Comic Book Review: Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #42
“The Green Lantern Corps has held power for too long.”
Robert Venditti and Ethan Van Sciver make a great team. Sciver is one of the best Green Lantern artists ever; Venditti is the writer responsible for bringing X-O Manowar and Valiant Comics back from the dead. These two know just how to tell a story set in space. It doesn’t hurt if that story happens to star some of the best characters in DC Comics: Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps. The book has been one of the best to ever star the character. At first, many were reluctant about Venditti becoming the de facto Lantern writer. He was taking over for Geoff Johns, after all. The man who essentially reinvented the character and made the color spectrum one of the most exciting and unique aspects of DC storytelling.
The Green Lantern series transition from Johns to Venditti ,in The New 52, wasn’t easygoing. But Rebirth changed perspectives for more than a few of DC’s creatives. Green Lantern turned into Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps; a struggling series turned into one of the best stories at DC. Venditti knows how to write Hal Jordan. He knows how to tell stories in space. He knows just how to turn Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #42 into a fantastic read for longtime fans and new beginners.
“The campaign of the Darkstars has begun.”
Venditti is no stranger to powerful suits or magics. His work at Valiant showcased an appreciation of interstellar battles and adventures. Whether it was crusty, ancient figures with magics both old and powerful or newly created suits of technological prowess or power, he knew just how to create the kind of threats that made for great storytelling. Thankfully, he still does. Venditti introduces readers to another re-purposed part of DC’s history: the Darkstars.
The Darkstars were an intergalactic peace-police that starred in their own comic series in the 90’s. However, that’s not the same treatment they’re getting here. In Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #42, the Darkstars are a team of powerful armored suits meant to usurp power from the Green Lanterns. Whether they’re virtuous remains to be seen, but the justice they’ll be doling out will likely conflict with that of Hal and the Corps’. To make an interesting conflict, Venditti has already established that this won’t be a cut and dry battle in the middle of space. This will be a battle of morals and principles. Pitting Hal and his sense of justice against Tomar-Tu, one of the most famous Lanterns of all.
It’s a great story that’s a page-turner from the get-go. Further proof that Robert Venditti has been the perfect successor to Geoff Johns.
“Small minds birth small visions. Our designs are far grander.”
Artist Ethan Van Sciver has been at the center of a bit of controversy these days. But that hasn’t stopped him from continuing to be one of the best artists at DC. Bringing to life some of the most imaginative corners of their Universe. He’s one of the most prolific artists when it comes to the Lantern Corps, and it shows. His lines perfectly capture the epic scale of space battles and the foreign designs of countless cultures. He displays his talent on every single page and panel. A testament to the great partnership he has with writer Robert Venditti.
The same can be said for colorist Jason Wright. The Lantern books are, arguably, the most potentially colorful comics in all of…comics. In no other stories will readers find colors literally tied to the plot of the book. All of the powers of every Lantern Corps member is driven by color. A gorgeous palette that has many hues of the same color. That sounds like it should be repetitive and uninteresting, but it never is. Thanks to colorists like Wright the Lantern books will always remain some of the most gorgeous pages on comic book shelves.
Wright and Sciver have become an even greater team during Rebirth. Like writer Robert Venditti, the 2 artists have risen to the occasion of the new DC. Bringing to life another amazing new world and story in Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #42.
The Verdict
Hal Jordan has a lot of responsibility these days. He’s a member of the Justice League and the leader of the Green Lantern Corps. These two forces are tasked with maintaining peace throughout the world and the known-Universe. After a while, it could get a little tired having to think of intergalactic threats to throw at Hal and his friends. But that isn’t the case for Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #42.
Thanks to the great writing of Robert Venditti, Hal has a brand new dilemma to face. His sense of justice is going to be questioned; his power will be challenged. Thanks to the great art of Ethan Van Sciver and colorist Jason Wright, the Lantern Corps has never looked better. The team looking and sounding as fun as ever as they police the Universe with their imaginative powers.
It shouldn’t look this easy. Making new Green Lantern Corps stories should be hard for any team, even if they are some of the best in the business. But Venditti and Sciver don’t just make it look easy, they make it look fun and entertaining. The stories perfectly fit the characters and settings; villains perfectly mirror the heroes they challenge. It’s the kind of dance that has made Hal Jordan’s space adventures some of the most exciting stories in comics. The Darkstars are here to plague some of DC’s best heroes in surprising new ways. An old but reinvented team that help to make Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #42 the perfect heroes and villains for Robert Venditti and Ethan Van Sciver’s brand new story.
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