The Darkstars are dispensing lethal justice across the universe, can even the Green Lanterns stand in their way? Do they even want to? There’s a new Corps in town! The Green Lanterns are going to have to make some new friends!
Title: Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #44 (Darkstars Rising pt. 1: Enemies Closer)
Writer: Robert Venditti
Art: Brandon Peterson
Colors: Ivan Plascencia
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Publisher: DC Comics
What You Need to Know:
The Darkstars have overthrown their masters, The Controllers, and are spreading across the universe dishing out lethal justice. Outnumbering the Green Lantern Corps more with every day, the Corps is gonna need to call in some big favors to get out of this one!
What You’ll Find Out:
We open on Earth in Central City, in Iron Heights Penitentiary, the former villain Goldface is sleeping in his cell when he is awoken by a yellow light, a Darkstar hovers above him, Tomar-tu has come to avenge his fallen father! Hours later Hal arrives on the scene to evaluate the murder, he knows exactly what happened right off the bat, after a cameo from a certain speedster he heads out, a brilliant alternate perspective I’ll leave you to discover.
We cut to Guy Gardner on the planet Heep in sector 1974, he walks into a bar and sits down despite some objection from its employees and patrons, demanding a beer. Once the bar sees who he’s meeting, everyone in sight runs for it, leaving Guy alone with his companion, Arkillo from the Sinestro Corps! The two enemies turned best friends sit down and have a beer, Guy explains the situation and tells Arkillo the Green Lanterns need the Sinestro Corps help again…
Elsewhere, Kyle swings by New Genesis, Hal swings by Strykers, and most shocking of all, John swings by Jekuul! Discover the specifics for yourself, pick up an issue of Hal and the Corps #44 today!
What Just Happened?
Man, this arc has already gotten such a fantastic set up it’s hard to believe it’s just the first issue, I’m loving it so far. It was a bit interesting that Tomar-tu chose a totally personal vendetta to rectify, and serves to show that the Darkstars motives could be personal more than professional.
I love the idea of the Green Lantern Corps calling on their enemies as well as friends, after all, who has more to lose than some of the super criminals the Green Lantern Corps has fought, after executing a bunch of prisoners and old criminals what’s to stop them targeting mass murderers like Zod or the Joker?
The art in this issue was excellent, the smoldering bones of Goldface were amazingly well drawn and a super strong visual, the very short fight between John Stewart and Zod being another standout.
Rating: 9/10
Final Thought:
I could rate it higher but I need to be able to rate the next ones higher somehow, as I have a feeling this arc is only going to get better! My one disclaimer is that this issue isn’t very new reader friendly, but we’re in the home stretch of the series, which ends with #50, so that’s to be expected, this is the endgame!
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