 out of 5 geek goggles.
