GREEN LANTERN CORPS #60

[ DOES MY BUM LOOK BIG IN THIS? ]  

Sometimes a hard situation is just that – hard – otherwise it would be a soft situation... and what the f*ck is a ‘soft situation’? A hand lotion? An episode of ‘Friends’? A daytime soap opera, with lemony looking women moaning about Jack and Bandy? Well, I tell you what, it is nothing like this eighth installment of ‘the War of the Green Lanterns’ – Written by Tony Bedard; Drawn by Tyler Kirkham; and Published by DC Comics in July 2011.

THE STORY:

Over the sky’s of Mogo, both Kyle and John are in a world of Trouble – literary.

Firstly, they are not that proficient in using their newly hued power-rings to stop the possessed Mogo’s subvert the corps – by duplicating more and more Krona induced power-rings.

Secondly, things do get a little bit better for Kyle and John, when a hand full of possessed corps members try to attack them whilst in the bowels of Mogo – with Kyle managing to free one of there minds.

And thirdly, once both Kyle and John are at the centre of Mogo’s being, things get a lot worse for them once more, when Kyle tries to free Mogo’s mind – but in so doing, he also releases the spirit of the wandering Black-Lanterns, OOOPS! Worst still, Kyle is knocked to one side – possessed Green Lanterns are on the attack – and Krona tells John that he has Mogo in his clutches for good.

Now what is John going to do about this? Fatefully – the hard choice. John allows the Black rings to envelop him – he powers up an armoury that he then aims at Mogo centre – and he hears Kyle pining for him to halt his actions – but, too late... BOOM!

THE REVIEW:

Now before I say what I have to say, let me just make one thing perfectly clear – I do like this issue of Green Lantern Corps. But (yes, here it comes) I do also have two issue’s with this issue (pun intended) as well.

The first point I have to raise, relates to the scene in which Kyle manages to ‘heal’ a member of the corps with his blue ring – as why the hell didn’t he ‘heal’ the rest as well? That way he and John could have had some help with Mogo. Granted, I understand that the writer – Bedard – only had Kyle do this in the first place, so he could illustrate that Kyle could help Mogo. But by helping others help him, wouldn’t that have been more logical?

And the second point I would like to raise is all to do with the ending. Now it is nothing relating to Mogo’s death – though that is a shame – it is the build up to this event, and the repercussions that will spill out afterwards’. Initially, due to the dynamic way Mogo seemingly died, the whole build up to this instance felt very contrived. It’s as though this was meant to happen, just so it could lead to something else. You know what I mean? It just did not feel right to me.

My other point relating to Mogo’s death is the ‘John Stewart Factor’ (It’s like X-Factor, but with more talent). A world has died because of him in the past, and I am sure that this one may tip him over the edge. Granted, Mogo’s death was probably so John could go back into this ‘frame of mind’ again – but – hmmm... time will tell.

Overall however, this was a nice instalment of ‘War of the Green Lanterns’, with a bolder plot, a fuller subtext, and – as ever – great art by Kirkham. Let’s see what you have for us next issue, huh?

THE RATING: A