Green Lantern #20 – Jeremy Adams, Writer; Jack Herbert, Artist; Romulo Fajardo Jr, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: With the battle of Oa over, the Green Lanterns have turned their focus towards the rest of the universe. This book now seems to be coordinated nicely with its sister book in Green Lantern Corps, with Hal and Kyle taking the co-lead role alongside some unusual allies. And they’re in very different stories. Kyle is in the lighter of the two, partnered with cocky young hero Superboy and his new partner in crime Odyssey the Time Thief. They’re headed to the Source Wall, with a new face having appeared and a heist being needed to retrieve an ancient artifact. The new dynamic that the two teenage allies bring is a lot of fun, with Superboy taking advantage of his invulnerability in an amusing way. This makes me think Adams would be an amazing choice to relaunch Teen Titans when the time comes. But the main villains of the run are watching as well…
Hal, meanwhile, is on the trail of another fractured spectrum – this one rage, spurred on in one Erasmus the Blacksmith. A mild-mannered craftsman, he’s pushed too far by the corrupt local government, his cheating wife, and local bullies until his finally snaps. The next thing you know, he’s spitting fire and using his red-powered hammer to carve a trail of carnage across the planet. Hal shows up, trying to talk sense into him, but it doesn’t work and the only answer is to fight back. But as Erasmus’ rage builds and builds, it eventually starts to fully consume him the way the red ring always did. This is a dark segment, very reminiscent of classic movies like Falling Down where the ordinary guy has finally had enough – only with aliens. And as the story comes to a close, it becomes clear that not only are the fractured spectrums wreaking havoc, but they may be destroying worlds as well. Another incredibly strong issue.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
