Rise of the Third Army - Fascism on OA

The cover is rather intriguing, not to mention enticing right? The Green Lantern symbol dripping like blood or wet paint. What is the Third Army? And where do they fall into the mythos of the Corps?

Most readers, as well as me, found ourselves asking that basic question. But one other question that perhaps needs to be asked is why the Guardians are doing what they’re doing?

Sure, they’re not perfect and much-flawed in their character and decision making processes but in truth, creating the Third Army is only a band-aid solution to the problem. And the problem lies not in the lack of respect that they have started not to get from the Green Lantern Corps after 3 successive crises like the Sinestro Corps War, Blackest Night-Brightest Day and the most recent, War of the Green Lanterns but in the heart of the Guardians themselves.

History says that they are peaceful lot and wishing only to be the safekeepers of peace and order in the Universe. But the odd thing is, why should emotion be taken out of the question? Should the presence of peace and maintenance of order be done so in such an emotionless manner that there is no room to be happy at the absence of turmoil and injustice? In previous panels as seen in the War of the Green Lanterns prologue, the Guardians of Maltus, have been wearing the White Symbol for Light and it is in this time frame that they banned Krona and sentenced him to die at the hands of the robot Manhunters because he embraced emotion. And in retaliation, Krona rigged the Manhunters programming and have them kill the entire sector 666 on the planet Ryut, thus paving the way for the birth of Atrocitus, the first Red Lantern and the formation of the GL Corps, just to prove a point. That emotion cannot be taken out of the equation in creating the order that one wants and one seeks.

Of course had it gone the other way, there would’ve been no conflict, no Manhunters reprogramming and much less, no formation of the Green Lantern Corps to replace the “defective” Manhunters.

But getting back on track, this GL annual which is preferred to be read before reading the Zero issue of Green Lantern that introduces the new GL from Earth, Lantern Baz, begins with a decision made by the Guardians and that is the root of all the problems that they have had so far is Free Will. In the past it was emotion, which led to the construction of Manhunters, then became Fear which led them to form the GL Corps that had Willpower as their ally; which after that  became the bane of their existence and had to be curbed because they have started to think for themselves. And so Free Will is now the present target for these pesky Smurfs because according to the Guardians, “We know better than they do and eradicating free will is the logical step in maintaining order.”

Yes, from the emotionless mini-Nietzche’s that they are, the Guardians have embraced their inner-Fascist and deemed that no other order is worth following and enforcing other than theirs.

                                                     ***SPOILERS***

Apart from this revelation, the annual also follows the story arc of Black Hand’s revenge in the current GL issues from 7-12 and shows our Hal Jordan trying to dig himself out of a coffin in the Coast City cemetery after being buried alive by Black Hand only to find Sinestro’s tombstone beside him. But Black Hand ain’t finished, he offers Hal the chance to see his father again, for he can bring him back with the use of his Black Ring (minus Nekron) as long as Hal desists in digging up Sinestro and agree to keep him buried underneath.

While this is going on, the Guardians venture off to another sector to free the supposed “First Lantern” from the Chamber of Shadows. Upon opening, it is revealed that a number of fellow Guardians have equally entombed themselves within the prison to guard the First Lantern. The elderly entombed Guardians stressed that them being inside the tomb was an agreement that they have made eons ago and that whoever comes to free the First Lantern must be destroyed. And thus a battle ensues among the Guardians as the ruling smurfs have need of the First Lantern’s power in order to create the 3^rd Army.

Naturally with more experience, the ruling Guardians win and with the energy within one of the slain entombed Guardian is used and directed at the energy shell it thus frees the First Lantern who is taken out and whose essence is later distilled and siphoned out in order to create the first member of the Third Army who is physically in humanoid form but whose silvery limbs are far from human and whose mind and intellect are bonded and only answer to the Guardians.

By this time Sinestro has already freed himself and upon Hal’s suggestion have managed to jointly summon his own battery so that they both can recharge and eventually gain the upper “hand” against Black Hand. But from a distance, the Guardians have sensed Black Hand’s return and Hal’s connivance with Sinestro and thus aids Black Hand in killing off Hal and Sinestro by sucking them into a Black vortex but not before Hal and Sinestro manage to re-integrate their rings and send it scanning for a replacement. 

And with their aid, the Guardians teleport Black Hand into the Prison of Shadows to await future use in their plan to "save" the Universe. Guy Gardner and the GL Corps would be the next to be replaced along with the other Corps bearing different colors of the emotional spectrum.

And with that, the dices are rolled and the Gauntlet is thrown for a 4-issue crossover in all major Lantern titles; from New Guardians, Green Lantern, GL Corps and Red Lanterns 

And like all other prologues, we are left to wonder whats next in store for the Lanterns of OA and who is the First Lantern and why is he being kept in secret. What damage could he possibly do if he were to get out?

Bring on the Third Army! We are readers are ready and waiting! Go Poozer!

War of the Green Lanterns- Aftermath- 1

After having been left high and dry at the end of the GL cataclysmic event of 2010 which was War of the Green Lanterns, our favorite Corps are left to deal with the consequences of their actions & the task of rebuilding Oa from the devestation of war. But as they would learn in the course of the graphic novel that compiles the 2 issues of Aftermath and Green Lantern Corps #61-63 plus Emerald Warriors #11-13, their emotions also need to be taken care of and rebuilt. As this graphic novel collects these 2 main issues and disparate ones that continue the thread of the Aftermath storyline in other issues, this review will tackle the first 2 Aftermath issues and the second review for the ones will follow after.

This “Aftermath”, opens with the "banishment" of Hal Jordan and the outrage of Green Lantern hothead and Honor Guard, Guy Gardner expressing his frustration at the Guardians act of banishing Hal Jordan and the ironic  mourning of the Guardians over the loss of fellow Guardian and bad guy Krono who almost took control of the Corps at the height of the War. Their supposed "mourning" is equaled by their amazement as to how a Lantern was able to inflict that much harm and kill a Guardian in spite of the safety measures they  incorporated into the Ring making sure that it would never be used against them, much less kill a Guardian with it. Fearing Guy may do something “rash” Kilowog clarfies that Hal was most certainly sent back to Earth after being fired from the Corps. Like an emotional epidemic, one Lantern after another expresses their disappointment with the Guardians. Lantern Hannu drives his point clearly enough, “Why does it take a human to always save you from your mistakes.”

But inspite of the post stress trauma, questions like these will still be unanswered as the Guardians express their control of the situation and leave to further question Sinestro about why at the height of the War, a Green Lantern ring has chosen Sinestro to be part of the Green Lantern Corps again when all his Yellow Ring along with the others, have all overridden their connection with their respective owners and flew to Krona’s hand. Perhaps without Mogo to guide the Rings, the selection process has been changed if not muddled.

And muddling with the rest of their emotions is basically what the others find themselves doing, from Ganthet admitting his affections for fellow Guardian Sayd who is now in the planet Okarra after having been promised to Larfreeze in return for help during the Blackest Night crisis, to other Lanterns condemning John Stewart for killing Mogo and as well as a handful of them like Lantern Voz and Hannu all planning to execute Sinestro, to give him the justice he needs and one that has been long denied him, this Aftermath certainly brings the emotional issues to front as everyone in OA deals with their pain in the best way they know how.

Lucky for some, others still have a leveled head on their shoulders as Lantern Rayner senses Lantern Natu’s status of “Intraceability” and finds himself on the opposing side of a group of Lanterns including Soranik Natu who are hell bent to give Sinestro his due reward. Another brawl ensues with Kyle getting the upper hand, only to stop midway then the blasted door behind him finds a Sinestro tied up and not questioned but with the Guardians forcibly removing his ring from his finger. So much for questioning eh?

This break-in pushes the Guardians to the limit and announces that any more outbreaks of anger, defiance and lack of discipline will not be tolerated. They send everyone out back to their respective Sectors, activate once more the placement of the Honor Guard and Alpha Lanterns in Oa in a final attempt to both rein in and exact control.

In all of this Ganthet is visited by Blue Lantern, Saint Walker who heals Ganthet’s hand while Gardner as well as Kilowog and Kyle and crypt keeper Lantern Morro, deal with the decision that the Guardians have allowed Krona to be buried in the Lantern crypt and remembered for the good that he did as he was also instrumental in the founding of the Lanterns. Needless to say this was met with much opposition but as it is, duty and respect to the Guardians wishes prevailed as Lantern Salaak reminded them all that any move from them to counter his orders is tantamount to mutiny.

Lantern Mogo had a meaningful “burial” as his remains, which basically is debris and fragments from an exploded planet, are brought to the Sun and cremated. The result was a fitting tribute as the Sun incorporated the Lantern insignia and burned for as long as it lasted. What didn’t last though was Krona’s stay in the crypt as Ganthet secretly went down into the holding chamber, and sent Krona’s body into the Planet Ysmault, thereby fulfilling a promise made to Red Lantern leader, Atrocitus and preventing him from launching another War of the Light. But alas, Ganthet’s actions were not wholly unnoticed as he nervously defends his actions to the oncoming Guardians who wanted to speak to him. What is it about this time? Well, we can only guess at the ominous gazes that the remaining Lanterns had when they looked at him. For his sake, I hope the writer’s keep Ganthet, as for one, the Blue Lantern Corps flailing as it is, need a leader and that the Guardians needed someone like Ganthet to keep them honest.

So? Honestly, did I like it? Yes, I did as writers Tony Bedard and Peter Tomasi were certainly up to the task of continuing what Geoff Johns did with the War. Having previously wrote Revolt of the Alpha Lanterns, they were more than able to deal with the emotions and ramifications as well the consequences of the war and showing equal attention to key note Lanterns and how they deal with it. What I didn’t like with Issue #1 was the artwork by Miguel Sepulveda and Tyler Kirkham. Call me a stickler for visual continuity, they didn’t do justice to the great artwork that Doug Mahnke always does along with excellent Geoff Johns writing in major crises compilations. But at least it gets better as Issue #1 moves on with true comic book artwork in the latter part and a new team consisting of Ransom Getty and Andy Smith for Issue #2.

So if you want the entire Aftermath coverage and a true Lantern fan, I need not tell you to get this but if only the first 2 issues interest you, that would be okay too as Issue 2’s semi-cliffhanger with Ganthet and the Guardians are not addressed in any way in the other issues included in this graphic novel compilation and we all wonder what bungle of a secret do these Guardians still have in their closet and threaten to disrupt the fine thread of progress that they are attempting to make following 3 major crises one after the other.

Till then I am keeping my fingers crossed and off to patrol different areas of Sector 2814.

Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps

Having been immersing myself in the last year, not to mention couple of months with the current Green Lantern series, Blackest Night and it’s almost never ending prequels and tie-ins, I figured that I’ve had it and would not be tempted, bullied, seduced to get another tie-in. 

Boy, was I wrong.

After much “research”, I knew I just had to reneg on that promise I made to myself and just had to get the Blackest Night: Green Lantern Corps. 

I know I was burned into collecting the last one which was Rise of the Black Lanterns on harbound (ouch!), I apparently have not learned from this lesson. 

Now shouldn’t I be rewarded with an Orange Ring? Ah paging Larfreeze! 

This compilation collects Green Lantern Corps #39-47 and shows us the damage (not to mention carnage) that the Black Lanterns inflicted on OA, while the main Blackest Night Storyline takes place on Earth, with Hal Jordan and the rest of the Justice League, Justice Society, The Titans and the rest of the DC folks all keeping the bad guys (and Guardian) in check. J

The book starts with Guy Garnder and Kyle Rayner on their way back to OA, after having come from Earth to attend Tribute Day. (Yes, Flash isn’t the only one who has this). They are met by Lantern Soranik of Korugar and Lantern (Princess) Iolande of Betrassus. They are the first to encounter a horde of Black Lantern Rings making its way to OA, and realizing that willpower-powered barriers erected to stay their flight proved futile.

Sure enough the Black Lantern Rings find their way, infiltrating the Lantern Crypt, overwhelm caretaker Lantern Morro of the desert planet Sarc, and revive all deceased Green Lanterns and turn them into Black Lanterns. 

Some of these include casualties of the preceding Sinestro Corps War like Lantern Jack T Chance of Garnet; Lantern Katma Tui of Korugar; Tomar Re of Xandor;  

Lantern Jade (daughter of Alan Scott, the Golden Age Green Lantern) and Lantern Ke’hann who was then rumoured to be harboring feelings for Lantern Arisia inspite of his marriage. After his death, she became a Red Lantern, successfully channelling her rage and frustration.

Most Green Lanterns were not spared with meeting the deceased and corresponding Black Lantern that held the most emotional connection to them in their lifetime. 

Like Kyle was met by Jade; Guy Gardner by Lantern Bzzd of Apiaton and Lantern Ke’hann. Trainmaster Kilowog wasn’t spared as he was met by his mentor and now Black Lantern Ermey!

The onslaught of the Black Lanterns was so overwhelming that even the main power battery on OA was threatened. These conflicts were just some of things that happened and why I felt I had to have this as part of my Green Lantern collection in an effort to bring me up to speed in my Lantern education. 

Wouldn't want to give anything else away if in case you are contemplating whether or not to collect this volume. And would want to keep other aspects of the storyline a surprise. But if not for anything else, seeing Guy Gardner aptly channel his rage and become a Red Lantern should be a good reason for you to get this.

Why then did he become a Red Lantern?

Well I guess you would have to get your copy and sign up in the Corps to know all about it.