Green Lantern #1 Review

   

   

Written by: Jeremy Adams
Art by: Xermánico
Colors by: Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Letters by: Dave Sharpe
Cover art by: Xermánico
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: May 9, 2023

Green Lantern #1 follows Hal Jordan's return to Earth after quitting his post under the United Planets. What's a Green Lantern to do when he's not a Green Lantern anymore?

Is It Good?

Thank God! Thank God we've got a Green Lantern title back on the shelves, and double thanks for getting a writer on the title who knows what he's doing. If you were worried Jeremy Adams's success on The Flash wouldn't translate to the galaxy's greatest ring-slinger, worry no more. This first issue is a keeper.

Per the preface page (which is needed since GL's been missing for a while), the Guardians of OA are gone, the United Planets have taken over the GL Corps and declared Sector 2814 (Earth's Sector) a disaster area, dispersing all the Earth-sourced Lanterns to other sectors. Hal quit the Corps in protest.

Now, we find Hal looking for a job and a sense of purpose when Fate decides Hal's ring-slinging days aren't over yet.

 

Watch Our Green Lantern #1 Video Review

There's something refreshing about getting back to basics and telling a simple, clean, purposeful story. Jeremy Adams perfectly sets up Hal's mindset and motivations when he has a brief existential crisis over not knowing what to do with himself. Smartly, Adams doesn't dwell on the angst any longer than necessary and gets right to the action by giving Hal a chance to play hero, with and without powers, to demonstrate exactly why he's worthy to wear the ring.

Adams's pacing is on-point, Hal's "reunion" with Carol Ferris is precisely as awkward as it should be, the dialog is organic, and the final page is a fist-pumper for GL fans who've been starving for a green fix.

Is there a down point to this issue? Not really. It's well-constructed from start to finish, and Xermánico's art is pitch-perfect. Hal Jordan is back, and GL fans will be very pleased with his return.

Normally, I don't cover backups (particularly since DC's idea of more stories for more money leaves a lot to be desired with sub-par backups). In this case, readers get a Jon Stewart backup from Phillip Kennedy Johnson, so I'd be foolish not to cover it.

Johnson's backup is, at the very least, intriguing. Jon returns home indefinitely (similar to Hal's situation), and the scene jumps to an alternate reality where an Old Guy Gardener is under attack by a familiar enemy.

It's not clear how Jon's present situation ties to Guy's future situation, so some readers may find the hard jump from one plot thread to the other confusing/jarring. Still, the setup is well-written, and I'm curious to see where it goes.




About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Bits and Pieces:

Green Lantern #1 does exactly what it needs to do - re-establish Hal Jordan as the greatest Green Lantern and get back to basics. Xermánico's art is excellent, and Adams's script is a perfect jumping on point with action, motivations, and a smile-inducing final page.

9/10