And Then I Read: GREEN LANTERN 7 & 8

Images © DC Comics, Inc.

Even though he’s been thrown out of the Green Lantern Corps, Hal Jordan can’t seem to escape the attention of Sinestro, who keeps dragging him off on space missions with a sort of half-charged ring of Sinestro’s own making. Hal has been on Earth trying to rekindle his relationship with Carol Ferris, and it was working until Sinestro showed up again. This time, when Hal is dragged off, Carol reclaims her Star Sapphire ring and powers so she can follow them. Meanwhile, the Guardians are, as usual, making plans that will most likely create lots more problems for the Corps, and themselves. For supposed mentors, the little blue guys keep getting things wrong. Before long Hal and Sinestro find themselves prisoners on a planet full of deadly enemies. The Indigo Tribe shows up to rescue them, but that leads to more questions and an unusual revelation. Geoff Johns is stirring the pot well, and I like the stew he’s serving up.

The art on these issues by regular penciller Doug Mahnke and inkers Christian Alamy and Keith Champagne is excellent. I love the realistic yet expressive and emotive figures of Mahnke, it brings the characters to life for me in a way that many other current artists don’t quite manage. If there were a need for a successor to Brian Bolland in the comics arena, I think Mahnke would fit the bill.

Recommended.