Absolute Green Lantern #19: Secrets, Lies, and Spacemen

The DEO traces its roots back to the beginning of the second World War, with each head disappearing or dying due to mysterious circumstances. Now that Cameron Chase and her allies have uncovered the secret held within “File #0”, the history of just who really is in charge starts to slowly unravel before their eyes.

Absolute Green Lantern continues to defy conventional GL storytelling in a way that works for the story that it is trying to tell. By focusing less on the lanterns themselves, and more on the world and circumstances that created them, there is a deeper understanding of the nuances that differentiate this emotional spectrum from the Prime Earth’s. Those who want more ring-slinging action may be put off by this halt in the proceedings, but I feel that this helps the book stand out even more.

Al Ewing keeps the story grounded once more in this issue by telling the history of the DEO and their connection to the enigmatic Manhunters through a series of journal entries by various members of the DEO spanning from the 1940s all the way to the present day that includes well known entities like Argent and even the Suicide Squad. This is framed as multiple journey entries from various people over decades like a slowly unwinding tale of horror that flows into each other. Ewing expands the lore in a way that informs the readers of these lights hierarchy and how they connect to the wider universe. A couple moments require some re-reading to truly understand, but not in a way that completely loses you.

Jahnoy Lindsay’s art isn’t completely up to the level that it was in the earlier issues, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad by any means. Blurry backgrounds give a focused camera effect in some of the panels that help the intended mood of the story, but it wasn’t exactly my cup of tea. The colors continued to be the standout for the book, especially in moments where Paul Kirk (the original human Manuhunter) meets the aliens (potentially the Guardians of the Universe or Controllers).