COMIC BOOK REVIEW: Green Lanterns #46 (Origins in Fear!)

Jessica runs for her life, as she is pursued by killers in the woods, as Simon fights for his in the Green Realm of Volthoom. The origin of Jessica Cruz, and Simon battle’s his “Outer “Demons.

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Green Lanterns # 46
Writer: Tim Seeley
Artist: V. Ken Marion
Inker: Sandu Florea
Colorist: Dinei Riberio
Letterer: Dave Sharpe
Cover Artist: Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund, Andrew Dahlhouse
Variant Cover: Brandon Peterson
Editors: Mike Cotton Asst. Editor: Andrew Marino
Publisher: DC Comics
What You Need to Know:

Jessica is trapped in a nightmare, where she and some friends were attacked on a Hunting trip. They witnessed two men attempting to hide a body in the woods. The hunter’s quickly become the prey.

Simon Baz with the help of John Constantine enters to attempt to save Jessica from the Black Hole that was caused by Singularity Jain. He is traveling without his ring, and powerless as a result. He will have to rely on his wit and the abominable willpower of a Green Lantern to survive. When last we saw Simon, he was in the former realm of Volthoom.

What You’ll Find Out:
As Jessica is approached for help by her frantic friends, she takes control of the situation. She tells them to grab anything that would identify them, and get into the river to cover their tracks.

It is a bit too late as her friend Matteo stumbles into camp holding his chest. He tells them they were seen, and falls down dead on the ground in front of the other three friends. Jessica and the other two run as the Mobsters fiddle with their pistols.

Her last two friends fall after they are shot from behind. Her friend tells her goodbye, and to run to save herself. But it’s justice that drives Jessica to push forward, as she runs through the trees.

What Just Happened?
Simon, who has been fighting the cowardly Volthoom and his army of Zombies, confronts the man. He is disgusted by him, and does not heed Volthoom’s warning about the Green Realm, and heads off to save Jessica. Volthoom calls up his equalizer.

While traveling across a fallen tree, Simon is struck with a tree branch to the back of the head. Disoriented, he hears the familiar voice behind hi, as he is confronted by his evil doppelganger! (I cannot make this up.)

Solomon Baz, Simon’s Earth 3 Counterpart.

Simon confronts Solomon without his ring, and while fighting dirty, and listening to Solomon’s life story, pushes him off the log to be lost in the chasm below. Simon has a revelation as he recovers his footing after Solomon has connected with him through a system of vines growing from his arm. “It searched good and deep and showed me what it wanted from me. I know why the door let me in.” Simon says. The Other-worldly Lantern falls into the abyss below. Simon explains why he is afraid. Not just for himself, but because he knows where Jessica and her powers came from.

Jessica hides behind a tree and collects her thought. She feels a pull of something that feeds off of her fear and lust for justice. She invokes the mighty Green powers of the Villain Volthoom! Check out next time with Jessica Cruz’s Revenge!

Rating: 7/ 10
Final Thought:
While I am following the story, I have to admit the change in artist absolutely takes me out of it. It could have been planned a bit better. Even if the Flashback had a different artist, I could understand. At least the colors are consistent. While I am enjoying the story, and at the risk of sounding supercritical, the shift is confusing and has been my major complaint with this book from the beginning. They need to establish some consistency in their creative teams. Especially if they are picking up a thread in the same arc. I would much rather wait a full month to have a better book in quality, then to have them pump out two issues a month with who knows as a fill-in artist. Would it be too much to ask Brendon Peterson, who makes those amazing Variant Covers to draw an issue or two? I digress. Good development in the story, and sad as it may be, we get to see the origin of Jessica Cruz. It’s an exciting prospect to see how this will turn out.