Green Lantern Corps: The Dark Side Of Green Showcases Two Adventures Of Guy Gardner!

The Good: Two good adventures, Interesting character mix, Interesting sense of voice in the first half of the book.
The Bad: No real character development, Feels like a lull between more important acts, Inconsistent artwork
The Basics: As the Green Lantern Corps is rebuilt, Green Lantern Corps: The Dark Side Of Green tells two Guy Gardner stories that flesh out some of the newer members of the Corps.


The more stories I read of Guy Gardner during the rebirth of the Green Lantern Corps, the more I like him. Kyle Rayner becomes something of a nonentity and John Stewart disappears from the Green Lantern narrative until a plot-convenient moment. But Guy Gardner is consistently doing things in the DC Universe and I actually like that. He has been transformed from an obnoxious, monolithic character into one who is fun to read and who actually makes sense as an Honor Guard Lantern. So, when I finally got in Green Lantern Corps: The Dark Side Of Green, I was – if anything – biased in favor of it. Unfortunately, it is stiflingly average.

Green Lantern Corps: The Dark Side Of Green comes at a time in the Green Lantern narrative when Hal Jordan has been resurrected and is on Earth. So, Guy Gardner has left Earth to go train new Green Lantern recruits in the new, better-than-before Green Lantern Corps. He is an awkward leader, but one whose adventures tend to get him into trouble when he is off Oa, in between training the new recruits. Green Lantern Corps: The Dark Side Of Green introduces more elements to the Corps that are intriguing and some of the new characters work so well that I found myself wishing that they had been in other parts of the narrative!

The trade paperback anthology Green Lantern Corps: The Dark Side Of Green is two stories in one book. The first story is “The Dark Side Of Green,” while the rest of the book is dominated by a second arc. “The Dark Side Of Green” is a three-part adventure that teams Guy Gardner up with new Lantern recruit R’amay Holl, a butterfly-like alien woman. The pair is sent with a message from the Guardians to Corona Seven, a frozen wasteland world on the edge of the known universe. There, they find Daggle, a shape-changer who has an allegiance to the Corps that is not made immediately clear. The mission from Oa, however, is exceptionally clear: Daggle, R’amay, and Guy Gardner must stop Dominator scientists from creating a new, more deadly race of Dominators that can threaten Earth once again. Mutating through the use of a powerful asteroid, a new Dominator leader plans to finish off the galaxy, starting with Earth!

There is actually quite a bit to like about “The Dark Side Of Green,” not the least of which is the way R’amay Holls speaks. She uses-speaks with language that frequently reflects-inflects the multiple layers of meaning she wishes-needs to convey at any given time-moment. It does not take long to realize what writer Keith Champagne is doing with the dialect and it works incredibly well to create a new, distinctive character. Moreover, the moments R’amay’s word choice contradicts itself, it illustrates well how conflicted moments can be and that is a nice touch.

The mission utilizes some pretty cool conceits. Because the three officers are going undercover, they cannot use their Rings. So, Daggle provides them with essentially a pill that gives them Green Lantern powers for a few days at a time, without their rings. This leads to some very cool character design elements that make this part of the story look and feel very fresh. Shrouded as they are, the trio gets into more dangerous situations, including Guy Gardner having his mind violated by a blind, mutated, telepathic Khund.

What character development there is in Green Lantern Corps: The Dark Side Of Green comes exclusively within this first story. First, R’amay Holl is hardly as naïve and powerless as she might initially appear. She becomes such an interesting and vital character that it actually upset me that she has not popped up in any subsequent storylines. She and Guy Gardner made an interesting team. Guy Gardner, whose heart is pretty much broken from the death of Ice (though at this point, she may have already been resurrected and just asking him for time to get her bearings again), is still something of a pig (checking out R’amay Holl while they are flying through hyperspace), but he seems to develop a genuine emotional bond with her over the course of the mission and that makes the whole adventure have a more realistic and compelling quality than yet another alien who wants to destroy the Earth.

“The Dark Side Of Green” would probably have meant quite a bit more to me had I read any prior work in the DC Universe that involved Dominators. As it was, there was nothing in the story that was incomprehensible, it just didn’t seem like any more of a threat than usual.

The latter (slightly more than) half of Green Lantern Corps: The Dark Side Of Green is a four-part story that brings together some disparate elements and storylines in the Green Lantern Corps. Starting with Salaak busting Guy Gardner for another year, Gardner is sent to assist two rookies in reassembling the multiplanet nexus Clustral. While Soranik Natu heals people on Korugar and works to overcome the prejudice against the Green Lantern Corps there, Vath and Isamot Kol visit Mogo. There, Vath hopes Isamot will get over his wife’s infidelity. But when the reptile encounters Green Man and is weirded out by him, he refuses to enter Mogo’s forest for healing. Kilowog, however, does not make the same choice. Frustrated by bickering between Soranik and her new partner, Princess Iolande, he visits Mogo and enters the forest.

There, Kilowog is infected by a fungus that turns him against the Corps. When Guy Gardner is accused of killing the two Lanterns he is annoyed at given complications at Clustral, Kilowog becomes furious at the due process he is given. With Soranik’s help, Isamot, Vath, and Guy Gardner journey to Mogo to find out what has gone wrong there . . . and to stop Kilowog from harming any of them in the process!

The second story in Green Lantern Corps: The Dark Side Of Green has a distinct lack of focus. The portion of the story that focuses on Guy Gardner seems all over the place until the tie to Mogo is made. The idea that Gardner might be accused of something horrible seems unfortunately familiar. However, at this point in his character arc, there is not likely to be any reader who actually believes that Gardner is a murderer, so it pretty much guts the character aspect of the story.

Like many Green Lantern Corps books, Green Lantern Corps: The Dark Side Of Green tries to service too many characters in the latter half. Vath and Isamot have pretty much already resolved their inherent issues as a Rannian and a Thanagarian. Soranik Natu, who has one of the longer character arcs, fits well with Princess Iolande and Green Lantern Corps: The Dark Side Of Green marks the beginning of their partnership. But Iolande, especially, has her own motivations and character complications that make it harder to buy when she just joins a team-up story. For a change, realism gets in the way of the story being told. By contrast, when Iolande and Soranik have to stop the Children of the White Lobe, that story is engaging. But, it does not contribute to the larger Mogo-related story; it’s a big universe with a lot going on.

This arc in Green Lantern Corps: The Dark Side Of Green is characterized by mediocre artwork. In fact, as the story opens, I swear the artwork takes on the form of Muppet Babies as Salaak and Soranik look like underdeveloped, childlike versions of themselves! The artwork is generally simpler in the second story and that makes the quality of the first story stand out.

The artwork is not enough to sink Green Lantern Corps: The Dark Side Of Green, but between the inconsistent artwork and the very predictable plot structure of the second story (and the lack of real character development there), Green Lantern Corps: The Dark Side Of Green is much more average than extraordinary.

For other Green Lantern Corps books, be sure to check out my reviews of:
Recharge
To Be A Lantern
The Sinestro Corps War Volume 1
Tales Of The Sinestro Corps
The Sinestro Corps War Volume 2
Ring Quest
Sins Of The Star Sapphire
Emerald Eclipse
Blackest Night: Tales Of The Corps
Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps
Revolt Of The Alpha Lanterns

5/10

For other graphic novel reviews, be sure to check out my Graphic Novel Review Index Page for an organized listing!

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Green Lantern Corps: Recharge Is A Mediocre Exploration Of The Rebuilding Of The Green Lantern Corps.

The Good: Moments of character, Decent starting point
The Bad: Light on character work, Plot meanders, Often mediocre artwork.
The Basics: The graphic novel Green Lantern Corps: Recharge introduces some of the fundamental characters of the new Green Lantern Corps to new readers.


As the year winds down, I have been stealing a little more time to actually enjoy books I want to read. I’ve managed to get in some of the Wonder Woman books I missed last year and I have been reading more of the Green Lantern books. Even though this is my Daredevil Year, I am finding I am pretty much done with Matt Murdock and his adventures. Despite getting much of the serialized story out of order, I am finding I enjoy the Green Lantern books quite a bit. The latest one to reach me is Green Lantern Corps: Recharge.

Green Lantern Corps: Recharge takes place shortly after the rebirth of the Green Lantern Corps. Oa has been restored, Parallax is in retreat and the Corps is looking to rebuild. This makes for a story that is very accessible to new readers, as it is the beginning of the current (well, pre-New 52 reboot) Green Lantern volume. And while Green Lantern Corps: Recharge does that fairly well, it is far from a flawless volume.

Struggling to find their place in the new Corps, Guy Gardner and Kyle Rayner are recalled to Oa. As black holes sprout up in various space sectors, Gardner and Rayner are given the assignment of training the new recruits. One of those new recruits is Soranik Natu, of Korugar. She is a doctor who wants nothing more than to return to her medical work when she is called by the Corps. Also among the new recruits are Isamot Koland Vath, of Thanagar and Rann, two planets currently involved in a bitter and bloody war. When the issue with the black holes takes precedence, Gardner and Rayner take a team to investigate the cause of the mysterious celestial phenomenon.

As Kilowog struggles to train the new recruits, Guy and Kyle fall into the lair of space spiders who are weaving a very dangerous web. After evading ridiculous bounty hunters, they come face to face with the Spider Guild and must work to protect Oa from an all-out attack.

Green Lantern Corps: Recharge has its moments, but it underwhelms because it is so straightforward. There are no great conspiracies here, this is not an epic story. It is a new beginning for the Corps and that is all it truly tries to be. As a result, a lot of time in the book is spent with simply illustrating how several of the characters are called by the Corps. That is hardly an extraordinary process.

What is neat, as one who has seen where the Saga goes, is the introduction of characters who become absolutely vital. Soranik Natu is a conflicted character from the beginning and her introduction in Green Lantern Corps: Recharge reflects that very well. Vath and Kol have a surprisingly short run in the Green Lantern storyline and their introduction in Green Lantern Corps: Recharge seems actually to foreshadow that. Because the two are from planets that are mortal enemies, there is surprisingly little for the writers to work with beyond that conflict. In other words, all that really makes either character interesting is their sense of conflict with the other, so there is not much to do with them once that conflict is solved.

That said, Green Lantern Corps: Recharge uses Guy Gardner very well. In fact, this might be one of the better Gardner stories and it reinvents him as both a fairly serious character and a real leader. It also establishes the problem Bolphunga has with him, so that was pretty cool.

The artwork in Green Lantern Corps: Recharge is wildly erratic, though. There are amazing panels, like Patrick Gleason’s representation of Soranik bound and near death. But then there are panels where Guy, Soranik and Salaak look like cartoon renderings of the characters.

In short, this book is a good start, but too erratic for most readers to consider truly indispensable.

For other Green Lantern-related books, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Green Lantern: Rebirth
To Be A Lantern
The Sinestro Corps War - Volume One
Tales Of The Sinestro Corps
The Sinestro Corps War - Volume Two
Ring Quest
Sins Of The Star Sapphire
Rage Of The Red Lanterns
Agent Orange
Emerald Eclipse
Blackest Night
Blackest Night: Green Lantern
Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps
Blackest Night: Tales Of The Corps
Brightest Day: Green Lantern
Brightest Day: Green Lantern Corps - Revolt Of The Alpha-Lanterns

4.5/10

For other book reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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Guy Gardner Becomes Fairly Interesting In Green Lantern Corps: To Be A Lantern!

The Good: Decent artwork, Fairly engaging story, Most of the character work.
The Bad: Slightly simplistic resolutions/villains.
The Basics: When Guy Gardner is compelled to serve the Green Lantern Corps past his one-year commitment, he finds going on vacation is the last thing the universe has in store for him in Green Lantern Corps: To Be A Lantern!


As my regular readers may have observed, despite this being my Daredevil Year, I have found I have much greater access to works involving Green Lantern or the Green Lantern Corps. As the year winds down, I have actually been enjoying my Green Lantern finds more than the few Daredevil works I have found of late. The latest such volume to cross my desk is Green Lantern Corps: To Be A Lantern. I was fairly excited to get this volume in as it is the first six books from Green Lantern Corps, a series I have enjoyed off and on.

While I had not been a fan of Guy Gardner, Green Lantern Corps: To Be A Lantern intrigued me because of the way it focused on the restaffing and growth of the Green Lantern Corps in advance of the Sinestro Corps War. The Green Lanterns have, in their recent history, undergone some serious threats. After being reformed, the Green Lantern Corps has survived the Sinestro Corps War, the Blackest Night and most recently, the War Of Light, in advance of the DC Comics reboot. Green Lantern Corps: To Be A Lantern lays the foundation for much of what comes later and that made it instantly enjoyable to read, despite the Guy-heavy storylines.

One year after Guy Gardner helped to restore Oa, the Guardians and the Green Lantern Corps, he finds himself exhausted. He also finds himself running into a very obstinate Salaak, who refuses to let him go on shore leave. It falls to Guy to assist many of the new Green Lanterns. Those Lanterns include Dr. Soranik Natu of Korugar. She and her partner have been searching for a killer, a search that takes them to Betrassus, a planet where the prince is obsessed with the Green Lantern Corps. As Natu and Gardner work to find who the murderer on Betrassus is, Isamot and his Rannian partner struggle to fight off invaders who flee into the forbidden Vega System.

Gardner’s problems only increase when he makes it to shore leave. There, he is hunted by Bolphunga. As new green lantern Princess Iolande begins her training, Guy must flee the unrelenting villain while searching for his stolen ring! The book concludes with a story that introduces Ranx, a sentient city that Guy and a new Green Lantern must thwart while searching for a dangerous thief.

To Be A Lantern is cool in that it introduces several characters – Soranik Natu, Iolande – who have very long character arcs and who are interesting. Soranik is a doctor and because she is from Korugar – home of Sinestro – she is distrusted. In this book, she has to leave behind an important part of her life in order to continue with the Corps and that makes for a good character struggle. Similarly, as the ruling leader of Betrassus, Iolande is used to being treated like a princess. In the Corps, she is treated like everyone else and that makes for an interesting character moment between Kilowog and Salaak.

What was even more interesting to me was how much of a presence Mogo is in To Be A Lantern. Mogo is a sentient planet and a member of the Green Lantern Corps. The sentient planet is tasked, at least after the Sinestro Corps War, with reassigning the rings of fallen Lanterns to new Corps members. In To Be A Lantern, Mogo has almost psychic powers and is basically the psychotherapist for the Corps. It is an interesting role and the relationships various characters have with Mogo make the planet seem very vital. Now I wish I had known the importance of Mogo when I first read the Blackest Night Saga!

The artwork in To Be A Lantern is homogenously good. In fact, writer Dave Gibbons and penciller Patrick Gleason have a bit of fun even with the art. So, for example, after a panel with Mogo – the round planet – the panels transition into a close-up of Soranik’s breast and pan back. While arguably gratuitous, it also smacks of commentary on how women are portrayed in comic books and I choose to interpret it the more highbrow way.

Having read much of what comes after To Be A Lantern, I can authoritatively state that this book is laying the framework of many, many important events and character moments for the Green Lantern Corps. What is so enjoyable about this graphic novel is that it doesn’t feel like it is just an extended set-up story. Instead, this book has a very organic flow and seems like it is its own thing. The fact that this is helping to establish a highly serialized story without making it painfully obvious only means that it is accomplishing its goal well.

For other Green Lantern-related books, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Green Lantern: Rebirth
The Sinestro Corps War - Volume One
The Sinestro Corps War - Volume Two
Ring Quest
Sins Of The Star Sapphire
Rage Of The Red Lanterns
Agent Orange
Emerald Eclipse
Blackest Night
Blackest Night: Green Lantern
Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps
Brightest Day: Green Lantern
Brightest Day: Green Lantern Corps - Revolt Of The Alpha-Lanterns

6.5/10

For other book reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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The Sinestro Corps War - Volume 1 May Be Fractured In Points, But Starts An Engaging Story!

The Good: Decent plot, Good artwork, Good sense of the larger DC universe
The Bad: Missing plot events, Awkward panel orientation at some points, Lighter on character development than I would like.
The Basics: Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War - Volume 1 awkwardly puts into play villains that have the capacity to redefine the Green Lantern Corps.


It is a weird thing getting a story out of order. Last week, I read and reviewed The Sinestro Corps War - Volume 2 (reviewed here!). Being pleased with the second volume, I was excited to get my hands on Volume 1. Now that the full Sinestro Corps War has been published as a single volume, I am able to recommend that book over The Sinestro Corps War - Volume 1. That said, the book is engaging and worth reading, even if the full story is much more worthwhile than this single volume.

Unfortunately, the Sinestro Corps War ends better than it begins. This part of the Green Lantern Saga follows on the heels of the Infinite Crisis (reviewed here!) and is pretty early in the rebirth of the Green Lantern Corps. The reader is best served by understanding the resolution to Infinite Crisis, which leaves some of the villains in the DC multiverse imprisoned in the Green Lantern Sciencecells. Sadly, while the story might be comprehensible without the understanding of Infinite Crisis, it is harder to understand without missing episodes. Throughout The Sinestro Corps War - Volume 1, events are alluded to that are supposed to coincide with events in the book. So, while prior outings like Guy Gardner going up against Ranx are adequately explained, transitions like what happens to Guy and John Stewart on Qward between are missing. Similarly, there seem to be some significant battle moments that are absent from this text.

As Sinestro builds in power by sending yellow power rings to the farthest reaches of the galaxy, the Guardians interrogate Hank Henshaw, the Cyborg Superman. As Sayd and Ganthet work to convince the other Guardians that a very real threat exists with the prophecy of the Blackest Night, Kyle Rayner tries to save a Lantern in need. With Ion inside Kyle Rayner, the Lost Lanterns feel free to express distaste in Hal Jordan. So, when Rayner is abducted by Sinestro to the antimatter universe, the threat becomes clear. Ion is expelled from Kyle Rayner and Parallax is put in his body in its place, which becomes the final component Sinestro needs in order to unleash his Sinestro Corps upon the multiverse.

Sinestro uses the Manhunters, Cyborg Superman, Superboy Prime, the Anti-Monitor and the Parallax-infested Kyle Rayner to wreak havoc on the Green Lantern Corps. After sabotaging the Green Lantern battery, the forces of Sinestro look like they might eradicate the Green Lantern Corps. With conflicts on Korugar, Oa's sciencecels, and Mogo, the Green Lanterns are ordered to fall back to Oa to protect the bastion of willpower in the galaxy. In fighting the lethal forces of the Sinestro Corps, many Green Lanterns discover their inability to use lethal force is a liability which creates a crisis of conscience within the Corps.

The Sinestro Corps War - Volume 1 is a plot-heavy setup book that puts the Green Lantern Corps in very real danger. The rise of Sinestro and the Sinestro Corps is dangerous and big for the DC Universe, especially with the adversaries he employs. Like most of the stories that have panels that are entirely devoted to villains, the book illustrates that villains are only out for themselves. For example, in one of Hank Henshaw's few panels after joining Sinestro's forces, he indicates to the Anti-Monitor his desire to die, a desire the Anti-Monitor will only grant after he does something for him. The idea that most of the Sinestro Corps is only out for themselves seems like it might lead to a tragic flaw in the Sinestro Corps, but the story is not even that character-based.

That is not to say that the book is without character. Writers Geoff Johns and Dave Gibbons begin to explore members of the Green Lantern Corps and Sinestro outside the main, human Lanterns. Sinestro visits Korugar and confronts Dr. Soranik Natu with the idea that Korugar needs order and the universe needs order as well. Sinestro makes an argument with her that the universe is in chaos and that fear, not willpower, and he manipulates her . . . supposedly for Korugar. Johns and Gibbons recreate Sinestro as a character who is merely philosophically different than the Green Lanterns, not just monolithically villainous. That is an interesting interpretation of the Sinestro character.

Beyond that, the book is more plot-intensive than character-driven. So, for example, while the Guardians begin to splinter, it seems less about a growth or change in Sayd and Ganthet's characters than a plot event that leads into Blackest Night. Similarly, while Sodam Yat is protected by the Guardians, this has nothing to do with his character in this story and, instead, more to do with a plot twist that comes in the second part. In fact, more than being about any of the characters growing or changing, what the book is more preoccupied with is the setting up of the resolution to the problem rather than enriching characters who will make the resolution happen.

At least as problematic as that is the artwork. Most of the artwork is actually incredible. So, for example, the transformation of Kyle Rayner into Parallax and Hal Jordan's fight with him is well-rendered. Unfortunately, there are several pages where the panels abruptly go in thin bands from left to right as opposed to down the left, then right pages. That makes the book far less fluid than I would usually like.

Even so, if the missing chapters were put in, The Sinestro Corps War - Volume 1 would be worth it. On its own, there is barely enough to make this worth reading, but in combination with Volume 2 the story is engaging enough to be worth reading.

For other Green Lantern-related books, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Rage Of The Red Lanterns
Agent Orange
Emerald Eclipse
Blackest Night
Blackest Night: Green Lantern
Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps
Brightest Day: Green Lantern
Brightest Day: Green Lantern Corps - Revolt Of The Alpha-Lanterns

5.5/10

For other book reviews, be sure to visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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Dark, Dangerous And Oddly Put Together, The Sinestro Corps War - Volume Two Starts The Green Lanterns Down A Dangerous Road!

The Good: Story, Action, Most of the artwork, Moments of character
The Bad: Parallax inclusion weakens that menace, Moments told out of order.
The Basics: Even knowing where The Sinestro Corps War - Volume Two was going, I found the story to be engaging enough to recommend to anyone who is a fan of superhero stories.


This morning, the first thing in my docket was a review of a graphic novel and for that, I turned to a saga I've been piecing together as the volumes come to me. While Wonder Woman may be my favorite DC Comics superhero, I have been gaining an increased respect for Green Lantern. Or, more accurately, I've been appreciating how serialized the last few years of Green Lantern comics have been and finding the conflicts and scale of them to be worth my time and attention. So, since getting into the whole Blackest Night Saga (how to read it is available here!), I have been picking up stray volumes of the various Green Lantern-centered stories that intrigue me and reading them. Today, that is The Sinestro Corps War - Volume Two. And before you go looking for it, no, I have not yet read and reviewed The Sinestro Corps War - Volume One, but both volumes are now available in a single anthology, as it ought to have been in the first place.

The Sinestro Corps War - Volume Two follows the events of Infinite Crisis (reviewed here!) and The Sinestro Corps War - Volume One and finds the Green Lantern Corps embroiled in a seemingly hopeless war against the Yellow Lanterns (Sinestro Corps) who have sprouted up rather suddenly. As the action of this book is engaged, the universe looks to be on the precipice of destruction as the Green Lantern Corps faces off against their equal numbers of Sinestro Corps members, Superman Prime, Cyborg Superman, a small army of manhunters and the Anti-Monitor. If those threats do not ring any bells, then The Sinestro Corps War - Volume Two might not be for you; the menace of the these threats to the DC Universe are well-detailed in other volumes, most notably Infinite Crisis. But, for beginners, having two Supermen to fight alongside the entity that is out to destroy the multiverse now that it has been reborn should seem like threat enough.

With many Green Lanterns slain already, the Lantern planet Mogo finds itself under siege by the Sinestro Corps City Ranx. As the two sentient land masses battle, on and in their surfaces, Lanterns fight for survival and dominance. As the battle moves toward its peak and the potential catastrophic loss on the side of the Green Lanterns, the Guardians of the Universe reveal a change to the Book Of Oa. The Green Lanterns are given the ability to use lethal force and they begin to cut a swath through the Sinestro Corps as they explore their newfound power.

But the change to the Green Lantern Corps is not the only judgment that the Guardians make that might be questionable. In attempting to stave off the Blackest Night, they work to keep Sodom Yat alive for a hidden purpose and they look to defend Oa against a Sinestro Corps attack. But their judgment is not omnipotent and Sinestro makes an attack designed for the symbolic value and to instill fear throughout the multiverse. As Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner attempt to free Kyle Rayner from Parallax, Sinestro leads an all-out attack on Earth and with the Anti-Monitor and Superman-Prime at his side, the death toll begins to mount fast.

The Sinestro Corps War - Volume Two is not only a conclusion to one story, but it is the opening to several stories I have already read and reviewed, most of which have more character elements associated with them than this tome. This is a bloody battle and the character elements are frequently glossed over, save with some of the secondary or supplementary characters. Sodom Yat becomes a viable character with his backstory on an ultraconservative planet being revealed. His childhood is filled with repression and torment and this start to his arc is interesting, especially knowing how it affects him later on. Sodom Yat, a rookie in this story, is brash, but is in the process of discovering his powers, powers that make him an even match for Superman. Sodom Yat's story is one that explores a new hero in the process of becoming and it is one of the few character-driven stories in the book.

The other big character-driven story in The Sinestro Corps War - Volume Two is the story of Sinestro. Sinestro actually sits out a surprising amount of the book, but when he comes in, his explanation for the formation of the Sinestro Corps is surprisingly revealing and establishes Sinestro as a far more conflicted character than writers less sophisticated than Geoff Johns, Peter J. Tomasi and Dave Gibbons have made him out to be.

As for the main characters, Hal Jordan is given a small arc where he has the chance to rip Sinestro a new one, but his level of character is about on par with Kilowog taking on Sinestro Corps member Arkillo (whom it is interesting for me to see with his tongue still intact!). Jordan comes face to face with Kyle Rayner as Parallax and that conflict seems remarkably simply resolved, especially considering Parallax absorbs Jordan again. The willpower or aftereffects of Jordan and Rayner in the wake of a Parallax encounter are completely glossed over.

This leads to one of the other odd characteristics of The Sinestro Corps War - Volume Two; the chapters are not quite in order. In chapter seven, Guy Gardner delivers a painting designed to trigger an emotional reaction to Kyle Rayner infected by Parallax, but in eight, Garner is still looking for the painting. When one is plotting out a heavily-serialized storyline, it seems like getting details like that correct would be of paramount importance to those involved.

That is not the only error made, though some of the worst errors come in the artwork. Near the beginning of Chapter Eight, a colorist miscolors two Yellow Lantern trails as Green Lanterns, which causes some pretty awkward dialogue to be uttered by the allies! Similarly, at the end of Chapter Six, a severely beaten Sodam Yat appears, his uniform completely in tatters. He is also missing his right leg from the knee down. At least, that is how it appears - a very close inspection shows the knee bent and the foot somewhat behind, but the artwork is unclear and troublingly sloppy.

All in all, The Sinestro Corps War - Volume Two is an engaging read and with the release of the complete The Sinestro Corps War trade, I would recommend that far more than this book on its own, but this tells an engaging story whose effects are still being felt in the Green Lantern universe!

For other Green Lantern-related books, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Rage Of The Red Lanterns
Agent Orange
Blackest Night
Blackest Night: Green Lantern
Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps
Brightest Day: Green Lantern
Brightest Day: Green Lantern Corps - Revolt Of The Alpha-Lanterns

7.5/10

For other book reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

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