Two issues in to Charles Soule and Alessandro Vitti’s run on the title, “Red Lanterns continues to exhibit many of the same problems that plagued it under Peter Milligan. At this point it bears the question, is this a problem with the creative team, or an inherent flaw in the property itself?
Written by Charles Soule
Illustrated by Alessandro VittiGuy Gardner has suddenly found himself at the top of the Red Lantern food chain—but in a pack of bloodthirsty animals like these, everyone’s a predator! If he wants their respect, he’s gonna need the nastiest piece of work in the Corps on his side…but Bleez has her own ideas about what Guy Gardner’s got coming to him!
This issue is broken up into two distinct halves. The first half feels indistinguishable from Milligan’s tenure, with the Red Lanterns loitering around Ysmault, bickering over power structure, and moving the plot in circles. Much like the GLC in the wake of ‘Wrath of the First Lantern,’ the Red Lantern’s numbers are at their lowest. On one hand, this allows for Soule to develop a smaller, recognizable ensemble cast. However, as this cast is made up of those Lanterns that were gifted their intelligence by Atrocitus previously in the run, the core conceit of the corps (a group of ravenous, blood-thirsty monsters) has been lost.
Surprisingly, giving the individual members distinct personalities makes the corps less unique, just a grittier, anti-heroic version of their Green Lantern brethren. That none of these characters are particularly interesting, aside from the occasional comedic relief from Rankorr and Zilius Zox. Rankorr brings his own set of problems, however, sticking out like a sore thumb, an under developed vestige of another writer’s run. With Guy Gardener now on the seen, it’s hard to see Rankorr ever gaining the attention necessary to make his existence worthwhile.
After the napalm pissing contest on Ysmault wraps, without the guidance of Atrocitus, the crew sets out to find a new abode. The search takes them to a rogue space vessel, prompting the team to take on the role of space pirates. While sacking the ship, Guy finds some things he doesn’t like, unleashing the rage of the Red Lantern.
You have to give Alessandro Vitti credit for doing the best he can with what he’s given. I imagine it gets a little monotonous, when every character you draw is constantly a.) grimacing and b.) bleeding out the mouth. Vitti makes things interesting with a few fun visual gags, like the dead pan fiery baptism of Gardener, literally behind Bleez’s back. His depiction of the transformation of Guy as he loses control is as captivating as it is disturbing. The scene of him sitting, bloody and content on his throne, marks a frightening turn in the character’s portrayal. Unfortunately, the new design for Guy is disappointing in light of the character’s former design, which underscores a problem with the book’s direction.
Lets face it, at this point, Guy’s struggles with rage and repression are well documented. The last time Guy donned the red ring, in the ‘War of the Green Lanterns’ arc, moved the character forward, into a place where he could process his anger and accept his love and need for the Green Lantern Corps. This new, “off the grid” Guy feels like a major step back from the strong work Peter Tomasi did with the character pre-New 52.
With each passing issue it gets harder and harder to justify this book. Other lantern corps seem ripe for a deeper look, with great characters in the Star Sapphire and Sinestro Corps, or intriguing concepts with the Blue and Indigo Lanterns. Soule plants a few interesting seeds that may yet come to bear fruit, but he’s got a way to go before “Red Lanterns” becomes viable.
Final Verdict: 3.5 – Pass
