Friday, August 31, 2012

Green Lantern Annual #1

Of all the mega-events that have plagued comics in recent years, some of the best have spun out of the Green Lantern series.

The Sinestro War is one of the gold standards for such tales, as it had far-reaching effects and told a cracking good tale at the same time. Events since then have been a bit hit-and-miss, and this annual kicks off the next big event - the Rise of the Third Army.

It places the Guardians in the role of the bad guys, as they collectively decide that the universe needs to be controlled. To that end, they set out to dismantle the existing Lantern Corps (including their own creation).

Apparently the feeling is that the third time is the charm - the Guardians tried the Manhunters (went crazy), the Green Lantern Corps (too independent), so now they're creating the Third Army, which takes a disturbing form.

The issue is a bit disjointed, as we uncover more ancient mysteries connected to the Guardians, we see longtime characters face death, get a glimpse of The First Lantern, and learn the fate of Black Hand.

It just seems to be trying to cover a lot of ground quickly. It does have the good sense to enlist strong artists for the job, as Ethan Van Sciver and Pete Woods turn in powerful visuals.

The event promises a three-month-long epic covering four different "Lantern" series.

We'll have to wait to see if this is another "Sinestro War" - or something far less.

Grade: B+

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2 comments:

Glen Davis said...

Didn't they just do this with the creation of the 'Honor Lanterns?"

Chuck said...

Actually, you're right - I had forgotten about the Honor Lanterns.