Green Lantern: The Animated Series #0 (DC, January 2012, $2.99)
"True Colors" Written by: Art Baltazar and Franco, Illustrated by: Dario Brizuela, Colored by: Gabe Eltaeb, Lettered by Saida Temofonte, Edited by: Kristy Quinn.
Drawn in the style of the 2012-2013 cartoon aired on the Cartoon Network, this comic book is a TV tie-in and erstwhile gateway for younger readers. Hal Jordan and Kilowog find a ring, but it's a red ring—and draws the attention of Red Lantern enemies.
Kilowog captured, Jordan finds the energy source, a quantum refractor. He then finds Kilowog, in chains. He rescues his friend and opens the mysterious black box to find that it holds a creature that feeds on ions and atoms. The creature released, all is well in the end.
The issue's story is about as long as a cartoon episode, and the pace is similar—but the comic doesn't totally read like TV. Of special interest is the "Draw Your Own Hal Jordan, Green Lantern!" page—which goes from shape-based character design to overly 3-D rendered animation. Fans of the cartoon might see it in the comic—and fans of the comic might turn to the cartoon, which aired weekly. Personally, I'd rather watch the Justice League cartoons.
Availability: This issue was collected in Green Lantern: The Animated Series. The cartoon is available on Blu-Ray: Green Lantern: The Animated Series.
Showing posts with label Green Lantern. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Green Lantern. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 05, 2018
Monday, June 04, 2018
Hal Jordan Is Not Your Enemy
Green Lantern #2 (DC, December 2011, $2.99)
"Sinestro, Part Two" Writer: Geoff Johns, Pencils: Doug Mahnke, Inks: Christian Alamy and Keith Champagne, Colors: David Baron, Letters: Sal Cipriano.
Hal Jordan is understandably upset because his ring has chosen Sinestro as its next wearer. Sinestro suggests that Jordan, while given the opportunity to change the world for the better, has squandered his chances. Regardless, he grants Jordan another ring—a ring slaved to his own. After demonstrating how Lanterns can use their rings to save the many rather than the few (p. 15 is very cool), Sinestro is attacked by Gorgor of Korugar, there to kill Sinestro and "win the right to control the Corps!"
Sinestro slays the would-be leader and asks Jordan for help: "The army I build has enslaved my homeworld, Jordan. And you're going to help me destroy them." The issue ends with a five-page "special sneak preview" of Batman: Noel.
"Sinestro, Part Two" Writer: Geoff Johns, Pencils: Doug Mahnke, Inks: Christian Alamy and Keith Champagne, Colors: David Baron, Letters: Sal Cipriano.
Hal Jordan is understandably upset because his ring has chosen Sinestro as its next wearer. Sinestro suggests that Jordan, while given the opportunity to change the world for the better, has squandered his chances. Regardless, he grants Jordan another ring—a ring slaved to his own. After demonstrating how Lanterns can use their rings to save the many rather than the few (p. 15 is very cool), Sinestro is attacked by Gorgor of Korugar, there to kill Sinestro and "win the right to control the Corps!"
Sinestro slays the would-be leader and asks Jordan for help: "The army I build has enslaved my homeworld, Jordan. And you're going to help me destroy them." The issue ends with a five-page "special sneak preview" of Batman: Noel.
Friday, June 01, 2018
Yalan Gur Interferes
Green Lantern #19 (DC, December 1991, $1.75)
"Lantern's Light" Written by: Gerard Jones, Lettered by: Albert De Guzman, Colored by: Anthony Tollin, Edited by: Kevin Dooley.
Chapter One—Pencils by: M.D. Bright, Inks by: Romeo Tanghal.
This 38-page issue is a special 50th anniversary issue in which Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern, returns. In this five-page chapter, former architect John Stewart questions why the Guardians selected him as a Lantern, mourns the loss of his wife—and fellow Lantern—Katma, and considers his place among other Lanterns such as Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner. He sees a vision of Scott and decides it's time for him to return to Earth in search of answers.
Chapter Two—Art by: Pat Broderick.
This is an amazing chapter in the book, nine pages of art by Broderick, excellent in its own right and very well suited to portraying Jordan's visit to Myrg, where he finds that Scott's cab-driver buddy Doiby Dickles has become king. The result is a recreated Brooklyn, complete with Ebbets Field and Kishke King, as well as "40,000 feudal alien warriors watching a ball game!" I need to learn more about Broderick. His art seems like it'd be at home in an underground or independent comic, and has more going on than much of mainstream superhero work.
Chapter Three—Pencils by: Joe Staton, Inks by: Art Nichols.
I also didn't know Staton drew Green Lantern! In his chapter, Gardner is also visited by Scott—and goes to find Scott's children, who suggests that the Harlequin or Thorn might know where he is. Stewart and Gardner pair up, joining up with Jordan and Dickles to visit Harlequin. Scott has left a message for her, too, as well as his lantern.
Chapter Four—Pencils by: Mart Nodell, Inks by: Romeo Tanghal.
I didn't know who Mart Nodell was, but I was struck by his comic art, which—like Broderick's—seemed equal parts underground and mainstream. Imagine my surprise when I learned that he... created the Green Lantern during the Golden Age of the '40s! His nine pages are absolutely wonderful, detailing the gathered Lanterns's trip to China, where Yalan Gur interferes with local politics in an attempt to mold the development of the human race on Earth. The Guardians intervene, eventually trapping him in a lantern that was to become Scott's. Gur's abuse of his position on Earth led to the very origin of the first human Lantern!
Chapter Five—Art by M.D. Bright and Romeo Tanghal.
Bookending the issue, this five-page chapter telegraphs the ongoing search for Scott. On the whole, this is a very fun read, even if you're not a standing reader of the series. The connection to the history of the comic is solid, and there are several strong artists present: Broderick, Staton, and Nodell. Very cool. The issue ends with a two-page piece by Mark Waid, "Strange Schwartz Stories: A History of Green Lantern." That is also very much worth reading.
Read Also: Green Lantern #45, Green Lantern #18, JLA #55, and Justice League Quarterly #5.
Availability: This issue hasn't been collected. You can read more of Nodell's work—including Dickles!—in The Golden Age Green Lantern - Archives, Volume 1. Some of Staton's run on the book is included in Green Lantern: Sector 2814 Vol. 3.
"Lantern's Light" Written by: Gerard Jones, Lettered by: Albert De Guzman, Colored by: Anthony Tollin, Edited by: Kevin Dooley.
Chapter One—Pencils by: M.D. Bright, Inks by: Romeo Tanghal.
This 38-page issue is a special 50th anniversary issue in which Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern, returns. In this five-page chapter, former architect John Stewart questions why the Guardians selected him as a Lantern, mourns the loss of his wife—and fellow Lantern—Katma, and considers his place among other Lanterns such as Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner. He sees a vision of Scott and decides it's time for him to return to Earth in search of answers.
Chapter Two—Art by: Pat Broderick.
This is an amazing chapter in the book, nine pages of art by Broderick, excellent in its own right and very well suited to portraying Jordan's visit to Myrg, where he finds that Scott's cab-driver buddy Doiby Dickles has become king. The result is a recreated Brooklyn, complete with Ebbets Field and Kishke King, as well as "40,000 feudal alien warriors watching a ball game!" I need to learn more about Broderick. His art seems like it'd be at home in an underground or independent comic, and has more going on than much of mainstream superhero work.
Chapter Three—Pencils by: Joe Staton, Inks by: Art Nichols.
I also didn't know Staton drew Green Lantern! In his chapter, Gardner is also visited by Scott—and goes to find Scott's children, who suggests that the Harlequin or Thorn might know where he is. Stewart and Gardner pair up, joining up with Jordan and Dickles to visit Harlequin. Scott has left a message for her, too, as well as his lantern.
Chapter Four—Pencils by: Mart Nodell, Inks by: Romeo Tanghal.
I didn't know who Mart Nodell was, but I was struck by his comic art, which—like Broderick's—seemed equal parts underground and mainstream. Imagine my surprise when I learned that he... created the Green Lantern during the Golden Age of the '40s! His nine pages are absolutely wonderful, detailing the gathered Lanterns's trip to China, where Yalan Gur interferes with local politics in an attempt to mold the development of the human race on Earth. The Guardians intervene, eventually trapping him in a lantern that was to become Scott's. Gur's abuse of his position on Earth led to the very origin of the first human Lantern!
Chapter Five—Art by M.D. Bright and Romeo Tanghal.
Bookending the issue, this five-page chapter telegraphs the ongoing search for Scott. On the whole, this is a very fun read, even if you're not a standing reader of the series. The connection to the history of the comic is solid, and there are several strong artists present: Broderick, Staton, and Nodell. Very cool. The issue ends with a two-page piece by Mark Waid, "Strange Schwartz Stories: A History of Green Lantern." That is also very much worth reading.
Read Also: Green Lantern #45, Green Lantern #18, JLA #55, and Justice League Quarterly #5.
Availability: This issue hasn't been collected. You can read more of Nodell's work—including Dickles!—in The Golden Age Green Lantern - Archives, Volume 1. Some of Staton's run on the book is included in Green Lantern: Sector 2814 Vol. 3.
Friday, December 22, 2017
An Odd Team Up
Super-Team Family Vol. 3 #12 (DC, August-September 1977, 60 cents)
"The Eternity Pursuit" Writer: Gerry Conway, Artists: Arvell M. Jones and Bill Draut, Letterer: Ben Oda, Colorist: Jerry Serpe.
This 30-page issue is "a new double-length novel" presenting Green Lantern and Hawkman plus the Atom. After a cover by Al Milgrom and Jack Abel, one might be disappointed by the interior art, but Jones and Draut, while unknown to me, do quite well. Not at all a drawback.
Nevertheless, it's an odd team up, and hardly the stuff of "family" as seen with the similarly named Batman and Superman titles of the time. The three begin the issue in hyperspace, "that peculiar dimension between universes where nothing may travel at less than the speed of light."
Seeking Jean Loring, the Atom's fiancee, they are attacked by aliens, the Dhrune, there to subjugate the Aurians, who had somehow been weakened by Loring's "unnatural scream," able to tear the actual fabric of reality. Hawkman and the Atom search for Loring on the planet below while the Lantern goes to another planet. There, he finds a battle underway between the soldiers of Brewtus the Black Duke and Prince Simax, regent of Titan.
Captured, Hawkman and the Atom are imprisoned, where they meet an old woman. The Atom escapes, and on Titan, the Lantern is forced to fight Brewtus—but without his ring. He struggles, but, reclaiming his ring, succeeds—to return to find the Atom, Hawkman, and the Aurians now free of the Dhrune.
Taken to Titan to find a new home, the Aurians realize the danger posed by the swollen sun. They "pool their common mentality" to push the planet back into its original orbit. All is well, but Loring remains missing.
The issue also includes a one-page letter column and the three-page "How Hawkman Won His Wings," written by Gardner Fox and drawn by Joe Kubert, reprinted from the 1962 Brave and the Bold #42. This is a wonderful short piece, worth reading on its own!
Interestingly, this issue and #11 were reprinted in 2007 as Countdown Special: The Atom #1 to highlight key events that tied into the Countdown event, or Countdown to Final Crisis. Other specials featured the Flash, Kamandi, the New Gods, Eclipso, OMAC, Captain Carrot and the Zoo Crew, and Jimmy Olsen.
Availability: While this issue hasn't been collected per se, related Atom stories can be found in Showcase Presents: The Atom, Vol. 1 and four volumes of Countdown to Final Crisis (1, 2, 3, 4).
"The Eternity Pursuit" Writer: Gerry Conway, Artists: Arvell M. Jones and Bill Draut, Letterer: Ben Oda, Colorist: Jerry Serpe.
This 30-page issue is "a new double-length novel" presenting Green Lantern and Hawkman plus the Atom. After a cover by Al Milgrom and Jack Abel, one might be disappointed by the interior art, but Jones and Draut, while unknown to me, do quite well. Not at all a drawback.
Nevertheless, it's an odd team up, and hardly the stuff of "family" as seen with the similarly named Batman and Superman titles of the time. The three begin the issue in hyperspace, "that peculiar dimension between universes where nothing may travel at less than the speed of light."
Seeking Jean Loring, the Atom's fiancee, they are attacked by aliens, the Dhrune, there to subjugate the Aurians, who had somehow been weakened by Loring's "unnatural scream," able to tear the actual fabric of reality. Hawkman and the Atom search for Loring on the planet below while the Lantern goes to another planet. There, he finds a battle underway between the soldiers of Brewtus the Black Duke and Prince Simax, regent of Titan.
Captured, Hawkman and the Atom are imprisoned, where they meet an old woman. The Atom escapes, and on Titan, the Lantern is forced to fight Brewtus—but without his ring. He struggles, but, reclaiming his ring, succeeds—to return to find the Atom, Hawkman, and the Aurians now free of the Dhrune.
Taken to Titan to find a new home, the Aurians realize the danger posed by the swollen sun. They "pool their common mentality" to push the planet back into its original orbit. All is well, but Loring remains missing.
The issue also includes a one-page letter column and the three-page "How Hawkman Won His Wings," written by Gardner Fox and drawn by Joe Kubert, reprinted from the 1962 Brave and the Bold #42. This is a wonderful short piece, worth reading on its own!
Interestingly, this issue and #11 were reprinted in 2007 as Countdown Special: The Atom #1 to highlight key events that tied into the Countdown event, or Countdown to Final Crisis. Other specials featured the Flash, Kamandi, the New Gods, Eclipso, OMAC, Captain Carrot and the Zoo Crew, and Jimmy Olsen.
Availability: While this issue hasn't been collected per se, related Atom stories can be found in Showcase Presents: The Atom, Vol. 1 and four volumes of Countdown to Final Crisis (1, 2, 3, 4).
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