Hey everyone! Hope you’re all holding up alright in this ridiculously cold period – it’s hard enough for me to study during the rest of the year, but when I have to deal with the cold as well, my procrastination ability goes into overdrive. Thankfully, I’ve had a few things to keep the creative juices flowing during this difficult time, and you lucky folks get to read all about it. This week, I’ve gone back to a hero from the very beginning of my foray into the comic world – the greatest of the Green Lanterns, Hal Jordan.
The first DC comic I ever bought was a hardcover edition of Brightest Day, a major DC crossover event the followed on from the epic Blackest Night event that saw the resurrection of a large number of previously deceased heroes. Mind you, this was all pre-Flashpoint and pre-New 52, so dropping into such a large event with no knowledge of the events was confusing to say the least. This week, I’ve picked up the first volume of the Rebirth era of Green Lantern: Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps, written by Robert Vendetti (X-O Manowar, The Flash) and drawn by Rafa Sandoval (Catwoman, X-O Manowar). Strap yourselves in, folks. This one’s a doozy.
The Green Lantern Corps is gone, and their homeworld of Oa is in ruins. They’ve disappeared without a trace, and the universe is undefended. Taking advantage of their arch-nemeses’ disappearance, the fear-wielding yellow lanterns rule the universe with an iron fist, led by the tyrant Sinestro himself. No one opposes his rule, save one man: the last, greatest Green Lantern: Hal Jordan. Exiled from his Corps for crimes he didn’t commit, and wielding a ring he forged himself, Hal must bring his Corps back from the brink and free the universe from the rule of his arch-enemy.
Reading this book was basically a homecoming for me.
I’ve been a big fan of the Green Lantern series since I got into comics, and despite dropping the series midway through the New 52 (somewhere around the Relic arc, if I remember correctly) due to crossover fatigue and not particularly enjoying the Rebirth series featuring Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz, the return of Hal Jordan was fantastic. The story arc reminded me a lot of Geoff Johns’ definitive run – the stakes were high, Guy Gardner acts like a jerk, and Sinestro and Hal have an incredibly destructive battle. It’s classic Lantern fare, and despite the absence of the Guardians, it’s the same kind of return to form that we’ve seen across the Rebirth line.
Rafa Sandoval’s pencils are fantastic; his art is top notch, and adds to the “pre-New 52” feel of the whole shebang. Special commendations have to be given to the book’s colourists, though; Jordi Tarragona and Ethan Van Sciver absolutely outdid themselves – there’s some splash pages in there that are just damn magnificent. Colourists tend to fall by the wayside, and are often the unsung heroes of creative teams – here, however, their work is good to the point where you can’t miss it.
While “Sinestro’s Law” is a volume one, I’m not sure it’s the best jumping-on point for new readers. You kind of need at least a cursory knowledge of recent events in the Lantern Corps history, but ye olde Wikipedia is a bit light on details. Like the Green Arrow Rebirth title, Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps seems to be a love letter to the characters and the long time fans alike; it’s the return to form that I’ve been waiting for.
Written by Alastair McGibbon.
Image sourced via DC Comics Socials.
