Just an interesting little thing I noticed recently.

I decided to re-read the Alpha Lanterns arc (largely for Laira’s transformation into a Red Lantern, a great scene) and one thing I noticed was that when the Lost Lanterns track down Amon Sur, he’s just finished killing off Keehan’s family.

Flashforward to recent issues of GLC and we’ve now got a plot thread regarding Sinestro Corps members wiping out the families of GL Corps members. Is this a case of Geoff Johns hinting at a future plot thread, or did Peter Tomasi just get inspired by those events?

Or is it just a big coincidence?

Singing the praises of Peter Tomasi’s work is a regular feature in this blog, and the latest issue of Green Lantern Corps is no exception.

If I was to make one complaint, then it would be that this arc felt a bit short. After the mammoth ring quest arc, the quick capture of the quintet was slightly jarring, but since we’ve got the Star Saphire arc kicking off next month, I won’t complain.

In truth, I’m looking forward to this next arc a lot. I liked the changes Geoff Johns introduced in the Green Lantern arc and I’m pleased to see them being picked up again. Not to mention, it’ll be nice to have an issue where the Sinestro Corps take a back seat. If you consider how much of this book was spent putting in place things for the Sinestro Corps arc (like Ranx) and now dealing with the fallout, I’ll be glad to see other factions in the Blackest Night getting some focus. Especially since I’ve been really enjoying the Red Lantern buildup over in Green Lantern.

This title was still good fun. I like the character of Saarek, and can’t believe I didn’t twig to how he could play into the Blackest Night until he was approached by the scarred guardian. There’s something going on there and I imagine it’s not going to be good for Saarek.

Nice to see Tora turn up on Oa as well. Nice and unexpected since our focus had been on Guy counting the days till their date

So I’ve just finished reading the finale to the Sinestro Corps.

Wow.

There’s a heck of a lot of action in this finale. On one front we’ve got Kyle and Hal in Coast City facing off against Sinestro, while John and Guy join the main conflict in New York, as seen in the GLC title, facing off against Prime and the Anti-Monitor.

Geoff Johns had a lot to juggle in this book, and he’s pulled it off beautifully. There’s a lot of splash pages throughout to help convey the scope of the conflict, and Ivan Reis and Ethan Van Skiver really shine, packing in loads of detail into them. After reading this, its no wonder that Ivan’s taking the next arc off. Presumably to encase his hands in ice.

All the major plot points are dealt with really well. Most of the major threats are removed from the game, with the Sinestro Corps now leaderless, and minus their main power battery.

There’s some nice epilogue stuff as well, hinting at what’s to come. The final fate of the Anti-Monitor is a big surprise. Ever since he got involved, it was assumed that it would be a setup for Final Crisis. Now it looks like he might’ve been a red-herring in that department.

Then we’ve got the first of the epilogues. Ron Marz returns to wrap up the loose ends from his Ion series, and with some neat lines of dialogue, he manages to tie up a lot of the chaos caused by the rug being pulled from under him in that series. Jade’s power is mentioned, but to my mind is still a bit of a dangling plot thread. If another writer wanted to explore the idea of Kyle still possessing Starheart energy, there’s nothing here to stop it, but for now I’m happy to assume its dormant within him.

Kyle still gets his due from the Guardians, which is nice, and there’s a great scene with the 4 Earth GL’s which re-establishes the Kyle/Guy banter which we’ll hopefully see more of in the GLC monthly.

I’ve still got GLC #19 to read, but I must admit, so far this has been an excellent week for Green Lantern fans (if an expensive one).

Well, this issue is an interesting one. Given the late change in the solicit of this issue (originally it was a Sinestro Corps Epilogue starring Kyle and Guy) there’s been a lot of speculation that the Sodam Yat/Ion stuff was added in late in the day to capitalise on the success of the story arc.

Now, Sodam Yat’s a character I’ve been running hot and cold over this whole arc. I enjoyed him during the Mogo Vs Ranx storyline, but then went rapidly off him when he spent two issues with everyone going “Oh, wow. He’s awesome!” as he was rushed into the Ion ID.

This issue gives us his backstory, while Superman Prime beats him to a pulp. I’m really surprised, that after all the hype, Yat actually took this much of a kicking. Sure, he gets a couple of good hits in, but Prime still laughs them off and then keeps handing him his backside.

Yat’s backstory is well handled though. We see his upbringing on Daxam, and how it affected his worldview to the point that he was going to leave the planet for its isolationist policies (backed up with a healthy amount of propoganda).

We really get the feeling of a character that’s been messed around a lot by his own people, and who, having seen the evil inherent to his own kind, is now determined to fight back against it.

This is the kind of issue we really needed before he took over as Ion. Or more focus like he got in the Ranx issues. Yat’s status is left ambiguous at the end of the issue (to be wrapped up in GL #25), but given that he’s on the cover of the Ion special, I think its safe to say he’s going to be round for a while.

While I don’t necessarily think the character’s interesting enough to headline his own book, I’m looking forward to seeing how he and Kyle interact in the special. They’re two very different characters.

Thanks to Lying in the Gutters, the rumours have been rife for the last couple of weeks that Batman is set to “die” in the upcoming Final Crisis. The story is that he’ll ascend (to borrow from Stargate) to become a New God as part of the DCU’s new Fifth World.

To further this story, the rumours now say that the mantle of Batman will be taken over by Jason Todd.

My reaction to this? Well, obviously its all still rumour. I’ll believe it when it happens in Final Crisis #7. I’m not sure I really see the point in it to be honest. I don’t mind shake ups like this, when its obvious they’re temporary (as this obviously would be - no matter what’s said at the time), but I’m unsure what benefit this could have to the DC’s storylines. Of course, that’s why I’m not Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison or Mark Waid

The original version of the rumour I thought was more interesting. Which would’ve seen the main pantheon of DC’s heroes (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Hal Jordan, Wally West etc) all become the New Gods of the Fifth World. That sounded pretty interesting to me. They’d be put into a new environment (for a year or however long it would’ve lasted) with new cosmic challenges to face, while we could’ve had a year focusing on the backups taking up the mantle (John Stewart as the primary Earth GL, Jay Garrick as the main Flash, Donna Troy actually getting a decent shot as Wonder Woman).

Granted that would be a bit derivative of 52’s concept, but still I think it could’ve been interesting. This watered down version with just Bruce I don’t think sounds as good.

As for Jason Todd taking over the mantle? I’ve said before what I think of Jason Todd, and I still think he should go back to being the Red Hood. This just strikes me as the latest attempt to find a place in the DCU for him ever since Dick got a reprieve in Infinite Crisis. I can’t see DC fandom really taking to the idea of Jason Todd as Batman. And didn’t they already basically do that plotline in Knightfall?

Besides all of which, its just rumour at the moment, so may or may not actually happen. Its just fun to discuss

Especially while we wait for Green Lantern Corps #18, which apparently will be very Sodam Yat heavy, giving us his backstory and generally fleshing out the character (something long overdue in this story), while he and Superman Prime beat the living daylights out of each other.

Remember all the fuss when DC ruined Kyle’s fate in the Sinestro Corps War by having him turn up in Countdown?

Remember everyone being really hacked off at DC for ruining part of the most successful event of the year?

Lets just say, anyone that’s not already seen the Countdown #24 preview might want to avoid it.

Honestly, do DC care at all about spoilers these days?

Ok, just some quick gut reactions to this issue before I read the Superman Prime special.

I’m routing for Superman/boy Prime in the fight against Ion.

Seriously, I knew it was coming. I even quite liked Yat in the last issue. But here he just really annoyed me. If they want to play him as an impetuous young lantern, then fine, but he’s being bigged up as a natural leader and “the bestest thing ever” at the same time. His rash decision to charge the Anti-Monitor cost GLs their lives, and he’s rewarded with even more power to mess up with.

Lets be honest, he’d be toast if he didn’t have Superman’s powers. All I saw was someone who was cocky and lucky. Not good. If that’s his character, then fine, but I’m not buying him as the new greatest GL ever. I can’t help but feel all the stuff with him and Ion is being crowbarred in at the last minute. If they really wanted to play up Sodam Yat, and build up to him becoming the new Ion, I can’t help but feel it should’ve been started a lot further back in this title.

Other than that, a good issue. I really enjoyed Kilowog vs Arkillo round 2. The several different artists was jarring however.

I’ll probably re-read it again tonight, and see how I feel about it on a second reading. It’ll be interesting as well to read it, and the previous issues of GLC back-to-back.

Well, it looks like an expensive comics week for me again this week. I only bought the first couple of issues of Blue Beetle, but dropped it as it wasn’t grabbing me and (more importantly at the time) my comics budget had gone through the roof post-IC. However, I’ve heard nothing but good things about the title, and its nice to see another title showing some impact of the Corps War. Its nice tie-in to last week’s issue of GL as well.

I’d have thought that the ring would want to recruit from Sector 2, but I guess in an emergency it’ll take whoever’s closest (actually, now I think about it its probably similar to Tomar Re’s ring recruiting John back in Crisis on Infinite Earths).

GLC should be good fun as always. Looks like its going to be focused on the GLs trying to defend Earth and the Kilowog/Arkillo rematch should be good fun. Looks like the Guardians hinting towards Sodam getting Ion as well, especially with Arisia’s comment that he’s already as good as any veteran (guess it helps when you’ve got the powers of Superman to back you up )

The big issue everyone’s eye will be on though, will be the Superman Prime special.

Ever since he was freed by the Sinestro Corps, and it was revealed that the Anti-Monitor was behind the whole thing, everyone’s been wondering why he’d team up with the being that destroyed his home. Hopefully this will give us some answers. Is he just that far gone? At the end of the day he’s still Clark Kent, so you would hope that alone gives hope that he can be redeemed.

The previews are up at Newsarama as always.

http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Oct07/previews/24th.html

Well, Newsarama have got the January solicits up and there’s some good looking titles that month.

In Green Lantern terms we’ve got our first (albeit hard to make out clearly) look at an Alpha Lantern from the arc in the main title. I must admit, I’m intrigued to see how this arc goes. I’m betting the Alpha Lanterns are some Ion-derivative, but given that Hal and John are against it, its a fair bet there’s something more sinister than the power-boost Kyle got. It looks like Boddika certainly is one of them. Will all the Lost Lanterns become Alpha Lanterns? I can’t see Arisia being involved (and she’s part of the GLC title anyway).

I’m unsure what to make of the GLC solicit to be honest. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m sure it’ll be a good story, and there’s only so much you can tell for a solicit, so there are a lot of assumptions involved. However, the image of Mongul with a Sinestro ring does automatically make me wonder how many GL foes are going to end up in the Sinestro Corps. I can’t help but think its possibly going to be too soon after the event to revisit it, and a couple of issues dealing with something else (or the fallout from the war in another way that doesn’t involve actually bumping into someone with a yellow ring) might’ve been an idea.

I suspect I’ll be eating those words come January though

Various other non-GL things catch my eye as well. I’ve enjoyed the first two issues of Countdown to Adventure a lot, so I’m looking forward to it. I notice that Adam Strange seems to be in his original outfit, as opposed to his Planet Heist makeover, so I presume he has to dig some of his old kit out of storage at somepoint. I hope he gets his Planet Heist look back at the end of the series though. A really good updating I thought.

I’m looking forward to seeing how the Black Adam mini wraps up and I’ve been enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would. I’m hoping it gives us some indication of why Adam’s powers seem to be driving Mary evil, and I can’t help but think something happens to his powers during this series that leads him to give them to Mary as an act of revenge against Billy.

Booster Gold #6 should be a good issue as well. I like how they’re dealing with the issue of Ted in this first arc and getting it out of the way. I don’t think anyone’s actually been expecting him to save Ted though, so I suspect this issue will be a bit of a tearjerker.

Well, another week, another part of the Sinestro Corps War, as we’re now into the final push towards the end.

At this point, it probably goes without saying that I enjoyed the issue.

We pick up where both last month’s GL and the Parallax one-shot left off. This issue is primarily dealing with freeing Kyle from Parallax, and Parallax’s ultimate fate. For me it works well. The yellow weakness is now permanently removed from the central battery, and will only affect the four Earth GLs, who’ve all been overcoming it for the last couple of years anyway.

This issue really feels like a turning point in the War, as much as last week’s “Lethal Force Enabled” scene in GLC was. With Kyle now free, the final page with the 4 musketeers of the GL world back together, you do feel that next issue is going to be great, with the 4 Earth GLs proving why they’re the best. I do like how the 4 Earth GLs have been used since Johns came back, in that when they’re brought together its a big deal, and you know the bad guys are in trouble.

Another great thing about this issue was John once again getting the chance to shine. One of his lines falls flat if you’ve never seen “Lean On Me” (I haven’t), but as the GL who’s probably been the worst treated since Rebirth, its nice to see him getting some panel-time. Certainly, the scene on Oa where he takes out Bedovian back in the special is still one of the stand-out scenes of this whole thing for me. Geoff Johns is also promising a good moment in #25 with “Guy, John and a grenade the size of the moon”. Sounds good

However, despite all this, for me, the comic of the week was probably Booster Gold #3. This issue really nailed a great blend of serious story telling and comedy. While the Jonah Hex crossover was largely throw away, there’s some great humour in a drunken Booster telling Skeets how Superman banned him from wearing a cape, and then drunk-driving Rip Hunter’s Time Sphere. Dan Jurgens’ art is on top form, and this really seems to be a title that’s finding its feet and starting to fire on all cylanders. Next issue the Supernova mystery is due to be revealled, and I’m glad they’re not dragging it on too long. I’m also intrigued to see what happens with Daniel. We’re presented with the possibility that they may have mucked up Booster’s personal ancestory when they recruited Daniel back in 52 so hopefully its something they’ll revisit, especially once the Supernova mystery is solved.