Keep being awesome Kyle
This Review will be posted in my School Newspaper
Two weeks ago we took a look the zero issue for Green Lantern. Despite being well written and telling a compelling story, it focused more on the plight of Arabic people in post 9/11 America than it did anything Green Lantern related. As I mentioned last time, there have been several Green Lanterns over the years, Hal Jordan just being the most well known. Today’s comic not only deals with another one of those Green Lanterns, Kyle Rayner, but also the concept that is partially responsible for the recent surge in the popularity of Green Lantern comics.
Background:
The past few years have seen a dramatic increase in the popularity of Green Lantern comics, and much of that is thanks to the concept of the emotional spectrum. What most fans who are only familiar with the movies or cartoons may not be aware of is that green is not the only color a lantern can have. There are, in fact, seven different colored types of rings that grant the user power, each one representing a different emotion. There’s the Green Lanterns of course, wielding the green light of willpower, The Sinestro Corps, named so for their leader, The Green Lantern’s nemesis, Sinestro, who use the yellow light of fear, the Red Lanterns, who are all consumed by the Red fires of Rage, Larfleeze, who acts as the sole Orange Lantern due to the influence of the orange light of greed and avarice, the Blue Lanterns, who use the blue light of hope to aid people throughout the galaxy, the mysterious Indigo Tribe, who convert evil doers into agents for good using the indigo light of compassion and finally, the Star Sapphires, who serve the violet light of love. The different factions are at odds with one another most of the time, but in times of crisis are forced to work together. Today, merchandise related to the different lanterns can be seen worn by comic book fans, including yours truly, everywhere. The idea, from longtime Green Lantern writer Geoff Johns, has since brought Green Lantern into the mainstream in a way that it hadn’t been in years.
Kyle Rayner is a graphic artist who was chosen to be a Green Lantern during a time when the entire Green Lantern Corps has been wiped out. Recently, Kyle has learned that his unique origins have given him an ability to manipulate the other colors in the emotional spectrum, making him the perfect candidate to unite the seven factions.
Story:
After learning of the corrupt activities of the self-proclaimed Guardians of the Universe, the founders of the Green Lantern Corps, Kyle seeks out Hal Jordan, the original Green Lantern, but due to events in other books, Hal is nowhere to be found. Instead, Kyle finds Carol Ferris, Hal’s long time lover and member of the Star Sapphires. The two quickly learn that Hal was last seen fighting The Black Hand, a villain with the power to manipulate the dead, and so the two head out to find him and potentially lend a hand. They find no sign of Hal or Black Hand, but they do find plenty of zombies. During the fight Kyle taps into the blue power of hope, which happens to have the fortunate side effect of supercharging a Green Lantern’s powers, and defeats the undead hordes. This event activates the Star Sapphires ability to look into ones heart. Kyle are Carol are shown visions of Kyle’s future which reveal that it is his destiny to unite the seven powers within himself, and he’s going to have to do it fast because The Guardians have recently set into motion events that could devastate the cosmos if Kyle can’t stop them.
Plot:
For the better part of last year, this was the most consistently enjoyable book in my regular rotation. Instead of going back to the character’s origins like other zero issues have, this issue advances the story and lays the ground work for the next major story arc. There’s a new threat and a new development with Kyle starting to learn more about his new powers.
Artwork:
Nothing special exactly, but still retaining a lot of well drawn action scenes and bright colors, par for the course for a Green Lantern book. I particularly like the design of Carol’s new costume. For those not in the know, the costumes for the Star Sapphires overtime became a contest between artists over who can show the most cleavage. Here we have a far less revealing outfit that looks more like what a super heroine should wear.
Characters:
I’ve actually always preferred Kyle Rayner to Hal Jordan and the other Green Lanterns. As a graphic artist, he feels more suited to wield a ring that requires creativity and imagination to function. Kyle’s character changed and evolved over time, while Hal has remained a selfish Jerk over the years. Kyle’s Green Lantern is a lot like Spiderman, cracking jokes on occasion but serious when the situation calls for it. In essence, he feels like a much more well-rounded character who’s been shaped by his experiences and has learned to control his emotions, making him the perfect character to place at the head of this book. When Ryan Reynolds was announced as The Green Lantern for the 2011 film, many fans believed that the known comedic actor was more suited to play Kyle than Hal because Kyle’s personality was more compatible with Reynolds’ acting style. Also, Kyle and Carol have surprisingly good chemistry, despite having very little interaction up to this point. They trust and respect each other as fellow superheroes, but by the same token they have this interesting love/hate dynamic going on. Carol is definitely a welcome addition to this series.
Overall:
5/5
If you are looking to get into Green Lantern comics but are not quite sure where to start, I highly recommend that you pick this book up. Despite being a continuation of a twelve-issue storyline, this book feels very accessible for new readers and does a brilliant job laying the groundwork for the upcoming Green Lantern event, The Third Army. This is an excellent read for both longtime fans and new readers alike.
