Guy Gardner's task force intervenes in Daxam's politics, just as Sodam Yat is marshaling his cult into a force against the Guardians.
The Good
It's an odd thing to say, but I appreciate how Tomasi's characterized Sodam's father, and Daxam's government by extension, as stubbornly close-minded. Maybe it's because it's a refreshing counterpoint to the usual "holy natives" you encounter so often in alien stories, but I think the real reason is that this has an intriguing moral complexity you rarely get in superheroes. With equal validity, Sodam can be described as a deranged "rogue" or a rebel filled with righteous indignation.
The Bad
I hate to be the "science cop" because it was such a cool, well-timed scene, but the bit where Guy interrogates the one bad guy by bobbing his head over the atmosphere stretches the believability a bit too far. I wasn't even a wiz in physics, but I know that the ozone thins much more gradually than that. Also, while I'm waiting to see how Sodam's potential "heel turn" plays out, I do wish he could've picked a cooler symbol. He looks like he's the avatar of the Blair witch with this one!
The Verdict - 4.5/5
This is my favorite GL book, right now. Hands down. It does what I hope all space opera would do - - play out incisive morality plays across a galactic tapestry in a way that never skimps on action, attitude or accessibility. I'm really hoping they don't turn Sodam into a villain and make him a permanent member of the rogue's gallery, but the fact that I care enough demonstrates how strong the writing is.
This is my favorite Green Lantern book as well. It stars all my favorite characters from Tomasi's run on GL Corps. I was hoping to see Sodam join Guy's ranks, but it looks like he's going in a different direction. Solid read this month!
This is actually my least favorite GL book thus far, but am still enjoying and hoping with each issue that it takes another step up. This may be the one.
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