Comic Book Review: Green Lantern Corps #42

Fresh off the grill, this week's comics were numerous. Every single Bat title I pick up came out, and Blackest Night rages on with its tie ins, which I pick up to satisfy my compulsion to read the entirety of the space zombie saga (as well as picking up those juicy rings). What I didn't expect, however, was one of the latter's titles, Green Lantern Corps, to hit me like a BIG SLAP on the face. Writer Peter J. Tomasi just wrote one of the most gut wrenching and tragic stories I've seen in recent years, and what it is exactly will be told if you continue on with this review. I'm giving fair SPOILER WARNING now, so be warned, once you hear or see it, there's no turning back.

Green Lantern Corps #42
Written By: Peter J. Tomasi
Illustrated By: Patrick Gleason

In the midst of the Black Lantern invasion and chaos happening in OA, the Green Lantern Corps find much needed assistance with the timely arrival of the Indigo Lantern "Munk". His arrival is a welcomed sight to Green Lantern Vath and his fellow corps members, but the follower of the purple light can only do so much to quell the growing numbers of the Black Lantern Corps. Elsewhere, Kilowog, Guy Gardner, Soranik Natu, and Kyle Rayner do their best to keep their attackers at bay, only to witness all the Black Lanterns disengage and move towards a new target - the Oan Central Power Battery. Now realizing a greater loss is at stake, the GL Corps move in to defend their power source and salvation against the undead... even if it means life or death in the end.

Ok, brace yourselves for the one thing that made this issue so MIND BLOWING. There's no other way to describe how I felt after turning to that last page of this issue, and by revealing it now to you all reading this, it's considered a BIG SPOILER, especially to GREEN LANTERN FANS.This is your last BIG WARNING, so read at your own risk folks!










SPOILER WARNING!!!

At the end of this issue, a noble and honarable member of the Green Lantern Corps sacrifices his life to save the power battery and buy time for his teammates. That man is none other than the "Torch Bearer" himself, Kyle Rayner.

That's right folks... the one who carried the Green Lantern name when no one else could is gone and dead.T_T

All right... now that I got that big burden of a climax off my chest, I can talk about this issue alone. It's pretty much a solid, action packed, and drama story that's full of hope, tragedy, and despair that any space cowboy reading the GL books would love. Peter J. Tomasi is fresh in his element here, and he delivers the kind of shocker at the end of this issue that will get fans talking for months to come. I happen to be one of those guys, and believe me, it will leave you ruminating about what kind of fate will befall every individual affected one way or the other by this Blackest Night that has spread to the far reaches of the DC Comic community. Unlike the other Blackest Night books and tie ins, GLC has dealt more with the corps as a whole. Since Hal has his solo title, this book has free reign to explore what's happening with Kyle, Guy, Kilowog, and the rest of the green team, and now that they're facing space zombies, there's no telling what kind of shit they'll have to go through to put an end to the evil spreading in the cosmos. I've collected the rest of the issues before this, but this one in particular brings the biggest bang that could possibly happen yet in the Blackest Night that affects the GL Corp directly. Oh, and we learn more about how effective the Indigo Tribe is in handling the black abominations, so it's all good with Peter J. T. at the writing helm.

In the art department, we get some of the most action packed art seen in a GL Title, courtesy of artist Patrick Gleason. His style is befitting of the scale GL Corps draws with the sheer number of things happening all at the same time. It's the kind of art that doesn't feel sketchy or rushed, and just blends in well with the dialogue and emotion running high with this kind of event. In fact, he illustrates the characters well enough to give they dimension and importance in the scope of things. Even in delivering the ending, it's a one pager that will be embedded in the hearts and minds of readers to come.

With all that said, Green Lantern Corps is a must read for those following Blackest Night and everyone else involved in it. Anyone looking for Hal Jordan won't find a speck of him here since he's got his own solo title, but for those worried and curious about what's happening to Guy and the rest of the green team, you'd better pay attention to this book. Like I said, something BIG happens here, and by next issue and the tie ins to come, the ramifications will be BIGGER. It's A class writing and art delivered by the fine team of Tomasi and Gleason. These two have literally made a mark on the industry with this issue... and those who grew up liking certain characters will never forget it.

Score - 10/10

You Want WIN? I'll Give You WIN...

Courtesy of the folks from Newsarama and Marvel.com, we get, yet again, another Siege teaser image, only this time, it's PURE AWESOME:


Norman Osborn/ Iron Patriot at the mercy and gunpoint of Bucky Barnes... The New Captain America! But wait! If Steve's returning, then how will this go down? We'll only know when Siege hits this January! For now, this image is of PURE WIN!

Blazblue Portable Is Looking Mighty Awesome...

Blazblue: Calamity Trigger was an awesome fighting. Created and touted by Arc System Works as the "spiritual successor" to the Guilty Gear series, this slick looking anime 2D Brawler has got all the right reasons for a fighter to pay attention. Owning the Playstation 3 version myself, this game is just full of potential and unpredictability, the latter point especially true when it comes to fighting other opponents who seek worthy challenges.

After enjoying some quality time with its ports on the PS3 and Xbox 360, and even getting an update soon with Blazblue: Continuum Shift, Arc System Works is going to bring their fighter to the portable market, when it gets released for the Playstation Portable under the aptly titled "Blazblue Portable". Based on the Famitsu screens from a post made by Kotaku, the game doesn't look too shabby at all despite the low resolution, and if you played GG XX Advent Core Plus for the PSP, Arc System Works will have no trouble delivering their newest prized fighter to the portable market. The game is scheduled for a late February 2010 release in Japan. You can read up more on the juicy bits by hitting the Kotaku link here. Looking to more fights on the move!

The V Effect Is Upon Us...

Independence Day. Mars Attacks. Marvel's Secret Invasion.

Meet one of the originals that started it all.

It's hard to imagine how one would react at the sight of an ginormous alien spaceship hovering above your city, but if it did happen, then you'd probably drop everything and stare into the sky much like the rest of humanity did in V.

A reboot/ remake of the same Sci-Fi television series that launched in the early 80's, this new version of V sports the same basic plot I grew up watching and reading about in television and comics as a lad: A group of extra-terrestrial Visitors suddenly appear out of the blue sky, making contact with humanity and ensuring the obviously bewildered species that they "come in peace". In the pilot, we are introduced to a number of characters, namely an FBI Agent named Erica Evans, her rebellious son Tyler, a priest named Father Jack Landry, and a businessman named Ryan Nichols, who hides a secret which could jeprodize the new life he wants to build with his fiancee, Valerie. Together with other supporting characters in the story, these people are caught in a situation wherein humanity is slowly starting to embrace the V's as saviors, thanks to the promise of advance technology and well being they will provide in the name of peace. Contradictions and questions about faith and trust are just some of the subtle themes this series uses effectively in channeling the fear and paranoia building up as those intuitive enough start to realize that the V's benevolent intentions have more sinister motives behind them. For the most part, I enjoyed the way the characters played out their roles and provided each other with emotional conflict and support. The aliens themselves look more angelic and less of a threat, thanks to their beautiful and composed appearances. Anna, the de facto leader of the V's, is eloquent and beautiful to a fault, and she uses her intelligence and charms to her advantage, effectively giving humanity enough reason to devote themselves to the visitors. Towards the end of the pilot, the key players begin their plans to form the resistance, but will their efforts be recognized or simply end in vain? That's what V is all about, and as contemporary retelling of a classic alien invasion story, this does a lot of wonders the average sci-fi buff will enjoy. Highly recommended.

"We Are Of Peace, Always" - Anna, leader of the extra-terrestrial race dubbed as the "V's"

Another "Siege" Teaser!

Venturing around the comic kingdom news, Marvel.com and Newsarama have released yet another teaser poster to the upcoming crossover event, "Siege"!

What Price Victory indeed? The Mighty Thor is sure to find out, as he's getting his goldilocks hair handed over to him by the Iron Patriot and the rest of the Dark Avengers in this image! Siege is still coming this January, so hold on to your butts and prepare for war in the Marvel Universe!

Comic Review: Captain Americe: Reborn #4

Quite a while has passed since we've seen heard anything about Captain America and his mighty shield in the comic universe. Besides taking up the costume of his partner and successor Bucky Barnes this past Halloween, I've had a bit of a dry spell in the Reborn front, and I was hoping that the latest issue would land in my lap before I donned the mask and wielded the shield for some All Hallow's Eve fun. Unfortunately, there was a bit of delay on the issue's front, so readers got it on the next week instead, which was this past Wednesday. The latest Marvel Previews and solicitations also delivered the news that the miniseries would be extended to six issues instead of five, making the definite return of Steve Rogers a little more anti-climactic than for what its worth. Rest assured, the original super-soldier's coming back, but will he ever be the same? That's exactly what Reborn's all about, and so far, it's a little more confusing than I expected.

Captain America: Reborn #4
Written By: Ed Brubaker
Illustrated By: Bryan Hitch & Butch Guice

Still trapped in a time lapsing limbo that's turning into an eternal nightmare, Steve Rogers faces moments in his life as Captain America that he only wished he could change for the better. Stuck and with no other means to escape, his only hope for salvation lies with the rest of his comrades in the present day, who have received the message he entrusted to the Vision during one of his brief time jumps. Meanwhile, The Red Skull arrives in Latveria, home of Doctor Victor Von Doom, to pursue unfinished business with the dictator and his trusted scientist, Arnim Zola. With the help of Norman Osborn, The Skull's plans to finally put one over his eternal enemy may just come to fruition, and the key to his victory lies in the unwilling hands of Cap's lover and killer, Sharon Carter.

In light of everything that's happened so far in Reborn, I really just want Ed Brubaker to end it all and bring back the espionage story telling many adored in the regular Captain America title. The fact of the matter is, it feels a too cliche already how Steve Rogers is going to come back to the land of the living. With the way he's being brought back to life after being gone for so long, it already deconstructs everything Bru achieved in making his death have such an impact in the entire Marvel Universe. As I stated in the previous issues' reviews, manipulating and writing around the concept of time travel/ displacement is a very touchy subject, and with somebody like Cap who's already been brought out of the ice and killed "realistically", it just cements his place among the many characters in comic book history who have eluded death through impossible means. Heck, if DC's Blackest Night were to hit the Marvel Universe now, it would probably make more sense than seeing Cap become a "Slider" who has "Quantum Leap" moments he has no control over. I'm a little too disappointed at the obvious storytelling Reborn is leading me to, and I just hope we see some sort of redeeming quality when the final two issues hit the stands in the next few months.

Looking at the other aspects of the book, Brubaker still has his A game in delivering the action and drama moments the Cap series has been known for under his tenure. We get into each and every character's head, especially Steve as he ruminates about his time displaced situation, wishing for a way out of moments in his life he wished he could change for the better. In certain ways, Reborn is more of a glorified refresher and jumping in point for those who don't know anything about Steve and his past during WWII and beyond. Aside from that, we also see more from the Red Skull and his minions, and a slightly expected guest appearance by the Fantastic Four's archnemesis, Dr. Doom. Doom's time machine figured greatly in the pages of the regular Cap book and Reborn, so it's no surprise the monarch makes his presence known to lend a helping hand to Herr Skull, upholding a deal he made with Norman Osborn. Cap's allies on the other hand get little screen time in this issue, still one step behind saving their ally and Sharon Carter from the bad guys. Speaking of Sharon, it seems her role in this entire conspiracy is finally made known, with the epilogue of this issue revealing an obvious plot device I knew that was coming since it was "carefully hinted" in the Cap books last year. It feels a little deja vu at this point since I've seen it happen to Cap before, but it's a given he's going to get out of this one alive and well. How that's done we'll just have to wait and see.

On the art department, Bryan Hitch lends some of his best work again which pretty much reflects the same dedication and style he used in the Ultimates years ago. Butch Guice helps him out with some of the pencils, and that guy's work is nothing to complain about either. Both men are good at what they do, and while it took me a while to accept this as Earth 616 storytelling, there's no doubt that Reborn has A list pencilers handling the art duties. Trust me, it may take a while to shake off the "Ultimates feeling", but once you get over it and look at this as a Cap book, it's all good and fine.

In the end, Captain America Reborn #4 is an issue fans of the star spangled avenger shouldn't miss and check out. If you've been collecting the book since the start, you owe it to yourself to finish it up since there's only two issues to go. Steve's return may be a little bit jarring, but there's no doubt that readers will be smirking and happy when we see the original red, white, and blue reclaim his title and shield and kick the living daylights of the bad guys who have been rampaging the Marvel Universe while he was away. This was a decent issue, but it lacked a little bit of punch at the surprise at the end. I just can't wait til this all ends, and we get Cap back in our corner.

Score - 6/10

The Marvel "Siege" Trailer...

As expected from the guys behind the House Of Ideas, Marvel has put together a trailer for their upcoming new crossover event called Siege! Anyone who has been keeping tabs knows that this involves Norman Osborn's quest to conquer Asgard, home of The Mighty Thor and his trickster half-brother, Loki. Since the beginning of "Dark Reign", Norman's grip on the Marvel Universe has been tight, and it'll take the revival of Earth's Mightiest Heroes to put a stop to his plans. More details can be checked in Marvel.com. For now, hit the You Tube link below to view the vid, and see a quick slideshow recap of what has transpired within the Marvel Universe since Avengers: Disassembled:



The Devastation. The Decimation. The Dissension. The Assassination. The Resurrection. The Invasion. The Reign. Next comes "The Downfall", and how all of this ends (or begins) will be told when the series hits this January. Siege is coming... are you ready?