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Green Lantern Corps: Recharge # 1
"The Gathering"
Review posted: 02 Oct 2005
Writer: Geoff Johns, Dave Gibbons
Artist: Patrick Gleason
Letters: Phil Balsman
Ink: Christian Alamy and Prentis Rollins
Colors: Moose Baumann
Publisher: DC Comics
4.00 out of 5 Stars
Reviewed by Matt Yocum
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I’ve been fortunate to have a small involvement in the early
issues of writer Geoff Johns’ recent Green Lantern
ongoing series (to further understand my role, see my review of Green Lantern
#3). And although I’ve had no involvement with Green
Lantern Corps: Recharge, I did learn of the plans for this series
in a conversation I had with Geoff some months ago. I knew of a few
scenes and ideas for Corps, and I was sworn to secrecy
regarding Dave Gibbons’ involvement until DC released it.
I’ve eagerly awaited this first issue to see how it panned out,
and I am here to say it not only didn’t disappoint, it exceeded
my expectations.
Each character had a distinct voice; if
this story had been read to you aloud without allowing you to see the
images, you would still have known who was speaking just by the
dialogue.
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Hal Jordan was resurrected in Green Lantern:
Rebirth. Following this, the ongoing Green Lantern
series, written solo by Geoff Johns, brought Hal back as an Air Force
test pilot as well as protector of Sector 2814 along with Green
Lantern John Stewart. Now we have a five-issue miniseries co-written
by Geoff Johns and Dave Gibbons (of Watchmen fame and now
writing the Rann-Thanagar War miniseries). This series reveals
the Guardians on Oa are building a new Corps, seeking Green Lantern
recruits to be trained by Kilowog and Guy Gardner (although Guy has
other thoughts). This series is more a team book with equal time
given to Kilowog, Gardner, and Kyle Rayner. Emphasis here is on the
Corps and not any individual Green Lantern.
This first issue promises a great series. Above all, I was
impressed with the dialogue. Each character had a distinct voice; if
this story had been read to you aloud without allowing you to see the
images, you would still have known who was speaking just by the
dialogue.
Also welcome were the humor and the horror elements to the story:
humor at Kyle pushing Guy Gardner’s buttons; humor at Guy being
Guy (ever seen Batman mooned, while on the moon, in a comic before);
and horror from a new villain, someone who can leave a Lantern strung
up, the life sucked out of him — no small feat.
Another concept I loved was the idea of someone who was selected to
be a Green Lantern who has no desire whatsoever to be one. Doctor
Soranik Natu of Sector 762 sees the Lantern as a symbol of oppression
and pain. Guy Gardner points out that for her people, the evil
Sinestro “turned the Lantern symbol into a swastika.” To
which the alien Gardner addressed could only respond, “A
what?”
Why would I give this series a four out of five stars if I enjoyed it
better than the current Green Lantern ongoing series and gave that
series a four out of five? Simply because of the art. Patrick Gleason, as
much as I like his art, is no Carlos Pacheco. Patrick is great for
this series since he does wonderful aliens and otherworldly settings.
Unfortunately, his humans sometimes look a little alien as well. But
he’s doing a great job. And as I’m currently in the Air
Force, I must say he’s done the best job (between he, Carlos
Pacheco, and Ethan van Sciver) at drawing the F/A-22 Raptor Hal Jordan
pilots.
If you’re looking for a little bit of everything in a comic
—
science fiction, superhero action, intrigue, humor, horror — you have
it here. The Corps is back in a big way.
Comments about my comments? Feel free to email me at
myocum@comiccritique.com.
—CCdC— Cover image used without explicit permission in accordance with the "Fair Use" provision of US copyright law.
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