OK that should do .
Yesterday the six month long maxi-series The Sinestro Corps War came to its explosive conclusion. while most big events start off with a bang and then taper off, Sinestro Corps keeps the high octane action going throughout all 12 issues. Even the one shots, which were mostly introspective to give readers a view on to what the characters motivation was, contained enough action sequences and character development to drive the story forward.
The surprising thing about this event is how contained it is. Normally in comics when there's an event like this it somehow impacts every other comic in its universe whether it be DC or Marvel. Aside from the aforementioned one shots and one issue of Blue Beetle, The Sinestro Corps War takes place only within the pages of Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps. Credit has to go to the writers as I really expected this to branch off into other titles and act as a building block for the upcoming Final Crisis. There was certainly enough villainy at work. The freaking Anti-Monitor came back, the biggest villain in DC's Rogues Gallery and Geoff Johns managed to keep him in that title and on the sidelines for the most part. It actually worked though, this arc (heck even the one shot special that launched it) was more epic then both 52 and Countdown combined. Had this spread throughout the DCU, the epicness and scope (perhaps counter-intuitively) would've been diluted.
For years, Sinestro has acted as the arch-nemesis of Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps in general. It wasn't until recently that he was made into the galaxy threatening badass that he was supposed to be. Some may not like the "Space Hitler" approach but seriously? It works, and it works a heck of a lot better then the ol' handlebar mustache that he was sporting back in the day. Even with Superman/boy/crybaby prime, Cyborg Superman, Parallax, and the Anti-Monitor, Sinestro took the role of chief villain in this arc as he should do. I was unsure of Parallax taking over Kyle, mostly because I thought this was only done so that the rabid Hal fanboys can revel in the petty joy of saying "Ha Ha Kyle sucks, he's evil how do you like it Kyle fans?" It wasn't as bad as I thought. It actually worked for the story.
This arc brings in everything that's great about Green Lantern, and superhero comics in general. Geoff Johns is an OK writer, but there are certain things that he just "gets". Green Lantern is one of them. It's because of this that the comic is one of the best ones out today. He gets all the characters and knows how they work. While it's clear that Hal is his favorite, he doesn't elevate Jordan by knocking the other three down like some writers would. Instead, he elevates all of them giving them the proper respect and making Hal the alpha dog of the bunch. It pleases not only silver age fans who adore Hal as "the true" Green Lantern, but fans of the more recent characters whether it be John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, or Guy Gardner.
Even with Countdown spoiling major plot points (ie the fate of Kyle Rayner, the survival of Superman/boy/crybaby Prime) this story line managed to keep me as a reader in suspense and eager to read the next issue. Not only does this series end with a bang, but the two page teaser for the next major arc left me speechless. It's sad that I want 2008 to be over so that we can get to this arc because it's a doozy. I'm excited for it, almost as excited as I am for the upcoming Ghostbusters game but that's neither here nor there.
The only caveat in this series is that there is a lot of background info required to read it. You can play catch up as they do a good job of explaining through dialogue what the reader needs to know but you might be better off doing some back reading. Rebirth is quite great in its own right and acts as a launch pad for this arc. If you can't afford them (they've gotten somewhat pricey) or don't want to do even more reading you can always hit up the Wikipedia for whatever issues may be confusing you.
What's surprising is who comes out the winner. Sinestro knew that the GL's couldn't win without enabling lethal force. He brought it up to almost every lantern he took on. When the guardians finally caved, it seemed like a turning point. It's true that the playing field was leveled as the Sin Corps started taking some hits. It turns out that's what Sinestro wanted all along. By pushing them to allow lethal force he has proven that he was right. Even after being left imprisoned, ringless and naked, Sinestro still takes away a moral victory.
What the Manhunters did to Hank Henshaw was really unforgivable and mean. He had what he wanted. They didn't even do what they did out of some sort of desire to save him. They were just serving themselves which makes it all the more heartbreaking. I actually found myself thinking "No! Don't do it!" when reading those pages.
I highly recommend this series. It's epic, the characterization is dead on, it strives for a Kirby-esque mythology and the art is top notch. If you're a Green Lantern fan, you'll love it. If you're not a Green Lantern fan, this may very well make you one. Beware their power Green Lantern's light!
No comments:
Post a Comment