NEW 52 REVIEW: Green Lantern Corps #1

With four Green Lanterns coming from our planet, and 7200 GL’s across the universe, there are plenty of stories to be told. So, who gets to take center stage for this run? Find out after the jump…

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #1
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Artist: Fernando Pasarin
Inker: Scott Hanna
Colorist: Gabe Eltaeb
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Cover Artist: Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy with Randy Mayor
Editor: Brian Cunningham
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.99

Previously in Green Lantern Corps: The Green Lantern Corps are the universal cops. Powered by green rings and chosen to overcome great fear, the Corps has to deal with some of the greatest threats to ever exist.

SECRET IDENTITY, SHMECRET IDENTITY

The first couple of pages are set up for what will be the first story arc for the book. We open with a criminal in a power ring cage taunting the two Green Lanterns who have captured him. The exchange is handled rather well as, while the “villain” is making with the clichéd threats, the Lanterns are discussing trivialities and going through typical procedure. Unfortunately for them, a silent and invisible assassin takes out the criminal before proceeding onto the (probably too easily defeated) Lanterns themselves.

Cut to Guy watching an astronomy presentation in an observatory. This next segment is really well handled, showing us the two primary characters, Guy Gardner and John Stewart, attempting to have a normal life. Guy is merely interviewing for a coaching job while being pestered by a number of the other interviewees about life as a GL, only to then find out he won’t be hired because of said life. John, being a highly regarded engineer, on the other hand has a job. Unfortunately for him, he has to explain the concept of being a hero and saving lives to the people who are trying to dismiss his safety measures. The two meet up on a satellite later to discuss why they are trying to have a normal life and decide that it’s probably not worth it, time to head for Oa.

Once on Oa we get my favorite moment of the book, Salaak. Salaak and Guy’s relationship is rather sibling like and antagonistic. While Guy and Salaak start butting heads on the two earthlings’ decision to leave Earth, John notices the deaths of four Lanterns (the two from earlier and two more). Guy and John then join an investigating group of Lanterns, Hannu, Brik, Isamot Kol and two Lanterns I’ve never seen, Sheriff Mardin and Vandor. Unfortunately, the story ends a page later as they find a message in the form of an evaporated water planet and two dead Lanterns on pikes.

CONSTRUCTS ARE FUN

We get a good idea of how both Guy and John utilize their rings with just what constructs they make and when. Guy almost thinks aloud with his, as he shows off juggling two lives and a pair of six shooters at different points. John’s is, of course, detailed and you see them be built and utilized for specific purposes. We also see a lot more of the personal expression given to any of the Lanterns as most of them have a more personalized costume than normal. Otherwise, we get some really cool aliens that aren’t too alien and some fantastic reaction shots from both Guy (frustration) and John (anger). All around the art is very solid and I, surprisingly, have zero complaints.

BOTTOM LINE: Get It, It’s Good.

This is a quite good setup for John and Guy, giving us logical reasons as to why they would leave Earth and a decent connection between the two on a personal level with the whole lack of secret identity thing. I do have two disappointments though. First, the bad guy: He isn’t seen unless it’s his perspective and he far too handily wipes out a pair of GL’s. The setup just seems too familiar. Secondly, the lack of specific Lanterns, most notably Kilowog and Kol’s partner Vath Sarn. Of course, that second is mostly a nitpick and likely to be addressed either later in the series or during one of the other Lantern books. Either way, the book is good and gets a well deserved 3.5 out of 5 stars.

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