And Then I Read: GREEN LANTERN CORPS 0, WONDER WOMAN 0

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This issue is an origin story for Guy Gardner, beginning with his first mission as a GL recruit (not yet officially a Corps member), flashing back to his family life on Earth, then concluding with the rest of the first mission. The family story is the one that I liked best, showing Guy as a misfit among a family with a long history of serving in the police force in Baltimore. Guy has already been thrown out of his own attempt at the family business, with the reasons why different from what I, and you, might expect. A very violent and modern story that would not have worked when Guy made his first appearance, but as a New 52 origin it’s pretty good. Writer Peter Tomasi and penciller Fernando Pasarin (with two inkers) have given us a fine story.

I’ve saved the best of my Zero issue reviews for last. WW Zero is a surprise and a delight, as it’s a somewhat modern take on the kind of WW stories I was reading in my childhood, the ones written by Robert Kanigher and drawn by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito. It’s a story of the young Diana as a sort of Wonder Girl on Paradise Island. First she’s making a risky theft of a Harpy egg as an initiation stunt, then she’s taken in hand by the God of War himself for further training, and an encounter with the dreaded Minotaur. Writer Brian Azzarello does a great job with this fun fantasy. His grasp of “thee and thou” archaic languaage may be a little off here and there, but in spirit the story goes to all the right places. The art by Cliff Chiang is as wonderful as ever with just a subtle flavor of Andru/Esposito here and there to bring back fond memories for this longtime reader.

Both issues are recommended, WW Zero is highly recommended!