In short, I know we're
only into it up to part 3 of part 6, but I've been waiting
for an issue of "Secret Origin" that would truly wow me,
that I could truly say that I love.
Found it.
We start off right
where we were left with Hammond, Carol, and a newly Green
Lanternized Hal Jordan. A very dubious brief interaction
with Hammond (where Hammond offers to "help" Hal with his
new powers/ring) and Hal is off. Just a brief Hammond
appearance here, really, didn't quite deliver on the
"Cliffhanger" aspect we were left at the end of the last
issue, but that's OK... I suspect he might show up again by
the end of this arc.
"I've made it crystal
clear I don't date employees," Carol says to Hammond, citing
that one dinner date does not make them boyfriend and
girlfriend. We're left with the distinct impression that her
policy on this is about to change with one Mr. Jordan. Nice
writing here.
Hal Jordan returns to
Abin Sur's ship and buries him. Well done, and much needed
-- many have complained, to great merit I think, that in the
last issue Hal just up and left with the ring (even if it
kind of self-propelled him) without giving any regard to the
dying alien there in the ship... even citing that in
previous incarnations of the origin what many loved about it
was that here's Hal, this greenhorn human who's never seen
an alien, and yet here he was like, "How can I help?" In the
last issue Hal didn't pay any regard to Sur or his condition
and I can wholly understand this gripe... here, it's
somewhat rectified appropriately.
We also get a slight
retcon. But wait! It's a sensible one. When Hal sees the
dead Abin in his cabin, we see Abin's GL costume slowly
dissipating from his body. Why is this a retcon? Well, it's
not so much a retcon as it has been a question. In the past
decade or so we've had the idea that when a GL slips on a
ring, the ring generates the GL costume/uniform, right? And
when he takes it off, the costume dematerializes... but not
always, right? Here we get a sensible explanation, even if
it's not really spelled out for us: if you take off a ring
without willing your uniform off, you get to keep the
uniform... for a short while. Then it dissipates.
A touching scene. I
like Hal by the cairn of rocks with the setting sun in the
last panel -- I know I'm a stickler for these things, but I
think this is proof that you don't need a whole splash page
to make a poignant moment like this resonate.
Jordan is whisked off
to Oa for the first time. A double splash page is seen of Oa
-- a very yellow Oa, which I am particularly glad for...
Geoff isn't ignoring the past -- and we see Hal getting his
first glimpse of the Corps. A very stunning moment, the
double splash page here is absolutely warranted. The closest
comparison I can think of is when Kyle Rayner first caught
glimpse of the Corps in their prime back in GL Vol. 3, #100.
We get the same amount of, "Holy shit" here, being put into
the story to look at it through their eyes.
See some Ch'p.
Somewhere, there's like twelve Ch'p fans going, "Yeah!" I
like the little bugger, too, and it's good to see him here.
The next time we see him, it may be a black ring on his
little chipmunk finger!
Hal meets Kilowog. A
little less academic than the meeting we were privy to in
Emerald Dawn, but nonetheless effective. My greatest fear
here was that Geoff would sort of boil down their
interaction to just some kind of test of rings, "Who can
make the better beam" sort of a thing. Not so. We get a bit
of butting heads with the resident drill sergeant (to be
expected), but Kilowog does absolutely put Hal in his place.
I am sad, a little,
that I think it's kind of being forgotten that Kilowog was
originally a scientist. Yes, he's a rough and tough badass
drill sergeant instructor... but he was also more than that.
A page of intrigue on
Atrocitus being approached by... special ops? The big thing
here, and I think the DC Universe #0 too, is the Sector 666
thing. This is a new thing. I get that the Empire of Tears
probably spanned many, many sectors and such, but somehow
I'd just assumed that all of the people entombed on Ysmault
were of Ysmault... which is in Sector 2814. Not
really a gripe, just the thoughts running through my head.
Eager to learn more about Sector 666, of which Atrocitus was
apparently a "survivor" of. I wonder if this ties into when
Sinestro was wiping out systems/sectors with the Mad God
Sector?
Some great interaction
with Hal and Tomar Re. We see glimpses of the Book of Oa
where we see actual panels from the "Tales of the Green
Lantern Corps Annual" #2 that the Prophecy originated from.
Nice touch. A great montage with Hal being shown the ropes,
running through various training exercises.
We conclude with Hal
earning his GL symbol/badge quite ceremoniously, saying his
oath for the first time beside his other GLs. Then we see
Sinestro being called in to investigate the death of Abin
Sur by Ganthet.
Whom Sinestro is
shocked that he has a name. Now this is kind of a retcon in
itself. It is reasonable that Guardians don't often/ever
tell GLs their names... it is not reasonable that
Ganthet is the only/first Guardian to have a name.
There's been plenty that have been well documented. To name
just one -- I just happen to have Secret Origins #23 from
1988 on my desk -- there was Heru.
And kudos to colorist
Randy Mayor! Where was white boots now lay glorious green,
and fairly poppy colors. Moose is missed, but I had no
quibbles this issue with the colors at all.
Great -- not just good
-- issue of GL. My complaints with the issue remain on the
"geeky" level, but I absolutely embrace it as the strongest
installment in "Secret Origin" so far, by far!
