Green Lantern Corps #56
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Tyler Kirkham
Last issue we had the core cast of Green Lantern’s for this title (Kyle, Sora, John, Hannu, Boodikka, and Ganthet) get the tar kicked out of them by The Weaponer, a villain who I’ve been enjoying more than I’ve been enjoying how easily he tears through these veteran Lanterns. As far as villains go, he has a very solid motivation that is easy to get behind; he hates Sinestro because he created Sinestro’s first yellow power ring, and years later that led to Sinestro using Qward as the place to create his Corps, which led to the deaths of countless Weaponers and Thunderers. Not only that, but in the time spent with Sinestro forging the ring, understanding the man, there were no secrets between the two and for a time they could be perceived as close as brothers…until Sin had what he wanted and wanted more. The man’s motivation is as simple as a man he trusted helped cause the downfall of his world.
Last issue was Weaponer vs Green Lantern’s, but the point he had when he abducted Sora several issues ago was that he wanted Sinestro. Not Green Lantern’s, but Sinestro. Well, this issue he gets the Sinestro Corps in a move that immediately strikes his ego as being beneath Sinestro’s notice. Given Sinestro’s ego this is not a hard thing to imagine, this man took something important to him and put it up for ransom, so Sinestro sends an army to fight his battle. Which of course brings the Green Lantern’s back into the fight, as the Weaponer cares more about protecting his people than he does any petty grudges and releases them to help defend.
This brings up the ceasefire between the Green Lantern Corps and Sinestro Corps, and how do you fight an enemy that you have a truce with? Well, with some clever thinking. You put up shields, which aren’t offensive, and then you remember the fist fight Kyle and Sinestro had a few issues back, next thing you know, bare knuckles all over the board. As well as John using his military training and taking the Thunderers to the cache that the Weaponer had forged, which just immediately tells you things will get really awesome.
Sinestro does show up, and with perfect timing and rationale for everything he’s done. His fight with the Weaponer is brief but effective as he displays just how differently he deals with threats than everyone else, and actually manages to make the Weaponers uber shield of awesome into something a fair bit less uber. The strength of battle mastery, of strategy, and of fighting with a clear mind. Essentially proving his superiority by staying the cold and calculating individual that led him to Qward the first time around. Very nice characterization for the renegade former Green Lantern.
Tyler Kirkham does a stellar job this issue, not only with the action but with the almost Perez worthy number of characters. He doesn’t just draw a few Sinestro Corps members, he draws all of them. From Romat-Ru and Arkillo, to Karu-Sil, Maash, and Low. Pretty much if you can name a member of the Corps (well, aside from Kryb and Lyssa Dak) they appear in this issue. This guy is a big time artist who handles some big time panels, and he does it all like a master. I wasn’t sure if anyone would do a good job replacing Pat Gleason, but now with Kirkham at the helm I feel this book is in more than capable hands. He brings the right big time atmosphere to everything.
This book just keeps getting better as the action keeps getting turned up, and next issue is shaping up to be even bigger. War of the Green Lantern’s is on the horizon, and given how this arc has been I’m actually looking forward to it more. Kirkham can do big action, and that’s what the War is promising. I’m confident in this book going forward as long as it stays true to the form it’s had this arc.
Overall?
8/10
