REVIEW: Green Lantern #67

Or – “THE BRAWL TO END IT ALL!!!

A Mean Tantrum ’bout de’ Green Lanterns!
The Big Dance with the Guardi-ance!
The Smash-Face in Deep Space!
The Pain Felt in the Asteroid Belt!
The Bombardiers in the Upper Atmospheres!
The Altercation for the Spectrum Nation!
The Big Ol’ Fight with Creatures Of Light!
The Grudge-Filled Ruck-os in the Endless Cosmos!
The Bellicosity at Escape Velocity!

It’s kind of a slobberknocker is basically what I’m sayin’, here…

GREEN LANTERN #67
Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciler(s): Doug Mahnke
Inker(s): Christian Alamy/Keith Champagne/Tom Nguyen/Mark Irwin
Cover Artist(s): Mahnke & Alamy W/Mayor/J.G. Jones W/ Alex Sinclair
Colorist(s): Gabe Eltaeb/Randy Mayor
Letterer: Nick J. Napolitano
Editor: Brian Cunningham
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99

Previously, on Green Lantern: The random possessions of Hal Jordan (by Parallax) and Kyle Rayner (by Ion) were not at all the random things they seemed to be.  Each of these entities turns out to the the living embodiment of one of the colors of the emotional spectrum, and in recent months ALL of those colors (at least the ones arbitrarily visible in Earth’s atmosphere) have gotten their own rings, Lanterns and embodiments.  When rogue Guardian of the Universe Krona began capturing the various entities for his own purposes, no one would have dreamed that he would infect his own dwarfish blue brethren with the various neon-sign creatures, leading to a massive battle for the universe…  the fourth one in recent years.  These poor Lanterns barely even get to go to the restroom before a cosmic schmageggi breaks out, anymore…

Color Me Your Color, Baby…

After their own rings were confiscated, the ‘Gang of Four’ Earth Green Lanterns have finally regained their rightful place in the GLC, and have rallied the Corps to battle Krona and the possessed Guardians of the Universe.  With Indigo-1, Carol Ferris, Sinestro, Atrocitus, Larfleeze, Sleepy, Dopey and the Grey Lensman possessed by the Book of the Black, they’re somewhat short of firepower, though, causing them to have to improvise.  There’s a lot of lovely Doug Mahnke space-monstery-ness going on, as well as some nicely done computer coloring, but the fighty-fighty is still a bit nebulous in how it all comes together.  Knowing that the key to freeing themselves from Ion and Parallax was an ’emotional exorcism,’ Hal comes up with a cunning plan:  He opens the Book of The Blackand hands Kyle a big green glowing pencil.  As much as I like making Kyle an important part of the climax, here, using his creative prowess in such a prosaic manner seems a bit…  I don’t know… weenie?  “Here, the real men will fight over here while y’all use that imagination thing o’ yers’ to whip us up some cavalry, wah HAH!”  (That’s Hal as John Wayne, for those who couldn’t ‘hear’ my terrible impression.)

By Your Powers COMBINED!!!!

Still, the gambit works, as Kyle is able to create a scene of the multi-hued Lanterns breaking free of the Book, and since everything in the Book of The Black really happens, then…  Wait, what?  My brain…  It hurts.  In any case, Atrocitus, Carol, Sinestro, Larfleeze and company (Attorneys At Law?) leap out of the book, and their rings suddenly appear to re-Lanternify them…  only to be snatched away at the last second by Krona!  The Rogue Guardian uses his seven lady truckers rings of power to crush the life out of Hal, asking him why he would defend the same Guardians who rejected him and his friends.  Hal responds by telling him that life is subjective, that our flaws make us who we are, and there’s a weird moment as Sinestro listens in disbelief, then takes up arms to fight alongside his oldest foe.  Observant Spoilerites may not be surprised by what happens next, and Hal and Sinestro band together to defeat the Mad Oan, blasting Krona right through the chest.  The Guardians of The Universe return to (what generally passes for) their senses, view the carnage, and come to an immediate decision:  Hal Jordan is to be stripped of his ring and rank, and exiled back to Earth for the crime of killing a Guardian.

The Verdict:  This Isn’t How It’s Supposed To End…

Did NOT see that one coming, even after DC’s late announcement, but I have to say that I like it, not because it will knock Hal down a peg, but because it should allow the creators to show us WHY they believe he is the one, true Green Lantern.  Those who have said that Green Lantern isn’t going to have any changes in the big September relaunch should probably get some salt, as they’re going to have to eat those word.  Still and all, this issue isn’t as strong as I would have liked, with it’s near-maniacal focus on one man in the middle of what is supposed to be a giant intergalactic conflict.  Aside from Kyle and Sinestro getting their brief moments, nearly no on else matters in the battle.  John and Guy get a handful of lines, while Arisia and Kilowog are pretty much human scenery (albeit of a non-human variety.)  There is some (probably intentional) confusion about whether or not the Gruesome Twosome really meant to kill Krona, and the Guardians are once again maddeningly obtuse, but on the whole it’s a strong enough issue.  The art is well handled throughout, and the book reads smooth, with a shocking reveal or two.  Green Lantern #67 is at least an interesting set of developments, earning 3.5 out of 5 stars overall.  With luck, they won’t immediately return to the status quo come September.

Faithful Spoilerite Question Of The Day:  This issue is full of rainbow combat, and the monsters of the spectrum take center stage, but have we gotten to the saturation point on the emotional spectrum and all the various colorful Lanterns?