By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder
Video time, again! We’ve revamped the channel, added some new faces behind the scenes, and my hope is that this will be the first of many videos to come.
This first video covers Green Lantern: Legacy, which I consider to be the best Green Lantern story to come along in quite some time…
Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.
***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***
TITLE: Dark Crisis #3
AUTHOR: Joshua Williamson
ARTISTS: Daniel Sampere, Alejandro Sanchez (Colorist), Tom Napolitano (Letterer)
INKERS: Sampere, Daniel Henriques, Danny Miki
RELEASED: August 2, 2022
By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder
Three issues in, and Dark Crisis still hasn’t quite found its legs. What we’re missing is that sense of impending doom that’s so prevalent in a lot of the great event comics from the big two. It’s certainly prevalent in all of DC’s Crisis stories.
There’s a sense of disorganization to Dark Crisis that doesn’t do it any favors. I understand that some of that is the nature of the story they’re telling. But the fact that DC is renaming the series Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths makes me wonder how much of this is being adjusted on the go…
Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.
***”Weekly Comic 100s” keeps it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***
By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder
TITLE: Future State: The Next Batman #2
AUTHOR: John Ridley, Vita Ayala, Paula Sevenbergen
ARTISTS: Laura Braga, Nick Derington (Breakdowns), Aneke, Emanuela Lupacchino, Rob Haynes (Breakdowns), Wade Von Grawbadger (Inker). Cover by Ladronn.
COLORISTS: Arif Prianto, Trisha Mulvihill, John Kalisz
LETTERERS: Clayton Cowles, Becca Carey
RELEASED: January 19, 2021
Our Batgirls and Gotham City Sirens back-up stories are underwhelming. It’s also a little disappointing to see Nick Derington strictly on breakdowns this time around (though Laura Braga is more than capable). But I’d still call The Next Batman among the best, if not the best, of Future State.
John Ridley is giving us a slightly more realistic, tech-conscious look at the Batman mythos. There’s a heavy emphasis on facial recognition technology, which we don’t necessarily see in the regular books. This is a smarter, more socially conscious Batman.
TITLE: Future State: Justice League #1
AUTHOR: Joshua Williamson, Ram V
ARTISTS: Robson Rocha, Daniel Henriques (Inker), Marcio Takara. Cover by Dan Mora.
COLORISTS: Romulo Fajaro Jr, Marcelo Maiolo
LETTERERS: Tom Napolitano, Rob Leigh
RELEASED: January 12, 2021
The main story here is among the best released under the Future State banner, and one of the more fun Justice League stories I’ve read in awhile. We don’t focus on the heroes as individuals, but rather the League as an organization and what it’s become. There’s an intriguing idea here about keeping the group small and impersonal.
The Justice League Dark back-up story didn’t do much for me. But there is an interesting, somewhat funny character bit between Detective Chimp and Etrigan. It doesn’t make or break the story. But it’s fun.
TITLE: Future State: Dark Detective #1
AUTHOR: Mariko Tamaki, Matthew Rosenberg
ARTISTS: Dan Mora, Carmine Di Giandomenico
COLORISTS: Jordie Bellaire, Antonio Fabela
LETTERERS: Aditya Bidikar, Andworld Design
RELEASED: January 19, 2021
Really happy to see former Power Rangers artist Dan Mora get a big shot on a Batman book. Hopefully this is just the next step in what will be big things for him.
The Batman portion of this issue has a lot of intrigue to it, with a sort of gritty, Commando-type approach to the Dark Knight. There’s not a lot of substance to it, but they’ve got the luxury of four issues to expand on things.
Oddly enough, the Grifter back-up story is the superior of the two. It’s not every day Grifter outdoes Batman…
TITLE: Future State: Superman of Metropolis #1
AUTHORS: Sean Lewis, Brandon Easton
ARTISTS: John Timms, Valentine de Landro, Cully Hamner, Michael Avon Oeming
COLORISTS:Gabe Eltaeb, Marissa Louise, Laura Martin
LETTERERS: Dave Sharpe, Andworld Design
RELEASED: January 5, 2021
I miss the cape. It’s just not Superman without it.
In this issue, Jonathan Kent has supposedly been in the Superman role for about a decade. And yet, there’s some doubt as to whether he truly deserves it or is ready for it. There’s a weird disconnect there. Seems like if he’s had the job for 10 years, he must be pretty good at it…
Still, I like the notion of the Superman legacy casting a long shadow, while also trying to be his own man. It feels natural.
TITLE: Future State: Superman/Wonder Woman #1
AUTHOR: Dan Watters
ARTISTS: Leila Del Duca, Nick Filardi (Colorist), Tom Napolitano (Letterer). Cover by Lee Weeks and Brad Anderson.
RELEASED: January 12, 2021
So in this one he does have the cape? What the hell?
This one was disappointing, as there wasn’t much of substance between our two title heroes. I gather there’s supposed to be some kind of intriguing dynamic between Jonathan Kent and our Future State Wonder Woman, but I don’t see it.
One thing I will say: This issue’s introductory Superman scene is pretty awesome, showing us that a “mundane” morning for the Man of Steel is anything but mundane. Plenty of charm to go around.
TITLE: Future State: Green Lantern #1
AUTHOR: Geoffry Thorne, Ryan Cady, Ernie Altbacker
ARTISTS: Tom Raney, Sami Basri, Clayton Henry. Cover by Henry & Marcelo Maiolo.
COLORISTS: Mike Atiyeh, Hi-Fi, Maiolo
LETTERERS: Andworld Design, Dave Sharpe, Steve Wands.
RELEASED: January 12, 2021
Our main story here is about John Stewart and a group of now powerless Green Lanterns. We’ve also got a back-up about Guy Gardner. But the back-up about Jessica Cruz is what steals the issue.
Jessica Cruz has a special place in my heart because of her battle with an anxiety disorder. This story sees her trapped on a space station with three Yellow Lanterns, who are literally powered by fear. But as she stays hidden, she’s got the element of surprise, and thus has the ability to turn the tables on them.
Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.
By Rob Siebert
Doesn’t Have a Green Lantern Ring. Wants One.
Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, these days so many of us know so much more about isolation. Often times there’s nothing worse than simply having time to sit and stew in your own thoughts…
I got my Justice issues out recently. The 2005 maxi-series, written by Alex Ross and Jim Krueger, with pencils by Doug Brainwaite and paints by Ross, is essentially Ross’ giant love-letter to the classic Super Friends vs. Legion of Doom premise. All the various Justice League members face off against some of their greatest rivals who’ve all teamed up to take them down.
Part of Justice sees Sinestro trap Hal Jordan/Green Lantern in a black void that’s more or less outside the jurisdiction of the Guardians of the Universe. Jordan’s ring tells him he’s “outside the Guardians’ vast knowledge.” In other words Hal is alone, and no one’s coming to help. He may be on his own for eternity. Literally.
I’ve included some pages from Justice #3, #4, and #5. This is hardly the whole of Hal’s story. But it’s enough to give you a taste, and an idea of what happens to him.
This story is one of the elements of Justice that has always stayed with me, primarily because of that fifth page. Hal is so desperate for human connection of any kind that he asks his ring how he can create people with a will of their own. People, “who I don’t control? Or don’t disappear the moment I’m no longer looking at them.” The ring’s only and repeated response? “I do not understand the question.”
As long as we’re on the subject, here’s Alex Ross talking about the Silver Age version of the Green Lantern costume:
“There’s a unique aesthetic value to the Hal Jordan Green Lantern that sets him apart from all the other heroes – he wears green, and he has brown hair while everyone else has blonde or black hair and blue eyes. And the white gloves – a superhero withwhite gloves? But it works, and it translates beautifully to the aliens of the GL Corps. You can put any life form in that suit and it’s instantly recognizable. Gil Kane’s costume design is perfect.”
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TITLE: Green Lantern, Vol. 2: Revenge of the Black Hand
AUTHOR: Geoff Johns
PENCILLER: Doug Mahnke, Renato Guedes, Ethan Van Sciver.
COLLECTS: Green Lantern #7–12, Green Lantern Annual #1
FORMAT: Hardcover
PUBLISHER: DC Comics
PRICE: $24.99
RELEASED: January 2, 2013
While the Blackest Night throwback is a high point in the latest Green Lantern volume, the real draw is one of the most heinous villains in all the universe attempting to to be a hero again. Or at least his version of a hero.
When Sinestro is abducted by the Indigo Tribe, Hal Jordan must travel to the tribe’s homeworld of Nok out to rescue him (remember, Sinestro’s a Green Lantern again). Once there, he not only learns about the origins of the Indigo Tribe, but about how they’re connected to the Guardians, as well as Abin Sur. He also finds Black Hand, his old nemesis, and the harbinger of the Blackest Night. Before it’s all said and done, Hal Jordan and Black Hand will collide, and the dead will rise again.
Geoff Johns continues to tease Sinestro’s redemption in Revenge. While he’s hardly an upstanding citizen at this point, Johns tugs at our heart strings through Sinestro’s relationship with his protege-turned-nemesis Hal Jordan. At one point, while under the influence of an indigo ring, he flat out tells Hal: “I’m sorry for all I’ve done to you.” We also flash back to the relationship he had with Arin Sur, Abin Sur’s sister. We see his heart break when she dies, and how much pain he’s still in over her. And perhaps most importantly, we see that Hal has hope for him. Is Sinestro about to side with the angels full time? Probably not. But that’s not necessarily the point. In expanding Sinestro’s backstory like this, Johns is turning him into a tragic figure. The type of villain to be hated and feared, but also pitied for all he’s lost. He’s allowing us to relate to the character on a more human level, and as such invest in and root for him. Thus, when he inevitably heels on us again, there’ll be a heart-wrenching, and all the more tragic aspect to it.
Whenever I think of Black Hand, I can’t help but think of 2009′s Green Lantern #43, which was also done by Johns and Doug Mahnke. The issue revamped William Hand’s origin story, portraying him as a bizarre character fixated on corpses and the dead since early childhood. The most memorable part of the story was a full page shot of Black Hand laying in a puddle with some skeletons, as peaceful as if he were in his own bed, caressing one as if it were a loved one. Johns and Mahnke gave the character a creepy, almost perverse vibe that’s fascinating to read about. We get more of that here, as Black Hand resurrects his family and seats them around the dinner table, taking to them as if they were alive. There’s a great sci fi/horror feel to it all, which works great in a Green Lantern story.
While all this is happening, the Guardians are plotting against not only Hal Jordan and Sinestro, but the entire Green Lantern Corps. As far as this book is concerned, it’s a bit early to judge that particular plot line. What we see does look interesting, but I’m reserving my judgment until we’ve seen more.
While this is likely the best book Johns has done in the last few years, it’s not flawless. The backstory of the Indigo Tribe and how they’re connected to Abin Sur, the Guardians going crazy, etc., all seems a little too convenient from a plot standpoint. Also, as I’ve mentioned before, the Hal Jordan we see in this book doesn’t quite match up with the one we see in Justice League. I’d be more forgiving on that front of Johns weren’t writing both. It seems like the guy we see hear is the real Hal Jordan, and the guy in that other book is being forced to act like a cocky douche to fit a traditional team book role.
On the plus side, I gained a new respect for Doug Mahnke as a result of Revenge. Three things in particular stood out to me here from an art standpoint. The first is the Black Hand content, the second is a two-page shot of Hal punching out Sinestro on a balcony (shown above), after he interrupted a quiet moment between Hal and Carol Ferris. The third is the lovely new character of Natromo, an elderly dwarfish character involved in the inception of the Indigo Tribe.
In terms of the Hal/Sinestro dynamic, we may have to be patient in terms of how that develops. Green Lantern #0 introduced us to Simon Baz, the newest Green Lantern of Earth, and his adventures with the ring. But thankfully, it doesn’t appear to be going anywhere in the immediate future. That’s a very good thing.
RATING: 8.5/10
Images 1 and 2 from comicbooked.com. Image 3 from gamespot.com.
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TITLE: Green Lantern, Vol. 1: Sinestro
AUTHOR: Geoff Johns
PENCILLER: Doug Mahnke. Cover by Ivan Reis.
COLLECTS: Green Lantern #1–6
FORMAT: Hardcover
PUBLISHER: DC Comics
PRICE: $22.99
RELEASED: May 16, 2012
By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder
When Sinestro, the infamous arch nemesis of the Green Lantern Corps, was given a power ring at the end of War of the Green Lanterns, my initial instinct was that this move was made so that the comic book version of the character would correspond more with the one fans had recently seen in the Green Lantern movie.
Whether that’s actually the case or this was just a coincidence, I’m not sure. But either way, Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke manage to make the change into a pretty compelling story, despite having to put conventional logic has on the back burner for a bit to do it.
At the end of War of the Green Lanterns, Hal Jordan was stripped of his power ring by the Guardians of the universe. Moments later, the ring inexplicably chose the villainous Sinestro as Jordan’s successor. In their infinite wisdom, the Guardians allow Sinestro to serve as a Green Lantern, thinking it’s a chance at redemption for him. Thus, Hal Jordan is powerless while one of the galaxy’s worst mass murderers is wielding a green ring. But Hal’s got problems of an entirely different sort, as spending too much time patrolling the cosmos has caused his Earthly life to collapse. He’s been dismissed from the Air Force, he’s about to be kicked out of his apartment, he’s behind on all his bills, and he’s missing the life of a hero. But when Sinestro discovers his homeworld has been enslaved by the Sinestro Corps, the army he originally built to go against the Green Lantern Corps, he recruits Hal to help him free his people. Whether Hal likes it or not, he’s about to take part on the most unlikely superhero team up of all time.
Upon first glance this premise, while intriguing, seems almost laughable. Having Sinestro, a being responsible for the death of countless innocents, become a Green Lantern again (remember, he was a Lantern before he became a bad guy) is like calling in the Joker to cover for Batman. It simply defies common sense. Johns uses the Guardians’ often questionable “big picture” judgment, as well as their apparently unstable mental states (which we learn more about in subsequent issues) to justify it. It works, especially when you consider the Guardians’ questionable history with big decisions like this. But you’ve still got to work a bit harder than usual to suspend your initial disbelief in the logic behind the whole thing.
Still, once the ball gets rolling the drama is very well done. This book’s greatest accomplishment is the way it turns Sinestro into a more three dimensional character. He’s still the bad guy, but we get some nice reinforcement that he’s a bad guy who started with good intentions. Unlike other villains, he’s actually capable of caring about people. It’s some great insight into one of the most infamous villains in all of comic books.
Sinestro empowers the powerless Hal Jordan by using his power ring to create a specialized ring for him. As such, Sinestro can turn Hal’s ring on and off as he choses, and Hal’s ring can’t mount any offense against its creator. It’s a great scenario that forces two bitter enemies to work together and allows the bad guy to toy with the good guy.
I’m conflicted about how Hal Jordan is characterized in this book. Before the New 52 took effect, Hal to be a daredevil hero, whose caution-to-the-wind attitude tended to land him in trouble with his loved ones and authority figures. In this book he seems like a guy who has a heart of gold, but simply can’t get his act together, especially when he doesn’t have a power ring. He also seems a bit more impulsive, which is consistent with the Hal Jordan we saw in Justice League: Origin. Does it make Hal a more interesting character? Maybe. It certainly makes him a bit more relatable. If I had been a newbie trying to see what all the hype for a story like The Sinestro Corps War, I suppose Hal might have seemed like a more generic, handsome and muscle bound hero figure. This version gives new fans more to latch on to. But as a longtime reader, I can’t help feeling like Hal has been turned into a cliche slacker character. Perhaps I just need more time to get used to it…
Either way, Sinestro is yet another solid outing by Geoff Johns and Dough Mahnke. There’s some great character work here, as well as a nice helping of the space action and drama we’ve come to expect from Johns and his groundbreaking, constantly evolving take on the Green Lantern universe.
RATING: 7.5/10
Image 1 from goodreads.com. Image 2 from gamespot.com.
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