Green Lantern: War Journal #1 – Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Writer; Montos, Artist; Adriano Lucas, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: We’re in a great resurgence for the Green Lantern line, just like we were with Superman a few years back—and the same man is playing a key role in both. There was a little controversy when Phillip Kennedy Johnson was announced as the writer on a new John Stewart book, but he brings a unique perspective—as a current military reservist himself, Johnson is ideally suited to writing a character trying to shift from a military role (albeit a sci-fi one) to a civilian role. After a cosmic adventure and the GLs being shut down and turned into an arm of the United Planets, John Stewart is now living a simple life at home with his mother and younger sister (although that latter one has a sad twist to it). But he also has powers that he wants to keep under the radar—essentially being a living power battery able to summon Lantern constructs without needing a ring. And that’s something that some powers cannot abide.
Much like this week’s Wonder Woman, this issue has some pretty bleak scenes that make modern parallels unavoidable. When an officious, arrogant Lantern arrives at John’s home to take his powers, it leads to some intense and brutal scenes. But far away, a much bigger threat is emerging than police brutality. The issue opens with a chilling segment in which an astronaut on a spacewalk discovers a mysterious purple ring—one bearing the curse of the Radiant Dead. And into that breach steps Lantern Shepherd, a young multiversal Lantern who has been sent here from a dead universe to seek out John Stewart—whether the Torchbearer is retired or not. After a controversial previous run and a surprisingly long hiatus, the Green Lantern line is finding some real momentum again. And the interesting thing is, it’s being done with a status quo that doesn’t actually involve the Corps right now.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
