Green Lantern #21 *Preview/Spoilers*

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

But I don't understand why this is the #21 as the #20 is an end ?...

#20 was just an end for Geoff Johns as writer of GL and the head of the GL books. That ending stuff was just his own wrap-up. #21 (and indefinite issues after) were already scheduled.

[Star-Lantern Weaponer of Qward Find all posts View Profile Close Star-Lantern]

Issue is not bad, but I guess I'll begin on a few bad notes.

There will be some spoilers in here, I guess so...




The Hal Jordan/Carol Ferris stuff is really redundant. When are they not having problems? And their problems are usually about the same type of thing. They even reference this in the book. They're both superheroes who wield power rings. Now that they're in very similar shoes, you'd think they'd be able to come to an understanding. I dunno', but I couldn't really get invested in their drama because it seems really "been there done that 10,000 times by now," but I did find it amusing that Hal got evicted. I think it's actually kind of charming that the leader of the Green Lantern Corps is sleeping on his little brother's sofa.

Billy Tan's art... hmm... sometimes it's okay and sometimes it's not. His Kyle is horrid, but he has to work with a really bad design that he did not come up with, so there's that. But he doesn't work with it gracefully at all. Kyle looks really, REALLY bad.

His alien designs are often generic. So far, in this one book alone, I'm seeing three completely different species that look like the generic Roswell style alien:
http://www.ufocasebook.com/aliensmokinggun.jpg
The most iconic/generic depiction of an alien EVER! Not very creative, and even a bit tiring. If there was only one, I wouldn't mind.
I was never really into Mahnke that much, but there have been much better Green Lantern artists in recent history than Tan. He was on a different book, but Pasarin wipes the floor with Tan and his sometimes crude and sketchy depictions. I think Tan did a good job on Carol and also Hal when he's not suited up as GL. He does Larfleeze and Kilowag well enough, and Oa looks good... but basically EVERYTHING has looked better. The work, however, is good enough to keep you in the story and usually not distract you. The biggest distraction for me was how ridiculous Kyle looked. The best work, I think was done during the battle scenes in the preview.

Venditti's writing is pretty good so far. I noticed how Hal's reaction in the preview was uncharacteristic, too... and I loved it! That simple scene by itself seems to have so much more weight than the entire (incredibly stupid and hard to follow) First Lantern battle.

I can really understand the concern and feel it. Lately, Oa seems to get attacked in force every other day, and it is really wearing on the Lanterns and their ranks. Hal has a lot to bear as the leader of this outfit, trying to hold it together under such trying circumstances. This is a new type of burden for him and from the opening scenes, it seems to be getting to him.

WOW, REAL CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT FOR HAL JORDAN MAYBE!?

I was intrigued by the sexy alien prisoner. It's not too much of a stretch to assume there will be a mass science cell break out as well. Venditti seems intent on putting the Lantern corps through a lot and even though the ideas don't seem creative, the way he's doing it seems refreshing after the Geoff Johns style. A lot of it has to do with Hal Jordan being the leader having to deal with all this crap. So, there are problems that threaten the universe, but there's also a personal aspect to this, because Hal has a responsibility that is trying for him. He's not just an interchangeable action figure put in place to deal with stuff as he was in many Johns stories.
Yes, intriguing.

Even with all this, the style of the book hardly seems to be doom and gloom. There's a somewhat charming rundown of all the different colored corps at the end that keeps a sort of lightheartedness to the book. I applaud the team for having the exposition scene, but doing so in a somewhat fun way.
It's also funny when Hal is talking about space grizzlies or T-Rex.

There also doesn't seem to be much of the self-serious "wannabe inspirational themes" that Johns used, like "overcoming great fear" and "all will be well," and stuff like that. That stuff is just corny. I hope Venditti doesn't go down that route.

So, Relic is supposed to be doing something involving the balance of the different colored corps. I can only hope hope HOPE that Venditti will use him as a means of abolishing every single other corps other than the Green Lantern corps... but seeing as how there's a Red Lanterns book out there and a Larfleeze one coming out (WHY!?!?!?!?!?!) I know that isn't the case :T

Anyway, things are off to a good start, in my opinion. Other than revisiting redundant Carol Ferris romance stuff, the writing is intriguing. The art is overall... okay-ish. It stumbles in places, other places it's cool, and other places it's just okay. From what I've seen, this book is visually way less interesting than the stuff from the upcoming Green Lantern Corps, even down to how the emerald energy and its glow are portrayed.

3 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed reading it and it left me wanting more.
A helluva lot better than last month's clusterfuck.

Hmmm... post is pretty long. Maybe I should get around to making that Green Lantern site I've been wanting to make if I have this much to say about stuff : p

[W.West Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close W.West]

Issue out. Poll added.

[DocLantern Manhunter Repairman Find all posts View Profile Close DocLantern]

Loved the issue. Exactly what Ive been wanting. Hoping GJ diehards will give it a shot.

["Chosen" NOT his black friend Find all posts View Profile Close "Chosen"]

Just finished reading it, didn't like the Carol and Hal interaction at all. We've seen that too many times before. I felt exactly like Hal when he said, "just the other day you were happy to see me back."

I do not understand the purpose of Larfleeze just showing up to attack Oa. Just seemed kinda out of place.

As for the art, I really miss Doug Mahnke. Billy Tan is ok overall. I found a few pages ok and some others below average. Hopefully he can hit a consistent stride soon.

The preview page at the end didn't generate any excitement with me what so ever. I'm trying to give Venditti a chance, hopefully things pick up soon. Wasn't impressed so far. 3 out of 5.

[DocLantern Manhunter Repairman Find all posts View Profile Close DocLantern]

I enjoyed reading it and it left me wanting more.
A helluva lot better than last month's clusterfuck.

Agreed

[Dr. Naysay Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Dr. Naysay]

I miss Geoff Johns already.

[sinostrius Kyle's Nude Model Find all posts View Profile Close sinostrius]

I wanted to like it but it really was bad. It will take some time for the writing style to sink in, Billy's art was painful but I wasn't feeling Doug's art at first. Will wait and see its the same feeling art wise when we got Pacheco after Van Sciver.

[GreenLantern888 Alpha-Lantern Find all posts View Profile Close GreenLantern888]

I am mixed on this book. I enjoyed the flashforward scene besides some dialogue there. Hated the Carol and Hal scene. Thoroughly enjoyed the book then on. As a fan of Venditti's X-O Manowar I know it took some time before that became really good so it'll be a few issues before that happens here too.

Also I absolutely love Billy Tan's art for the most part, way more than Doug Mahnke.

[bjread Hal's Understudy Find all posts View Profile Close bjread]

Interesting read.

Tan is MILES better than Mahnke (but Kyle was bad)

Like Venditti so far. Gave us an issue with action, drama that suggests Carol will be busy in NG, and a lot of wtf is going on, but only because we're just getting into the story.

4/5

["Chosen" NOT his black friend Find all posts View Profile Close "Chosen"]

Tan is MILES better than Mahnke (but Kyle was bad)

Also I absolutely love Billy Tan's art for the most part, way more than Doug Mahnke.

[RandomGuy Kyle's Nude Model Find all posts View Profile Close RandomGuy]

For those who don't like the Hal & Carol scenes.

You obviously haven't had enough experience with a girlfriend or wife, huh?

A lot of women (not all) tend to not be able to let things go.

You could just get out of the hospital from surgery and they will still want to finish the argument in the car accident that put you there.

I say it's great writing. They must have a wife at home, lol.

[reilly2040 Alan's Drycleaner Find all posts View Profile Close reilly2040]

Enjoyed the issue and a solid start to the new run. I wasn't totally sure about how the personal batteries were getting treated like rings themselves, needing to be recharged off the main battery, surely it'd have been better if they just went dead because the central battery had died?

I'm also not keen on the way Hal's power levels have jumped up over the recent issues. It used to be that, while Hal clearly did have more willpower than most, his status as best Green Lantern was largely down to him just being really, really good at it. Now increasingly Hal is able to get out of problems because his awesome willpower lets him do things no other GL can (in this case, kill Orange constructs).

It seems to have become the direction for the character ever since war of the GLs, and I find it a bit of a worrying one. Hal's reckless and impulsive, but then gets away with it because he's randomly so much more powerful than everyone else. What was wrong with him just being really, really good with the ring?

That niggle aside though, a good setup issue to hook you into the new run, with the flashforward. The Relic stuff seems interesting so I hope he doesn't just end up another forgettable space baddie that we've had a lot of over the years. Liking the art too. The Hal/Carol stuff was a bit forced, but I guess that's just the excuse they had to come up with to put her in New Guardians (although why they can't just let them be in love, but separated by their responsibilities to their various Corps I don't know).

[Mister Ed Horse of a Different Color Find all posts View Profile Close Mister Ed]

For those who don't like the Hal & Carol scenes.

You obviously haven't had enough experience with a girlfriend or wife, huh?

A lot of women (not all) tend to not be able to let things go.

You could just get out of the hospital from surgery and they will still want to finish the argument in the car accident that put you there.

I say it's great writing. They must have a wife at home, lol.

I have a wife at home (have for almost 18 years now), and even not having read it yet, I can guarantee that I have had no experience even remotely similar.

That said, Hal and Carol do have an established pattern, and one that is VERY different than I have ever had with any woman, so I wouldn't expect to see my relationships mirrored in theirs. But just because it might be somewhat typical of them, doesn't mean it can't be tedious. I don't know if it is in this case, not having read it yet, but I've certainly felt that about their relationship in the past. I've wanted to reach into the comic and slap both of them for making the same stupid mistakes over and over and over.

[Space Cop The Dandy Find all posts View Profile Close Space Cop]

Like most of you, my complaints were limited to the been-there/done-that Hal vs. Carol scene. Heck, as new head of the GLC, Hal should move to Oa (like Guy used to). If Carol wants to come and be fulltime Sapphire, that's up to her.

And yes, I seriously did like the art more than Mahnke (not hard for me since Mahnke is one of my least favorite well-known artists). It wasn't perfect but it was still better than looking at all Mahnke's hard-edged, lookalike humans.

The story itself was pretty good. I feel bad for the recruits since they didn't want to be there and some died. That's Hal's fault.