I was really tempted to write this week’s column about the cancellation of Legion of Super-Heroes. I’ve written about my problems with how the Legion has been handled (here and here.)
But instead I decided to devote this week’s column to the closing of the Geoff Johns era of Green Lantern. That’s right, next week with Green Lantern #20 Geoff Johns is leaving the franchise he spent the better part of the last decade revitalizing.
Geoff Johns is a talented writer. He breathed life into The Flash and his rogues. He helped make JSA and Hawkman critical successes. He’s the guy who brought back Hal Jordan and Barry Allen back from the dead.
But he’s not infallible. He’s a human being. And he’s sort of like Don Draper in that he’s a fan of the beginning of things. I say that because, with his leaving GL, Geoff is leaving a few things dangling.
(There’s a chance that all of these will be wrapped up in his final issue. Fingers crossed.)
New Laws in Book of Oa
So awhile ago the Guardians of the Universe rewrote the Book of Oa with ten new laws. Unfortunately only six of those laws have been revealed. Mind you, the first new law was implemented way back in 2007, so we’ve basically averaged one new law reveal per year.
Still, I wonder if Geoff Johns will ever reveal what those other four laws are/were.
The Lost Sapphire
The Lost Sapphire was a character who showed up in promotional material for Blackest Night, most notably Blackest Night #0. And I’m pretty sure that’s been her sole appearance to date.
Will we finally find out what the deal is with the Lost Sapphire?
Sinestro’s Sister/The Witch Queen
Way back during the con season of 2008 Geoff Johns answered a fan’s question about using Sinestro’s sister, The Witch Queen in the future. According to reports Johns said he had plans for the character. And being a master of utilizing continuity that he is, most fans believed Geoff Johns was going to fold her into the story.
But that hasn’t happened yet. And with the destruction of Korugar it looks like that’s not going to happen.
Evil Star/Krolotean Gremlins
Ok, so this gets tricky. The Krolotean Gremlins are the aliens who replaced the hand that Black Hand lost. But those same aliens are later seen working with Evil Star. What’s more he refers to them as his “Starlings” which is what he called his underlings. Also he’s the guy who was oppressing Sister Sercy’s home planet.
Where they working with him? What’s up with Evil Star and why was this storyline dropped? Is he going to show in Green Lantern #20?
Speaking of dangling Geoff Johns plot threads, I’ve got some lingering questions from the final issue of The Flash: Rebirth.
The Thawne/Zolomon team?
Eobard Thawne and Hunter Zolomon were placed in cells next to each other in Iron Heights. There was an implication that they’d team up to wreak havoc. But that never happened.
Reverse Flash Family?
In Gorilla City there’s a Reverse Flash mural featuring a huge Reverse Flash figure with red lightning emanating from him and touching smaller running figures. It seems to not bode well for the Flashes and Gorilla City. But that was never followed up on.
Abra Kadabra/Reverse Flash beef?
We also saw Abra Kadabra talking to a some Reverse Flash puppets and vaguely threatening Thawne. Yet another dropped storyline.
And speaking of dangling Geoff Johns Flash threads, I’ve got some questions about his Wally West run.
What was the deal with Warden Wolfe? He had that power to tighten or relax muscles, but we never really delved that much into him or his back-story.
What was supposed to happen with Weather Wizard’s kid? Josh Jackam was a pivotal character and important enough that Iris West tried to adopt him. But then he was just killed off during Final Crisis for seemingly no reason. I don’t get it.
How did Captain Boomerang get back to the 20th Century? So Captain Boomerang got displaced in time and ended up in the future where he hooked up Meloni Thawne. We never saw how that hook up happened or how he got back to the present. But we do know that they produced a son, Owen Mercer, who also happened to be Bart Allen’s half brother (yet another subplot that was never touched on.) So how did Boomer get back to the present and what was his relationship with Meloni like?
And honestly I’ve got other questions still lingering, but I figure I’ll stop there.
Some of you may be thinking that I’m taking cheap shots at Geoff Johns. After all don’t most writers leave dangling subplots when they leave a title? Of course they do. It’s only natural.
But Geoff Johns is sort of a unique case for a few reasons. Firstly, he wasn’t pushed off of these books, he left on his own because he wanted to leave them. Secondly, for the past three years he’s been the Chief Creative Officer for DC, which means he’s in a position of power and stewarding the line. So, within reason, he can do what he wants.
Also, Geoff Johns spent years writing these titles. Put it like this; I don’t think it’s unreasonable to point out dangling plots threads when the writer has been on a title long enough to produce multiple omnibus volumes of their work.
Geoff Johns managed to make both The Flash and Green Lantern “must read” comics. He deserves all the credit in the world for pulling off that impressive feat. But he also needs to be held accountable for the times when he dropped the ball.
On that note, it’s Wednesday, go out and get some brand new comic books.
