The Good
Just like the other Wrath of the First Lantern tie-ins, this issue revolves around one key character. In this case, it's John Stewart. So, if you're a fan of the architect and U.S. Marine, then odds are you're going to have a good time here. Peter J. Tomasi lays out an interesting study of the character and aims to present the core of who he really is and what makes him worthy of the ring.
In true First Lantern fashion, this issue also dives into a handful of "what if?" scenarios from the character's history. We dive back into key Stewart moments in the Green Lantern mythos and the babbling villain reveals to us how it could have played out differently. Each is usually quite violent and fairly creative. There's a moment in there which made me feel like this issue was a Valentine's Day special. Cute, but a little too cheesy for my taste.
Scott Hanna, ChrisCross and Gabe Eltaeb do an able job with the visuals here. There isn't really a standout page among the group, but each manages to deliver a more than adequate amount of detail, shading and, of course, vibrant coloring. The horrific kills all look solid, as do the strong reactions as Volthoom reveals these alternate paths. I imagine The First Lantern is a double-edge sword for colorists. There's plenty to work with and it certainly looks like a fun challenge, but that has to be rather time consuming, too.
The Bad
Seeing as this is jumping into John's history, there's a whole lot of exposition going on in these pages. The First Lantern sure loves talking and that holds true here. It's great for new readers or people unfamiliar with the Green Lantern, but this can unfortunately feel tiring or repetitive for long-time fans of the character.
The Verdict
While this is technically Part 6 of the event, it doesn't really come off as mandatory reading. If you're a big fan of John Stewart or a completionist with Geoff Johns' final GL story, then yes, this one's worth a purchase. But if you're not a die-hard fan of the character or just want to know the basics of what goes down in Wrath of the First Lantern, then I'd say this one falls somewhere in the middle.