Absolute Grreen Lantern #4 – The Slow Burn Continues

Absolute Green Lantern #4 finally begins to unravel the question surrounding how Jo acquired the Green Lantern powers, but still leaves Hal’s situation of the Black Hand/Darkstar to be told. The issue continues to be exposition-heavy as the scene shifts back and forth between the current confrontation between Hal and Jo. This issue begins to give Abin Sur’s presence on Earth and what has happened to those citizens of Evergreen who have been “judged.”

Abin Sur’s mysterious explanation that those deemed judged now exist in OA or Omega – Alpha, a concept that has yet to be fully explored, even though it looks like there are is some glimpses and foreshadowing in the beautiful full-page spread when Jo touches Abin Sur, like Tomar-Re and Hector Hammond, who does appear in the issues cliffhanger. It would seem that given that this universe is a Darkseid-created one that OA is perhaps something sinister, rather than a Good Place.  The introduction of Hammond is the first appearance of a iconic Lantern rogue in the series, whose role will payout in the upcoming Absolute Evil storyline.

Ewing’s pacing of the story continues to be a slow burn but transitions between past and present events is not clearly delineated throughout the issue, as it has been since the beginning of the story. While it doesn’t totally interrupt the flow of events, it would be nice for a text box simply saying something  like “present” and ” past.”

The art and colorwork continue to set the tone for the story well, and Lindsay excels especially on the splash pages and larger action panels.