Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #2 Review and **SPOILERS**

The B-B-B-Boys Are Back in Town

Written By: Robert Vendetti

Art By: Rafa Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, Tomeu Morey

Lettered By: Dave Sharpe

Cover Price: $2.99

On Sale Date: August 10, 2016

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

There’s something about that “and the” conjunction that really supports the first part and minimizes the second. I think it’s the “the,” personally, because if you just say “Echo and Bunnymen” then the Bunnymen sound less like the supporting cosplay act for some striking New Wave artist with a very stiff hairdo. But when you say “Josie and the Pussycats,” suddenly the Pussycats sound like…well, pussycats. I think even worse is “featuring,” if your name is preceded by the word “featuring” on the marquee then you are likely the lamest but most available coffee shop acoustic diddler or unshaven white rapper given the time frame. Seems to be the reverse on television, though, you get that “featuring” business before your name it’s basically an admission of your royalty. What to you think the best preamble is? Presenting? “Presenting Mr. Pedophile Arsonist.” I have to admit, it gives the name a little more gravitas. Truthfully speaking, though, it’s no Hal Jordan. So allow me to present to you, my review presenting Hal Jordan Presents the Green Lantern Corps #2!

Explain It!

Man, I really understand Green Lantern John Stewart. See, if there’s ever a disaster or some kind of minor apocalypse and you wind up trapped with me and a bunch of survivors, don’t put me in charge. I am so used to inertia that I would have everyone biding their time until we all died from starvation or the acute guilt of having become cannibals. I’d concentrate on hooking up the television and whatever video game system is handy, and while away my time munching on any spare Doritos that are to hand, while letting radiation or demonic winds turn my insides into lump crab meat as I slowly expire. And John Stewart is the same way, having just brought the last paltry members of the Green Lantern Corps back from their limbo dimension, he’s not going to rush back into the universe he swore to protect on a whim until he feels nice and secure and well-rested and situated and also after he gets through the third season of Sliders, maybe. Of course, Guy Gardner is itching to get back into action, so John cleverly placates him by sending him on solo recon to retrieve the sitrep vis a vis “does the galaxy still hate the Green Lantern Corps? Y/N.” Because oh yeah, that was a thing.

Meanwhile, on the planet Joween, Hal Jordan is about to face off against two members of the Sinestro Corps, who have taken the place of the Green Lanterns as ball-busting police officers of the universe. Though to be fair, the Sinestro Corps are far for antagonistic, given that they intend to rule the universe through fear. The yellow lanterns offer Hal the chance to surrender, which was such a set-up line…also acceptable would have been, “Hey, who do you think you are, anyway?” and “Aw, you’re tough but you’re not tough enough.” Hal once again flaunts his lack of vocabulary and projects a green oil tanker (with a Ferris Air logo on the side) to the maws of these disciples of Sinestro, then goes after the one that looks like a triple scoop of faces to say more cool lines, most likely.

Over on Warworld, which is now Sinestro Corps Headquarters, Sinestro is telling his daughter Soranik that she was a pawn in his scheme to control the galaxy because she was weak—the dude doesn’t even say thanks! This pisses her off and almost makes them talk some more, when Sinestro gets a transmission about a Green Lantern on the planet Joween—and it’s Hal Jordan! Sinestro is obviously stunned and tells the two clods getting punched around by him to fall back and stop making asses of themselves until they get further instructions. They disobey orders and try to capture Hal in the projection of some kind of gross space elephant, but Jordan busts out and chases them into outer space. Just as Guy Gardner prepares to leave Mogo—I mean, you guys have flipping Mogo, for crying out loud! You can fairly well take on most aggressors!—on his fact-finding mission of which faces need the most punching, Hal tracks the two members of the Sinestro Corps to some inhabited planet and where people appear to be fleeing in terror from the two being pursued, but no, that would be silly! They’re actually horrified by the fact that they’re being kidnapped by half a dozen of the Sinestro Corps’ ugliest members! Yes, even uglier than Triple Scoop Face!

So now this book feels like it’s getting into a groove, and despite my poking fun at John Stewart’s recalcitrance to get back in the game, I do understand that it is probably tactically wiser to assess the situation first. Whether it’s tactically wise to send Guy Gardner to do that job will remain to be seen, but it should be fun. Hal is pretty much a one-note character, which suits me okay since this book has primarily been Sinestro’s show, anyway. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The art is serviceable and though there are some wordy pages, it’s not too much to get through before you see Hal throwing trucks at aliens. Things are looking up for old Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps, but that opinion is subject to change if it’s four weeks from now and nothing has changed appreciably in the book.

Bits and Pieces:

A few plot developments and some daddy-daughter time that results in the traditional Korugarian Slapping of the Father, and you've got a pretty good issue of Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps that promises some fun times in the future. Let's hope it's the near future, rather than some far-flung time beyond the next title change. Also: yes to more Guy Gardner.

8/10