This week readers have an opportunity to preview the launch of the new Green Lantern: The Lost Army series by way of eight page previews that DC is including in their titles both this week and next. The preview can be found in the back of Convergence: Green Arrow #2 as well as for free digitally on Comixology.
The preview shows John Stewart, Kilowog, Arisia, Two-Six and new Lantern Xrill-Vrek waking up and finding themselves a long way from home and in seeming hostile territory. The eight page story introduces Xrill-Vrek as a “morphic empath”, which alters her appearance based on others.
While the story is short there is enough introduction here to let the reader know what to expect, and that’s the unexpected. I’m not a big fan of monologues and would rather the writer show me why a character is good or bad rather than tell me, so I’m this preview left me a little concerned that the title will be as monologue heavy as Cullen Bunn’s Sinestro series but I’m certainly not going to let that deter me from giving the series a shot.
The story was a bit pedestrian but the reveal of Krona at the end was a bit of surprise, especially when the Krona from our universe was killed by Hal Jordan back in Green Lantern #67 and turned into Atrocitus’ rag doll in the Red Lanterns series after the New 52 relaunch. Given that this Krona doesn’t recognize any of the Green Lanterns and is back to his Maltusan look, and that the Green Lantern rings cannot locate anyone or the Central Power Battery, provides a little clue as to what’s happened to our protagonists. Either the Green Lanterns have been displaced to another universe, another time, or both. We know that the Guardians had some mysterious plans that they mentioned back in Green Lantern #40 and perhaps this is a result of some unknown course of action that they planned….or maybe it’s something else entirely.
The star of the preview though is the artwork of Jesus Saiz which is a treat for the eyes. Speaking of eyes, Saiz and/or Bunn have decided it’s time to move on from John’s green eyed look which is either a style choice or a side effect from John being distanced from the any source of emerald energy. Saiz does the coloring as well for the preview and it will be interesting to see if that continues once the series officially launches.