GREEN LANTERN: REBIRTH #3 REVIEW

[Blake Petit]

Review by: Blake M. Petit Blake@comixtreme.com
Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: Yellow

The truth about Parallax – and the Green Lantern Corps!

<a href="http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/media/691/glrebirth5.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/thumbnails/691/glrebirth5.jpg" align="left" border="0"></a>Writer: Geoff Johns
Pencils: Ethan Van Sciver
Inks: Prentis Rollins
Colors: Moose Baumann
Letters: Rob Leigh
Editor: Peter Tomasi
Cover Art: Ethan Van Sciver
Publisher: DC Comics

Review: A lesser writer than Geoff Johns would have me fuming right now, because of the various theories regarding Hal Jordan’s return as Green Lantern, he seems to have gone with one that I liked the least. However, he’s executing it extremely well, to the point where I find I’m actually accepting of an explanation that I thought would cheapen the character himself and years of stories.

Kyle Rayner and Ganthet find themselves battling maddened members of the Green Lantern Corps, even as the Justice League is battered by brave men who should be their allies. A desperate Kyle heads to the JLA Watchtower for help, only to find the place leveled and only one hero standing – Hal’s best friend, Green Arrow. There, Kyle tells what he found at the edge of the universe, the truth about Parallax, the truth about Hal Jordan, and the truth about the Green Lantern Corps.

This issue, I must admit, really surprised me. We’ve only hit the halfway point of this series, and it seems like Johns has already laid all his cards on the table. All the revelations, all the surprises, all of it is already right here. That seems to leave three issues for an extended fight scene. I hope Johns has more up his sleeve than that.

I’ve also got to deduct points for the last-page surprise appearance by a character that’s died twice already (at least), and who seemed dead for good last time out. He’s apparently going to start trying to rival Magneto in the resurrection category.

Ethan Van Sciver’s artwork is phenomenal. With Moose Baumann giving the entire book a green tinge, this book looks more like a Green Lantern comic than any issue in years. He does a fantastic job not just on the GLs, but on the various other heroes herein. This is a guy who could easy have a spot illustrating the big DC team books – JLA or JSA – they’d be in great hands.

I am enjoying this series. Johns is probably telling the best story about Hal’s return that anyone could, and while I may not be crazy about all of the nuances of the tale, he’s executing it better than anyone in comics could.

Story: http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/none.jpg
Art: http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/half.jpg
Overall: http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/none.jpg

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[Mark Blicharz]

The last page I saw coming from earlier in this title. The series is still very good.

[Blessed]

Loved this ish.
Really good writting and superb art.
Good review too:p

[chrismozer]

I cannot stand this series. The whole yellow impurity thingie is sooooo ridiculous!!

[Blake Petit]

Actually, I give Johns credit for finally coming up with a plausible explanation for that beyond just "Well, we gotta keep 'em in check SOMEhow..."

[Walt Kneeland]

This issue did pretty much what I expected. One of the few times it seems I've had such a guess pan out for me. ;)

I'm going to feel like such a sucker when this series ends and I buy the TPB.

(Or, knowing DC these days, the hardback)

~Walt

[Walt Kneeland]

Originally posted by Blake Petit
Actually, I give Johns credit for finally coming up with a plausible explanation for that beyond just "Well, we gotta keep 'em in check SOMEhow..."

Oops...forgot I wanted to comment on that, too. ;)

I agree--I found the explanation reasonable and in context, makes sense. I can live with it, at least.

Kinda interesting that regardless of the intent, something that's been a rather integral feature for so long (excepting Kyle's run) is only just now revealed/explained.

And it also explains (logically enough) why Kyle's ring is as it's been.

~Walt

[Picard]

Man it makes me SICK that they are completley redeeming Hal Jordan of past sins :(
I really liked the idea of him going all :banana: again

[chrismozer]

Originally posted by Blake Petit
Actually, I give Johns credit for finally coming up with a plausible explanation for that beyond just "Well, we gotta keep 'em in check SOMEhow..."

Call me old-fashioned but i could've lived with the "keep 'em in check somehow" explanation.

I may stick with the series as i wanna see how the rest of the DCU is gonna react. I, personally, would never trust Hal again!
If he told a fib, yes! But to go off your rocker like he did, never!

[chrismozer]

Originally posted by Blake Petit
Actually, I give Johns credit for finally coming up with a plausible explanation for that beyond just "Well, we gotta keep 'em in check SOMEhow..."

Call me old-fashioned but i could've lived with the "keep 'em in check somehow" explanation.

I may stick with the series as i wanna see how the rest of the DCU is gonna react. I, personally, would never trust Hal again!
If he told a fib, yes! But to go off your rocker like he did, never!

[Lord_Magneto]

how can you resist an Ethan Van Sciver and Geoff Johns - together. i think i'd pick the trade when it comes out

[Scott A. Williams]

This is the part of the series that's really got me interested. It's really starting to pick up. That's not to say it was somehow lagging before, but now it's just going more and more and better.

I'm wondering of DC couldn't just turn to title into a sort of "Green Lantern Universe" with Hal, Kyle, Jon, Ganthet, maybe even Jade & Alan being co-stars. Well, that's probably not in the cards and it's probably not a good idea, but I think it's worth a look.

Good review Blake. (Although all the apostrophies show up as question marks for some reason...)

[Blake Petit]

It's happened to Ronée's screenname too.. I think the board flubbed somehow.

[Andrea Speed]

I think something went wrong with the back up. I think we'll have to wait for Doug to get back here, because the whole board went down, and then it appeared with all these question marks. Weirdness ...

[Lord_Magneto]

oh good, i started to think my browser is ****ed up.

[Walt Kneeland]

Originally posted by Picard
Man it makes me SICK that they are completley redeeming Hal Jordan of past sins :(
I really liked the idea of him going all :banana: again

I don't think they're completely redeeming him. After all, he was still the one that "gave in" to Parallax and all that. It's just opening a hidden door (in my eyes, at least) to ALLOW for redemption. Had he alone remained responsible, it was totally unforgiveable.

This gives some leeway for an "out" of sorts, I think. (not that I agree with it 100%, but while I'll speculate now, I'll hold judgement for the end of # 6) ;)

However, this is just my opinion, shared at 2:22 in the morning.

And with this post, I go to crash for the night,

~Walt