In Review: Green Lantern Corps #6
The cover: Guy Gardner, John Stewart and Hannu are in “Lock & Load!” mode, carrying heavy guns, which are smoking from just finishing some recent use. The art is by the always excellent Andy Kubert (and Alex Sinclair), but it’s colored so darkly that details are being lost. For example, look at Guy’s face: It’s shaded and colored so darkly that his chin and neck become a dark blob by the time you get to his chest. It’s too dark a cover for the reader to find any details. Overall grade: C+
The story: Peter J. Tomasi finishes up the story he began five issues earlier. In a nutshell, the planet Urak, once used by the Guardians of Oa, has been abandoned and the citizens have figured out a way to match the Lanterns’ power, and they want vengeance for being discarded. Stewart and some other Lanterns have been captured, and Guy’s bringing in a rescue team, some of who would put Clint Eastwood to shame in Grand Torino. How to combat the denizens of Urak since power rings don’t work? That’s right: machine guns, uzis, and all other automatic weapons that spit lead. Really? This solution provides plenty of visual action but defeats the whole magic of power rings and reduces the Lanterns to flying Frank Castles. What a waste! Meanwhile, the Uraks themselves have a nifty little reveal on how their power works, but it’s overshadowed by “They’re fighting to the last man standing!” This was sad. And Page 7. Really? I was so disappointed in this action, as it seems that this is this character’s solution to everything now. He used to be an intelligent Lantern, but now Guy looks like the one with the PhD in this book. The bomb was neat, but those two characters…Lanterns don’t do that–to anyone! Tomasi, what are you doing? Overall grade: C-
The art: I’m reminded of Paul Gulacy’s work while looking at these pages by Fernando Pasarin. It’s detailed (Page 10 and Pages 14 & 15), but I feel like I’m having to work extra hard to see the detail because I’m losing so much of it from the coloring. For example, Page 1. Would the scene be lit so red? Yes, but it doesn’t have to be, they are in an enclosed ship after all, and the lighting is not going to be seen by those outside the flying spaceship. I really, really have to look at each panel to be sure I’m not missing anything important. Pasarin can draw, but his efforts are being defeated by others. Overall grade: B-
The inks: I’m familiar with Scott Hanna‘s work, but I don’t know if he over inked, finished, or perfectly followed Pasarin’s pencil work. I have to give him the same grade. Overall grade: B-
The colors: Gabe Eltaeb hurt this book with his coloring. Too many solid broad strokes. For example, Page 3, can you make out anything but lightning and bodies? Who’s who? I can’t tell. Too much blue blurs what’s supposed to be seen. When the battle goes outside, there’s too much black, grey, and neon green. Who’s shooting who? Again, it’s hard to tell. A more varied palette would have easily fixed this. Overall grade: D-
The letters: There’s plenty of sound effects to keep me happy, though, oddly, not when anyone fires an automatic weapon. Dave Sharpe, why not then? Overall grade: C+
The final line: A major misfire (pun intended). Lanterns using automatic weapons, killing people? Did Marvel buy this series out? I expect much better. Overall grade: C-
