GREEN LANTERN #18

[ SAVING LIVES AND CASH ] 

Now the intergalactic saga rolls on. Let's sit back and see who goes wrong. Hal doesn't know. Sinestro performs a show. Where as the Guardian's do the can-can with pom-poms. Honestly. They do it just after these guys do the splits. Writer: Geoff Johns; Artists: Symon Kurdranski and Ardian Syaf; plus Publisher: DC Comics in April 2013. Go! Go! Go!

Using GENERAL terms, answer the following 4 questions about this FIFTH PART of 'Wrath Of The First Lantern'.

• WHAT'S THE MAIN THRUST OF THIS TALE: As soon as Simon Baz shows up in the 'Dead Zone', he, Hal, and Sinestro, try to use Simon's power ring to get them the hell out of there.
• ARE THE MAIN OBJECTIVES ACHIEVED: Yes. Kind of. But not by the aforementioned three Lanterns I'm sorry to say. Fortunately, in the 'real world', B'dg over-powers Black Hand, and then uses his ring to swap him with Baz and another Lantern post haste. Not telling you what Lantern though. No. That would defiantly spoil the surprise. Ha!
• ANYTHING ELSE HAPPEN: We learn from Tomar-re that Volthoom is the b*stard who's killed a lot of Lanterns in the past, and is one of the main reasons why the Guardians are now acting like complete and utter w*nkers.
• HOW DOES THIS STORY END: With Black Hand in the 'Dead Zone', proposing a possible solution to the Lantern who has been left behind. 

All in all, what is the most memorable SENTENCE OR CONVERSATION spoken in this issue?

By in large most of the dialogue on show in this issue was a right blast to read. Yet, the stand-out for me would have to be...

SINESTRO: Do you want to break the news to him or should I?

BAZ: What news?

SINESTRO: You're in the Dead Zone.

BAZ: The Dead Zone? Like the T.V. show?

HAL: There was a T.V. show?

Oh! Poor, Hal. He's spent so much time ring-slinging, he hasn't had the chance to sit down and watch the old goggle box. Ha!

What are the BEST bits about this issue?

(+) Honest to Ganthet. I was on the edge of my seat to see what the hell was going to happen next all the way through the 'getting to know you' scene. It was intriguing. It was captivating. And it was something this series has been building up to since Baz has become a Lantern. Great stuff. Great-great stuff.

(+) I did like the way that this issue kind of justifies how Baz is like a composite of both Sinestro and Hal, yet subliminally states he's more 'Hal' than 'Sinestro' in retrospect. Very cleaver that.  

(+) Although I was going to initially call it a 'negative aspect' about this adventure, with some forethought, I suppose the whole concept of the 'left Lantern' worked very well within the confines of this tale, as it allows Geoff the opportunity to tease us readers a bit more, as well as giving the one remaining 'Dead Zone Lantern' some time in the solo-spotlight.

What are the WORST bits about this issue?

(-) My only slight gripe with this issue would have to be that Symon Kurdranski dark art was a bit too murky in places, plus that it clashed on occasion with those sections penciled by Ardian Syaf. Not massively. Agreed. Yet the overall tone felt more fractured overall. More 'lop-sided'.

(-) Not enough B'Dg. Say no more.

Choose TWO CHARACTERS out of this comic book, and then compare them to two REAL LIFE PEOPLE.

A YOUNG JOSEPH STALIN AS SINESTRO: Hahahahahhahah! Do I need to write anything here? Just look at the well-groomed commie and you can clearly see that he and 'Sin-Sin' have the very same manicurist!  

A YOUNG THEODORE ROOSEVELT AS HAL: Well? Why not, huh? If 'Sinny' can be 'commie', I'm sure 'Jordie' can be 'Teddy'.

What QUOTE would be appropriate to sum-up this story?

'Get me the f*ck out of here' -- Anybody whose been kidnapped

What SONG, THEME-TUNE, or MELODY, would complement this tale, as well as add and extra dimension to it by default?

'WE GOTTA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE' BY THE ANIMALS: Oh come off it! It makes a lot of sense; and does not need any explanation what so ever. So let's dance!!!

ANYTHING Else?

In many ways this issue of 'Green Lantern' reminded me of some sort of 1940's adventure serialization. It had the token villain. It had the impressionable young buck. It had the heroic hero. Plus it had the cliff-hanger of an ending that'll make us come back for next month's installment.

Also, another thing this yarn had; was plenty of character too. I'm sure you might be able to see a bit of yourself in one of the 'hero's' in this tale, huh? Me: I feel a bit like Baz at the moment. Unsure what the hell is going to happen next, yet exited enough to keep on keeping on.

How about you, dear reader? Who would you be in this tale and why? Drop up a spam. And I'll drop you an egg. A soft-boiled one.

SPLAT!

GIVE IT, IT'S DUES: If This Comic Book Was a Sandwich, It Would Be a Peach, Lemon, and Pork Sandwich. Slightly Bitter. Slightly Sweet. But Completely Filling.