Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #1

by John White on July 27, 2016

Written by: Robert Venditti
Art by: Rafa Sandoval
Colors by: Tomeu Morey
Letters by: Dave Sharpe
           
            The subtitle of Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #1 might as well be A Return to the Familiar. Although the journey throughout all the Lantern books has been a fun one, there is a great appeal in seeing Hal back in his familiar Lantern uniform, a revitalized Sinestro, and the return of some much missed and familiar faces. Building off the Rebirth issue, Robert Venditti is attempting to tell a story that poses the question what is the Green Lantern Corps’ place in the universe, and are they even welcome anymore? Although the heroes and villains are familiar, rest assured that this is a new story that will hopefully take this Green Lantern series, through introspection, to heights not matched by its predecessors.
           
           Picking up where the Rebirth issue left off, Hal Jordan is on a one-man mission to bring law and order to a universe suffering under the totalitarian grip of the Sinestro Corp and their mustachioed leader. Armed once again with a Green Lantern ring he is traveling throughout the outer rim of the known universe looking for any sign of his vanished fellow lanterns. As the story bounces between Hal’s and the goings on at War World, it begins to look like Hal may be outmatched. Although there is an interesting development regarding fear and Hal’s self manufactured ring, this issue is mostly used to set up the inevitable showdown between our lone lantern and the vastly stronger Sinestro Corps.
           
          Perhaps the highlight of this issue is the absolutely stunning artwork of Rafa Sandoval. Greatly aided by the phenomenal color work of Tomeu Morey, Sandoval’s depictions of Sinestro and Parallax are nothing short of amazing. It is one thing to tell the audience that his battle for universal supremacy has taken a toll on him, but quite another to show the wizened face of the once powerful Korugarian. In any great comic the story is shown as much as it is told and with this issue Rafa Sandoval has proven that he is up for the challenge.
           
        Bolstered by stunning artwork and snappy dialogue, Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #1 is definitely one issue you will not regret picking. While paying homage to the great legacy of Green Lantern, it is clear that Venditti is building towards something new that has the potential to reshape this colorful corner of the DC universe. The moment you put down this issue you will be filled with a deep sense of longing that will not leave you until you can pick up issue #2.
 
 

Our Score:

8/10

A Look Inside