Green Lantern #40 Review

Johns has Green Lantern purring along like a finely tuned engine. The lead-in to Blackest Night has been quite enjoyable. I am looking forward to learning more about Larfleeze and the Orange Lantern Corps in Green Lantern #40. Let’s go ahead and do this review.

Creative Team
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artists: Patrick Tan, Jonathon Glapion and Rafael Albuquerque

Art Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
Story Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 8.5 Night Girls out of 10

Synopsis: We begin with Fatality hanging out on the remains of the planet Xanshi. Fatality thinks how the moment that she became a Star Sapphire was the first time she felt love. Fatality thinks how she was off-planet when Xanshi was destroyed because a Green Lantern (John Stewart) was overcome by arrogance.

The loss of her homeworld and her mother filled Fatality’s heart with pain. Since then Fatality has spent her entire life hunting John Stewart. However, now the Star Sapphire has filled the hole in her heart. Fatality says that she shall forgive John. That she will shine love on John and save him from the heartless Guardians. Fatality heads off to Okaara to find John.

We cut to Green Lantern Gretti being ordered to head to Okaara where the Guardians are currently headed for. Okaara is in Gretti’s space sector and it is his duty to go greet the Guardians. We slide to Oa where one of the Guardians voices his dissent over the new law allowing the Green Lanterns to enter the Vega System.

We cut to the Vega System which has long been a safe haven for criminals. Not anymore. We see Green Lanterns descending upon the Vega System and rounding up as many criminals as possible. We see Hal Jordan, John Stewart and a ton of other Green Lanterns as well as the Guardians arriving in the Vega System. Hal thinks how all the criminals are running from them.

Hal thinks how the Guardians want Hal to use his blue power ring so that the Guardians can take a look at the power that Ganthet has harnessed. We see orange narration boxes of a voice crying out that the Green Lanterns will not take what is his. That he fought for it and that it is his to do with as he pleases.

The Guardians tell the Green Lanterns that Larfleeze is their main priority. The Guardians and the Green Lanterns arrive on Okaara. We learn that Scar, due to her injuries, has stayed behind on Oa. Hal’s blue power ring keeps asking Hal “What do you hope for?”

John mentions how Boodika and the rest of the Lost Lanterns are on their way to Ysmault right now. Hal says that it should be his duty to bring Laira‘s body home. John says that Hall needs to go home to Earth after this in order to recharge before taking on Sinestro. John says that Hal’s brother and his family as well as Cowgirl are all thinking about Hal.

John then asks Hal if Hal thinks the blue power ring can see the future. John reveals that the blue power ring told John that he would see Katma Tu again. The blue power ring then crackles with energy and asks Hal “What do you hope for?” Hal thinks about what he should hope for. Hal yells out that he hopes for world peace. The blue power ring responds “Insincerity registered.”

Gretti then appears on the scene. The Guardians and the Green Lanterns then arrive at Larfleeze’s base. The Guardians order Larfleeze to come out with his rings off and his hands up in the air. We hear Larfleeze’s voice say “No.” Suddenly, a bunch of Orange Lanterns appear on the scene. Several of the Orange Lanterns are the Controllers from the last issue.

The Green Lanterns and the Guardians start brawling with the Orange Lanterns. The Orange Lanterns absorb the constructs that are created by the Green Lanterns’ rings. We see four Orange Lanterns attack Gretti and then rip him apart and kill him. One of the Orange Lanterns then eats Gretti’s power ring.

We then hear an orange power ring saying “Consumption complete. Identity stolen. Replicating.” We then see Gretti composed of the orange light appear on the scene. The orange power ring says “Gretti of Sector 2828. You belong to Agent Orange.”

We then see orange light tendrils break through the ground and pull Hal Jordan through the ground into the basement level of Larfleeze’s hideout. We see Larfleeze standing in front of Hal. Larfleeze says that he smells something new. Larfleeze says “A blue ring? Where did you get a blue ring? I want one.” End of main story.

We get a Tales of the Orange Lantern Corps back-up story. We begin with Larfleeze bathing in a sea of orange power rings. Larfleeze says that the power rings are all his. Larfleeze says that no one may have one of his power rings. Larfleeze warns for everyone to say away or suffer the same fate as his Orange Lantern of Sector 2826.

We cut to a tavern on Okaara where Glomulus is kept locked up in a small cage. Glomulus is only let out to run around the tavern and eat anything that has landed on the floor in order to keep the tavern clean.

Some Okaaran warriors make a mess and Glomulus is let out to go clean the mess. One of the warriors picks up Glomulus and threatens to eat Glomulus. Glomulus then goes on an eating frenzy and eats both Okaaran warriors. Glomulus proceeds then to eat everyone and everything in the tavern.

Glomulus then wanders into the forest looking for a dessert. Glomulus wanders to Larfleeze’s hideout. There an Orange Lantern attacks Glomulus for trespassing. The Orange Lantern eats Glomulus. Glomulus is then reborn as an orange energy construct and is now a member of the Orange Lantern Corps.

We cut back to Larfleeze swimming in his sea of orange power rings. Larfleeze says “So now you have been warned to turn back. Stay away. This could happen to you. Because there’s always a bigger fish in the pond. And that fish is me.” End of issue.

Comments
The Good: Green Lantern #40 was another good read. Johns is absolute money on this title. I am completely fascinated with the different colored Corps and this entire build-up to the Blackest Night event.

Green Lantern #40 was a well plotted issue. Johns continues to slowly unfold the myriad of plotlines that he has cooking on this title. The lead-in to Blackest Night is jammed full of detailed plotlines as Johns is juggling a large cast of characters and numerous factions. The story continues to progress in a pleasant fashion as Johns shows to the reader that he has a clear direction and purpose in mind. Johns has succeeded in making this story quite dramatic. Even though Blackest Night has not officially begun, Johns has achieved in conveying the grand scope of this upcoming event.

Green Lantern #40 moves along at a very steady pace. Johns is in no hurry at all with this story. The measured pace is designed to create plenty of tension and anticipation in the reader for the upcoming Blackest Night event. Johns delivers just enough action in this issue to keep the issue a lively read. And that is important since he is moving the story along at such a slow pace.

I am interested in the Fatality/John Stewart plotline. It was a neat twist to see Fatality wanting to show John the power of love in order to free him from the heartless Guardians. I never thought I would see a hateful and vengeful character like Fatality every have such a drastic change of heart. The eventual meeting between these two characters should make for some compelling drama.

I also find the plotline involving Hal and the blue power ring to be interesting. Johns continues to tease the reader with the question: “What do you hope for?” that the ring continually asks Hal. Obviously, Johns is going to force Hal to come to perform some serious soul searching. Since Hal’s return to the DCU, Johns has really focused on Hal as a very direct person who is all about action rather than words. Johns has shown that Hal is not much for introspective contemplation.

The blue power ring is going to require Hal to genuinely feel hope inside of his heart. Hal is going to have to come to grips that there are moments where sheer willpower is not enough. That willpower must have a higher ideal behind it in order to give it more weight and worth so that great accomplishments can be achieved. And this is evident in the fact that when Hal said he wished for world peace that the blue power ring sensed Hal’s insincerity in his “hope.” Hal is going to have to truly feel hope rather than saying he has hope in a rather perfunctory manner.

The most intriguing aspect of Green Lantern #40 was the design of the Orange Lanterns. I love the concept of the Orange Lanterns and how Johns constructs them. Each colored Lantern Corps has their own unique aspects that are tailored based on the various emotions that the colors are tied to. The design of the Orange Lanterns is perfect for a color driven by greed.

We learn that Larfleeze keeps all of the orange power rings to himself. When an Orange Lantern kills someone, the orange light then copies the victim and recreates them as a construct composed purely of orange energy. I find this to be such a creative blueprint for the Orange Lantern Corps. And since Larfleeze is in possession of all of the orange power rings that should make him a serious heavy hitter.

Johns ends the main story with a quality hook ending as we have Hal at the mercy of Larfleeze. And true to his greedy nature, Larfleeze takes on look at Hal’s spiffy blue power ring and wants one himself. Larfleeze appears to be quite powerful, so it should be interesting to see how Hal manages to get himself out of this mess.

Johns treats the reader to a neat little back-up story that focuses on Glomulus. I have actually enjoyed most of the various tales about the members of the different colored lantern Corps. These back-up stories have been effective ways to give the reader a bit more back-story on the various characters that make up each of the different colored Corps. The back-up stories help to give the main story more depth and texture. Plus, it allows Johns to go ahead and tell the main story without having to waste time or break the flow of the story by trying to give background information on the members of the various Corps.

Glomulus is a disgusting and gluttonous character who is a perfect match for the Orange Lantern Corps. I loved how Johns writes Larfleeze at the end of this back-up story. Larfleeze certainly comes across as pretty bad-ass. There is no doubt that this is one powerful and evil dude.

Green Lantern #40 is full of excellent artwork. Patrick Tan and Jonathon Glapion do a wonderful job with the main story. Tan’s art is a perfect match for Green Lantern. I love the amount of detail that Tan crams into each panel. Tan’s artwork provides for vibrant and dynamic looking issue. I also enjoyed Rafael Albuquerque’s artwork in the back-up story. I am not familiar at all with Albuquerque, but his strong effort in this issue impressed me. I would be nice to see DC give him some more work.

The Bad: Green Lantern #40 was not a fast paced issue. Johns is moving at a very deliberate pace. And some readers may find this story to be moving at simply too slow of a pace. Johns is in love with the decompressed style of storytelling and that is sure to put off some readers. Johns does have a weakness of writing for the trade format in mind rather than the monthly format. His Kingdom Come/Magog/Gog story on Justice Society of America was certainly proof of that.

Overall: Green Lantern #40 was another fine read. Johns continues to make Green Lantern one of DC’s more interesting reads. The Orange Lanterns are a nice addition to the fabric of tale that Johns is weaving as we head toward Blackest Night. Readers who have been enjoying the road to Blackest Night will certainly enjoy this issue.

If you like epic Sci-Fi stories then you will probably enjoy Johns’ Green Lantern. And this is not a simple and shallow action story. Green Lantern is nicely balanced as it offers good action as well as impressive plotting with a deep and substantive story. If you still have not given this title a chance then I would recommend doing so.