Review: Green Lantern #0 By Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke

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Green Lantern #0

Written by Geoff Johns

Art by Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, Keith Champagne, Mark Irwin, Tony Avina, and Alex Sinclair

 

 

The short of it:

 

Who is Simon Baz? An Arab man living in America, who was a child when he and his family watched the World Trade Center towers fall on September 11th, 2001, and who has felt the pain of being an Arab in America ever since. Well, no, now he feels the pain of being a car thief who completely ripped off the wrong van. Yeah, he’s no boy scout, but his heart is in the right place. By the way, why did I say wrong van? Because there was a bomb in it, and why is he a good person? Because he makes it a point to send that bomb on a one way trip to a place with no collateral damage once he discovered it. Unfortunately, again, Arab in America, Baz winds up in Gitmo pretty much instantly. Because an Arab guy blowing something up instantly means terrorist.

 

There is some straight forward racial profiling done for his interrogation, and honestly, as much as I hate to say it…yeah, this is what would really happen. His honesty would be ignored in favor of trying to label him an extremist in an excuse to interrogate him. I stress honesty, by the way, he holds nothing back and answers every single question they ask him, only to have his answers ignored in favor of painting him as a mad bomber working with more bad bombers. It also makes for a great moment where, with nothing to lose, Baz fights back and becomes worthy of the ring that we’ve all known he was getting for a good while now. Unfortunately, everyone who really shouldn’t known about this event happens to know, which means that governments, secret governments, and Justice League’s all known about the suspected terrorist who just got the most powerful weapon in the universe.

 

What I liked:

 

  • Well, Baz is more likable than Hal Jordan. Amazing what you can do with a realistic personality and a background that people can relate to. I understand a guy who loses his job and steals cars a lot more then an Air Force pilot who freelances as a test pilot for his super hot girlfriend slash boss. I could get used to him.
  • Baz is given a lot of layers of depth in a really short period of time. Johns manages to give us his background and his origin in one issue without skimping on the action or slowing things down. The one and done origin issue is really a lost art these days, even with Geoff. I really didn’t expect the issue to be fleshed out this much.
  • Hey, Doug’s back! And it looks like he’s back! Here is the artistic consistency that last issue desperately needed, and just in time to introduce Baz with a bang.
  • You know what I really liked? I didn’t get the “angry young man” feeling off of Baz at any point. Not when stealing the truck, not when dealing with agents, and not even when trying to fight his way out. I’ve spent weeks expecting him to have a giant chip on his shoulder and I’m so glad that he doesn’t.
  • I like the real world sensibilities, even if I take some issue with them. I like that big events like 911 happened in the New 52 because it helps establish the world as similar enough to our own. Sure, it’s a minor thing, but it’s nice. Just like when Marvel does it.

 

What I didn’t like:

 

  • For as much as I get it, I really hate the terrorism angle being played up. All it does it makes me think about the idiots I know who would assume that he’s up to no good just because he isn’t white. Fuck, I hate that I know idiots like that and that I’m currently acknowledging that those asshats exist. I feel dirty.
  • How do you steal a van with a big box in the middle, filled with bomb of booming, and not notice it? I mean, suspension of disbelief, sure, but come on, IT’S THE ONLY THING IN THE VAN!
  • Amanda Waller is a proud member of the ‘he’s a terrorist’ mindset, even when one of the agents actually on the scene is quick to throw out ‘suspected’. I’d think someone with her history of black and covert ops might be more keen to looking at a story and thinking there was far more to it than there outwardly appeared to be.

 

Final Thoughts:

 

I blame television for my incredibly jaded view of how American’s as a whole view Arab’s and how easy it is to racially profile. I mean, watch every season of 24 and try to be surprised by how quick these guys go to water boarding a completely cooperative prisoner that is answering every question honestly. If anything, I was shocked they didn’t open up with the waterboard and then ask him questioned when he was good and broken in. Also, lack of Jack Bauer.

 

Man, looking back, I hated 24.

 

So being moved to America as a small child and spending at the very least ten years in the country, growing up there, helping with a community, working for years, and having a criminal record of “street racer” is enough to have him treated like he’s fresh off the boat and here to bring death to America. I hate that I still can see that happening in real life. I need to talk about something else.

 

Unfortunately, that’s what this issue was. It played on stereotypes and bad humanity to build a situation that you can actually envision happening. It’s a reminder that eleven years later there’s as much profiling as ever, and all it takes is a bad situation to wind up on the worst side of it.

 

Glitchy power ring? Sounds sexy. I’m assuming the Guardians aren’t going to have control over it, as well as that it will eventually return to Hal.

 

Hal and Sinestro’s adventures in the black? Alright, I’m interested. It looks pretty creepy, though seeing Sinestro’s classic outfit in black and white makes him look kinda like a clown. Or a jester.

 

Baz’s costume makes a lot of sense now, especially the mask. Sure, there are people who know who he is, but he isn’t exactly proud to be an outlaw and he doesn’t want his family to have to see him. I imagine the mask is the first addition he gives his costume when he wakes up next issue.

 

Overall: 8.5/10

A lifelong reader and self proclaimed continuity guru, Grey is the Editor in Chief of Comics Nexus. Known for his love of Booster Gold, Spider-Girl (the real one), Stephanie Brown, and The Boys. Don't miss The Gold Standard.