Rise of the Third Army Review: Green Lantern Corps #15
“Falling Star”
Published by DC Comics
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Art by Fernando Pasarin
Coloured by Gabe Eltaeb
The Plot
Guy Gardner is still trying to get over being stripped of his Green Lantern ring and is very upset about it. Meanwhile John Stewart is able to maintain a civil conversation with Fatality as they are both tracking down a piece of Mogo. They both decide to work together to determine how they can possibly aid Mogo. Over on Oa, the Guardians continue to discuss their plans, but this time Salaak is able to listen in on them. He is in complete disbelief and he is ultimately dispatched of by the Guardians who seem to be following Ganthet’s lead on this one. Guy contacts his brother, Gerard who is watching football at their dad’s house. Gerard tells him about his day with the Justice League and then Guy has yet another unpleasant exchange with his father. Guy decides that he’s a hero even without the ring and goes about fighting crime. Unfortunately, his trail leads to a drug bust, which puts him in direct conflict with his sister, Gloria, who is on duty as a police officer.
The Breakdown
This was a very enjoyable issue and it made me like the structure of this whole storyline now (I wasn’t liking it a couple of weeks ago). Different members of the Corps are getting some serious screen time and this is a good thing. Guy’s dismay at losing his ring was great as it was a genuine reaction and not a front (as he usually does). His decision to emulate Batman (to an extent) and fight crime without powers also helped to push his character over. He really came across as being more heroic because he didn’t lie down and quit by deciding to fight crime on a smaller scale than he’s used to. He was one character that I wasn’t sure could function without having a ring. Him using the ring as a bluff was also a nice touch. The exchange between John and Fatality was also a pleasant change as they actually put some of their differences aside. Also, the very possibility of Mogo returning is a relief as his death was my least favorite part of War of the Green Lanterns. The explanation that Fatality provided about Mogo’s nature was very interesting. It provided a lot more depth to this character. Mogo was a planet so he’s bound to be a complex character, but nonetheless, it’s good to see this elaborated upon. When the Guardians dealt with Salaak I was just relieved that they didn’t kill him and I’m calling that a win. Even though Guy proves himself to be a hero he still manages to allow his hot-headed nature to interfere with his success. He meant well, but was so brash and reckless that it landed him in hot water. The intercourse between Guy and his brother felt real and it was also a highlight of this book. I also liked the little details such as the talk of replacement referees while they were watching football because it made everything seem much more real and grounded. Guy’s family lives life on the ground level and this aspect of human life is often lost in DC comics. Back to the overall arc, I am now liking the structure of this story. Prior to this I thought that the story was all over the place and that the slow burn was affecting it. However, after reading this issue I found I like the fact that it’s not in a typical Part 1 to 12 (or whatever) format. The build-up is necessary because the Third Army is slowly catching everyone off guard and everyone is also allowed to grow within their own stories. There isn’t a rushed quality about it and each character (Guy, Kyle, Baz, and perhaps even John as of this issue) is progressing nicely at a normal pace. The story hasn’t been perfect by any means, but I’m back on board with it.
BUT…
I appreciate that Guy’s father is realistically portrayed, but he’s such a dink. I think it’s partly because I’ve known a couple of people like this in real life and they are really hard to tolerate. One thing that has kind of had me wondering is why Ganthet’s hair has grown out again. He was mind-wiped by the other Guardians in order to revert him, but his hair gives him more individuality from them once again. I am really not used to seeing Salaak looking and sounding so emotionally vulnerable. It was really well done and the betrayal would sting deep no doubt, but it was just unsettling to see nonetheless. He did bring up a question though that did make me wonder briefly.
Buy It, Borrow It, Shelf Read It, or Ignore It?
Buy It. This was a really good installment to the Third Army storyline. Guy’s progression as a character was really effective at making him a deeper character. I always kind of thought that his pride and ego fuelled him more than anything else, but this issue changed my opinion of him. I want to see more of the Mogo storyline as well. There wasn’t any down periods for me in this book as I enjoyed all of it. I definitely recommend this one.
