Lobo's a monosyllabic knuckle-dragger, but probably still gets the best lines here?

I found this in the garage, while looking for one of the Legends of the Dead Earth annuals I thought I had (and I did! That's four bucks I'll keep in my pocket) but until I looked it up the other day, I would've sworn there was a Lobo annual in LotDE. There wasn't, but man, wouldn't that have been fun to write? 40 pages of Lobo going "aww, diddum widdle pwanlet blow up? What'cha gonna do, nancypants, cry 'bout it?" and then exaggerated stories about how he kicked the living crap out of everyone in the so-called Heroic Age, from Superman down to the Red Bee. It would end with him having a cheerful guffaw that annoying planet was long gone, then having a coughing fit; before it was time for his pills and bowel irrigation at the nursing home...Anyway, on to this comic: from 2010, Green Lantern #55, "The New Guardians, chapter three" Written by Geoff Johns, pencils by Doug Mahnke, inks by Christian Alamy, Tom Nguyen, Keith Champagne, and Doug Mahnke.

Most of these GL comics I got from the cheap bins, but two surprises right off the start: this looked like a multi-part story completely within the title. Usually, the first chapter was here, then over to Green Lantern Corps or a myriad of other books, but this was maybe setting up one. Also, it opens in Montana! Specifically in Grass Range, Montana: I'm not sure I've ever even been through there, but it also may not be drawn with any reference besides "outsides." The Crispus Allen Spectre investigates a dead cow, which warns him to "stay away!" in a Red Lantern bubble. Meanwhile, in New York City, we find Lobo throwing down with Hal and Atrocitus, already in progress, with a two-page spread that I hope Mahnke got some folding money for on the back end.

Hal and Carol are momentarily unsure who they should help on that one, but Hal gets a message from the White Lantern that Atrocitus has his mission. So, killjoy Hal muzzles Lobo's dog, then runs him over with his own bike. After going over the rules, which Hal admits he doesn't really follow either, Hal does get a good shot in with giant green brass knuckles--the big green boxing glove wasn't going to cut it there, I suppose. This issue moves fast, without a lot of transitions, as Sinestro is also there, and coldly throws the works at Lobo: a giant skeletal hand, what looks like metal tentacles, and some chainguns. A disgruntled Lobo wonders "what god ate a rainbow and threw it up across the universe," then Carol tries to contain him, which only works for a few seconds, and Lobo whispers to her what he really loves...which catches him a power-construct slap. Dex-Starr takes on Lobo's dog, who was not expecting red rage vomit hairballs; Lobo tells him to suck it up.

Finally, since the bigger mission with the power ring entities had priority, Hal reluctantly tells Lobo if he wanted Atrocitus, he would have to go through all of them. Lobo scoffs, "yeah, I'm the one with screwed-up priorities," but still leaves; and Hal isn't quite sure why. Sinestro suggests, Lobo was afraid of Hal, that he still had a little Parallax in him. But, the real reason is, the one who set the bounty on Atrocitus was...Atrocitus himself! Not because he hated himself, as we'd see later in Red Lanterns, but because he needed the others to work with him. Job done, Lobo ponders his payment: a red power ring, 'cause if you can't beat 'em...

Also this issue, and possibly more of a draw than Lobo at the time: the secret origin of Dex-Starr! "Dex-Starr" Written by Geoff Johns, art by Shawn Davis, with special thanks to Jamie Grant. It's a tear-jerker, as little kitty Dexter is adopted by a lonely woman, who is later killed in a home invasion. He's then given the boot from his home by the cops, under the guise of not contaminating the crime scene, then grabbed by some punks who put him in a bag and throw him off a bridge; making him a veritable beacon of rage, perfect for a Red Lantern ring. We don't see him murder the punks, but that's gotta be a given. The story ends with Dex-Starr sleeping cuddled against what I think was his owner's skull, as he promises to find and kill her murderer. "I good kitty." I don't know if Dex-Starr ever did, though; because comics: he's been sucked into other things, and if he did find the killer, would it be like Batman finding Joe Chill? Would he have a reason to keep hating? (Probably because they weren't fully codified until later, Dex-Starr doesn't seem to follow the same rules as other Reds; but that could be just because he's a cat and always has a certain baseline of hate running in the background.)

Read more!

Huh, I guess Jessica got traded back.

For some reason, I thought Jessica Cruz was going to spend a longer stint with a yellow ring; she's got a Green Lantern ring again in current books. But, I got hung up on other continuity here: from 2021, Green Lantern Annual #1, "Exposure Therapy" Written by Ryan Cady, art by Sami Basri and Tom Derenick.

I do believe this was another--and maybe not even the most recent--DC Hal Jordan push, "thou shall have no Lanterns before me." The power battery had blown up--again--and Green Lanterns were mostly powerless, but Jessica Cruz had managed to defeat three of the Sinestro Corps, including Sinestro's second-in-command Lyssa Drak. (Lyssa will look familiar to Legion of Super-Heroes fans, she's an ancestor of Shadow Lass!) Using a commandeered yellow ring, Jessica brings them to New Korugar, but Lyssa claims she never surrendered, and turns fear back on Jessica, breaking free. Still, Sinestro is impressed with her, and tells Lyssa to leave her "intact." (A bit of face-saving for Lyssa there!)

Jessica has nightmares, but strangely, doesn't find them scary now. She wakes up in quarters, with Sinestro's caption boxes explaining she wasn't a prisoner--there weren't cells or shackles there, they would be "redundant." Sinestro explains, he was bringing order to the galaxy, and describes himself as "an altruist." I am going to stop right there; because this is a point I harp on all the time, and it has to have been retconned out as this point: what happened to the Bolovaxians?

We saw a sweet Katma Tui/Flodo Span panel from Green Lantern Corps #218 a million years ago; but a group of Lanterns was stuck on the far side of the universe after a battle with Sinestro (backed by the "mad galaxy" Sector 3600) and getting sucked through a black hole. They defeated five alien murderers, but then Kilowog examines their now-deserted planet, and realizes it would work; finally telling the others his secret: his world, Bolovax Vik, had been destroyed in the Crisis. Kilowog's ring had automatically protected him, but since the communal Bolovaxians were "all the same" it had also saved all sixteen billion of them, converted into energy. Kilowog explains, they wouldn't have bodies as such anymore, but they could live again here, and the other GL's agree to help. They terraform the planet, and Kilowog releases them all from his ring. The Bolovaxians are overjoyed, as is Kilowog: they try to carry him, but aren't solid enough: Kilowog uses his ring to lift himself up, "Not so you can see me, but so I can see you!"

The planet then immediately explodes. Kilowog was unable to save the Bolovaxians this time: sixteen billion dead, as Sinestro's giant face appears, having caught up with them. And that's why, I've repeatedly asked, why isn't Kilowog snapping Sinestro's neck every single time he appears? Some sins can't be forgiven. Even for an "altruist." (From 1987, Green Lantern Corps #218, "Inside Some Other Skies!" Written by Steve Englehart, pencils by Bill Willingham, inks by Mark Farmer.)

Back to Jessica's story: she declines Sinestro's offer of a yellow ring, only wanting to return to earth. Sinestro shrugs, oh well, but if you want to get back to earth, this was the only way; and she could give the ring to whoever he appoints for sector 2814 later. (Jonathan Crane, maybe.) Flying home, cursing Sinestro out, Jessica realizes, the other Lanterns like her partner Simon Baz probably didn't have power. She also finds a spaceship of refugees, which had a number of problems, as Sinestro oh-so-helpfully explains like a videogame cutscene: radiation leak, indecisive captain, panicky refugees, nervous trigger-happy guards, and oh yes, the ship was going to fly right into earth's moon. Also not unlike a videogame, Jess then has to save the ship by hitting various objectives, all on Sinestro's terms: commandeering the ship, scaring an engineer into doing his job, giving them all something to be afraid of together. It all works, up until when Hal Jordan shoots her in the back. Hal steps back quickly, but does still ask what the hell she was doing: he's not a great listener, accusing her of stabbing him in the back, and of taking "a job interview with Sinestro" in the middle of this disaster. Hal opts to take over the rescue, but Jessica can still feel fear, and fixes her mistake: the captain had been indecisive, because his second-in-command and the security had been pirates, who had taken over the ship.

Hal isn't sure what to do with Jessica, but he's not her boss anymore: she returns to Sinestro, to take a power battery. While she doesn't trust him, Sin doesn't expect or need that from her; and even Lyssa seems welcoming, in a rather creepy way. I don't know if we saw much of Jess with the yellow ring, though; everybody who had a green ring probably got them back in relatively short order. Might've been a wasted opportunity, this. Read more!

80-Page Thursdays: New Year's Evil #1!

Halfway through the year, and we're just now using the 80-pager tag because while DC still puts out a few, I don't usually buy them immediately: if I time it out, I can get them a bit cheaper from EntertainMart. I don't think this one saw the first six months of 2020 coming, though: from 12/04/19, New Year's Evil #1.

For a change, I don't think these stories were all complete downers, and some weren't even evil evil. The opener, well, probably: "The Amateur" Story and art by Gabriel Hardman, story by Corinna Bechko. A gas attack on New Year's seems like a typical Joker crime--except he's torturing a society party when he sees it on the news! It doesn't take Joker long to find the "amateur" misappropriating his name, but the amateur defends his work as more efficient and less hackneyed than the Joker's. While the amateur may be almost as nihilistic as himself, it leaves the Joker in a pickle: killing the amateur does nothing, but would taking the credit for his work be unsatisfying? What to do, what to do...ah, you can probably guess.

"Slaybells Ring" (Written by Kenny Porter, art by Ramon Villalobos) features the Toyman, again complaining that kids today spend too much time on their phones and not enough on action figures. A helpful child explains, he just doesn't like Toyman's figures, and assists Superman in taking him down.

In "Bright and Terrible" (Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, art by Sumit Kumar) Sinestro, with Lex Luthor on the holographic phone, visits a planet he once defended when he was Green Lantern, and finds the locals have made a little religion based on him. But their leader may have drawn the wrong conclusions. I think this was set during recent Legion of Doom stories; and does a good job of explaining Sinestro's motivations.

Next, "Auld Lang Ivy," written by Jim Krieg, art by Aneke: Poison Ivy tries to connect with humanity, starting with her contemporaries at a super-villain bar, using her powers to give them a little nudge towards their New Year's resolutions. This does of course lead to murder, but hey, she's trying.

Dan Watters writes and Alessandro Vitti draws "Winter's Root," which has Wonder Woman but is an Ares story: he's trying to start a war because he needs to spill blood. His blood, to sustain a lover he turned into a tree centuries ago and felt kinda bad about. Diana should appreciate seeing even Ares has a heart in there, but wonders if he's helping, sorry or not.

Black Adam stars in "A Coal in My Stocking," where to make a little orphan girl feel better and to bring Christmas to his homeland of Kahndaq, he beats the stuffing out of a mystical Santa figure. Kind of...all over the place there, man. (Story by Ram V, art by Anthony Spay, inks by Jon Sibal.)

Remember when Calendar Man was one of the New 52's Channel 52 presenters, along with Ambush Bug? Yeah, he's a murderous loon again. In "New Year, New You" a new therapist at Arkham thinks Julian Day is a cliched loser, but takes the bait at rehabilitating him, Firefly, Amygdala, and Killer Croc. Which Julian completely turns back on itself, but can he break his own cycle? (Story by Christos Gage, art by Karl Mostert.)

The Chronos story is a good one, as the villain tries again and again to change his own history by turning his dad around. There may only be one way to do that, though. ("Father Christmas" Written by Dave Wielgosz, art by Cian Tormey.)

Kurt Busiek returns to the Prankster: I'm not sure he had been used in the New 52 continuity, but he sets him back up as the guy villains go to for a distraction. (Go read Superman #660 if you can!) The New Year's party may have gone a bit awry, though...(Art by Dale Eaglesham.)

Finally, a Harley Quinn story, "Little Christmas Tree," in which she attempts to cheer up Renee Montoya for the holidays. (Script by Vita Ayala, art by Elena Casagrande.)

We had to go with the digital camera for pictures instead of scans this time; so they're probably...not especially more crooked than usual, actually. Still, I don't think there were any outright stinkers in this one, so not bad! Better than the 2020 we got, anyway.
Read more!

This way you don't have "Part 9 of 47" on the cover.

I've got a moment for a random comic, so let's start this pile of recent-ish Green Lantern books. "Act III, part I." Oh, comics. From 2015, Green Lantern #37, "Godhead, Act III, part I: Wall" Written by Robert Venditti, art by Francis Portela, breakdowns by Scott McDaniel.

Unfortunate event numbering aside, this was the various Lantern corps vs. the New Gods, and without looking anything up; this one opens with the bulk of them trapped in the New Gods' multiversal prison, "the Singularity Stockade." Kilowog is surprised they were betrayed by the Indigo Tribe, while Sinestro explains this is why you should have no allies. (I've recently accepted, the reason Kilowog doesn't always murder Sin on sight is that both have died, multiple times, and I'm just going to count that as evening the score.) Even with Parallax inside of him, Sinestro can't break out, but points out they all may learn a lot about fear in their prison. A valid point, that was more just for Sinestro to grouse about "the fear of our fate resting in the hands of Hal Jordan." Scary!

Back on earth, Hal is surrounded by zombies under the big top, courtesy of Black Hand. He even has the corpse of Hal's dad shuffling around, which Hal calls too far, but Hal needs Hand as an ally to stop the New Gods from using "the life equation." Death-obsessed Black Hand doesn't like the sound of that, but perks right up at the idea of space war, and joins him. Hal promises they'll settle up afterwards, which maybe gets a chuckle out of Hand. Flying out to the Source Wall...which seems like it should be more of a trip than the turn of a couple pages...instead of the Lanterns, they find Orion and his New Gods redshirts--I mean, Divine Guard! While Orion is openly contemptuous of the "glowbugs," Black Hand's ghoulish undead Lanterns put up a good fight.

Hal calls out Orion, like he wants to go fist-to-fist with him--he says "no constructs," but he's still using his ring, and a pile of undead Lanterns pile on Orion; until Black Hand gets distracted. Giddily, Hand realizes the Source Wall isn't a wall: "It's a mass grave!" Yeah, he's a little too excited.

Even with his Astro-Harness, I feel like Hal could fly circles around Orion; but hand-to-hand? No. Nooooo. Orion would leave him trying to pick up his own teeth, which would be even more challenging in zero-g. That would be a top-shelf beating; but the next chapter of Godhead wasn't the next issue; which we'll see some other time.
Read more!

"The Justice League, but evil." Seems like there's some mileage to get out of that.

Ugh, this is the second time I've done this lately, and with Justice League issues: start typing up a big ol' post and then realize I'd blogged that one before! We looked at Justice League America #72 back in 2011; so after the break is a redundant post for it. Instead, on the next issue! From 1993, Justice League America #73, "Destiny's Hand, part II" Story and art by Dan Jurgens, finished art by Rick Burchett.

After last issue's fascist JLA, this month starts with the team's current roster, who are going to seem far less familiar. The Ray is being tested by the team, and they find him quite impressive; except they forget to tell him that, and he thinks he must be a big suck loser. Black Condor is wondering if he even belongs there, but doesn't feel like he can leave until he solves the mystery of mysterious team mystery man Bloodwynd. Wonder Woman was the current team leader, since this was not long after the death of Superman; although I suspect Guy Gardner still thought he was in charge, or should be. Rounding out the team was Agent Liberty and Maxima, with Oberon still in his support role; Booster Gold and Fire were currently powerless, and Blue Beetle still in a coma after Doomsday.

Their training is interrupted by a military communication, asking why the team brought back the JLA Satellite. In the current post-Crisis continuity, none of the heroes present would've been on the team when the satellite was in use...although Bloodwynd seems to know a lot about it. (At the time, Wonder Woman would've been on the European team for maybe twenty minutes at the start of Justice League Europe; post-Crisis Black Canary took her place.) Ray, Bloodwynd and Guy head for the satellite to investigate, with Ray pulling an Impulse on the way: taking off at top speed, then having to come back when he realizes he doesn't know where he's going. Firestorm defends the satellite, casting the heroes back to earth, but Bloodwynd notices a news sign announcing the nuclear explosion in China. Heading back to their headquarters to regroup, they instead find a New York City, protected by "the Lightning Squad," which I thought was the fascist JLA's support force, but could cover all of them.

Wonder Woman takes the rest of her team, to investigate readings like the satellite, coming from Nevada. Scouting ahead, Black Condor saves the escaping, and armless, Sinestro; only for Hawkman to finish him off with his own ring. Back in NYC, Guy and Ray are downed by an invisible foe, the Martian Manhunter. Bloodwynd is left to face the Manhunter, Firestorm, and Hal Jordan alone; while in Arkham Asylum, Dr. Destiny escapes. And elsewhere, an exhausted and emaciated looking Atom collapses...

This isn't as strong as the first part of the story, partially because we don't spend as much time with the bad guys. This version of the JLA had not been together long: this may be their first adventure! Agent Liberty and Black Condor would not stick around long, and I know the Ray would have a longer stint on J'onn J'onzz's Justice League Task Force. (When the Condor faces the bad Hawkman with a power ring, it feels like that should be where he takes some lumps, then comes back later to win and prove he belongs on the team. I don't think that happens...) Jurgens was almost done here as well, his run would end with #77, which I don't think I've read.

Well, this seems like a good week for a lighthearted tale of...power corrupting, dreams turning into nightmares, and a hefty helping of excessive force! From 1993, Justice League America #72, "Destiny's Hand, part 1" Story and art by Dan Jurgens, finished art by Rick Burchett.

Years before they were revisited in Identity Crisis, the Wizard's Secret Society of Super-Villains returns...working for the government? Against a fascist Justice League? They are taken care of in short order, with the Martian Manhunter even disintegrating Star Sapphire. Hal Jordan--much younger than he currently appeared in his own title--shrugs her death off. The Wizard is captured, but before Commissioner Gordon and the GCPD can take him into custody, he's taken by the League's Lightning Squad support task force, to their "incarceration complex" in Nevada. While Gordon calls them "bleeding fascists!" as soon as they're out of earshot; Hal says once the villains go through "the intensive psi-scrubbing process" they won't be a threat anymore.

Sinestro had managed to escape, but with a broken arm from the Manhunter, he wasn't at full strength. He manages to elude Green Arrow and Black Canary, but he would've been better off: he catches a mace in the face, courtesy of "world security chief" Hawkman! Who takes to fascism like a duck to water. After confiscating the yellow power ring for himself, Hawkman drops Sinestro off in Nevada, and tells his men Sin should have a little "accident." Like, maybe his arms should just fall off, or something. Meanwhile, Gordon lights the Bat-Signal, for the first time in over two years, to confront Batman about the JLA: Bats was no longer with the team, but may have felt they were still necessary. And in China, fear of the JLA may lead to nuclear war, as a missile strike is about to launch. A black-suited Flash and the Atom stop the launch, with the Atom closing the silos and letting the missiles blow: as they race away, Flash wonders if that was too far, but Atom admits they kind of pissed him off, and will serve as an example to anyone else thinking about going after the JLA.

In the JLA satellite, Green Arrow may not be as liberal as usual, but he's still a voice of dissent on the team. The President has harsh words for the team, before breaking down over his lack of control. Well, his VP can help him out--Hal Jordan? Ooh, the US is in trouble. And the issue closes with a visit to Arkham Asylum, and a skeletal patient: I don't know if I would've recognized him at the time, but it's Dr. Destiny.

Jurgens might not be the first name you'd think of for a 'dark' story, but his art looks better than his usual high standard here. This was the first of a four-parter, and such a good start I don't think the rest of it lives up to it. I also don't think I read all of it for years; and after reading all four this morning I can't recall if I ever read them all at once before, either! Even though like several books this week, I feel like I have multiple copies here and there. Maybe we'll check out the next chapter some other time.
Read more!

I was going to blog an issue of Green Lantern Corps the other day, but realized I had already blogged it...one panel, at least. I was going to ask why Kilowog isn't breaking Sinestro's neck every time he sees him, but we'll have to let that go. Instead, we've got what may well have been my first issue of Green Lantern, and it's technically a last issue! From 1986, Green Lantern #200, "Five Billion Years" Written by Steve Englehart, pencils by Joe Staton, inks by Bruce Patterson. (With a Walt Simonson cover!)

I had been a Green Lantern fan since Challenge of the Super-Friends, but I didn't read his comic back then! It wasn't until reruns of Challenge started on cable that I thought about trying one, and I started here. It's the conclusion of several months of plotlines and a few loose ends from Crisis, and very much the end of an era; even though this writer and artist would be on the next issue.

The Guardians of the Universe were, unbeknownst to their Green Lanterns, preparing to wrap up their tenure protecting the universe. Fourteen of them had died facing the Anti-Monitor, and the remainder felt their best days were behind them, and wanted to finish before they were no longer able to. In that vein, GL's were gathering some of the universe's worst criminals for incarceration in the Sciencells, like Sinestro. John Stewart and Katma Tui were bringing home the Guardians' mortal brother, Appa Ali Apsa; while Hal Jordan and others were bringing in Goldface and more. Meanwhile, Guy Gardner was meeting up with Star Sapphire, Queen of the Zamorans. Guy isn't that impressed, pointing out that the Zamarons only choose a queen as it suits them. Star and Guy fight for a bit, before they're interrupted by Hector Hammond--or a mental projection of him--who proposes teaming up as "the triumvirate of terror!" Nerd.

Speaking with Appa, who recounts some of the Guardians' failures, John and Katma guess the Guardians are going to end their...guardianship, and wonder what that would mean for them. Meanwhile, Hal, only recently reinstated, was pleased as punch to have his ring again: he tells Arisia "My crisis is over! And to me, it was bigger than the one the universe faced!" Um, a lot of people died, Hal. Flying off alone to enjoy himself, Hal passes a deserted moon, and finds...the Flash?

Barry disappears in short order, then Hal is visited by the recently deceased Tomar Re, then Carol Ferris. She wasn't currently dead, though; which may have warned Hal just enough; as Star Sapphire knees him in the face! Guy and Hammond pile on, but Hal's will is at its peak strength. Hammond is knocked out, back on earth; and Guy and Star are captured. Meanwhile, Sinestro's plan goes into motion, as his Weaponers of Qward attack John and Katma. Faced with death, Appa bluffs them into believing he was still a Guardian, until the GL's finish the fight. And on Oa, after dropping off their prisoners, Ch'p looks where he shouldn't, and is dragged into a purple light!

As the GL's start to gather, Guy and Star act like they're too cool for that, but even they're impressed by the rare sight of two thousand, eight hundred Green Lanterns! That may be undercut by the Guardians' arrival, for a history lesson of ten billion years. Thankfully, they just hit the high notes. Among them, three billion years ago, the creation of the GLC and the departure of the future Controllers; two-and-a-half billion years ago, the departure of the Guardians' women--the Zamorans! They aged so much better than the Guardians did, since they look like hot Amazons. A Guardian and a Zamoran duel, to see if they should reunite, and they agree to...which means the Guardians would be leaving the Green Lanterns. The Guardians and Zamorans would be leaving the universe, but they say the power battery would continue to charge their rings. Appa Ali Apsa would remain, for the rest of his mortal life, as an advisor, albeit from his adopted homeworld Maltus. And Guy Gardner would have to serve there, to show he had earned his ring. (He wouldn't be there long...)

Star Sapphire was furious, over having finally become the Zamorans' queen, only for them to up and split on her. Finally, the Guardians tell Hal and John, to protect earth, since it could be on the verge of as big of an evolutionary leap as they themselves had made, perhaps within a Millennium. Before the Guardians leave, one last bit of business: dealing with an impostor in their midst, Sinestro! He's put back in his Sciencell, permanently. (Not even a year!!) The Guardians of the Universe and the Zamorans leave this universe, "...and then five billion years--as infinitesimal in the scheme of time as one fleeting moment--are over and done!"

Is it weird there was a matching number of Zamorans and Guardians? I mean, the Guardians had just lost fourteen members. Unless fourteen Zamorans just burst into flames, like the Dark Crystal. This issue builds off years of continuity, but still reads remarkably well as a single issue. Next month would be the first issue of Green Lantern Corps, although the numbering would continue with #201. (Per the GCD it would be a little bit before the indica made it official.) And that next issue would be the first appearance of Kilowog! It's weird to remember he's a relatively new addition to the GL mythos, since he would be retconned in as Hal's trainer within a few years. Honestly, I half expected to see him here...
Read more!

Usually, when I enjoy a comic enough to add it to my pull list or follow it regularly, that’s the kiss of death and it’ll be cancelled within eight issues. Eight issues on the outside. But did I have any comics I was reading cancelled this year?...I think not! It helps that several of the titles I read are rotating limited series (like Atomic Robo, Baltimore, Lobster Johnson; a lot of the Mignola books, really) and not “ongoing.”

I know Nightcrawler is slated to end with #12, but maybe that should've been a limited as well: I’ve enjoyed it, even if it hasn’t been entirely the book I wanted; although the art is great. And I didn't see Silver Surfer in the last solicits, although maybe Allred needed a month off.

The only book I’m reading regularly from DC isn't even a proper DC Universe book; it’s Astro City, which is pretty consistently great. But I did see a whole slew of cancellations coming down the “New 52” pike, including Swamp Thing, Batwoman, Trinity of Sin, the surprisingly readable Red Lanterns, and both Green Lantern Corps and Green Lantern: New Guardians. Rumor has it, or at least vile speculation, that DC may consolidate the GL titles, perhaps into a weekly. That may not appeal to readers who are lean more to a particular character over the whole, but the books have probably been strongest when they were most interconnected.

Let’s take a look at two Green Lantern “last” issues: from 2011, Green Lantern #67, “War of the Green Lanterns: Conclusion.” Written by Geoff Johns, pencils by Doug Mahnke, inks by Christian Alamy, Tom Nguyen, Keith Champagne, and Mark Irwin; and Green Lantern Corps #63, “Now and Forever” Written by Scott Kolins, with art by Kolins, Joe Prado, Freddie Williams II, and Daniel HDR. Both of these are pre-New 52, but the reboot affected the GL titles much less than most other books: like the Batman books, the continuity continues, for the most part. Even though they would get new first issues out of the deal.

Johns was the primary architect of Hal Jordan’s return to prominence, as well as responsible for most of the multicolored ring corps. This issue, the GLC, led by earth boys Hal, John, Guy, and Kyle; try to free the Guardians possessed by the emotional spectrum entities controlled by Krona. Kyle frees the (so-called) New Guardians—including Sinestro, Atrocitus, and Carol Ferris—from the Book of Oa, and they get their rings back…except for Sinestro, whose yellow fear ring is taken by Krona!

Krona has Hal on the ropes, and asks why Hal defends the Guardians; who over the course of several retcons, had been revealed to have done several questionable things. Hal concedes the Guardians may need help, but he believes in the Corps. Oddly, so does Sinestro, who receives a new Green Lantern ring! Sinestro frees Hal, who then kills Krona, releasing the emotional entities and reinstating the New Guardians. Strangely, Larfleeze doesn't seem happy to get his precious orange greed ring back; but he’s not the only ungrateful one: Hal yells at Sinestro to take the green ring off, but the Guardians are somewhat dismayed that Hal managed to kill Krona, since the rings are programmed to be incapable of killing a Guardian. In short order, the New Guardians are booted off Oa; as is the “discharged and dismissed” Hal Jordan!

I'm mildly surprised Hal was wearing clothes before ringing up his GL suit, honestly.

The last issue of Green Lantern Corps is a little more episodic, featuring four chapters catching up with various ring-welders in the aftermath of the “War of the Green Lanterns” crossover. And a lot of them are rather messed up, traumatized, or angry. Alpha Lantern Boodikka is brought back online, but does she have the will to go on after losing so much? With their friend Ry’jll suffering severe PTSD, G’hu and Voz wonder if they can still work for the Guardians; but Salaak sets them straight. And Kyle Rayner is accosted in the cafeteria as several GL’s are pretty sick of earthmen. But when a disaster strikes, the Lanterns come together.

Salaak’s speech is pretty great, actually; if not inspiring in a traditional sense. I suspect a lot of cops feel the same way. Boodikka isn't a character I follow, but had come a long way from her early appearances; and I think this would be Kyle last regular appearance in this book, since he’d be spun off to the New Guardians title.


Read more!

"Stel 2.0."

Sinestro's just jealous the only robots his corps could get were refurbished old Manhunters.


Read more!

"Color Theory."

If anyone could get that to work, I'd bet on Kyle. Unlike the other Green Lanterns, Kyle's got the imagination for it.


Read more!