It was well known even going into The New 52 that Green Lantern would be changing the least out of any of DC’s line, with the September-released Green Lantern # 1 continuing directly on from Green Lantern # 67, released several months previous. At the time the initiative was announced, it was thought that Green Lantern would be DC’s flagship title going in, as the title had achieved unheard-of success over the past few years – enough that last June’s feature film was produced to capitalize. However, disappointing performance by the film, as well as oversaturation of the franchise in comics, has served to cool the comic-reading public’s green frenzy of late, although the book is still one of Ground Zero’s top sellers (coming in under only other DC books, no less).
With this week’s eighth issue, we’re well into the book’s second post-relaunch arc, and despite widespread initial predictions, the status-quo-shattering shock ending of War of the Green Lanterns hasn’t necessarily proven to be vulnerable to the almighty reset button. Sinestro still has the ring, Hal still doesn’t, and the Guardians are still acting like mean old men desperately in need of both a nap, and a lawn free from meddling kids. Can both be achieved at once? They seem to think so. Word on the street (and by that I mean Sinestro came right out and said it last issue) is that they’re planning on doing away with the GL corps altogether before too long, and replace them with the ominously-titled “third army”.
So far, DC has done well with a number of small mini-crossovers throughout their various lines. The Dark has had the Rise of the Vampires storyline, and an upcoming Swamp Thing/Animal Man crossover (the first of many, if we’re lucky), the Batman line has Night of the Owls looming on the horizon, and Young Justice is anticipating The Culling. It seems obvious (to me, at least) that DC is planning on a similar move with their Green Lantern line, with a storyline spread across Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps, Green Lantern: New Guardians, and Red Lanterns dealing with the inevitable betrayal of the guardians. While that will likely prove to be a good time in and of itself, what’s really intriguing is to consider a future for the franchise without the Guardians. While its doubtful that DC will go all the way and eliminate them entirely, their current behavior points to, at the very least, a much-reduced role after their somewhat-uncharacteristically diabolic scheme ultimately backfires.
Its somewhat shocking to note that Geoff Johns still hasn’t burned out. When you look at the various books Marvel is putting out, 95% of which have the names Bendis, Brubaker, Aaron, or Fraction on the cover, none of whom most readers care about anymore, its amazing that DC’s prize stallion is still running hot. Green Lantern is easily the weakest of the three Johns-penned books, but that’s understandable considering how long he’s been doing it, and while its the weakest of the three, its still stronger than the majority of DC’s mostly-excellent line. Doug Mahnke’s art is, as always, excellent, though he throws nothing particularly out-of-the-ordinary the reader’s way this month.
All in all, an excellent read, although perhaps not as exciting as DC would like for it to be, although the groundwork is being laid for a potentially excellent crossover arc.
Be sure and check out DC’s official page for the book here: http://www.dccomics.com/comics/green-lantern-2011/green-lantern-8 and you can purchase the book digitally from Ground Zero Comics here: https://comics.comixology.com/ret/383/Ground_Zero_Comics_DC_Comics_Digital_Store/#/issue/23277/Green-Lantern-2011-8
