The Good
Many love the diversity being placed in DC Comics and others feel it's a little forced but the fact is we are getting it. From the very first page, we get a strong feel of who this new character, Baz, is and where he comes from. The first two pages show us what life for an Arab-American is like. It may not fully convey some of the difficulties that have to be faced but hopefully it will open the eyes of those that might not be completely tolerant of differences in our society.
We're getting a new Green Lantern? How come? Isn't this series about Hal Jordan and Sinestro? This is not your typical issue of GREEN LANTERN. When you see who Baz is and what his profession is, you'll wonder what's going on.
This issue does pick up after the events of GREEN LANTERN ANNUAL #1, which puts it at the present. The Guardians of the Universe are determined to do away with all the Lantern Corps yet we're still seeing the birth of a new one.
The events that land Baz to his current predicament serve to further illustrate who he is. He's far from the typical GL candidate and you'll be asking yourself how he could possibly become one. But obviously there is more to him than it seems.
It's a little strange reading this issue knowing what's going to happen. He's going to become a Green Lantern and eventually become part of the new Justice League of America. With the suspicions over the formation of that team, you can't help but start wondering what kind of Lantern is he going to be? Will he be completely on his own or could he possibly be manipulated by others? There is a lot of unknown despite knowing where this path is taking him. He has a bit of a loose cannon feel and that's part of what will make this a very interesting ride.
Doug Mahnke knocks it out of the part once again. He always excels at pouring so much expression in the eyes of the characters. You can see and feel what they're thinking. There's also the way Baz looks in his civilian guise. Baz isn't a regular white comic book dude and it shows. We also see Baz in a place we don't really see often in comics. The everything looks as it plays out really enhances the suspense and heaviness the script requires.
The Bad
It does seem a little weird that this is a 'zero' issue yet it doesn't fit in as an actual issue #0. Because this takes place after the events of the annual and GREEN LANTERN #12, it would make no sense if you read this before GREEN LANTERN #1.
Baz's different ethnicity is great but of course we have to wonder how come all the Lanterns on Earth have been male and living in America? I am absolutely loving Baz so far but can't help but wonder what if a female was chosen instead.
The Verdict
We have a new Green Lantern and it's a great introduction. We've seen many different Green Lanterns on Earth and from different planets. It's might seem easy to simply create a new one but it's not easy to create a really cool one. That's exactly what we have here. Right from the beginning, you get the sense that this is a different type of Lantern. He comes from a different place and not necessarily because of his race. I'm a huge Hal Jordan fan but I am totally okay with Hal being out of the picture so that we can see more of Baz. It might not make sense that this is an issue 0 since it won't fit in sequentially in the series but as an introduction to a new character, Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke do a spectacular job. There are plenty of other characters missing in the New 52 but as a new character, Baz will definitely earn his spot as another great DC character.
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