Green Lantern #46 came out today and shows us once again just why Sinestro is such a bad-ass! Oh and there’s an uber-cool reveal behind the Star Sapphires’ power source to boot!
This issue is action packed from cover to cover! As Sinestro and Carol Ferris are fighting off the attack of the Black Lanterns we get a little bit of exposition from Sinestro when Carol cannot understand why her ring is ineffective against the dead, with Sinestro revealing that her ring has no power against them since they are incapable of feeling anything. Just as Amon Sur is about to take on Sinestro, Slushh swallows a number of the Black Lanterns whole which holds them off for, oh, about ten seconds until they rise again and literally burst Slushh’s bubble.
Indigo-1 appears with Hal by her side, fresh from teleporting away from the Flash in Blackest Night #3. There’s a great scene between Carol and Hal, who was unaware of Carol’s acceptance of the Star Sapphire again. Carol’s response to Hal’s questioning of her sanity was great, “Especially for wearing this uniform” indeed!
We also get a little more information on the way that Black Lanterns can be stopped in the form of an explanation from Hal that Green and any other color from the emotional spectrum makes the rings brittle, allowing them to be shattered. Combining that information with Ray Palmer’s theory about the rings wearing the corpses and we’re left with the notion that shattering the rings will stop the dead, er, dead in their tracks.
Of course Hal + Sinestro = throw-down so the two of them start going at it. Again, Johns throws in tidbits into the conversation that are callbacks to previous issues, creating for the reader the illusion of this being one comprehensive universe where things are not left forgotten between characters no more than they are in real life. I had to laugh at Hal’s insult of Sinestro’s hair when Sinestro tries to uncover what Hal was going to ask him a few issues back when Sinestro was about to be executed. We also learn that Indigo-1 and Abin Sur have a history that I hope we’ll get to learn more about.
But for me, as I’m sure it is for others, the reveal behind the identity of the two beings that power the Star Sapphires was really cool, although not completely shocking. The two beings Khafu and Chay-ara are both turned into Black Lanterns, leaving the Star Sapphires powerless and their avatar, the Predator, free. So, for those who don’t know who Khafu and Chay-ara are, they are the original Egyptian prince and his consort who are killed by the priest Hath-Set and later reincarnate as Carter Hall and Shiera Saunders – yep, the Golden Age Hawkman and Hawkgirl.
After a brief look in with Scar and John Stewart we return to Korugar where Indigo-1 has brought Sinestro, Hal and Carol so that Sinestro can take on Mongol mano a mano. We get a first class battle as Sinestro takes down Mongol while keeping Hal and Carol from helping him – no small feat and one that proves Sinestro is more than a Hitler wannabe. Sinestro is smart enough not to kill Mongol and allow him to be turned in a Black Lantern, but what really interested me was the response from the people of Korugar – they almost appeared to revere Sinestro for saving them. I think that before this event is over we’re going to see more about how this might have been a turning point for Sinestro and a redemption of sorts in the eyes of his people. Especially when he steps up and says that he feels that it’s his duty to inherit Abin Sur’s mission to stop the Blackest Night prophesy from coming true knowing that he cast doubt on Abin’s sanity – that event being one of the few regrets Sinestro has in life.
When I first got to this part I wasn’t sure why Indigo-1 brought them to Korugar and it wasn’t until I thought about it a little bit that it dawned on me the importance of what she tells Sinestro upon their arrival. While she knew that Sinestro wanted and needed to reclaim his leadership of the Sinestro Corps, it is mission critical for all of them that Sinestro regain the position for the overall mission. Back in Blackest Night #3 Indigo-1 reveals to Hal that his connection to the most powerful members of the other colors of the emotional spectrum was the key element to defeating the Black Lanterns. With Mongol in charge Sinestro was no longer that person for the power of fear and in reclaiming that it would allow him to be a part of the key to winning this battle.
With Sinestro back in control he joins Indigo-1, Hal and Carol as the majority of the group needed. Given Sinestro’s statements I have no doubt that he will be willing to play his role in this, but it will certainly be a battle between Hal and him to see who will be in charge. Indigo-1 certainly has her work cut out for her!
This leaves an interesting dilemma going forward. While it will be no problem getting Hope to join the party, what of Larfleeze and Atrocitus? Neither of them seem to be the type to go along with anyone’s plan but their own. I think the December solicitations could be a key element to part of this. We know by the cover of Green Lantern Corps #46 that Guy becomes a Red Lantern. So perhaps we’ll see Guy emerge as the new leader of the Red Lanterns – and he would be far easier for Hal to reason with. Of course the issue ends in true Geoff Johns fashion with a surprise as Abin Sur and Arin Sur arrive in full Black Lantern regalia.
Doug Mahnke’s art continues to impress me with every issue. Although I have to nit-pick the inconsistencies in some of the coloring work. Hal’s hair is brown, not black. But other than that I felt this issue was definitely worth ten lanterns.
