Saturday, December 19, 2009

Green Lantern Corps #43

As much as I'm enjoying the Blackest Night mini-series and the ongoing Green Lantern comic, I find I'm struggling to maintain interest in the Green Lantern Corps.

I think that's because it's trying really hard to be a hard-hitting action fest (and succeeding to a large degree), but it often just feels like the equivalent of someone screaming constantly - the story is all noise and explosions, and not enough actual story development.

The past few issues have focused on the war with the Black Lanterns, but it's all fighting and killing and ranting and little else.

Most issues have a shocking development, and this time around (as you can see on the cover), we have Guy Gardner becoming a Red Lantern, as a tragic event causes his rage to consume him.

Guy is mostly written as a volatile character, but even for him this change to a rage-filled monster is just way too extreme - it just happens for shock value, not because it makes sense.

I like Patrick Gleason's art here, although like the story it's sometimes too frenetic to keep up with - lots of energy crackling, explosions, bodies hurtling hither and yon - all done with great skill, but a quiet moment or two wouldn't hurt.

I will say that the ending was very well done, and more than anything else in the issue makes me want to come back for the next chapter.

This comic badly needs a resolution, but it's safe to say we probably won't see one until the Blackest Night wraps. Until then, expect lots more screaming.

Grade: C+

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