The Red Lantern Corps has come and now Soranik, Hal Jordan, & Sinestro are at their mercy. Will the Red Lanterns burn them all or will the trio escape their fate?
Injustice 2 #55
Writer: Tom Taylor
Artist: UNCREDITED
Cover Artist: Daniel Sampere
Cover Colors: Alejandro Sanchez
Colorist: Rex Lokus
Letters: Wes Abbott
Publisher: DC Comics
What You Need to Know:
After helping Superman with his regime, Hal Jordan was returned to the Guardians to undergo trial. His punishment to help with a recolonization effort alongside Sinestro. Unbeknownst to them, the Red Lantern Dex-Starr has killed the Green Lantern Tomar-Re and called the rest of his Corps to descend upon the prison. Destroying it and leaving the three inside at their mercy…
What You’ll Find Out:
Taking place immediately after Issue 54; Hal Jordan, & Sinestro sit Soraniks barrier as the Red Lanterns loom above them. Hal’s guilt-induced manifestation Guy Gardner returns briefly to note how weird it is seeing Dex-Starr. To Guy’s relief, Atrocitus is only after Sinestro. Though he’s not above tearing Soranik apart slowly. As the Red Lanterns prepare to do so, both Hal & Sinestro give Soranik advice much to her annoyance. It does little to help as her barrier is destroyed in seconds. Instinctively, Sinestro goes to her aid which sparks Atrocitus’ curiosity and confusion. From the sidelines; Arisia, Jimwick, and Iolande arrive to watch the scene. Jimwick noting that he’s the lone survivor of a previous encounter with the Red Lanterns. Fully aware of the threat they pose, he’s taken the initiative to ask the Guardians for authorization on the use of lethal force.
After discovering their relationship, Atrocitus notes Soranik hates Sinestro almost as much as he does. A comment that spurs fellow Red Lantern Bleez to take a cheap shot at Sinestro and call him as bad a father as he is a person. Elsewhere, Jimwick gets authorized to use lethal force and promptly uses it to assassinate Abyssma. Unfortunately, you can’t be subtle with a green laser beam through the head and a fight between the Green & Red Lanterns begins. With Abyssma dead, his Ring begins to slowly roll away to find a new host. Seeing this, Sinestro dives for it. Hal stops his nemesis but the pairs blasted apart by Soranik. But she was too late, Hal has now joined the Red Lantern Corps.
With what sanity and control he has left, Hal quickly flies to aid the Green Lanterns. Ordering them to retreat while he holds them off. Hal, however, is not invincible and is quickly overwhelmed. Being trapped within red construct chains with the remaining Red Lanterns priming their sword constructs to skewer him at a moments notice. Atrocitus orders Hal be spared seeing how powerful and skilled he was in using a Red Ring. He asks what it is that Hal hates so much to give him this power. Hal replies that the thing he hates most of all…is himself.
What Just Happened?
Hal Jordan has joined the Red Lantern Corps. That’s pretty much it really this time. The Red Lanterns remain powerhouses and even after the Green Lanterns get to use lethal force, it doesn’t take long for them to be overwhelmed. The Red Lanterns also appear to be more like the modern Red Lanterns with the ability to create Energy Constructs and actually talk. Like the Green Lanterns, it’s nice seeing some of the more well-known members cameoing. Their classical costumes are also a nice touch in comparison to the somewhat questionable outfit Atrocitus has. But speaking of costumes, Arisia also has a bit of a questionable design choice. In the previous issues it was fine but in the midst of the fighting, I thought she was a random new guy. I can understand not giving her an ultra-feminine skirt but this makes her a bit too bland in action.
The best moment in the entire chapter is learning about Hal’s intense self-hatred. We knew he felt guilty but having enough self-hatred to wield a Red Lantern Ring is very telling.
Rating: 6.5/10
Final Thought: First thing I noticed was this issues title change. Last issue it was called “Death on Harring” but now it’s “Rage on Harring”. Part of me wonders if that was intentional misdirection, sudden last minute change, or something else entirely. It’s not a bad chapter but it felt like they hyped up the Red Lanterns to be a serious threat but the battle ended far too quickly. Getting a total of 1 page and 1 panel before Red Lantern Hal ends it. Going back to the title change, part of me wonders if this was also a sudden last minute change. Either way, something felt off about this issue.
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