Green Lantern Corps #59 – Review

By: Tony Bedard (writer), Tyler Kirkham (penciller), Batt (inker), Nei Ruffino & Rob Reis (colorists)

The Story: Things are getting crazy at the GLC—maybe it’s time for a job transfer?

The Review: The Green Lantern universe has really expanded its mythology in the last few years, with the pinnacle undoubtedly being the creation of six other colored, space-faring corps.  As fun and organic as the idea may have seemed at first, these new groups haven’t really sold themselves as equals to the Greens, with the possible exception of the Sinestro Corps.  Not only do they lack history, even the fundamental ideas of what they stand for are vague at best.

This issue points out these shortcomings even as it attempts to use the powers of the other corps to inject new energy into the plot.  Head honcho Hal takes the most useful yellow ring for himself while the others get the gimmicky remainders: Kyle finds himself involuntarily boosting the powers of the other Green Lanterns (who are trying to kill them); John unsuccessfully tries to siphon his pal’s energies; and Guy leaks corrosive blood all over the place.

If you’ve followed any of the GL titles at all recently, these tricks aren’t anything new, though there’s an endearingly pathetic humor in watching the guys try to figure their way through them.  Maybe Bedard will let them founder with their newly acquired powers for a while before letting them rip loose in the next issue—at least, that’s the only thing you can hope for, as this issue turns out a bust, substance-wise.

While this week’s Green Lantern features the actual moment where the guys induct themselves into their parallel corps, Bedard gets relegated to showing the growing pains of their new colors.  Nothing really pivotal happens in this title, except for the arrival of a planet-sized wrinkle to their plans in the final pages—and the fallout from that will play out in the next title in line for this crossover.

Superman #710 – Review

By: J. Michael Straczynski & Chris Roberson (writers), Eddy Barrows & Travel Foreman (pencillers), J.P. Mayer & John Dell (inkers), Rob Reis & Dave McCaig (colorists)

The Story: Can a nerd from the sticks and an emo from the big city work together to defeat an immortal caveman?

The Review: I’ve managed to stay above the fray when it comes to the polarizing “Grounded” storyline Straczynski’s been writing into Superman, but only by not reading it altogether.  The pitch of Superman walking America for reasons you can only describe as misplaced just didn’t appeal.  But with big things coming his way this year, it’s only appropriate to check in with him before the status quo gets shaken up again.

At first, the issue starts off much as you’d imagine: having come upon another city on his road trip, Superman chats it up with the little people and tries to help them with their problems.  But with the appearance of Batman, Roberson switches gears, flashing back to the first adventure of the World’s Finest, before they get the idea to wear their underpants outside their costumes.

In the grand scheme of things, the story’s a very random aside from Superman’s “Grounded” journey.  Batman shows up very suddenly and for little reason, other than to chide Superman’s sabbatical pretty much the same way Lois, the Flash, and Dick Grayson have.  The recollection of their first team-up feels very out of context from the current plot too, being far better suited for Superman/Batman since it’s largely self-contained and kind of messy, continuity-wise.

That said, Roberson writes it well enough, albeit a little predictably.  It has all the typical elements of a Superman-Batman story: showing off their core personalities, acknowledging each other’s strengths and weaknesses, sly hints to their future heroism.  Vandal Savage and his army get defeated a tad too efficiently, and with so little struggle from the villain you never feel Bhutran (gateway to Nanda Parbat, the immortal city) is ever in any real danger.

This would have been a fun, if slightly pointless, excursion if not for Roberson’s attempts to bring some deep, meaningful conversation into the mix.  Clark and Bruce (both past and present) spend way too much of their idle time pontificating on the nature of justice, the value of their work, and on handling death.  It just feels forced, heavy, and a little pompous—which kind of fits given what I’ve heard about Superman’s slightly arrogant attitude throughout this storyline.