Green Lantern Volume 3 The End Review

With the Guardians of the Universe having unleased their Third Army like a plague across the cosmos, two of the greatest lanterns Hal Jordan and Sinestro have disappeared. Their power ring has gone in search of a new recruit, the wrongly accused Simon Baz. This newcomer has joined the Corps in a time of great turmoil. He seeks to clear his own name and discovers was happened to the ring’s former wielders Hal and Sinestro as the Third Army rages across the galaxy. The third and final volume by Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke in their 2011 Green Lantern series, collects Green Lantern #0 and 13-20.

The Green Lantern series is hands down one of the best DC comics series in publication, in 2005 writer Geoff Johns launched the series, having resurrected fan favourite and most popular Green Lantern Corps members Hal Jordan, making him once again the greatest Green Lantern and turning the series into the epic space opera it is today.

Rise of the Third Army is crossover event across several Green Lantern related titles. The collection opens with issue #0 “The New Normal” released after Green Lantern Annual #1 in which the epilogue of the story depicts the beginning of the Third Army. Issue #0 tells the origin of latest lantern recruit Simon Baz, growing up he faced much percussion after the events of 9-11 due to this ethnicity. In his adult years he lost his job during the financial crisis and later got involved with street racing and car theft. One night he had stolen a van which he soon discovered was carrying a bomb, he drove to van to an abandoned location to avoid civilian casualties. His heroic deed was short lived as Simon was taken in by the FBI as a terrorist suspect. While most of the other zero issues are serving to reflect on the past of its titular characters, Green Lantern #0 is instead looked to the future. Introducing fans to the mysterious new Green Lantern of earth in a modern socio-political climate. He becomes the latest recruit of the ring, inadvertently escaping imprisonment much to the attention of the Government and Justice League. On the run and wanting to clear his name and find those responsible, it’s a modern political thriller told within within the pages of a comic about a cosmic police force becomes an engrossing thriller. It makes for a great and diverse story arc. The zombie like plague continues without much interference to Simon Baz’s own story,all the while getting a little teases at a time to the fate of missing Sinestro and Hal Jordan, somehow having survived their ordeal since we saw them last. With the conclusion of the first story arc, the Simon Baz story makes for a refreshing and fantastic debut story that’s intense, compelling and at times emotive and funny. 

The second arc of the book and crossover event; Wrath of the First Lantern, with the Guardians misplaying their hand, the mysterious entity has escaped his prison and wishes to rewrite the history of the Universe. While the story to this point has had its newest Green Lantern as the lead, the mystery of Hal Jordan and Sinestro is about to be uncovered since their disappearance at the end of Green Lantern Volume 2 Revenge of Black Hand, they retake the spotlight as the main characters for this final chapter of John’s Green Lantern story. Issue #20 marks the conclusion of the arc and as well as the final issue of the series writer Geoff Johns nine year run on the title. The 64 page special final issue packs a lot for this big story making it a thrilling and epic, a satisfying end to his Green Lantern saga. An instant classic, bringing his whole run full circle with epic moments. The finale of his run is one of the best comics you will ever read, it embodies so much that made John’s run so memorable, acting as a love letter to long-time fans of the series. 

One of the most exciting aspects of this final issue is how it’s presented, the framing device of the Bookkeeper of Oa telling the story to of Hal Jordan a young new recruit. Chronicling Jordan’s time as a member of the Green Lantern Corps before the story returns to the main narrative. This look back reminds us of the stellar nine year run of John’s time on the title. A lot happens in this final issue with the current conflict with some surprises and ends in a fantastic way. When most creative teams pass the torch on a series they set up a tease for the new team to take on, Johns end his differently and in a vastly more satisfying way. Rarely in comic series do we get a definitive ending, but it feels right since this writer has had such immense run on Green Lantern creating many new characters for the mythos. He gives each of main characters an eventual fate and it’s great to see and gives the title that necessary to allow the book to end with a special quality. With all corps of the emotional spectrum on the front line for the final battle, the reader’s emotions are very much at the forefront of this amazing and unforgettable story. The final issue is one part final battle against the First Lantern while the latter gives the series its big finale send off to an epic series. The collection includes a special retrospective on Geoff Johns’ run on Green Lantern, it all gives for a strong sense of closure to Johns’ epic saga.

Sinestro’s complicated backstory is put to good use and there are solid character moments for both he and Hal in the amazing final issue as the story reaches its conclusion. Johns’ run on Green Lantern was as much about Hal Jordan as it is about his arch nemesis, Sinestro. Their relationship became more fascinating in it’s the final chapter. During the events of the story the two understood each other like never before that produces a very poignant moment as a perfect endnote to one of the most complex relationships between the hero and a villain in comics.

Artist Doug Mahnke carries out brilliant art throughout the book. His costume design of Green Lantern Simon Baz has a real standout quality to it. The excellent art carries throughout the story with many excellent moments. Early on I particularly liked the scenes in where Simon Baz’s ring erupts with energy as Sinestro and Hal Jordan’s message tries to free itself form the ring. The imagery of their heads wrapped around heads is amazing. Mahnke does solid work in the book while artists Ardian Syaf and Szymon Kudranski take over for two issues with the latter doing a great segment in the dark of the Dead Zone. His dark monochromatic art style is fantastic and if you’ve read Penguin Pain and Prejudice you’ll know what I mean. Overall the art is excellent with a few guest artists on the special finale issue.

I was initially concerned with that the collection featured two crossover stories that can make for an incomplete story. Thankfully there was only one instance where that was felt and it was minor so it doesn’t affect the enjoyment of the stories. For a book consisting of two crossovers, very little is missed. The final run by John’s is excellent is what long-time fans of his series would be extremely happy with. The introduction of a new Green Lantern whilst tying up and bring a conclusion to many elements of his amazing nine year tenure on this revolutionary series. All great things come to an end and the finale of this series is a great conclusion that could have been hoped for, an epic hit. After nearly a decade, Geoff Johns bids farewell to the character and concept he redefined for a new generation, creating one of the definitive superhero sagas of this era. 

The End is an apt title for the collection, providing a conclusion to nine years’ worth of storytelling and redefining Green Lantern for this decade. Johns’ final chapter created the newest human recruit and while giving a satisfying end to all of the major characters that existed in his Green Lantern universe. The series still continues with a new creative team, although what Johns gave us seemed like a series finale of the series that he redefined for years to come. Johns ends his Green Lantern masterpiece with a stellar blockbuster. Amazing, after a nine year run, comprising over one hundred issues, he had taken a somewhat cheesy character and turned it into one of the most consistently thrilling, compelling and outright enjoyable heroes in comics. He made Hal Jordan one of the greatest heroes in comics and along the way writer Geoff Johns became a hero to all Green Lantern and comic book fans.

Green Lantern Volume 1 Sinestro Review

Sinestro, once one of the greatest of the Green Lanterns that were ever was. And in the wake of War of the Green Lanterns he has become a Green Lantern once more. One of the greatest villains in the DC Universe seeks the assistance of long-time adversary and Hal Jordan who is struggling with his own life that he was stripped of his power ring and is no longer a Green Lantern that is until Sinestro makes him an offer to once again become a Green Lantern and rescue the inhabitants of Korugar, the renegade Green Lanterns home world from the his own Sinestro CorpsCollects Green Lantern #1 – 6 by Geoff Johns with artist Douge Mahnke as part of DC Comics the New 52.

When I started getting into comics it just shortly before the DC Comics initiative the New 52, in which DC relaunched all its titles with new #1’s acting as a fresh start to all its titles. On first impression it appeared the Green Lantern title went back to when SInestro was a Green Lantern. The misconception here is that Green Lantern is one of the only titles of DC’s relaunch that remained unchanged by The New 52. The villain becoming a Green Lantern is just the next exciting chapter in long time writer Geoff John’s amazing Green Lantern saga with artist Douge Mahnke.

With conclusion of the previous story arc Hal Jordan is no longer a Green Lantern due to the belief that the Guardians of the Universe deem him to be too dangerous, they discharge him for the Corps taking his ring and sending him back to earth. As Hal tries to pick up the pieces of his life, struggling to live a normal life and mend his relationship with Carol Ferris, Sinestro is on Oa being reluctantly being re-inducted back into the Green Lantern Corps. As he is now reinstated as a Green Lantern the former villain sets out to protect his sector including his home world of Korugar which is under the control of his own Sinestro Corps. He requires help and gives Hal Jordan a chance to be a Green Lantern once more in exchange for his help to free his people. The two have a long history, and this story becomes more of a character driven story with complex rivalry between Hal and Sinestro. Even though the Green Lantern series follows Hal Jordan as its main character, in this story Sinestro becomes more of a main role in the tale. It’s a smaller scale story that follows the event of the massive War of the Green Lanterns story building towards another big Green Lantern epic by Geoff Johns. The best thing about the story is these two characters in a “buddy cop” style, emulating the relationship of the former friends back to their roles in Green Lantern Secret Origin, the origin story for Hal Jordan as Green Lantern and his first meeting of the pair. This story revisits the original relationship between the two characters while not forgetting their long complex history, it reinstates the teacher and student relationship with Sinestro in charge and Hal in the student role with limited power ring. 

It's a smaller scale story that's a bit more intricate than most, the pair have a long history with different methods and views paired together back in a story that makes for a great story with great art with imaginative work by artist Mahnke. The story has an interesting intriguing hook, that turns out to be a great character drama as they seek to rescue mission without being fully trusting of the rouge Green Lantern. The story produces some interesting character work, and after the previous arc of the War of the Green Lanterns, it stays away from galactic sized threats allowing time to build up a new larger scale story. It’s a nice change of pace while foreshadowing bigger threats to come. It’s a joy to read before what’s to come. It’s a more personal story focusing more on the entertaining rivalry of Hal Jordan and Sinestro.

Justice League Vol. 6 Injustice League Review

Injustice League is the next volume in the Justice League series by Geoff Johns. This latest volume's collection of issues is comprised of two story arcs from the series that follows up on the outcome of the Forever Evil mini series also by Johns. Now that Lex Luthor is a celebrated hero after defeating the Crime Syndicate and saving the world he seeks to join the Justice League. Joining the fight the approaching threat prophesied throughout the Forever Evil story arc. Doug Mahnke is artist for the first half of the book while Jason Fabok takes over on the second story of the book and is the newest artist on the series. Collects issues #30 - 39.

Lex Luthor - Hero, the former villain has saved the world from the Crime Syndicate after they easily took down those who had banded together to protect it; the Justice League. In their place an alliance of villains led by Luthor, he saved the world from their rule and now he demands his place as part of the Worlds Greatest Heroes as they prepare for an even greater threat that awaits them. It all makes from some stellar story telling and makes up to be one of the greatest collection of issues in the series since Throne of Atlantis. The last two collections the narrative was dispersed, the Volume 4 The Grid was part of the Trinity War crossover event and Volume 5 Forever Heroes was much better received as tie-ins to the brilliant Forever Evil event this latest collection gets back to its self contained single stories. 

The development with Lex Luthor gives a very intriguing new concept to the Justice League and the team wrestle with the decision of what to do. Superman is completely opposed to the idea while Batman feels it's the lesser of two evils, keeping one of greatest enemies under close watch. To learn more of the approaching threat that destroyed the Syndicate's home world, the League set out to find the latest host of the cursed ring that once belonged to Power Ring, the Crime Syndicate's version of Green Lantern. With this discovery leads to a new member of the expanding Justice League roster. With the conclusion of the Injustice League arc leads to setting the stage for the a thrilling story; The Amazo Virus. 

After the first arc establishes Luthor as part of the team the second story arc puts him on the front line with Superman Batman and Wonder Woman trying to stop the pandemic. This new take on classic Justice League villain Amazo, instead of the power mimicking android it's a infectious virus derived from the android that's already taken down the several members of the league while it gives humans a superhuman ability before it horribly kills them. It's Luthor's story, he remains at the forefront at the story arc where the league and the world need him most. Challenging him in his new superhero persona. Is the change genuine or all an act? In the aftermath of his grand victory in Forever Evil. The story continues to explore the growing emotional turmoil of whats driving him and playing up the mystery behind his motivations for joining the League. With a zombie movie vibe, it delivers a strong Justice League story anchored by a clever new take on Amazo and the unknown quantity that is Lex Luthor. he's presented in a complex and changing light. Captain Cold/Lenoard Snart is another new player in the book, after his part in the saving the world in Forever Evil, his past crimes have been pardoned and becomes Luthor's Head of Security at Lex Corp as well as his right hand man in the events of the Amazo Virus. He's part of some good moments in the story especially at the end of collection sealing his place in future Justice League stories. The book is filled with some great character moments, particulary the interesting dynamic between Luthor and Bruce Wayne/Batman. Throughout the book the team never fully trusts him, the reader and the league are always guessing is what is he up to, if anything? This makes the story so much more enjoyable.

New Artist Jason Fabok joins the series with this arc and provides some brilliant work for second half of the book, its a darker style, noir with a super heroic edge. The usual included extras are the character sketch book and variant cover gallery including both Batman and Flash 75 covers and Selfie and Monster variants too.

It's a great book, one of the greatest in the series since Throne of Atlantis putting the series back on fine form. With the Forever Evil miniseries gives way to a new status quo and for the Justice League. This ten issue collection of two stories with the first one being very good and the second being great with Luthor as part of the Justice League being the underlying premise makes for stories. The Flagship DC comics series is staying the strongest. It's a change in direction making it a good jumping on point for what is a relatively self contained story. The series feels renewed with a new sense of excitement, surprise and intrigue in anticipation for the next big story The Darkseid War.