Perhaps the praise was too soon. I recently ran a review giving huzzahs to the creative team behind the new Green Lantern Universe. I had been particularly excited by Robert Venditti’s GL Annual, which saw the fall of Relic and the rise of new, seemingly interesting storylines. One of the most endearing arcs came from Venditti and the other writers trying to tear down the unbreakable wall of praise that former writer Geoff Johns had built in honor of Hal Jordan. Both my intrepid editor Andy Hunsaker and I were looking forward to seeing Jordan fail for the first time in his career.
Green Lantern #25 is clearly looking to tear down Hal Jordan, but I fear it’s going a it fast with it. I’m all for holes in the Jordan armor, but what happens in this issue seems out of sorts for the supposed greatest Green Lantern in history. Issue #25 opens with Jordan announcing an executive order that the Green Lanterns would now be in charge of policing the use of the emotional spectrum. Really? The entirety of the GL Corps’ problems have stemmed from them overstepping their bounds. It makes zero sense that Jordan would do that. He may be an egotistical prick, but stupid he’s not.
So continues the bizarre ineptitude of Hal Jordan. After fighting with Carol Ferris and bringing in the unsure critiques of fellow Lanterns John Stewart and Kilowog, Jordan then flies (using the green light) to a planet to try and take the ring from one of the violet lightbearers. A fight ensues and both Jordan and Kilowog are left in a precarious position. Everything that happens in issue #25, comes from a complete failure on the part of Hal Jordan as the new leader. While I can see some stumbles in the road, the absolute collapse of Jordan feels rushed, as if the writer is trying to get to where wants to be without allowing the story to grow organically.
Billy Tan’s art is excessively busy. Everything he draws has an unnecessary amount of hatching, or small lines drawn for no reason. Tan also enjoys giving his male leads huge jaws, and tiny heads. It’s not on a Rob Leifed level of crap, but it isn’t fun to look at. There is also a serious lack of movement to Tan’s work. Each panel just sits there, telling the story but not adding to it.
I’m still very positive on the new Green Lantern direction, and the attempt to tear down Hal Jordan, I just feel DC needs to pump the brakes a bit.
(2 Art, 2 Story)
