Green Lantern #21 - A Review

One thing was clear when Geoff Johns announced his departure from the Green Lantern line - whoever followed him would have big shoes to fill  Thankfully, Robert Venditti does not try to match Johns in tone nor does he attempt to top Johns' latest universe-shaking crisis with an an even larger universe-shaking crisis.  Instead, Venditti focuses on Hal Jordan the man and how his life and his Corps have changed in the aftermath of the Wrath of the First Lantern.


Venditti offers a lot of good character moments throughout the issue as the new status quo is established.  My favorite involves Carol Ferris, who basically admits that her Star Sapphire ring is being powered by codependency and her refusal to give up that power while simultaneously refusing to let herself be taken advantage of by Hal Jordan yet again.  This is a neat twist, given the Happily Ever After ending Johns gave them in his last issue.  And I can't help but wonder if Hal's frustration at being handed the responsibility of running the entire Green Lantern Corps in some way mirrors Venditti's own feelings about taking over Green Lantern in the wake of Geoff Johns' departure.  In any event, this book also promises a greater connection between this and the other Green Lantern family of titles, as we see scenes that seem to hint at what is to come in both Green Lantern Corps and New Guardians.

Billy Tan and Richard Friend prove equally capable on this issue's art duties.  Tan has a good eye for detail and the ability to fit a good deal of intricacy into a single small panel.  Friend has a light touch, leaving Tan's pencils lightly inked for the most part - the better to highlight the details without obscuring them in shadow. 

All in all, this new Green Lantern is a different kind of book that what we've seen of late.  Different, yes but quite enjoyable in spite of it.  I will admit to some concern that I may soon be required to read all of the Green Lantern titles in order to understand what is happening in just one.  Time will tell that tale but for now, if you're a science-fiction fan or have been curious about Green Lantern as a character, now is the time to give this title a try. 

Justice League of America #3 - A Review

Justice League of America #3 is the kind of story Geoff Johns writes best, in my humble opinion. Johns is best known today for his grand space epics yet my favorite Johns' stories were always his smaller, more character-driven works.  Our main story here reminds me quite a bit of Johns' JSA and Hawkman, featuring a lot of small scenes which unveil more of our less-developed cast members as the team continues to investigate a secret society of super-villains. 

My favorite moment, perhaps out of an obvious personal bias, involves Stargirl and some discoveries regarding her family and home-life that definitely set her apart from the character Johns created for Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. as a fledgling writer.  I still want to know where her Cosmic Staff came from since there isn't a Ted Knight on this Earth to have built it.  Is there?  Maybe? 


David Finch does his usual excellent job on the pencils, with Richard Friend offering a friendly assist on the inks.  Finch's style approaches photo-realism without seeming traced or posed.  His inks subtly shade the surroundings in a way that adds to the drama of Johns' script.  Consider in the above page how Stargirl is always in the light while Walker's face is always half-shadowed or turned away from the reader, symbolizing both their roles on the new Justice League of America team - The Star and The Shadow.  Face and Hand.

The back-up story by Matt Kindt is a rousing good read as well.  This story focuses upon Martian Manhunter performing a mind-scan on Catwoman to confirm her motivations and trustworthiness before she is allowed to join The Justice League of America.  This sequences serves as a far better introduction to Catwoman's character than anything else I've seen in the New 52 thus far.  It reminded me somewhat of Jim Butcher's descriptions of a wizard's soul-gaze in The Dresden Files books even before the bit where Selina is somehow able to stare back into J'onn's mind and gets a glimpse of just how alien he truly is.


This second story is ably illustrated by Manuel Garcia with inks by David Beaty.  The team does a fine job of depicting both the dark alleys and urban sprawl that makes up most of Catwoman's memories as well as the otherworldly forest that make up J'onn's memories of hunting on another world.  It is a perfect complement to Matt Kindt's story.

Justice League of America is everything you could hope for in a JLA book.  If you haven't started reading it already, it's not too late to catch up.  I think you'll enjoy it.

Justice League #13 - A Review

Justice League #13 provides another example of how infuriating many of the New 52 books by Geoff Johns have been.  Like Johns' Aquaman, this issue offers us a look at a larger DC Universe while at the same time offering us surprising little insight into that universe.  While this issue does offer several good bits of character business, it is icing on a bland cake.


The main plot focuses upon the League's attempts to capture The Cheetah - once again the closest thing to an arch-enemy that Wonder Woman has.  Her background has changed slightly, with archeologist Barbara Minerva now having been a one-time ally of Wonder Woman who became possessed by a goddess of the hunt after accidentally cutting herself with a ritual knife belonging to a lost tribe in the Amazon jungle.  Why she took the name of an African predatory cat when her powers come from a South American goddess is not explained.

As always, Johns is at his best when he forgets the story and focuses on making his characters characters.  The best moments in this issue are the little scenes where the heroes are allowed to be people.  The awkward moment when Wonder Woman and Superman discuss the kiss they had in the heat of the moment last issue.  Barry Allen's reassuring Victor Stone that he is still more man than machine as the two discuss the recent shake-up of their teams.  And the real prize of this issue - a back-up story co-written with Animal Man writer Jeff Lemire, in which we see Steve Trevor and Oliver Queen discussing evidence Green Arrow found that a covert super-villain team exists.


The art is largely excellent.  Tony Daniel, fresh from Detective Comics, does a fine job of rendering the action of the main story, with savage pencils defined by the inks of Richard Friend & Batt.  Less memorable is the back-up story drawn by Brad Walker, whose Oliver Queen looks far-too baby-faced for my liking and indeed seems to look like a young boy in some panels!

Ultimately, the biggest problem with Justice League is that it fails to seem like the flagship title of the company.  Everything here is competent but Justice League should be more than that.  It should be amazing - an action movie on paper!  And this... this just isn't that exciting or enthralling.