Building up to October’s ‘Lights Out’ crossover, Justin Jordan and company begin what appears to be a series of sweeping changes to the Green Lantern mythology. Is it in the service of good story-telling, or does the team risk throwing the baby out with the bath water?
Written by Justin Jordan
Illustrated by Bradley Walker and Drew HennesseyRelic deals a game-changing blow to the Corps as the final pieces are put in place for the ultimate battle to save the universe! Do not miss this issue!
Whoa, they’re actually going there.
In the years since “Green Lantern” Vol. 4 #25 hit comic books shelves, dragging Green Lantern to the forefront of DC’s publishing initiative, the response to the sweeping changes made by various creative teams (read: Geoff Johns) have been rather mixed. The various colored corps, affectionately or disdainfully dubbed the “skittle brigade,” has become a ubiquitous staple of the company, appearing in dozens of cross-media productions. To some, they were the saving grace for a struggling property. To others, the concept was little more than a dilution of a beloved mythology. For better or worse, the emotional spectrum and the menagerie of characters it brought with it were here to stay.
That is, until the recent creative shift. It is fair question that many began to ask after Johns and company departed, “how long until things go back to the way they were before?”. Over the past few months, the new Green Lantern creative teams have laid not-so-subtle hints that change was in the air. In “New Guardians” #23, that atmospheric change begins to give way to a full-on storm.
For the second time in this “New Guardians,” two year run, we find ourselves on the Blue Lantern home world, with the pacifistic corps besieged by a threat that is far beyond them. It’s somewhat unfortunate to see such a similar story as Tony Bedard’s ‘Fall of Odym’ arc coming so soon into Jordan’s run. It doesn’t suggest that Jordan is lacking in creativity, but it doesn’t go a long way towards distances his work from what has come before. That said, this particular scenario works better for three reasons; better art, a more compelling antagonist, and real sense of urgency.
First, the art. All of the new Lantern artists have brought something unique to the table, but it’s arguable the winning combination of Brad Walker and Drew Hennessey carry the lion’s share. The level of detail on display here is nothing short of astonishing. It could take hours to pour over the rich lushness of the new Blue Lantern homeworld or the terrifying complexity of Relic’s titanic ship. Each character is intricately crafted, from the realistic flow of clothe and cosmic fabric, to the hundreds of individual lines, wrinkles, and markings gracing their skin. Likewise, the amount of expression and emotion conveyed, even through alien characters like Warth, Walker, or Relic is nearly unmatched. Walker packs an insane amount of content per panel, so never once does a page feel empty or hollow. For pages in which the panels don’t completely cover the page, the duo employs a star-field background, keeping the reader in a cosmic state of mind.
If there’s one fly in the artistic ointment, it’s way Walker draws Kyle and Carol’s masks. The “crab mask” has always been a hard pill to swallow (where is his nose?!). While the most recent incarnation does away with that particular issue, it still comes off as bulky and obtrusive, hindering the characters’ ability to emote. Likewise, Carol’s half-faced “crown,” which does not cover the area around her eyes but still hides her pupils and irises, leaves the character feeling uncomfortably lifeless.
While there are a lot of similarities between this issue and the previously mentioned ‘Fall of Odym,’ Jordan’s script benefits from a compelling villain. The previous attack by the Reach had little basis in the series ongoing plot, and was rather the byproduct of an unnecessary “Blue Beetle” crossover. The Galactus-esque Relic, however, is quickly becoming one of the more intriguing villains in recent Lantern history. While the larger than life being has weaved in and out of the various Green Lantern books, he remains an enigma. We still know little about his motives, purpose, or origin, but Jordan does a fantastic job of conveying the alien aloofness one would expect from a pan-dimensional being older than the universe. The fact that he might actually be the hero of the story adds another layer of interest that the aforementioned Reach lacked. That said, that does not make his actions in the issue any less troubling.
Continued belowThis brings us to the third point, the urgency of the story at hand. In one quick wave of the hand, Jordan drastically challenges the face of the Green Lantern franchise. On one hand, the change is welcome, as it is an adherence to the status quo that has entrenched many DC books of late. However, Jordan comes terribly close to crossing a line in the sake of progress. Without spoiling the issue, it can be strongly argued that the choices made here are needlessly wasteful. Of course, this is a comic book, where any action can be waved away at writer’s discretion via deus ex machina. Nevertheless, it’s always a shame to see creative potential squandered for the sake of gratuity, something Jordan falls victim of here.
“Green Lantern: New Guardians” #23 has a lot of things going for it; including beautiful art and a compelling conflict. That said, some of the choices made here are hard to swallow, and the feeling that readers will need to follow the story into multiple titles for resolution is somewhat disappointing. Also, the issue throws character development out the window in favor of its grandiose cosmic plot. Still, it’s easily the best issue yet in Jordan’s fledgling run, and perhaps the series as a whole.
Final Verdict: 8.1 – Buy. If you’ve fallen off this book, or never given it a chance, now is the time to jump on.
