The Good
Simon Baz is becoming more and more likable with each appearance. This isn't to say he wasn't likable from his first appearance but the more we see, the more we see how capable a Green Lantern he will be. The biggest problem he had before was not knowing how to fully operate his power ring (it ran out of power last issue in the middle of a fight). This gave him a Greatest American Hero feel (hopefully I'm not the only one that remembers that show). Having finally met a fellow Green Lantern, Baz is figuring things out. We're seeing what he is made of and getting closer to finding out what happened to Hal Jordan and Sinestro.
Geoff Johns gives a great mix of action, humor and plot development in this single issue. We may not know what the future holds for Hal and Sinestro but knowing that Baz will eventually end up on Steve Trevor and Amanda Waller's Justice League of America team is fun to think about.
As the story unfolds, you can't help but wonder why Baz specifically was chosen. That's part of what makes him a fascinating character. You'll find yourself hanging onto every little tidbit of information in wondering if he was chosen by the ring, Hal, Sinestro or just a mistake. You will see what Baz is made of and the level of determination he possesses. If there were any doubt as to his worthiness of being a Green Lantern, it should be clear now.
As much as I enjoy Johns' story, each issue I am so thankful to see Doug Mahnke's art. When I see the way he draws Baz or Sinestro or even B'dg, this is how I want to see them drawn. Seeing Baz holding a power battery just looks so right. Also I can't get enough of Baz in costume. The way the colors jump off the page really gives him a distinctive look. Seeing the way he looks in this issue compared to the ad for JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA shows what Alex Sinclair can do.
The Bad
We need more Hal and Sinestro. While they sorta make an appearance in the issue, it's really only on the last page we get to see them. That last page is pretty mind-blowing but I can't help but want to see more Hal, even though Baz is shaping up to be a pretty dang cool Lantern.
I'm ready to stop seeing "Rise of the Third Army" on the cover.
The Verdict
This arc should be called "Rise of Simon Baz, the cool new Green Lantern." Creating new likable characters isn't an easy task. Geoff Johns made Simon Baz likable from his first appearance. Seeing him here, we really get to see what makes him tick. There may be some questions still as to why he was chosen to be the bearer of the ring but he's showing he truly is worthy of it. Johns and Doug Mahnke make an incredible team in delivering high octane Green Lantern action. This issue is a great mix of action, story development, humor and shocks. Hal Jordan is one of my favorite characters and it'd be nice to see more of him but Baz is making his way to being great in his own way. Whenever we get a new issue of GREEN LANTERN, it's a great week. You'll dig the entire issue but wait until you see the last page...