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Green Lantern #3 “Flight Delay” Book Released: 17 Aug 2005 Review posted: 22 Aug 2005 Writer: Geoff Johns Artist: Carlos Pacheco Publisher: DC Comics  4.00 out of 5 Stars Reviewed by Matt Yocum

I am admittedly biased about the Green Lantern rebirth. If you peel open your bagged and boarded GL number one, you’ll see my name along with several other Air Force personnel thanked on the credits page. The one difference between myself and the others listed is I’ve had an ongoing involvement with GL, reviewing Geoff Johns’ scripts and critiquing them. I get the Air Force details as close to reality as possible without interfering in Geoff’s story (sometimes the details have to bend, sometimes break, to accommodate the plot). The others mentioned in the credits gave Geoff a tour of Edwards Air Force Base and Test Pilot School.

Rather than ramble about the realities Geoff packs into each issue, it’s best to focus on what’s really important. Hal Jordan is back. To some this is an affront to the sanctity of death. To others this is the Second Coming. No matter what, as Geoff and others at DC Comics have pointed out, this is Hal’s book (the rest of the GL Corps will get their due in Dave Gibbons’ Green Lantern Corps: Recharge, a more galactic look at the Corps as a whole).

Having worked with and talked to Geoff about the series, one thing I can share: he’s always thinking long term. Geoff is not one to write a three-issue story line, as this first story arc has been, without planning how it will fit a year from now, two years from now, sometimes several years from now. He maps out an emotional arc for Hal, then he takes some dirt and breathes life into buried villains, giving them substance, to force Hal through his journey.

As for issue Green Lantern #3, I have to commend the choice of Carlos Pacheco as the opening arc artist. As much as Ethan van Sciver (on board for the next story arc) brought life back to Hal in the Rebirth mini, Pacheco adds a superheroic touch — a “comic” touch — to our fighter pilot hero. Action comes to life in Pacheco’s hands; details come to life in van Sciver’s. For my money Pacheco is a better fit, although I do think his work on Superman/Batman was more to his sensibilities — I think Pacheco is better at packing images into several panels than he is at splash pages, which Geoff tends to give him.

From Green Lantern #1

Much as Geoff did when beginning his run on The Flash about a century ago, he’s managed again to introduce a number of new supporting characters that promise to help and hinder Hal’s emotional journey. The more notable — one that grabbed everyone’s attention in issue 1 with the classic line, “Yellow. My one weakness” — is Jill “Cowgirl” Pearlman. If a love interest is brewing, it’s already clear the two type A personalities will be in for as much rockiness as romance.

The Manhunter villain was a good way to start things, showing Geoff’s love and knowledge of DC continuity and history. And it was a good way to bring offworlders to Earth, showing the need for an Earth-based Green Lantern.

If the goal is to begin a new “franchise,” Green Lantern is a good bet to add to the Superman and Batman worlds. Geoff Johns, along with Pacheco and van Sciver, and Dave Gibbons with Patrick Gleason, are the right creative teams to resurrect the Corps. It should be a fun flight.

Spoiler alert: And wait until you see the fight between Hal and Kilowog, sans rings. I can’t wait to see van Sciver’s finished artwork for it.