Green Lantern #23 Review

Green Lantern has been the hottest DC title ever since the Sinestro War storyline began. Johns has worked absolute magic. The Sinestro War is the best big event in quite some time. Green Lantern is probably the title that I look forward the most out of all the DC and Marvel titles on the market. I am positive that Green Lantern #23 is going to be another excellent read. Let’s do this review.

Creative Team
Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Ivan Reis
Inker: Oclair Albert

Art Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
Story Rating: 10 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 9.5 Night Girls out of 10

Synopsis: We begin with Hal’s brother Jim on his balcony and stressed over the fact that eighty percent of the housing in Coast City are still unoccupied and that businesses haven’t returned to the city. Susan, Jim’s wife tells him that they moved here because they believed in Hal. Jim’s two kids then come out onto the balcony. Jim’s daughter had had a nightmare. She asks Jim if Uncle Hal is going to kill somebody.

We cut to Hal, Tomar and Graf locking horns with Lyssa Drak. Hal takes on Lyssa while Tomar and Graf free John Stewart and Guy Gardner. Guy and John thank Hal for freeing them. Hal’s power ring is practically dead, so he needs to come up with a weapon. Hal grabs a yellow lantern and puts on 12 yellow power rings and charges them up.

We shift to Oa where the Guardians decide that Ion is more valuable to them than any Green Lantern. That Kyle is no longer destined to become Ion. The Guardians then say as long as Mogo remains alive then the rings will find replacements for the Lanterns that they lose.

The Guardians then begin to rewrite the Book of Oa. Ganthet and Sayd then protest the Guardians rewriting the Book of Oa. The Guardians reveal that they know about Ganthet and Sayd’s secret love and their obsession with Hal Jordan and the other Earthmen. That the two are charged with the ultimate betrayal, action with emotion, and are hereby banished from the Council of Guardians.

We hop over to the Lost Lanterns arriving in the inner sanctum of the Sinestro Corp where the Anti-Monitor has Ion captive. Anti-Monitor immediately kills Ke’Haan. Hannu then powers up his ring and blasts the Anti-Monitor.

We shift to the Temple of Sinestro, where the members of the Sinestro Corps stumble across Hal, John, Guy, Tomar and Graf. Hal’s experience as Parallax has enabled him the ability to harness fear enough to use the yellow power rings. The Lanterns and the Sinestro Corps members start brawling. Suddenly, Sinestro appears on the scene along with Kyle, more Sinestro Corp members and Manhunters.

Hal attacks Sinestro with his yellow power rings. Sinestro comments that Hal is only capable of releasing the rings’ energies, but he has no idea how to actually manipulate fear. Sinestro sucks up all the yellow energy blasts that Hal fires at him and turns the blasts into a bright ball of energy between his hands.

Suddenly, the surviving Lost Lanterns riding Ion come busting onto the scene. The Lost Lanterns and Ion scoop up Hal and the other Lanterns and then all make a quick retreat. We see the Anti-Monitor then arriving on the scene. The Lanterns and Ion successfully make a quick retreat into the positive-matter universe. Sinestro orders Parallax to scout ahead and get into position.

The Lanterns decide to split up with the Lost Lanterns and Ion heading back to Oa and Hal, John and Guy heading to Earth in order to enlist the help go the JLA for back up.

We hop back over to Oa where the Guardians address the assembled Green Lanterns. We cut back to Cyborg Superman informing Sinestro that Warworld is ready. Sinestro orders Cyborg Superman to give the orders to prepare the Manhunters for transport. We see the central power batter for the Sinestro Corps fire up for transport.

We cut back to the Guardians on Oa addressing the Green Lantern Corps. The Guardians understand the limitations placed on the Lanterns by their code of conduct and on the power rings themselves. For these reasons, the Guardians have rewritten the Book of Oa. There are now ten new laws effective immediately. The first new law is that the power rings are now authorized to use lethal force against the Sinestro Corps. Suddenly, all the power rings across the universe inform their bearers that lethal force has been enabled.

We shift to Hal, John and Guy arriving at Earth. Superboy-Prime, who is sitting on the moon, sees the three Lanterns and notifies Sinestro of their arrival.

We cut to Sayd and Ganthet talking about a coalescence of fear in the universe. That the fear is not approaching Oa. That the Guardians have gathered the Green Lantern Corps on the wrong battlefield. That the Sinestro Corps doesn’t want the center of the universe. That they want the center of the Multiverse. That they want Earth.

We zip back to Coast City, with Jim and his family on the balcony of their condo. Jim’s daughter points to the sky and says look at all the stars. She then asks Jim if she can make a wish. We then see Parallax appear on the scene and he sinisterly tells Jim’s daughter to go ahead and make a wish.

We see Hal, John and Guy looking up into the air at all the “stars” that Jim’s daughter was pointing out. They are actually Sinestro’s forces teleporting above Earth. End of issue.

Comments
The Good: Green Lantern #23 was an incredible read. Johns just keeps hitting home run after home run with every issue of Green Lantern. Green Lantern #23 was properly paced. Johns moves the story along at a pleasantly measured pace as he tempers action scenes with slower paced dialogue heavy scenes. Johns is doing a wonderful job managing the intensity of this story. Johns keeps building up the tension within the reader with each and every issue. And just when the reader thinks that the story just can’t get any better, Johns goes out and tops himself with the next issue. The “Oh shit!” moments keep getting bigger and bigger with each issue.

Green Lantern #23 was well plotted. Johns is the master of crafting complex multiple issue big event stories. Johns has such an amazing attention to detail and delivers a delightfully elaborate story that builds off of itself in an entertaining fashion. Johns’ acute long range vision and focus contributes to what has been a very tightly and sound plotted story.

Johns serves up plenty of his usually well written dialogue. The three main Green Lanterns in Hal, John and Guy are all well developed. Johns has a great feel for these characters. Normally, I am not a huge fan of Guy, but during a war, his personality becomes that much more appealing. His tough ass attitude is just what the Lanterns need in the face of overwhelming odds. John is his cool confident usual self. John and Guy balance each other out and make a great team.

Of course, I love how Johns writes Hal. I dig how Johns had Hal power up 12 yellow power rings when his own power ring lost power. This was a cool little twist. This was a neat way to build off of Hal’s experience of being possessed by Parallax.

Johns’ Sinestro is deliciously evil. I love how Johns has groomed Sinestro’s character into one of the most ominous characters I have ever seen. I have always viewed Sinestro to be a rather goofy silver age villain. Not anymore. Johns had made Sinestro by far one of the most threatening villains in the DCU.

Now, just because Johns delivers well written dialogue and engages in strong character development doesn’t mean he skimps on the action. After all, you can’t have a “big event” story without some serious action! Green Lantern #23 sports enough action to keep the reader’s adrenaline pumping.

I also like how creative Johns is with the different way Green Lanterns can use their rings as weapons. Hal calling Lyssa the “Wicked Witch” and then dropping a green energy house from The Wizard of Oz on top of Lyssa was classic.

The scene with the Guardians banishing Says and Ganthet was well done. I dig that Says and Ganthet’s secret love has finally been exposed. It is rather hard to imagine two little blue Guardians getting it on with each other. And the Guardians plan to rewrite the Book of Oa emphasizes to the reader just how desperate the Guardians have become. Fear has definitely gripped the little blue guys.

The ending to Green Lantern #23 was fucking incredible. The final five pages were flat out sick. Johns employs very short scenes with quick cuts between Oa, Sayd and Ganthet, Qward and Earth. Johns unloads a couple of huge bombs on the reader.

First, we learn of the ten new laws in the Book of Oa. And the first one is that the Green Lantern’s power rings have now been enabled to use lethal force. I was stunned. The scene with all the power rings informing their ring bearers that lethal force had been enabled sent chills up my spine. I loved it.

Second, we learn what Sinestro is truly up to and why Superboy-Prime has been sitting on the moon staring at the Earth. As Hal, John and Guy arrive on Earth to enlist the help of the Justice League of America, Superboy Prime alerts Sinestro. Then Johns drops the second big bomb on the reader that Sinestro’s target isn’t the center of the universe in Oa. It is Earth which is the center of the Multiverse.

Things just keep getting bigger and better. Sinestro clearly has a much bigger goal than just the destruction of Oa and taking over the universe. Sinestro desires the Multiverse. And the Guardians have been totally fooled as their forces have all been diverted to Oa.

But, Johns wasn’t done just yet. We then see Sinestro’s forced suddenly teleport into Earth’s atmosphere with just three lonely Green Lanterns in Hal, John and Guy to deal with the oncoming horde. But, wait, Johns still wasn’t done. We then get the appearance of Parallax in front of Hal’s family with murderous intent in his eyes.

Incredible! I was worn out by the time this issue ended. If that ending doesn’t grab you by the throat and pull you to the edge of your seat then I don’t know what will. That is absolutely how you deliver one stunning ending that immediately hooks the reader into wanting more.

The Sinestro War is absolutely the most exciting cosmic adventure I have read in a very long time. This story simply gets better and better with each issue. We are watching Johns turn out a story that is going to be looked back for years to come as one of the greatest “big event” stories of this era.

Of course, Reis and Albert supply plenty of their gorgeous artwork in this issue. I love how Reis draws Green Lanterns. The art in this issue is dynamic and beautiful and truly compliments Johns’ excellent story.

The Bad: I have no complaints with this issue.

Overall: Green Lantern #23 was another phenomenal read. We are getting treated to the rare combination of amazing writing and stunning artwork that culminate into a story arc that is currently the best read on the market. If you are not reading this title then you have to do yourself the favor and give it a try. Trust me; Green Lantern is absolutely worth the price of admission. This story arc has something for all fans: action, drama, strong dialogue and good character work.