Green Lantern #3: Star Light, Star Bright. First Sinestro I See Tonight…

It’s finally here! Jeremy Adams, Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Xermanico, and Montos are back after being put on a two-month hiatus for the recently concluded event, Knight Terrors, and we take off as if nothing happened. Sinestro finally shows up. It looks like he’s building up something big. He’s looking to consolidate supporters as he continues building the power needed to take on Hal. Meanwhile, in PKJ and Montos’s John Stewart backup, the team turns back to what’s going on with John as they begin ramping up to what will lead to his solo book, hitting shelves next Tuesday! So, let’s get on with the show! 

After that brief hiatus for the line-wide Knight Terrors event, Jeremy Adams and Xermanico continue to rebuild Hal’s life on Earth. Hal left the Green Lantern Corps after the Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths when the United Planets stepped in to take control of the organization. The United Planets effectively quarantined sector 2814, cutting it off from the rest of the Universe, and effectively banned any Corps members from patrolling it. Adams continues to give us these moments that feel just right. We don’t have a Hal whose sole goal is to lead the Corps or be a blank slate personality-wise, who’s the cipher for whatever the writer needs. Hal feels like a character that will be as multifaceted, with sound, great, and some very toxic traits. 

Xermanico’s back on art, and man, these last two months have been absolutely amazing this entire run. I was a big fan of his before he came on this book, but it just gets better with every new issue. The linework here is top notch. Hal’s face and body, just so expressive. Nothing is wasted. Especially the scene where he makes a gazelle construct from his new ring (more on that mystery later!). Not only did he create the construct from this new ring, but he was able to make the gazelle in their natural colors, and not just green. He was also able to make the construct smell like the others. His construct was so realistic, it confused a cheetah! It’s these little details that has me so ecstatic about this run!F

While Adams and Xermanico were continuing rebuilding Hal’s life, Johnson and Montos finish out their backup as they gear up to start John Stewart’s upcoming space opera epic, Green Lantern: War Journal (out on 9/19). PKJ’s out here doing PKJ things, but Montos? He showed up, and showed out. The work he’s doing here is gritty, and textured. It’s not slick, and sketchy. He’s showing who his influences are, but he’s not aping them, he’s putting himself into his work too. Some very interesting things are happening in this new era for our little Sector 2814 on the horizon.