Smallville: Lantern #7 Review

Written by: Bryan Q. Miller
Art by: Marcio Takara
Cover Price: $0.99
Release Date: April 25, 2014

Fear Factor

A little disclosure before I start.  My name is Jim and I'm a Bryan Q. Miller fanboy.  I actually came to Smallville because of him and through the comic ended up a fan of the show.  It may be the reverse of the usual, but we all ended at the same place so all is good, right?  Guess what?  I also am a huge Green Lantern fan so this arc is tailor made for me.  After the  slight letdown of chapter 4, it has really gotten good.  In fact, after this issue it is my favorite Smallville arc.

Last issue ended with Parallax sending yellow rings out into the Universe to make an army (or a corps).  This issue they have hit Earth and head for the place where fear rules...Gotham.  Makes sense to me.  However, before they head for their final destination, one ring takes a slight detour to the West Coast but rejects the potential host.  That may not sound like much, but it's the best part of the issue. Why?  I won't spoil it completely, but it's the return of my favorite superhero team.

While this is going on, Superman and John Stewart are dealing with Parallax.  Actually, he's dealing with them, but the Guardians give them some time and they break free.  However, this small victory comes at a huge price and while John fights off Parallax's unrelenting assault, Superman heads back to Earth. 

Bryan Q. Miller may have given us his best Smallville chapter yet.  It seems easier to floor the reader with the final issue of an arc, but this is the middle and it is awesome.  I can't wait to see the rings in Gotham and how our (ever expanding team of) heroes deal with them.  I still want to get back to Lex and see what happened to Ollie, but if we get all of those at once my head might explode.  Mess aside, I hope it happens next week.

Marcio Takara's art gets even better this issue.  This is a trend and a good one at that.  Maybe he is getting comfortable on the book or has more freedom, but whatever it is I hope it continues.  Cat Staggs knocks another cover out of the park.  It says "Lantern" on the cover, but I see an awesome Batman.

Bits and Pieces:

Smallville: Lantern #7 is just a great comic.  Bryan Q. Miller brings the fight back to Earth and expands the teams fighting the war.  Marcio Takara's art just keeps getting better with each issue.  This arc is so good and every Smallville, Superman, Green Lantern and/or comic book fan should be reading it.  Highly Recommended.

9.8/10