I think what's most striking about this opening issue is just how accessible it is for new readers. There's a lot of convoluted Green Lantern history that's touched upon in this script, but Johns and Gibbons manages to bring it all down to a level that just about any reader -- from GL devotee to curious newbie -- can appreciate. One of the keys of the writers' success lies in the fact that they focus on characters as opposed to background. The art brings an intensity to the story that's reminiscent of Ethan Van Sciver's dark work on Green Lantern: Rebirth, but it's hindered a bit by the fact that two inkers worked on it. Overall, this is a solid super-hero story that draws the reader in with strong new characters and a creepy atmosphere.
The Guardians of the Universe are bring the Green Lantern Corps back from the ashes, and the recruitment drive is already on. Guy Gardner and Kyle Rayner find themselves summoned from Earth to the Guardians' homebase on Oa, only they find a much different welcome than the other Lanterns who have arrived. Meanwhile, some experienced Green Lanterns find themselves granted power rings once again, but a number of new recruits are tapped as well, including a surgeon on Korugar, a Rannian soldier and a mercenary/criminal who's scheduled to be executed on Thanagar. And as all this transpires, a darker force is moving against the burgeoning corps, murdering Green Lanterns one by one.
Gleaner's art boasts an edgy quality we didn't see in his earlier work (such as Noble Causes). It's darker in tone, and it reminds me a bit of Doug Mahnke's and Richard Corben's styles. There's a slight but noticeable shift in the visual style in this issue, though, and it's clearly due to the change in inkers midstream. It's a bit jarring, and that interferes with the reading experience. Moose Baumann continues to do some great work with Green Lantern comics. The cosmic elements and nature of the heroes' powers seem to play to his strengths. The colors glow with power but at the same time do not interference with the inks, which establish a darker, eerie mood.
The strongest bit of writing in this issue is the development of the character of Soranik Natu. Her character is unique in that she wants nothing to do with the Lantern power and that in her culture, the symbol of the Green Lantern is an ugly thing. The writers quickly establish what's unique about her world when it comes to the corps, and I'm more interested in this character than any other as a result.
Gibbons and Johns also do a solid job in establishing an atmosphere of foreboding. They start off by showing the reader of the dangers the Lanterns will face, but in the end, they let us know that the Guardians and some Lanterns know something horrible awaits. It's their fear and trepidation that enhances the chilling mood. 7/10
