“Not a display, Atrocitus…A declaration of war.”

With the third issue in IDW’s Star Trek / Green Lantern: The Spectrum War crossover writer Mike Johnson ups the ante considerably as the reader learns more about what Ganthet did in the first issue to cause his arrival, and the arrival of a number of ring bearers, to this alternate universe.  There’s still some housecleaning this issue in terms of establishing the rules of engagement for these two franchises but the pace increase significantly this issue with each page revealing one great moment after another.

Johnson places this story, Green Lantern wise, some time after Blackest Night and, given what’s going on in the Lantern universe, some time in the future in what could best be called Blackest Night 2.0.  Only this time Nekron has learned that he has the upper hand, realizing that an army of the dead outnumbers the largest force the living could throw at him.  It’s the closing moments of Ganthet’s life in the first issue, presumably pursued by Nekron himself, that drives the last Guardian of the Universe to invoke a safety protocol that ensures that any other living ring bearer survives by teleporting them through space and time.

That gambit provides the necessary means for the two universes to cross paths and explains the arrival of a number of iconic characters from the Green Lantern mythology.  In addition to Sinestro who appeared last month four more very familiar ring bearers arrive on the scene this issue.  The stakes are raised when Glocon the Gorn Red Lantern declares war on the Federation in a jaw dropping encounter with Commodore Matt Decker (from the classic Trek episode The Doomsday Machine).

Sinestro furthers his relationship with Klingon General Chang and finds that the two Yellow Lanterns have a great deal in common.  One of the most chilling and sinister moment of the issue however falls to Decius, the Romulan Orange Lantern, when he decides to create his own Orange Lantern Corps.  That does, however, get trumped in the closing moments of the issue as we learn who else made the journey across space and time and where he focuses his immediate attention.

There’s some nice character moments sprinkled across the issue, particularly when we see Chekov enjoying his new power perhaps a little too much and when Hal and James T. Kirk flex their alpha male muscles over it.  I’ve really enjoyed this limited series thus far and this issue really hits all the right notes for me.  There is a slight snafu in the script in terms of story continuity when one of the Gorns mentions Ganthet even though he couldn’t have heard his name before, but that’s something so minor that it has no bearing on the enjoyment of the issue.

Angel Hernandez and Alejandro Sanchez put in a good effort on the art and coloring respectively, although I still have some issue with the red energies looking too orange for my liking.  But that quibble aside the visuals are really great this issue with several key moments really shining.  Decius’ act of violence, the depiction of the Lanterns battle against the forces of Nekron and the Gorn attack on the Federation are all standout moments that really drive the enjoyment of this issue thanks in large part to the cinematic look that the art team accomplishes.

Star Trek / Green Lantern #3 is the best issue of the series thus far with some spectacular moments that really demonstrate the potential of these two franchises coming together.  Mike Johnson and Angel Hernandez turn in a great effort that capitalizes on the strengths of both of these iconic mythologies that makes this a memorable issue.  With the big bad finally revealed this limited series is heading into the second half at warp speed.  Nine out of ten lanterns.