Like Green Lantern 53, this week's Green Lantern Corps 47 is an epilogue to Blackest Night. However this issue also marks the departure of Peter Tomasi and Pat Gleason from the title as Tomasi heads over to helm Green Lantern Emerald Warriors and Gleason tackles Brightest Day.
The Story -
 |
| Light it up! |
Oa was hit hard by the assault of the Black Lantern Corps, with the Central Power Battery left ripped from its moorings and hundreds of rings left without bearers. So the issue starts notably with the remains of the Corps lighting up the main battery.
Guy and Kyle spend some panels recounting all they've been through during the event, Guy is either hiding from Kyle the mission he's undertaking with Ganthet and Atrocitus as we saw in the closing moments of Green Lantern 53, or it could simply be a case of these events transpiring before that issue.
There's a great scene where a memorial tree is erected on Mogo to honor the fallen members of the Corps, with each dead lantern represented as a face on one of the leaves. Since the remains of all the dead lanterns remain in Mogo's core it was decided that the tree would replace the crypts on OA.
There are signs of the growing distrust of the Guardians by the Corps, with the little blue smurfs not even showing up to the ceremony to honor the dead who perished serving the will of the Guardians. I think that this is only one rift that's begun to widen between the Corps and their diminutive leaders, one that will take the whole mythos in some exciting directions.
Salaak also directs Mogo to release all the Green Lantern rings that need new masters, so Tony Bedard will have a chance to create some of his own unique characters to add to the Green Lantern universe in the months to come.
Soranik Natu and Kyle Rayner reconnect at the site of Kyle's mural, with Natu motivating Kyle to start it over again as a way to instill morale in the Corps in the face of all they've lost during the recent events. Knowing that Kilowog will be starring in the Emerald Warriors title it's not surprise to see him turn down his post as the drill instructor. What's surprising is the selection of Stel as his replacement.
 |
| The uneasy alliance crumbles |
Vath and Isamot Kol are two of the more interesting characters created for this title and in his goodbye to these characters Peter Tomasi once again plays off of the cultural rift between Rann and Thanagar. Vath lost his legs during Blackest Night and Kol donated his own legs to Vath since he might regrow them. Kol did what he thought anyone would do to help their dearest comrade, however Vath is still blinded by the racial hatred that Rann has and only thinks of how he would look to his fellow Rannians. Despite how much both men have grown to support each other, some hatred and fear still exists.
Kol's anger rises at the ungratefulness for his sacrifice and Vath is about to loose his new legs when they are made to realize the foolishness of their actions. The two reconcile and another chapter of their journey is left for Tony Bedard to write.
Guys, Arisia and Kyle kick the door down to the Guardians' chamber, demanding that they be allowed to meet despite the efforts of the Guardians to brush them off. Arisia actually clocks one of them in the face in a great "oh yeah!" moment reminiscent of some of the confrontations that Hal has had with them in the past.
Guy rightfully calls the Guardians out for blaming a lack of knowledge of some events on Scar's actions, reminding them that more important than that is the realization that the Guardians' actions have done much to undermine the Corps itself, and that those actions, like the Third Law, will prevent good candidates from joining the Corps.
Guys throws the failure of the Manhunters and the Alpha Lanterns in the Guardian's faces and Kyle reminds them that is wasn't a lack of emotion that took out Nekron, but beings with heart. Kyle tells the Guardians that they have to earn the trust of Corps again if they are to ever get back on track.
All this prompts Salaak to speak up against the Guardians for the first time, reminding them they he is not a puppet that will mindlessly follow their every command. He is putting himself in the role of the Guardian's conscience and plans to question some of their policies when he feels they are not in the best interest of the Corps.
Guy is distraught seeing what's left of Warriors and both he and Kyle talk about how the bar is needed, like the mural, to provide a place for the betterment of the well being of the Corps. As they are talking a message comes through from the Guardians that they have repealed the Third Law, and the two clink beer bottles toasting the future. The issue draws to an end, but there is a great two page spread promoting Emerald Warriors that shows some pretty intense scenes.
The Writing -
As much as Geoff Johns is credited for the revitalization of the Green Lantern mythos, I've long thought that Peter Tomasi was really the driving force for Green Lantern: Rebirth when he was an editor. The Green Lantern Corps can be difficult to write, managing a large cast and stories that have to have cosmic significance. Throughout this run Tomasi has done both these things very well, and while it's a shame to see him leave this book, he's going to rock Emerald Warriors hard.
The Art -
Pat Gleason's work is top notch, as usual. He captures all the right emotions from the anger Arisia feels for the Guardians to the solemn look on the Corps' faces during the dedication of the memorial tree. His art will be missed in the Green Lantern books.
What Do I Think?
This book has what you need after an exhausting event like Blackest Night - an epilogue that lets you know where everyone stands and sets the stage for what's about to come. Five lanterns.
8/21/2010
Pietro Filipponi published eight more images of possible designs for some of the alien Green Lanterns appearing in next summer's movie. Again, I caution you that these are not the final images, nor are they high resolution images. They appear more to be photos, and sometimes blurry ones, of concept art or early two dimensional renders of the characters taken by someone in the art department who Pietro knows. I don't question their validity and it seems that within 24 hours of posting on his site he's taken them down at the request of Warner Brothers, which adds a degree of credibility to say the least.
