Art By: Admira Wijaya, Andrew Dalhouse
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: January 7, 2015
Some Not So Alone Time
Welcome back to Green Lantern! After the events of GODHEAD two weeks ago, I figure that there will be a bunch of changes going on in the Green Lantern universe........ and I don't want to hear that you didn't follow GODHEAD....I just don't. To make sure I don't have to hear about it and to make sure that you're all caught up to now, let's go through the events as easily as possible. The Green Lanterns and I guess the rest of the emotional spectrum won and we won't have to worry about the New Gods and crazy quests to defeat Darkseid with Life Equations ever again. There ya go, now you're all caught up. So let's see what Robert Venditti has in store for our ring slinging hero from here on out and see how he took the news that Carol and Kyle were together now. Let's check it out.
Explain It!:
Our story begins with Hal going back to Oa for a meeting with the new Guardians and while they're happy with his overall performance as Green Lantern Corps leader with his victories over Relic, Uprising and the New Gods, they still seem to be hung up on the fact that he went against their wishes and recruited Black Hand in the engagement with the New Gods and with that disapproval, they send him home on leave. Now is Hal falling back into old routines here? I mean why the hell is he even listening to these wayward Guardians that wanted nothing to do with leading the Green Lantern Corps when they were first released from their prison? They should have no say here and frankly after witnessing all the lies they told and secrets they kept from the end of the Relic story line, I really don't trust them as far as I could throw them...............Even though they're small, I have a bad shoulder and probably couldn't chuck them very far........Just clarifying. So against my verbal protests to the comic, Hal goes back to Earth. Now I have to clarify again, I love the fact that Hal is going back to Earth, I just don't want it to be because the Guardians told him to. I'm protesting. Back at Earth, Hal is immediately confronted by Guy Gardner who wants to remind him that Sector 2814 is strictly Red territory and if he wants to go home, he better hand over his ring. Yeah, that ain't happening and Hal flies past Guy and tries to reintegrate back into his old life.
On Earth, Hal goes back to his favorite bar and tries to start his vacation off with some solitude and a few beers, when Guy Gardner comes waltzing in through the front doors and wants to join his old pal. Hal tries to explain that he wanted to drink alone, but Guy isn't hearing any of it and simply racks up the pool table as the night begins. It isn't long before Barry Allen joins the party and it becomes a full fledged "guys night out" but even though my joy won't let me see beyond these characters simply hanging out and having a good time, there's a sadness that will ruin all my hopes at heroes just being people. During this whole night of drinking and playing pool, Guy goes on like he did during GODHEAD about how messed up he is after leading most of the Reds to their death and after Barry joins the fun and gets a few drinks in him, he goes on about how well Hal managed being a hero and not sacrificing his real life and how Barry has always admired him for it. So you know, during most of the night's festivities Hal is pretty much keeping to himself and just going with the flow when his friends lay their problems on him but that all changes when Barry accidentally spills a pitcher on someone and a all out bar fight commences. After Hal, Guy and Barry get the shit kicked out of them (no powers when fighting civilians), Hal finally loses his shit and has it out Guy and Barry. He goes off about how he wanted to be alone and that he has enough problems of his own right now to deal with Barry and Guy's.............. and you know what? He was just about to get his alone time before she comes walking up............Oh yeah, she.
In the end, Carol comes strolling up to the bar and Guy and Barry knowing when shit is about to get real take this as their cue to leave. It's here that we finally have the talk that started in Green Lantern Annual about Kyle and Carol seeing one another. Basically it's Hal being upset with himself for ruining things between Carol and him and even though he knows Kyle's a good guy, it still hurts like a son of a bitch to know that Carol is with someone else. Our issue ends with Carol telling Hal that he needs to find who he wants to be and maybe when that happens the two of them could be together again...............You know a long time from now if things with Kyle and her don't work out. I'm not saying that Hal will find himself and Carol will simply tell Kyle to hit the bricks.........That would be a dick move on Carol's part and we know that Carol wouldn't do that.
That's it for this issue of Green Lantern and man did I not want to see the forest through the trees here. It honestly took me up until Hal freaked out at his friends for me to realize that something was wrong with him this issue. I was just so happy seeing my heroes interact in a way that didn't have the universe hanging in the balance that I was totally blind to Hal's struggles here. I had to go back and read it again so I could pick up on the fact that Hal wasn't having any fun during this issue and man did I feel like a dummy at the end. This is what we totally needed after dealing with such a big story like GODHEAD though, just a chance to see our characters unwind and figure things out. It was just such a pleasure to read but I can't help but feel sad by the end even though I had such joy during the majority of the book. It's quite possible that we'll have a completely different Hal Jordan coming at us in the coming months and realizing that GODHEAD had such an affect on him is game changing...........well that and knowing that he lost Carol to Kyle. It's a brave new world for Green Lantern and I can't wait to see where this new road takes us..................... Oh and I almost forgot! I'm calling shenanigans on Barry looking like he was using his super speed at the pool table in front of everyone at the bar and also him getting drunk. Shenanigans.........That is all.
Bits and Pieces:
While I wasn't completely a fan of some of the artwork here, I do have to say that I loved this issue with it's slower more intimate story concerning our Green Lantern. It's not all constructs and peril here Lantern Lovers, what it is should simply be considered a break for us and for the characters involved and man do I love seeing heroes just being people. It's one thing that I've felt that Green Lantern has been lacking for a long time, so man was it great seeing it here. Go check it out and have yourself a break with your favorite Green Lantern as he tries to figure out what to do next.
8.5/10
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