“Let’s see if these things know how to play chicken”

This week’s installment of Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps wraps up the four part “Fall of the Gods” arc in an exciting fashion, pulling the Corps into a confrontation with the Golems as they try to liberate Highfather’s father from the Source Wall.  As one would expect it’s a high octane, action packed affair expertly presented by Robert Venditti and Rafa Sandoval.

Not only does the threat of Yuga Khan’s revival add tension to the story, but the clock ticking down on Kyle Rayner’s ability to keep Orion alive effectively keeps the reader on the edge of their seat as the Corps struggles to gain a footing against the looming threat posed by Khan’s Golems.  Fortunately Hal Jordan’s well timed return, omega beams in tow, provides an exciting turn in the tide of the battle, exposing a weakness that is admittedly a little too convenient and allows the Green Lanterns to make short order of their colossal foes.

If there’s a weakness to the story it lies with this concession which allowed the issue to wrap up more quickly and tidily than I hoped for.  I was left feeling a little I was a 1980’s video game where the boss character looks really tough to beat but if you hit them in just the right spot they fall down dead.  Sure, hitting one with Omega Beams should be able to cause catastrophic damage, but a neatly placed construct spear or bullet seems a little too easy in my opinion.

Venditti revisits the subject of fatherhood that served as the focal point of the last issue, not only giving the last chapter more relevance to the overall story but adding a nice connection between Hal and Highfather and building on the relationship Venditti first began establishing during “Godhead”.  I particularly enjoy seeing the facets in the relationships once you add Orion into the mix and how it all creates some interesting potential whenever the New Gods intersect with the Green Lanterns in the future.

This issue gives each of the four Earth Lanterns their own moment to shine, between Hal’s heroics, Kyle’s steadfast resolve, Guy’s antics and John’s kickassery.  It’s important that these characters get the spotlight but as the series progresses it is becoming more and more apparent that with the four of them sharing one title the rest of Corps don’t have as much room to shine which is a shame given how many great characters there are.  This is a mythology that really needs more panel time devoted to them again and I do hope at some point DC creates a third title that allows for more breathing room.  Don’t get me wrong, Robert Venditti is doing a fantastic job and this is no knock on the book’s creative team, but I wish there were more room for the rest of the cast.

Rafa Sandoval’s work is absolutely stunning this issue and Venditti’s script gives the art team a lot of room to cut loose.  There’s a lot going on visually in this installment and large page spreads are kept to the most impactful moments for the reader.  The Source Wall is its usually impressive looking self and between the wall and the scale of the Golems it reminds readers just how small we are on a cosmic scale.  Sandoval also channels Jack Kirby with plenty of nods to the legendary creator.  The art alone is worth the price of the book let alone the fun and exciting story.

Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #29 is a fantastic conclusion to another superb arc in this series.  Robert Venditti, Rafa Sandoval and the art team all do a rock solid job in delivering a book that is highly entertaining and just plain fun to read.  One minor concession aside this was a nearly perfect ending. Nine out of ten lanterns.