Red Lanterns #26 Review and *SPOILERS*

Written By: Charles Soule
Art By: J. Calafiore
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: January 1, 2014

We're Red, You're Dead!

Last month we saw the Red Lanterns taking a little initiative, by going on the offensive in protecting sector 2814.  They found a bad guy named Gensui who was enslaving his people, then they came up with a plan to infiltrate his stronghold on the planet Kormorax, and then the opposite of what Hannibal loves happened.  The whole plan went to shit.  Oh and Atrocitus found a giant killing machine who became a Red Lantern, and wants his ring, let's see how that works out for him. So feel the rage as we jump right into it.  

Explain It!:

The Reds have been made, and it's time to fight their way out.  Guy looks for a pep talk in inquiring about their oath, because we all know the Green Lanterns can't finish anyone off, without chanting their oath.  But when Guy hears it, he is not motivated in the least, so he makes one a little more inspirational, at least to Red ears.  We're Red, You're Dead!  Isn't Guy the best with words?  But the fight takes a down spin when Gensui unleashes his neuro blocker field.  This causes all the Reds you act like that guy you once new who'd get high, and sit there with a big dopey smile on their face, and giggle a lot.  Okay that was me.  But everyone knows one, and now Gensui knows five now that the Reds have been subdued.  

Now it's time for a grand open execution to show any would be revolutionists, what happens to people who don't like being enslaved.  But we still have a chance people.  Zilious Zox is aboard the Red Lantern ship The Kaalvar, and is orbiting Kormorax.  But our chance is fading away because what Zilious doesn't know, is that Gensui knows that he is there, and is going to test out his Dyson Sphere (think of a Death Star using the sun as energy) on the Kaalvar.  Looks like all is not well in Zilious Zox land, but wait.  That little mad ball is plugging his ring into the ship.  The Kaalvar takes the punishment of the Dyson Sphere blast, and comes out looking like a million Red Lantern dollars.  But the fight on Kormorax isn't over yet.  The Reds are still dopey, but Ratchet finds the anger to break free, and when the firing squad let's them fly, Ratchet's tentacles block his teammates, but he takes a lot of hits.

Now that the Reds are free it's time to clean house.  Bleeze kills Gensui, and frees the enslaved people, but Ratchet didn't survive his wounds.  His last words were about how he became a Red.  His people didn't think individuals should be around one another, and when he disagreed, he was tortured, and imprisoned, the anger within him was enough for the ring to come, and now he has finally found his place with others, with his friends the Reds.  Now is a good time for a rage filled cry.  Who would of thought that a jellyfish brain monster could make you feel this bad when he dies?  When the Reds are back aboard their ship, Guy orders all military structures, and weapons on this planet to be destroyed.

Meanwhile Atrocitus has found a new Red Lantern.  Only problem is he's a skyscraper tall giant, who just got done killing a city.  But Atrocitus wants his ring, so his ring he will have.  Now Atrocitus knows that this thing is all alone, and wants companionship, so he has Dex-Starr create a giant construct so the monster can have someone to hug.  In the end Atrocitus enters the giants ear, and kills him from the inside out.  So now Guy has a ring wielding Atrocitus to look forward to in the future.  Atrocitus you so crazy.

Bits and Pieces:

Charles Soule has got to be everyone's favorite writer this year.  The work he's doing on this, and on Swamp Thing is incredible.  The man can make you care about a jellyfish brain monster out of nowhere, now that's real power.  Fluffing aside, I've really enjoyed how Red Lanterns has been over the past couple months, and I find it being one of the books I look forward to the most.  So get your rage on, and pick up another great issue of Red Lanterns.

8.5/10