GREEN LANTERN #142
"House on Fire, Part Two"
Mildly Recommended (5/10)
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DC Comics
Writer: Judd Winick
Pencils: Eric Battle
Inks: Rich Faber & John Lowe
Colors: "Ro/Bleyaert"
Letters: Chris Eliopoulos
Editor: Bob Schreck
Price: $2.25 US/$3.75 CAN |
This issue is like many before it. Winick continues to infuse some fascinating ideas, characterization and humanity into the book, but the main plotlines turn out to be standard super-hero fisticuffs. The reader is teased with the possibility of something more, but it has yet to arrive. Still, that approach has made for some decent reading over the past year or so, but Battle's fill-in pencils really hurt this issue.
As Jade continues to fight a trio of fiery villains an abandoned building, Kyle tries to recover from the serious burns he sustained as a result of their initial encounter. Even in excruiciating pain, he continues to have visions of his transcension of the limits of the ring, of unlimited, almost godly power. An old friend appears to him, trying to guide him through the pain, and toward his potential and his humanity.
I don't think I've ever enjoyed any of Eric Battle's art. His stuff has appeared in a wide variety of DC books -- Aquaman, Xer0 and various 80-page giants -- and it always boasts the same exaggerated, inconsistent and disjointed look. Anatomy is not his strong suit, and neither is panel-to-panel flow.
Those, like myself, who really didn't pay much attention to this series until Winick came onboard might find themselves at a loss when confronted with the ending and the truth behind the flaming baddies. Though the scene boasts a nice degree of empathy and strong dialogue, it's not the most accessible of sequences, given it features a GL villain that hasn't been seen since the Winick run began. Die-hard Kyle Rayner fans will likely get a bigger kick out of the conclusion, though.
While the main action of this issue presents Jade fighting three villains, the uber-plot stringing recent issues together is what's keeping me reading the book. Winick taps into the mysticism of the ring and how it promises yet threatens to transform Kyle. The power he feels could be used to do a tremendous amount of good, but Winick hints that it could come at the price of Kyle's humanity. It mirrors the plotline that gave birth to Kyle's character -- the downfall of Hal Jordan -- but it crystallizes the idea so much more clearly than "Emerald Twilight" ever did.
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