Sunday, November 4, 2012

Leading The Corps From The Brightest Day To The End Of The Universe, Green Lantern Corps: The Weaponer Is Brief, But Decent!


The Good: Generally decent story, artwork and character development
The Bad: Very short and uncomplicated, Main characters do not develop
The Basics: Sinestro is given the opportunity to save his daughter, but starts a war in the antimatter universe instead in Green Lantern Corps: The Weaponer.


It has been a long time since I read a graphic novel that just flew by. And yet, Green Lantern Corps: The Weaponer, which is a tangential story to Brightest Day and precedes War Of The Green Lanterns (reviewed here!), is one of the fastest reads I have read in quite some time. With only five issues compiled here, Green Lantern Corps: The Weaponer is a decent bridging story that puts Sinestro on a reasonable course to be a hero as he adamantly refuses to be the villain of this book.

In fact, before the “New 52,” the Green Lantern Corps storyline seemed to have a pretty strong direction of its own. The New 52 did entirely muck is up, but Green Lantern Corps: The Weaponer puts into play another element that it seems like it would have to deal with with the continuing storyline as opposed to resolving things in a final way before the reboot. Just as The War Of The Green Lanterns made a fundamental change to the Green Lantern mythos, Green Lantern Corps: The Weaponer adds an element to the Sinestro Corps that makes for a compelling new direction. I can only hope in the New 52, this storyline continues in order to see where it will go.

While Kyle Rayner is on Korugar, he works to maintain the peace between the Green Lanterns and the Sinestro Corps. When it seems a confrontation is inevitable, the impending fight is broken up by an unlikely person. The Weaponer Of Qward, the being who created the Yellow Ring of Fear for Sinestro, has come into our universe and using Kyle, he lures Soranik Natu, daughter of Sinestro, back to Korugar. The Weaponer abducts Soranik and takes her to the antimatter universe, instructing Kyle Rayner to get Sinestro and bring him there.

Kyle attempts to get Sinestro to go along with him, but Sinestro refuses to go along with the Weaponer’s wishes. As Soranik reasons with the Weaponer, Kyle marshals the forces of the Honor Guard and brings them to rescue his girlfriend in the antimatter universe. But the rescue mission is complicated by the fact that the Weaponer is utilizing the White Lantern’s power and the Sinestro Corps soon arrives to lay waste to the Weaponer and his people!

Green Lantern Corps: The Weaponer is a very simple story. It is a hostage situation that is the story of the taking and rescue of Soranik Natu as a hostage. Beyond that, there is remarkably little in the way of plot or character development. In fact, Sinestro and the Weaponer are given more to do, more ways to develop and grow than Kyle Rayner or Soranik Natu.

The artwork in Green Lantern Corps: The Weaponer is good, though one or two panels of Soranik Natu look under-detailed. In part four, one of the Yellow Lanterns looks like a purple version of the Hulk. Kyle Rayner, the Weaponer, and Sinestro all look distinctly like they are supposed to.

The Brightest Day aspect of the graphic novel comes into play as this story falls in with the inclusion of the White Lantern energy in the hands of the Weaponer. Ganthet shows up and reveals the quest he and Guy Gardner (and Atrocitus) are on that precipitates the War Of The Green Lanterns. The final chapter of Green Lantern Corps: The Weaponer includes a pretty abrupt random element with Firestorm’s sudden appearance and that is solely for the Brightest Day crossover.

Green Lantern Corps: The Weaponer is a good story, but it is hardly an overwhelming story that stands on its own well. It’s worthwhile for those who love Green Lantern and the Green Lantern Corps, but not at all exceptional to make a statement beyond the history of the DC Universe.

For other Brightest Day works, please check out my reviews of:
Brightest Day - Volume 1
Brightest Day - Volume 2
Brightest Day - Volume 3
Brightest Day: Green Lantern
Brightest Day: Green Lantern Corps - Revolt Of The Alpha-Lanterns
The Black Ring - Volume 1
Green Arrow: Into The Woods
Justice League: Generation Lost – Volume 1
Justice League: Generation Lost - Volume 2
The Flash: The Dastardly Death Of The Rogues

6.5/10

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

© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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