Green Lantern #17 Comic 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: November 13, 2024

Green Lantern #17, by DC Comics on 11/13/24, continues the Civil Corps War as a multitude of competing forces converge on Oa to claim the power of the Source Lantern and destroy Oa.

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Is Green Lantern #17 Good?

Whoa, Nellie! Writer Jeremy Adams wastes not a drop of time, energy, and effort to give readers war on a galactic scale where anyone could be destroyed, and every stake unbelievably escalates. Green Lantern #17 exemplifies the phrase "Go big or go home!" but too much of a big thing might get exhausting.

When last we left Hal Jordan and his rekindled allies in Green Lantern #16, the United Planets' destruction of Thanagar prompted Hal, John, and Carol to stage a frantic rescue to get the survivors away from a mind-controlled Mogo before the UP's forces could capture them. The issue ended with Carol tapping into her new powers as Star Sapphire to repair the alien ship and enable their escape, but the random jump through space brought the refugees out of the frying pan and into a new fire... maybe, and Varron taking charge of the Durlans after killing Thaaros.

In Green Lantern #17, it's all systems go when the Civil Corps War begins in earnest.

We begin with the Varron and the Durlan warships arriving in orbit over Oa. Varron knows his uncle's scientists were working on a ring to access the Source Lantern by extracting Teen Lantern's unique power. He flies down to the surface to retrieve the scientists' latest accomplishment so that he can claim the power of the Source Lantern for himself.

Meanwhile, the Unseeing ramps up its interrogation of Jessica Cruz with the help of Yellow Lantern Kilowog. The Unsseig leaves the interrogation when they receive an alert about Varron's incursion to take the Source Ring for himself. Meanwhile, Hal and John race ahead of Red Lantern Mogo to warn everyone on Oa that they're about to be destroyed by Mogo, just like Thanagar. Mogo's status as a Red Lantern is a tip-off that Thaaros isn't really dead, and we see that confirmed when Thaaros wakes up and evolves into Dark Star by merging with the Revenant Queen's Dark Star Ring. Thaaros heads to Oa to claim the Source Ring for himself.

Soon, all forces converge on Oa. The Unseeing, Varron, and the Green Lanterns (now equipped with Earth Lantern rings) begin a three-way battle for the Source Ring. Red Lantern Mogo arrives and begins destroying the orbiting Durlan ships. But before Mogo can smash Oa, Red Lantern Sinestro arrives and smashes into Mogo, absorbing its Red Lantern power.

The issue ends with Varron entering the Source Lantern and Kyle Rayner transforming into the White Lantern to go after him.

What's great about Green Lantern #17?

To borrow from another platitude saying, Jeremy Adams leaves it all on the field with an action-packed issue that starts with a high, frantic pace that only increases as the issue unfolds. The scale and scope of the action are literally planet-sized in scale, and there are more surprises than a bushel of Jack-in-the-Boxes at a mouse trap convention. You will not be bored with this issue.

What's not great about Green Lantern #17?

The plot is almost too much. You get a firehose to the face of twists, turns, more twists, and more turns to such a degree that you almost feel like you need to take notes to keep up with what's happening. In fairness to Adams, no scene is unclear, shortchanged, or confusing, but the amount of plot developments that happen in this single issue is close to overwhelming.

Also, what happened to the cliffhanger from the previous issue? Carol and the fleeing Thanagarians ran into a creature that may or may not be a spectrum-shifted Parallax, but there's no reference to the cliffhanger at all in this issue.

How's the Art?

To Xermánico's credit, he keeps up and perfectly envisions Jeremy Adams's script with a dazzling array of action, ethereal imagination, space combat, and more. You could almost imagine a lesser artist would need twice the time necessary to render all the stuff happening in this issue.

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

Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Final Thoughts

Green Lantern #17 is a blistering war comic that bombards you with action, adventure, twists, turns, and surprises. Jeremy Adams's script grabs you by the scruff of the neck and sprints to the reaches of space, and Xermánico's art looks gorgeous. That said, Adams almost does too much too fast, leaving little time to appreciate the cooler developments.

8.5/10

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Batman: Gotham By Gaslight - The Kryptonian Age #6 Comic Review

• Written by: Andy Diggle

• Art by: Leonardo Fernandez

• Colors by: Matt Hollingsworth

• Letters by: Simon Bowland

• Cover art by: Leandro Fernandez, Matt Hollingsworth (cover A)

• Cover price: $4.99

• Release date: November 13, 2024

Batman: Gotham By Gaslight - The Kryptonian Age #6, by DC Comics on 11/13/24, brings the circus to town when Harley Quinn and her crew of secret criminals are tasked with breaking into the Smallville bank.

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Is Batman: Gotham By Gaslight - The Kryptonian Age #6 Good?

How? How can an Elseworld story that appears to be reworking most of the mainline DC characters with a Victorian-age twist become increasingly boring? Either writer Andy Diggle has lost the plot, or he's writing for the trade with a story that never should have been chunked up into single issues. Either way, what should be a rousing Elseworld story reads like Random Things Happening: The Comic.

When last we left the rising collection of Victorian-Age superheroes in Batman: Gotham By Gaslight - The Kryptonian Age #5, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen arrive in the small Kansas town to find out what Lex Luthor's excavation operation is really all about. There, they ran into flim-flam man Alan Scott, who sports a new ring and a surprisingly realistic illusion act. The issue ended with the appearance of an unusually clumsy and exceptionally lucky Sheriff Clark Kent.

In Batman: Gotham By Gaslight - The Kryptonian Age #6, Sheriff Clark Kent accepts and then declines a date with visiting reporter Lois Lane to attend the traveling circus that pulled into town. The Sheriff chooses to watch over his prisoners, Deadshot and Slipknot. His watch is interrupted by famed hypnotist Lazarus Lane, aka El Diablo, who puts the Sheriff under his spell to free his colleagues.

Meanwhile, John Constantine is brought before Ra's Al Ghul in Arabia to strike a bargain that would prevent whatever power Al Ghul holds from getting into the hands of the British military. We don't know what that power is, how John knows about it, why Al Ghul has it, or why John wants to keep the British from getting it.

Elsewhere, Adam Strange and Diana continue their sea voyage back to civilization. During the trip, one of the crew raises an alarm that a "green thing" emerged from the waters and crawled into the hull. When Diana descends into the depths of the ship's hold, she finds a man who looks like the Phantom Stranger warning her about an impending Doom. Diana ropes the Phantom Stranger to get the truth out of him, and he morphs into the Martian Manhunter with a warning that he must stop the Doom that destroyed Mars from destroying Earth.

Meanwhile, again, Harley Quinn's traveling circus show begins well enough, but Harley interrupts the entertainment to hold the audience hostage with the dynamite bundles secretly stashed under the bleachers. Why? Harley wants the townsfolk out of the way while her gang breaks into the bank to steal the secret item stored there by Sheriff Kent. Why? Nobody knows.

The issue ends with Batman tracking down Alan Scott to get back the ring, an explosion, and the 'S' stands for Sheriff.

What's great about Batman: Gotham By Gaslight - The Kryptonian Age #6?

There are more Victorian-Era DC character cameos than you can shake a stick at. This comic would be considered jam-packed by Justice League comic standards, so if you've ever wondered what a Victorian-era version of your favorite DC character would look like, chances are they're in this comic.

What's not great about Batman: Gotham By Gaslight - The Kryptonian Age #6?

Somebody, please send Andy Diggle an email and tell him to get back on target. This comic is all over the place with cameos and developments designed to hit that Elseworld novelty itch, but after six issues, we still have no idea what this 'Doom' is, where it's coming from, what it's all about, or where this story is headed.

Bluntly, Andy Diggle's world-building isn't interesting enough to carry six issues, let alone a 12-part maxiseries, but if you look back at the collection of issues published so far, that's all you've got... a lot of world-building with a vague sense of a future destination. This series has devolved into a chore.



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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Final Thoughts

Batman: Gotham By Gaslight - The Kryptonian Age #6 is a frustrating, sometimes boring read. Andy Diggle places all effort on world-building and Vectorian-era versions of DC characters, but the plot is almost non-existent. World-build should be a good thing, but when that's all you've got, the comic turns into a slog.

5/10

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Black Lightning #1 Comic Review

• Written by: Brandon Thomas

• Art by: Fico Ossio

• Colors by: Ulises Arreola

• Letters by: Lucas Gatooni

• Cover art by: Fico Ossio, Ulises Arreola (cover A)

• Cover price: $3.99

• Release date: November 13, 2024

Black Lightning #1, by DC Comics on 11/13/24, catches up with Jefferson Pierce after the Absolute Power event in his new role as outreach counselor to humans with new meta powers.

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Is Black Lightning #1 Good?

Writer Brandon Thomas joins DC's All-In initiative to find out how Jefferson Pierce, aka Black Lightning, is comping with his new role within the Justice League. Admittedly, I had grave concerns about revisiting another Thomas-written story after his shockingly terrible turn on Aquaman, but Black Lightning is off to a muted but promising start.

Black Lightning #1 begins with Jefferson Pierce, aka Black Lightning, struggling with the trauma of losing to Amanda Waller and the effect on his family from the Absolute Power event. Jefferson is supremely anxious about the safety of his daughters, but he channels his anxiousness into his new role as outreach counselor for the Justice League. His role sends him in search of humans who have acquired powers when Waller's Task Force VII Amazos were shut down.

We first witness a teen at Garfield High when he suddenly manifests powers under duress from a group of bullies. The teen, Isaac Mitchell, is saved from police intervention when Black Lightning and his daughter, Lightning, take Isaac into protective custody. Isaac is escorted to the new Watchtower for testing and evaluation by the Justice League's scientists, led by The Atom.

During the testing, Jennifer, aka Lightning, receives a call from her sister, Anissa, aka Thunder, who should be in New Orleans. They catch up and discuss plans for a visit.

After Jefferson finishes a brief but encouraging chat with Superman, the JL monitors receive an alert about another meta flare-up. When Black Lightning and Lightning speed back to Earth to investigate, they find the meta-human exhibiting uncontrolled powers nearly identical to Jennifer's is her sister, Anissa.

What's great about Black Lightning #1?

Brandon Thomas approaches Jefferson Thomas's return to the spotlight with an interesting new role and a surprising amount of emotional depth. Jefferson is not completely okay after Absolute Power, so to show a known hero grapple with trauma, albeit lightly, is an interesting change of pace over putting all the toys back in the toy box.

What's not great about Black Lightning #1?

It's unclear if the fault lies in the writing or the art, but the big surprise reveal at the end of the issue is more confusing than frustrating. Anissa, aka Thunder, isn't new to the superhero gig, so why would she intentionally hide her location and condition from her family. Yes,. Sure. The story needs to unfold, but the setup to the mystery could have used a little more polish.

How's the Art?

Fico Ossio's art style looks pretty darn good in this issue. Ossio's compositions are on point, and his penchant for scratchy hatching is restrained enough to not look sloppy. Overall, Ossio delivered a good-looking comic, enhanced by fantastic coloring from Ulises Arreola.



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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Final Thoughts

Black Lightning #1 is a refreshingly solid first issue to spotlight Black Lightning's new role in the Justice League and portray the trauma he still feels after Absolute Power. Brandon Thomas turns in a rock-solid script, and Fico Ossio's artwork is on point.

7.5/10

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Absolute Batman #2 Comic Review

• Written by: Scott Snyder

• Art by: Nick Dragotta

• Colors by: Frank Martin

• Letters by: Clayton Cowles

• Cover art by: Nick Dragotta (cover A)

• Cover price: $4.99

• Release date: November 13, 2024

Absolute Batman #2, by DC Comics on 11/13/24, continues the hunt for the Party Animals' leader as the violent crime escalates in Gotham City. Meanwhile, Alfred Pennyworth offers a helping hand.

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Is Absolute Batman #2 Good?

Writer Scott Snyder's sophomore entry in the Absolute Universe's flagship title is a mixed bag of developments that range from decent to so-so to eye-rolling. I can see what Snyder is trying to do, but in his effort to combine twists on the mainline Batman's cast of characters and inject wow moments, the issue comes off with an uneven energy that fails to pull you in.

When last we left the alternate Dark Knight in Absolute Batman #1, MI-6 Agent Alfred Pennyworth returned to Gotham City after a years-long absence to find crime is on the rise. The Party Animals gang, led by the enigmatic Black Mask, terrorizes the city at every turn, but a bat-like vigilante has emerged to do what the police can't. Alfred's research into Batman leads to a City Engineer named Bruce Wayne. The issue ended with Alfred's previous assignment, the Joker, making moves.

In Absolute Batman #2, we begin with a brief prologue that shows how young Bruce was swarmed by bats at the zoo during the incident that took his father's life. Interspersed throughout the issue are snippets of flashbacks that show how Thomas Wayne's death and the shocking swarm attack by a cauldron of bats irrevocably changed Bruce's relationship with his mother and friends.

Scott Snyder's snippets of background help to build out Bruce's character to explain his motivations, his personality, and, of course, his inspiration for becoming Batman. Young Bruce socially withdraws as a result, which explains his guarded demeanor during the brief scenes with his mother and friends in his adult years.

Now, Alfred Pennyworth continues to monitor Batman's activities as the latter engages the Party Animals gang in an escalating series of skirmishes. At the Gotham Aquarium, Batman uses his unusual suit gadgets to defeat an entire gang of attackers, including concentrated doses of hydrochloric acid. When one of his many hideouts is discovered by and sieged by the Party Animals in a high-rise, Batman sets off strategically placed explosives to destroy evidence of his presence and send a signal to the city that Batman is here.

Batman's battles with the Party Animals continue to suggest that Alfred's observation in the first issue that Batman doesn't kill is incorrect. Batman douses the entire Party Animals group with HCL in the Aquarium, which threatens death from toxic inhalation. Batman sets off explosives in a high-rise while the Party Animals are trapped in the upper floors. If Snyder intends to show Batman is so precise with his attacks that regular threats, which would normally kill scores of people, are not lethal, he and Nick Dragotta are doing a poor job of making that point plausible.

Meanwhile, Mayor Gordon continues healing in a hospital after the press conference attack in issue #1. When Gordon receives visitors, including Martha Wayne, Barbara Gordon, and Office Bullock, talk turns to how the Party Animals attacks make the Mayor's efforts to stop crime look ineffective, paving the way for the Former Mayor Hill to win a re-election.

Elsewhere, Bruce Wayne arrives at a card game with his childhood friends, much to their surprise. Bruce not-so-subtly pries his friends about information concerning the Party Animals. The conversation takes on a more serious tone when Bruce produces one of the Party Animals' skull masks for input on the intricate wiring it contains. Harvey Dent offers a tidbit that Former Mayor Hill might be receiving a PR push against Mayor Gordon due to the Party Animals' attacks, and the Former Mayor is funded by an unknown benefactor.

The issue concludes with Batman hacking into the Former Mayor's election office looking for intel, an ambush by the Party Animals, and an escape that will either make you cheer or roll your eye out of your head.

What's great about Absolute Batman #2?

You can tell Scott Snyder is thinking through all the little ins and outs to build out the full breadth of the Absolute Batman mythology in record time without walls of narration or unsatisfying shortcuts. You could argue that Absolute Batman #2 covers too much ground at once, so the issue may feel overstuffed to some, but Snyder keeps the threads moving in the same direction and a clarity of purpose.

What's not great about Absolute Batman #2?

Yes, the issue feels overstuffed by Scott Snyder's push to flesh out the entire Absolute Batman origin while following through on a criminal/political conspiracy mystery at the same time.

Yes, this is a dialog-heavy issue. It's true that you get two brief action scenes, but the rest of the issue leans on expository dialog scenes, so the energy is largely low.

Yes, it's very hard to believe that Batman's gadgets haven't killed at least one, if not multiple, people, which runs counter to a core aspect of Batman's personality. At the very least, this issue confirms people are maimed by his gadgets.

Yes, the final pages unveil the massive Absolute Batmobile. This reviewer's reaction to where it's stored and how it appears rolled my eyes down my throat and into my stomach. The only thing that's missing is Hulk Hogan breathing fire while playing an electric guitar as he body slams a crate of Slim Jims. Snyder went for cool to the extreme, but the Absolute Batmobile's debut comes off as silly and dumb.

How's the Art?

The art is fine. As with the art in issue #1, Batman's pinhead physique looks cooler in action than it did in the concept art, and the action scenes are handled well. Further, Nick Dragotta makes the most of what he's given in a talk-heavy issue by making the multitude of quiet moments visually interesting.

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

Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Final Thoughts

Absolute Batman #2 is a mixed bag of an issue that doesn't match the energy and cool moments in issue #1. To Scott Snyder's credit, he fills in a lot of information quickly but in a manner that makes the comic readable, and Nick Dragotta's art is strong, but the issue feels at times overstuffed and unevenly paced. Plus, the Absolute Batmobile debut is both head-scratching and eye-rolling.

6.5/10

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