Red Lanterns: Unused Potential
Red Lanterns is a title I have read intermittently since the launch of the New 52. I like the idea of this book but I wonder if it is being used to its full potential or not.
The Good
As I said above, I like the IDEA of 'Corps' books. The flexibility to explore a milieu of characters from a variety of planets within an organization that extends through out the cosmos seems like it would be an awesome experience for a writer. But for some reason, I only see this book and the Green Corps books consistently criticized, not that I can blame the critics. I also like some of the independent elements from the series such as the awakening of the Manhunters, which can get interesting. I like that we are now seeing intelligent Red Lanterns. I like Bleez as a character. I like the idea of their being a Human Red Lantern.
The ideas are good but the execution just seems... well... bad...
The Bad
For all the good and potential ideas this title boasts, I don't feel they are being executed well. In this months issue, which frankly I only picked up for the Third Army tie in (even though I'm not really enjoying the event as a whole either), we just jump around far too much. Four different stories are explored from cover to cover and that is just too many! And some seem nonsensical and needless. It feels like Peter Milligan is torn between telling his own stories and telling the overall Third Army story. There is just not enough focus given to events and characters.
And speaking of characters, I don't know how strong these ones are. They seems to slip from Rage Off modes to Rage On modes at random. Rankor is the worst offender of this being completely consumed by his Rage On second only to be startled out of it at the sight of an innocent he had hurt before only to be prodded into it again by the tag along Bleez. It just doesn't feel cohesive for any of the Red Lanterns.
Overall, I found myself struggling to give this title 2 and a half stars. I want to like it more, but the title needs help.
