REVIEW: GREEN LANTERN #16

(w) Geoff Johns
(a) Doug Mahnke
(i) Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne, Tom Nguyen, and Mark Irwin

Since his first appearance in last September's Green Lantern #0, Simon Baz has polarized internet discussion boards for a variety of reasons. From readers who felt Baz was an unnecessary attempt at diversity, to those who felt his 'mistaken terrorist' storyline was too politically motivated, to others who simply disliked the fact that a Green Lantern was carrying a gun. Of course, for all the detractors, there were just as many fans who were vocal in their excitement for a superhero more representative of modern American culture. Green Lantern #16 offers a good helping of plot advancement thanks to the arrival of B'dg, a squirrel-like Green Lantern most recently featured in Robot Chicken's "DC Comics Special" in a segment highlighting some of the more ridiculous characters in DC's pantheon. It seems as though Geoff Johns took this slight to the might B'dg to heart. The adorably bad-ass B'dg becomes Baz's teacher/coach by default once he learns Hal Jordan is technically dead.

One of the best things about Simon Baz has been the way Johns has characterized him beyond the ring. Too many times in comic books, characters are introduced and made to accept their fate with little to no question for the sake of moving the story along quickly enough to keep readers interested. Johns, instead, has taken the time to flesh out Simon as a person. Simon's journey has two parallel narratives that play off one another and pay off in big ways throughout this issue. Simon's primary goal is clearing his name of terrorist actions. By focusing on a more human task, Johns is able to incorporate the Green Lantern element as the secondary narrative that's just now coming to a head. B'dg's arrival signals a turning point for Simon's career as a Green Lantern, from amateur with a ring to a member of the most powerful and revered peacekeeping force in the universe.

The final pages of Green Lantern #16 prove that Simon Baz is no temporary replacement; for a while, I was worried that Baz was more of an experiment that could be ended as quickly as it was started. Of course, that could still be the case, but Simon's inclusion in the upcoming Justice League of America coupled with the fact that the Green Lantern Corps really hasn't ever had a problem with there being an inordinate number of Lanterns from Earth points to his being around for a while. With "Rise of the Third Army" coming to a close next week, and "Wrath of the First Lantern" coming next month, I'm sure the Corps will be needing all the firepower it can get.

GRADE

8.5/10

REVIEW: GREEN LANTERN #15

(w) Geoff Johns
(a) Doug Mahnke
(i) Keith Champagne, Christian Alamy, Mark Irwin, Tom Nguyen

For the first time in three months and eleven issues (including this week's Green Lantern: New Guardians #15), "Rise of the Third Army" feels really grave. So far, the new army created by the Guardians of the Universe has been more theoretical in it's horror and scope, mostly growing in the background and scattered panels throughout Green Lantern Family titles. In Green Lantern #15, Geoff Johns brings the Third Army to a horrifying forefront, as well as continuing Simon Baz's journey as the most grounded and believable superhero in a long time.

Even before this issue, Simon Baz rebuffed most superhero cliches. Sure, he's a nobody from some city in Michigan, but Kyle Rayner was also a nobody in an alley. No, Baz stands apart because his journey didn't start with a power ring. Most any other hero you can think of (besides characters like Wonder Woman) begins their story with a mask, with the desire to do good in a world gone bad. Baz is simply trying to clear his name of terrorism charges for something he didn't do. Geoff Johns recognized how normalized the process of character introduction had become in the mainstream superhero world, and how the community at-large had just come to accept it. Sure, there's a whole world of independent comics that explore alternative origin concepts, but applying less conventional character development to a hero as popular as Green Lantern is admirable. (For the record, I love independent comics and the previous statement is in no way meant to undermine the quality or caliber of independent comics or publishers.)

The Third Army is so f*cking scary. I couldn't say that before reading Green Lantern #15. Geoff Johns managed, in two sequences, to achieve what Green Lantern Corps, Green Lantern: New Guardians, and Red Lanterns have failed to convey, and that's the pure breadth of this parasitic legion spreading across the universe. Maybe it was an editorial decision, but it seems like Johns simply had to punch things up a bit in order to get a little momentum with "Rise of the Third Army" going. And while the 'crossover' event has been enjoyable, it mirrors Scott Snyder and Jeff Lemire's "Rotworld" crossover in that they both seem to be floundering a bit, offering stories with little advancement or affect on the greater tale. Either way, seeing a planet-sized swarm of grey monsters made my stomach drop.

Green Lantern #15 is simply exceptional. Geoff Johns is literally building Simon Baz's character--his moral, his ethics, his personality--from the ground up as he deals with his personal issues while simultaneously trying to learn why he's received a Green Lantern ring and is being approached by a talking squirrel (for those who watched Robot Chicken: DC Comics Special, B'dg's inclusion in this storyline is just awesome.) "Rise of the Third Army" finally feels real, like something ominous and terrible is getting ready to devastate the entire universe.

GRADE

9/10

REVIEW: GREEN LANTERN #14

(w) Geoff Johns
(p) Doug Mahnke

This week, "Rise of the Third Army" continues in Green Lantern #14 as Simon Baz comes face to face with the Justice League. He's been deemed a suspected terrorist already, and now that he's got a Green Lantern ring on his finger, he's just a super-powered suspected terrorist. The first thing you're thinking is, "They get into a fight, right? Superman or Batman misinterprets something, and a construct gets thrown out, then it's just a big brawl, right?" Wrong. Simon knows he can't take on the entirety of the Justice League, and he doesn't plan to. Simon's self-awareness points to Geoff Johns' increasing efforts to make the newest Green Lantern a bit more relatable and realistic. Johns understands how cliched superhero meetings have become in recent years, so this first confrontation between Simon and JL is less about a show of force and more about a show of wits.

Simon attempts to remove his ring and give it to the Justice League when the spectral energies of Sinestro and Hal Jordan burst forth in an explosion of green energy to protest. This is where Johns could have gone the easy route and made all these heroes gang up on Simon Baz. Instead, Simon subconsciously uses the ring to build himself a getaway car, then twenty getaway cars to throw the League off his trail. Sure, the Flash and Superman are probably fast enough to have found Baz in the chaos of everything, but that's not what this story is about -- it's about Simon thinking outside the box and how that type of thinking has been absent from mainstream superhero comics for quite some time.

Johns also takes some time to build mythology through sequences featuring the Guardians conversing with the still-mysterious First Lantern, Black Hand's imprisonment in the Chamber of Shadows, and the Third Army ravaging the universe in the name of peace and order. I'm enjoying Simon Baz's personal voyage as he comes to terms with being a Green Lantern and what that means in the greater scheme of his life. And while there hasn't been a lot of crossover with the Third Army proper, Johns is obviously building to something that will test Simon as a GL and as a person.

GRADE

8.5/10

GREEN LANTERN #0

STORY: Geoff Johns
ART: Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy

I've been critical of Green Lantern as of late. Since DC's relaunch, my favorite franchise has been swimming around, unable to focus on a path for Hal Jordan or Sinestro, the two main characters who should have a clear-cut direction more than any of the other Lanterns out there. And I still stand by my convictions; Geoff Johns has obviously been building toward "Rise of the Third Army" for a while, and in that set-up, he focused so much on the forest that he forgot to take care of the individual trees. Last week's Green Lantern Annual #1 and this week's Green Lantern #0 are a return to form for Johns on this series, as he employs the invigorating, character-driven storytelling that's so ample over in Aquaman month after month. Green Lantern #0 focuses entirely on Simon Baz, the newest member of the Green Lantern Corps - or is he? In truth, the exact basis of his enlistment isn't exactly clear, but that's not really what this issue is about. Indeed, Johns takes his time this 'Issue Zero' to flesh out his newest Emerald Warrior before he ever receives the ring.

Baz is an Arab-American who grew up in Dearborn, Michigan, has two siblings, and whose life was turned upside down after the events of September 11, 2001. Fast-forward to the present, and we jump in with Baz in hot pursuit by the police after stealing a van, which he realizes has a massive bomb set to go off in less than a minute. He survives the bomb, but gets detained by the Department of Homeland Security. It's a lengthy process - the suspected terrorist situation - that Johns mirrors by the amount of time he spends with Baz's interrogation. Johns obviously has some opinions about the federal government's treatment of only suspected terrorists, and it's refreshing to see this expressed in a way that doesn't necessarily demonize the government as much as it questions the way our Defense Department operates. During his questioning, it's revealed that Baz worked at the decommissioned car factory that blew up when he drove the stolen van into the loading dock. At first, the significance of the location isn't even hinted at. Baz is asked why he decided to blow up his old place of work. He's asked if he has a vendetta against the United States. He's asked who instructed him to blow up a car factory. The entire scene is poignant and cuts deep to the heart of the discrimination and fear that overwhelms out country and by proxy, our government.

It's only when he's about to be literally tortured that the ring finds it's newest keeper. Baz breaks free of his captors grip and nearly escapes before having a gun pointed at his face. "Simon Baz of Earth," the ring explains, "You have the -- ERROR -- ability to overcome great fear." One simple word changes the nature of Baz and his identity as a Green Lantern forever. The ring's simple error - that originated when Hal and Sinestro were literally murdered in Annual #1, and Hal's construct ring remerged with Sinestro's ring - could have one of a hundred meanings. It could be that Baz isn't connected to the Green Lantern Central battery; it could mean the Guardian's don't know he exists; Baz could be the most powerful Green Lantern there is. It's been quite a long time since Green Lantern was this engaging and visceral.

Already, Johns has established Simon Baz as one of the coolest new characters to hit DC's 'New 52' since it began. Some might say that the newest Green Lantern hasn't had enough page time to warrant a decision on his fate. But seriously, he's freaking awesome.

GRADE
A

GREEN LANTERN #11

STORY: Geoff Johns
ART: Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne, and Tom Nguyen

With Geoff Johns and Green Lantern, there's never really a down moment. That's not to say 'there's never a dull moment', because frankly, there are from time to time."Secret of the Indigo Tribe" was one such instance where Johns' perspective as GL-series team leader led him to overestimate how interesting the narrative was as it's own arc. Fortunately, this month kicks off "The Revenge of Black Hand" that was teased last month when William Hand committed suicide to escape the imprisoning nature of the Indigo Tribe, only to be resurrected by a brand new Black Lantern ring.


Black Hand gets a good reintroduction in these pages as one of the DC universe's most twisted, sadistic, evil villains. As depicted back at the beginning of the Blackest Night event in 2009, William Hand's family life was less than perfect, leading William to murder his entire family which put him on the path to be the avatar for the Black Lanterns. His power now restored, Hand travels back to Earth and resurrects his entire family as the beginning of his personal army of the dead. Even without the Blackest Night connection, this scene is super, super creepy; Hand has a conversation with the corpses of his family members while they all sit around a dinner table watching William eat. BN was really the last time Johns got to cut loose with the 'misery and death' talk, yet he comes back to it with a passion - Hand pledges, "I'm going to kill as many people as I can in as many ways as I can. And then I'm going to raise them from the ground and they're going to do the same thing." In two speech bubbles, Johns successfully gets the major focal point of the story arc across to readers as well as making any reader squirm in their seat just a little bit. Some villains take an entire six-issue run to get to their point, and more often than not, these characters still feel underwhelming. Black Hand under Johns' guidance has always been frightening, but now he's downright sickening (and not in the drag queen sense).


Hal & Sinestro's side of things is a bit more boring until they get their hands of the Book of Black once again. The duo heads to Korugar to fetch the Book of Black, giving Johns yet another chance to remind readers just how hated Sinestro is on his home planet. Normally, this kind of redundant fact inclusion grates on me, but Johns has used it sparingly since the "Sinestro" arc, and for new readers, it can be helpful to remember that Sinestro was once one of the most hated criminals in the universe. The real meat of their journey to Korugar this issue comes when they open the Book of Black to see what else they can learn about the Guardians' plan to eradicate the Green Lantern Corps, a conspiracy that's been building across the four Green Lantern titles for some time now and will come to a front his October in "Rise of the Third Army".


Here's what Hal and Sinestro's vision tells us:
--> There's a new Green Lantern coming (the Arab GL that's been in teasers and appears on the cover of Green Lantern #0).
--> The Guardians will get their hands on John Stewart to torture and/or kill him.
--> Kyle Rayner is destined to become a Red Lantern (*snore*...DC already did this with Guy Gardner).
--> Guy Gardner is in jail.
--> Atrocitus has command of the Manhunter robots.


Couples with what Sinestro saw in his original vision back in Green Lantern #6:
--> The Guardians will murder the entire Green Lantern Corps (to make way for the Third Army)
--> Sinestro will be taken as a member of the Indigo Tribe (done and done)
--> The Guardians will somehow use the White Lantern rings to execute their plans.


There seems to be a lot (like, a lot) of prophecy and premonitions floating around with not a whole lot of story advancement to back it up. Sure, these revelations are pretty cool (save for Kyle going Red, which is just a silly retread), but one page of awesome images from future events isn't enough to save Hal and Sinestro's lacking narrative. Even their banter feels hollow and flat this issue.


One of Geoff Johns' strongest points as a writer is his ability to create huge, cosmic events that change the landscape of the world he molds. Unfortunately, DC seems to be shying away from imprint-wide events, sticking to family series crossovers (like Batman's "Night of the Owls", or Young Justice's "The Culling") in order to make each part of DC's line stronger on it's own before deconstructing it down the road, which we all know is a question of 'when?' rather than 'if'. The teaser promo for "Rise of the Third Army" doesn't include Hal or Sinestro anywhere in the image, a startling fact seeing as both Hal Jordan and Thaal Sinestro are two of the franchise's most recognizable characters. I'm sure Black Hand will fit into the scheme of things somehow, which will Bring Hal and Sinestro into the fight as well.

GRADE

B-

(COMIC) GREEN LANTERN #10

STORY: Geoff Johns
ART: Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy

I've been holding off in admitting that Green Lantern is getting kind of boring. It's really unfortunate, seeing as the last few issues have been really action-packed and revelatory. Geoff Johns has taken four issues to give us the history of the Indigo Tribe, and even though it might sound weird, I wish it had only been three. Green Lantern #10 feels totally unnecessary. All the loose ends are wrapped up, and nothing really changes, which is really unsatisfying.

Last month, every Indigo Tribesman was set free from the control of their power battery, thereby releasing a legion of the worst criminals in the known universe against Hal and Sinestro, both of whom are running on fumes - both in spirit and in ring power. This sounds pretty awesome, right? Only thing; they never do any real fighting. Most of this issue is spent following Hal and Sinestro as they attempt to rebuild the shattered Indigo battery and quell the rise of violence. But like I said, there's not a whole lot of action in this issue, even though Doug Mahnke's artwork might make you believe otherwise.

At some point, Sinestro goes off to fight the horde of villains by himself to give Hal enough time to convince Natromo (Abin Sur's partner in founding the Indigo Tribe) to help rebuild the battery. But even then, we only get fragments of Sinestro's struggle, and they aren't even very good fragments. Most of this issue focuses on Hal Jordan and how he somehow has the ability to convince any alien to do what he wants. I mean, his speech wasn't even that good, and Natromo's all like, "Aight, yo - let's do dis."

The one "twist" in this issue happens when Iroque, the first to wear the ring of compassion, recognizes her crimes, even without the ring's power forcing her to feel for others. Sure, it's a nice twist, and one that actually gives Iroque some personal development beyond her role in the Tribe, but it's still a pretty flat scene.

By the end of the issue, Natromo has rebuilt the battery, all the Indigos are back under the control of compassion, and all's well that ends well. But a bow on it and call it a day. One of Johns' issues as a writer is awkward transitions between story arcs. Sure, he builds up certain elements to be used as he moves forward, but really, Hal and Sinestro finished up with the Indigos, and now they'll just head on back to Oa and go on with their lives. Maybe I'm just finding pins in stacks of hay, but Green Lantern #10 was sorely lacking.

Of course, the biggest news from this issue comes from Black Hand. Once the Indigo battery was destroyed, he was freed from their control and went off to search for an escape from planet Nok. Once Natromo gets the battery jiggy again, Hand's indigo ring goes after him. Panicked at the thought of being controlled by the Tribe once again, Hand throws himself off a cliff. Just like the spark of compassion from Iroque that was necessary to rebuild the Indigo battery, Hand's suicide is the spark needed for the creation of a new Black Lantern ring and his own dark resurrection.

But haven't we already done the whole Black Lantern thing? (Snore)

GRADE

C

(COMIC) GREEN LANTERN #9

STORY: Geoff Johns
ART: Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne, Mark Irwin, and Tom Nguyen

When it comes to Green Lantern, Geoff Johns likes his 'big reveals'. Each arc usually includes a single issue that delineates or decompresses all the hidden or alluded-to secrets in order to set up the inevitable climax in the second-to-last issue. With "The Secret of the Indigo Tribe", Johns gives 'revelation issue' duties to Green Lantern #9 by revealing the origins of the Indigo Tribe and the truth behind it's members.

Last month, Indigo One and the other Tribesmen had successfully converted Sinestro to their corps, brainwashing him until the Korugarian who once nearly brought the universe to it's knees starts apologizing to Hal Jordan. This is when Hal finally understands that the members of the Indigo Tribe are not taken willingly. Basically, the Indigo Tribe takes the worst criminals in the universe and converts them into guilt-ridden champions of do-gooding.

Hal goes off to find the Indigo's central battery to disable it when he meets the very old and very snarky Natromo, a name repeated by the Indigo's ever since their inception, true believers. Natty tells Hal all about how the Indigo Tribe started, how Abin Sur freed the planet Nok from slavers and found a well of indigo light - the essence of compassion. The people of Nok used the heat of the well to forge weapons that caused the victim to become "overcome with remorse". Abin uses the light to forge an indigo ring and slips it on Iroque (better known as Indigo One), the woman who killed his daughter.

And there it is - what took four two issues to build up was explained in five pages. While it might seem anti-climactic, Johns continues to write in such a way that everything that happens simply feels epic and meaningful. I don't want to sound like the origin of the Indigo Tribe aren't cool, because it is. Mostly, it feels rushed.

Fortunately, the final pages are so epic, the quick lead-in soon turns from a curse to a blessing. Apparently, Abin Sur knew pretty much goddamn everything, as he's the one - we are now constantly being reminded - who knew the Guardians were bad news from the get-go. As Natromo hears of Abin Sur's death, he decides to destroy the indigo battery and end the Indigo Tribe project he started with Abin Sur all those years ago. The good news is that Sinestro is freed and becomes a Green Lantern once again, the bad news is that the worst criminals in the universe are now all in one place, with two giant green targets with which to play.

GRADE:

A-

(COMIC) GREEN LANTERN #8

STORY: Geoff Johns
ART: Doug Mahnke, Mark Irwin, Keith Champagne, and Christian Alamy

As I've mentioned in previous posts about this series, Geoff Johns crafted a whole multi-year plan for Green Lantern when he took over in late 2004 to resurrect Hal Jordan. Part of that master plan was the inclusion of the spectrum of Lantern Corps. Johns introduced us first to the Sinestro Corps, which channeled the yellow energy connected to fear, followed by the vengeful Red Lanterns, serene Blue Lanterns, greedy Agent Orange, caring Star Sapphires, and finally the Indigo Tribe, with rings of light purple that are connected to compassion. It's time to get into the history of the Indigo's a color that's been a persistent mystery since their introduction.

Sinestro spends most of this issue fighting off the Indigos as they try to replace the Green Lantern energy that flows through him (and every Green Lantern, I suppose). It's fun seeing Sinestro beat up on a monstrous-looking four-armed Indigo that seriously looks like something out of an H.P. Lovecraft novel before smashing it's head into a wall. It's Sinestro! But the real meat of this issue comes from Hal Jordan's interaction with Black Hand. After Blackest Night, William Hand disappeared and instead of investigating, the JLA, entire Green Lantern Corps, and every other team and hero on Earth simply said, "Oh, well. Must be hiding!" and didn't think about it again. Of course, Johns wrote that series, as well, and made good and sure us readers knew that Hand had been turned Indigo.

Hand explains the power of the Indigo Tribe, how they feel all emotions where they couldn't before. While bordering quite heavily cult status, it seems like the Indigo Tribe might be some sort of rehabilitation system, a way for wrongdoers to redeem themselves for past actions. Seeing as Indigo Tribesmen are powered by compassion, it makes sense that ex-criminals might finally feel compassion for those they've wronged and willfully follow the Tribe.

However it unfolds, Johns (like always) does a fantastic job of keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The final page of Green Lantern #8 reveals Sinestro's conversion to the Indigo Tribe, a development that will most likely be reversed, but it's still nice to see Johns having fun with one of Green Lantern's most notorious villains.

GRADE:

B+

(REVIEW) Green Lantern #6

Written by Geoff Johns
Guest Artwork by Mike Choi and Alex Sinclair

I just don't know how I feel about Sinestro slinging a green ring again. As the focal point of Geoff Johns' first arc for Green Lantern under the 'New 52' banner, Sinestro's re-admittance into the Green Lantern Corps has been a fairly enjoyable ride. It shouldn't be so much fun seeing Hal Jordan reduced to Sinestro's sidekick, yet Johns has been consistently pulling it off. Yet, this month, we see almost no interaction between the two titular protagonists.

To begin, readers are treated to Hal Jordan: Street Fighter. Without any ring (of any sort), Hal must stop injustice with only his fist and his wits. This is the kind of 'character development' that becomes surreal very quickly. Hal Jordan hasn't gone a day without wearing green in a long, long time. It's a little odd that he's so adept at hand-to-hand combat after relying on a weapon for years. Fortunately, the laissez-faire approach Johns takes with reality carries the sentiments behind Hal's actions; he finally recognizes that he can still be a hero without being 'super.'

Across the universe, Sinestro is tracking Lyssa Drak, a member of the Sinestro Corps (are they still calling it that?) whom Sinestro...just...wants to track down? It's a little frustrating that Johns omits any reason for Sinestro's actions. Logically, he's looking for rogue Sinestro Corps members, but it's still annoying that there isn't any narrative affirmation. Sinestro tracks Drak to Ogoro, a somewhat backwater planet whose hero, Starstorm, surrendered to Sinestro some years earlier. Starstorm's cowardice made him a pariah to his people, and a rather pathetic character when met by Sinestro in the present.

But the real meat of Green Lantern #6 comes when Sinestro tears a page from the Book of Black, the prophecies of the Guardians kept secret since the beginning of time. (true fans - DC's Blackest Night event was based on the prophecies within the Book of Black.) In a single, full-page panel, Sinestro - and by proxy, the reader - sees fleeting scenes of horrific events to come, including Hal's death by Black Hand, Sinestro claimed by the Indigo Tribe, and the destruction the Green Lantern Corps. A white power ring can be seen near the bottom of the page, apparently in the hands of Ganthet.

And just like that, Geoff Johns starts reeling me back in! If these premonitions are a window into future Green Lantern arcs, it's going to be an exciting road for Green Lantern fans.

GRADE:

A-

Reiew: Green Lantern #5

Review




Green Lantern #5
Geoff Johns - Writer
Doug Mahnke - Pencils

What a great issue of Green Lantern! After four relatively uneventful issues spent reminding readers over and over again that Sinestro is a GL once more, we get some plot development! Green Lantern is the only character, besides Batman, whose continuity was kept intact. Partly, I assume, because the 'Brightest Day' year-long event wrapped up right before 'Flashpoint' and the New 52 relaunch. But also because, like Batman, Green Lantern has a history that was worth keeping. That's not to say Superman doesn't have a long and rich continuity, but beyond his 'death' in the mid-90s, there aren't that many memorable Superman story lines.

***SPOILERS***
Geoff Johns does an excellent job of tapping into Green Lantern history while still keeping the plot current. While the ring itself chose Sinestro to be a Green Lantern once again, the rest of the universe sees things differently, including his old yellow lantern corps. who have taken Sinestro's home planet, Korugar, under martial rule instead of protection as Sinestro ordered.

Even though he saves the planet, the older generation of Korugarians definitely remembers Sinestro's iron fist rule over the planet years earlier. It's a humbling moment for Sinestro when a child praises his actions only to be scolded by his mother. What makes this scene so fantastic is the way Johns expresses Sinestro's emotions without actually having the character show any at all. Hal Jordan acts as Sinestro's 'conscience', mentioning the doubts and concerns any normal being would have, only to be shot down by Sinestro at every turn.

In the final pages, Sinestro gives Hal's construct ring enough power only to get him back to Earth. With no battery to recharge, Hal becomes panicked and realizes that he only cares about the power of being a Green Lantern. It's a welcome bit of character growth for one that hasn't had much since his resurrection in 2004. Hal sees a little more clearly that he wants to be with Carol Ferris and makes the first steps toward making that a reality. While it may come off as cheesy to newer readers, GL fans will know this is a monumental moment for Jordan. With a sixth issue left to complete the 'Sinestro' arc, I'm interested to see how Johns will segue into the next adventure for Sinestro and Hal.

Grade: A