http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/ http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/images/stories/Outer_Realm_Comics55.png http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/ 607-402 http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/component/content/article/97-green-lantern/607-green-lantern-8-review Story: The motives of the Indigo tribe have been shrouded in mystery ever since the events of the Blackest night. Now we are finally getting to know them bit by bit, and the Indigos do not appear to be as benevolent or compassionate as they did back then. But still it would be premature to label them as absolutely evil. What they do to Sinestro in this issue and the determined manner in which they do it establishes them as one of the strongest colors of the lantern spectrum. And as if that were not enough fodder for thought, enter Abin Sur and find the plot thicken further. Geoff Jones has created a magnificent universe which looks certain to entertain the readers and keep them engaged with one mystery after the other. However, a three letter word repeated at least a dozen times in this issue is sure to irritate some readers, specially since we do not know its meaning. In case you haven't guessed it yet, the word is none other than the Indigo tribe's favorite "NOK". Someday, I would definitely like to know its meaning, if at all it means anything, and specialty the fact as to how the same word can be used to convey the message in widely different scenarios. The Indigos utter this as a profanity while attacking prisoners, as the first word after getting 'cleansed', as an indicator of exclaimation (as in "there he is!"), as a means of wishing each other, and so on so forth. I can even imagine a lot of jokes with Indigo lantern members in bizarre situations speaking "Nok". I'll spare the jokes for reasons of sanity and just hope Geoff Jones either quickly deciphers this word or stops using it as frequently as Ennis uses the F word. Art: The book is beautiful, thanks to Mahnke's fine pencils and Sinclair's vibrant colors. Each scene is drawn with a lot of heart, be it the raw emotions on display in the issue, or the detailed backgrounds. The art nowhere falters and we get page after page of wide screen blockbuster action that only a comic book could contain without fear of falling out on budget. For instance, the huge (really) statue of Abin Sur is a grand scene worthy of getting framed and placed on the wall. The only qualm in this issue, however, is a small error that is fairly easy to spot. During the scene with Black Hand, a word balloon is incorrectly attributed to Hal Jordan, which certainly distracts the reader for a moment. Covers: We see Hal & Sinestro in strange, almost creepy, surroundings. The cover nicely depicts the atmosphere of horror that the book intends to create and prepares the reader for what's to come. This is a good cover that is surely bound to attract any Green Lantern fan towards it. The variant cover depicts Hal and Sinestro trying to fight against the indigos. I found the variant cover, though well drawn, pretty average, both in its idea and its execution. More detail, dynamism and imagination is required to make a better cover. The verdict: If you liked blackest night, you'll definitely like the current direction of the green lantern book. This is a thrilling, riveting story that makes the wait for the next issue seem even long. ]]> Sun, 15 Apr 2012 01:50:30 +0100 532-326 http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/component/content/article/97-green-lantern/532-green-lantern-7-review Story: Herein begins another step in the grand-plan-of-things that Geoff Jones has planned for the Green Lantern universe. The emphasis, this time, is on the Indigo tribe. We have been unable to understand their native language, other than that it is Roman (unlike, say, the Asgardian alphabets), and the few moments the Indigos choose to speak in English. So, we cannot make out what intriguing things they are saying amidst a number of suspicious happenings that take place in this issue. This inability to comprehend the Indigos ensures the readers' involvement by seeking their attention to the minutest activity of the Indigo tribe. Geoff Jones masterly pushes forward the story like a game of chess, where although everything is before us, still the next move is inexplicable. This is how you develop the mythos of a brand, by moving forward and making every single story element part of a larger jigsaw puzzle, and not by retconing established facts or info dumping the readers, as many other ongoing books are doing. Art: After a one-issue break, Doug Mahnke is back, and suddenly the art department is again firing on all cylinders. Mahnke's pencils and Alex Sinclair's colors succeed in building up an environment of mystique required for such a story. One small qualm that I've always voiced is the distractingly skimpy attire of the female lanterns. Indigo-1 barely wears anything below the waist, while Carol suddenly gets heavily endowed while wearing the ring. Cover; The cover nicely depicts Hal and Sinestro trapped in the machinations of the Indigo tribe. This is a well drawn cover that gives a glimpse of what the issue is all about. A reader who picks the book solely by this cover wont be disappointed. The Verdict: This is a good jumping on point for a Lantern reader who only likes to follow the 'main' storylines. The story is thrilling and the art is good. And, by the way, half the issue gives us the beautiful Carol Ferris draped in only a towel. Isn't that a reason itself to pick up the book? ]]> Sun, 18 Mar 2012 02:20:29 +0000 404-178 http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/component/content/article/97-green-lantern/404-green-lantern-new-guardians-6-review The Story: Most days I like this book, after all Kyle Rayner is my favorite of the Green Lantern corp. But this week was not a good week for Green Lantern New Guardians. The story hit a speed bump for me and to be perfectly honest, I closed the last page of this issue feverishly scratching my head in confusion. Without giving too much away, this story struggled with a jarring lack of cohesive thought. The reader is forced to bounce around from location to location with almost no substance to grab onto. What answers I thought I might get from this book only left me more confused about what is going on in the Green Lantern world. Comments like “I haven’t seen those rings in at least a billion years” sent my brain into a tizzy of questioning thoughts. Having said that, this issue did succeed in setting up the villain, although after this issue I'm not even sure I can call him that. For those who don’t know, Invictus is a poem written by William Henley which when summarized means I will not be conquered. So here we have a serious force of power who may very well be the living embodiment of unconquerable. In issue 6, Invictus carries his name sake well, his raw power being evident in every attack he dispenses. Sadly though, the lack of clarity in the story makes it difficult to tell what drives Invictus and why he is on a rampage throughout the universe. I had hoped for a lot more from Bedard in this issue, this first arc is starting to grow long and I had high hopes for a clearer story in issue 6. Now, sadly, I must wait another month to get the answers and understanding of story I so hoped to get from this issue. The Art: Kirkham is still one of my favorite artists. He has a clear grasp on each of the lanterns in this book and his pencils reflect the individuality of each ring bearer. But like the story, the art this week was a bit jumbled. Maybe it’s due to the lack of cohesion in the storytelling, but the art felt jumbled and claustrophobic. I think Kirkham was forced to put too much into each panel, rarely do I write that a comic book had too much detail. The colors and inks are great as per the usual, but again they get lost in the overly crowded pages of issue 6. The cover: The cover is solid, but in all reality someone who doesn’t read the book could look at the cover and know everything I know. Invictus is all powerful, everyone else is cannon fodder. It’s a bit disappointing when the entire story is told on the cover. In the End: This books lack of clarity and jumbled art made it a stumbling block in what has been a very enjoyable first arc. Readers may walk away from this book somewhat displeased, but I hold out hope that issue 7 will tie it all together with a nice multicolored bow on top. If nothing else, at least Bleez will be back. ]]> Thu, 23 Feb 2012 18:19:30 +0000 398-173 http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/component/content/article/97-green-lantern/398-green-lantern-6-review Story: The story mainly focuses on establishing the current status in Sinestro and Hal Jordan's life. Both of them get ample character moments, be it Hal at his heroics even without the ring, or a cold-hearted Sinestro, who has to do what he has decided, notwithstanding the begging and sobbing from people around himself. Excluding a page where Sinestro gets a glimpse of the bleak future that Geoff Jones has planned for him, the rest of the book does not succeed in generating any significant excitement. While the story edges forward, it is at a deliberately slow pace that largely serves to take us from point A to point B. Art: The regular penciller, the ever-so dependable Doug Mahnke, takes a break in this issue, and is replaced by Michael Choi. He is well-known for his work on Withblade and Marvel's X-Force. Like his earlier works, here too he utilizes a painted style with photo-referenced backgrounds at places, and absolutely blank backgrounds at others which are just left for the colorists to fill. While this style of art may appeal to some readers, here it seems completely out of place. The action scenes, specially, seem fixed in time & space, and lack the dynamism of Doug Mahnke. Hal Jordan's facial features are reminiscent of a teenaged school boy, while Sinestro's usually oblong face is almost in a 16:9 format. Cover: This is the best drawn cover of this series so far. Perfectly depicting the dysfunctional unit of Hal & Sinestro. They can not live without each other, they can not live with each other. Well-drawn in its details and characterization of the two heroes. The cover depicts as perfect a Sinestro as we can ever get. The Verdict: This is a filler issue. This doesn't mean that, like most fillers, it is totally bad. ]]> Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:01:46 +0000 395-171 http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/component/content/article/97-green-lantern/395-green-lantern-5-review Story: This issue is a satisfying conclusion to the five part Sinestro story-arc. Sinestro frees his planet and gains some of his lost respect, while Hal understands the value of his relationship with Carol. Throughout this story, as the title bluntly indicates, Sinestro is the hero while Hal is the sidekick. Once a super-villain, Sinestro is now a meticulous, logical and competent leader, albeit cold hearted. The dynamics between Sinestro and Hal Jordan are much more complicated than that between, say, Superman and Lex Luthor, or Batman and the Joker. This character development of Sinestro has been one of the greatest contributions of Geoff Jones. Sinestro's means may often be questionable, but his ends are almost always justifiable. Art: This is an extremely well drawn issue. Mahnke gets to draw a wide variety of scenes, ranging from aliens in the process of getting their torso ruptured by freakish lanterns, to a delicately drawn emotional reunion of long lost lovers. This is, till now, the best drawn book of this series. Once you've read it, you can again look at it without rereading the words. Cover: Finally, Hal Jordan gets to share some screen space with his old mentor, amidst a background of the alien planet of Korugar. Another average, almost generic cover. The Verdict: A well-written story, that has adequate action as well as character-building moments. This would surely keep the Green Lantern fans waiting for more! ]]> Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:14:52 +0000 393-169 http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/component/content/article/97-green-lantern/393-green-lantern-4-review Story: The first one third of the story serves to dissipate whatever excitement last issue's cliffhanger had generated. The next one third is a slow-paced crawl of a read. Only in the last one third does any relatively significant action happens, but till then the reader is left wondering as to whether this would prove to be have any relevance even till the next issue. Now, when the reader, instead of getting immersed in the story, starts deconstructing it into chunks like we did above, it means that all is not going well with the story department. Compare this to the extremely lucid, albeit slow, pace of the second issue, which made up for the lack of any significant plot progression. But here the story only takes one step forward and two steps backward. Art: Doug Mahnke's pencils are doing a nice job. Here he gives us some evil Korugarian aliens, their claustrophobic prison cells, and an excellent full page spread of Sinestro generating the rings. Mahnke is ably supported by the inks and colors department, as we see the atmosphere change as per the scene on hand. The varying hue on Sinestro's face during the initial battle, in prison and while making the rings are exemplary. Covers: Another solo Sinestro cover, depicting him apparently destroying the yellow lantern with the might of his ring's power. While it is drawn quite nicely, it does not correlate with what we get inside the book. Better would have been Sinestro inside a prison cell, looking all grim and resolute. Another great cover would be Sinestro coughing up the numerous green rings. So, the cover gets full marks for the execution and none for the idea. The verdict: We are already into the fourth installment of the current story arc, and the slow pace makes it seem like that the writer has taken at least one extra issue overall to lead us to the current scenario. ]]> Tue, 21 Feb 2012 02:15:20 +0000 390-166 http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/component/content/article/97-green-lantern/390-green-lantern-3-review Story: The story really picks up in this issue. Their hilarious nonstop banter continuing, Sinestro and Hal take us to Korugar where we get to see some gut-spilling action and a rock hammer of a cliffhanger in the end. Some ominous plans of the guardians, probable of having long-term repercussions in the green lantern universe, are also revealed. Geoff Jones achieves all this in the space of the twenty some pages of this issue. He presents a perfect story that is coherent, witty, thrilling and imaginative. For instance, take the fact that the yellow central battery can be shut down by inserting a green lantern inside it. Upon reading, this seems laughable. But in the comic, Jones successfully transforms this into an epic concept. Art: Doug Mahnke's art is firing on all cylinders. Be it the scene of the guardians' conference in OA, or the slaying of the villainous alien by Sinestro, or Hal Jordan's ill fated journey in the heart of the lantern, every single detail is richly depicted, perfectly evoking the desired atmosphere of the situation. The inks and colors are also keeping up with the art; the scene where Sinestro asks Hal to turn his lantern to black is a nice example. Some pages though differ a bit in style, as is expected when you have as many as 4 inkers on board. Cover: The horrifying aliens of Korugar bless the cover. Also seen, hiding from them underneath a rock, is Sinestro. Correctly depicting the premise of the story, the cover looks nice, though still nothing exceptional, and prepares the readers for some gruesome moments inside. I don't want to sound repetitive, but where on the cover is Hal Jordan, THE green lantern? Or is Sinestro the new main protagonist of the green lantern comic, with Hal being reduced to a Robinesque sidekick? The verdict: This is a fast paced story, thoroughly enjoyable both in its words and visuals. The cliffhanger in the end is sure to keep even the most cynical of readers to eagerly await the next issue. Now, isn't this what all comic books must be? ]]> Mon, 20 Feb 2012 02:17:57 +0000 387-164 http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/component/content/article/97-green-lantern/387-green-lantern-2-review STORY: The writing on this issue is unique in that there is no scene transition throughout the book and it reads as a single act from start to finish. This, thus becomes an extended banter between the protagonists, with very brief appearances by minor characters. So, once you start reading, you should not expect any interlude or breathing time to put down the book. While the issue flows along very smoothly, once it is over, we find that the plot hasn't progressed much. All we get from the previous issue is just one line from Sinestro that he needs Hal to help him destroy his own Corps on Korugar. He could well have spoken this at the end of the first issue. A lot of cliched writing is present in this issue. For instance, while rescuing an apparently large number of people on the bridge, all we get to see is Hal save a sexy lady, followed by cheesy dialogues like "that's all I get for saving your life? 'Aahff'?" Another qualm about the writing of this issue is the coming forward of Hal as very naive when handling the ring. While Hal is portrayed as extremely impulsive and arrogant, Sinestro is perfectly written as a logical, meticulous and tactical character, who belittles Hal's green lantern career as being a complete waste of potential. ART: Doug Mahnke's pencils accurately convey all the emotions boiling within both Sinestro and Hal. However, at more than a few places, Sinestro's facial features border on a caricature of what we are used to seeing as Sinestro. Colorist David baron also gets more opportunity to display his palette with falling bridges, lantern constructs and colorful aliens. COVER: The regular cover by Doug Mahnke shows Sinestro fighting many members of the yellow lantern corps. This is a well-drawn, energetic cover that has Sinestro fighting aliens of unimaginable shapes, sizes & structure. However, inside the issue, we only get to see the alien Gorgor. So, the cover is not completely honest with the story it represents inside. Hal Jordan is also conspicuous by his absence. The David Finch variant cover again gives us a solo Sinestro looking his usual self: determined, as well as pissed off at the same time. You can use this cover on any lantern comic that features Sinestro. This is thus a generic cover that is non-specific, unremarkable and unimpressive. THE VERDICT: A character driven issue, albeit quite slow in terms of plot progression. ]]> Sun, 19 Feb 2012 12:05:42 +0000 381-158 http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/component/content/article/97-green-lantern/381-green-lantern-1-review STORY: The first issue of a new volume of an ongoing series is what new readers view as a good jumping-on point to start afresh. However, this is not the case so with the first issue of Green Lantern. Even if you often read green lantern books, but have not been following the recent upheavals in the lives of Hal Jordan and company, you would be at a loss in understanding a number of plots in the currently ongoing storyline. The issue, thus stops being a highly accessible issue for new users. Now that we have addressed these concerns, for regular Green Lantern readers, this issue is a treat! Green Lantern is one of the few books that have emerged unscathed out of DC's new 52, with the change in issue numbers a mere formality. The altered status quo of Hal & Sinestro is the fulcrum around which the story proceeds. Hal has lost everything, his ring, his apartment, his car and his love. Sinestro, on the other hand, is his old grumpy self, made more disgruntled by the very fact that the green ring has chosen him. Both Hal & Sinestro are miserable with the changes in their lives, and are likely to team-up as a dysfunctional unit to change the circumstances in their respective favor. This is an interesting premise for the upcoming story arc and is sure to present a lot of entertaining scenarios. ART: Doug Mahnke's pencils are spot on, be it whacky, monstrous aliens or the routine life on planet earth. We have two inkers who blend on perfectly with each other, giving the book a perfect look. However, as this issue lacks the usually grand fireworks we have on the lantern books, the art has to focus more on emotional nuances than epic lantern colorings. COVER: Sinestro on the cover of the first issue of the main green lantern book? Yes, that says a lot as to how Sinestro has become as important a character as Hal Jordan. The perennial grim look on his face is a characteristic rivaled by only, say, Namor. The cover depicts his persona quite accurately, but fails by completely omitting Hal Jordan from the scene. So, again we get a cover that doesn't convey the readers the actual premise of the issue. THE VERDICT: The miserable lives of Sinestro & Hal Jordan make up for an interesting storyline that looks certain to entertain green lantern fans. ]]> Sat, 18 Feb 2012 04:21:28 +0000 335-116 http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/component/content/article/97-green-lantern/335-green-lantern-new-guardians-5-review The story: I love Bedard’s story in issue 5, although it lacks actual action there is so much going on that I was enthralled from page 1 until the conclusion. Little snibbits of information make this issue an interesting read, for example Arkillo would kill Saint Walker, yet he would rather be paired with him than Glomulus. There is also intrigue in the way Bedard writes Glomulus, he comes off as an idiot but re-read the comic and you will see there is actually some higher order thinking going on. Glomulus may come to have a key role throughout this issue, or he is purely comic relief and either way I am ok with both outcomes. The character writing continues to give us more and more to learn about the seven members of this anti-team, even going as far as retelling a chunk of Red Lanterns Issue 3. We learn more about Fatality and her past plus we gain some insight into Indigo Munk through the eyes of Fatality. Bedard is doing a solid job developing his characters which you would assume is a daunting task having a book with so many big personalities. My only complaint in the story is the treatment of Bleez, Im not sure I understand the importance of retelling Red Lanterns #3 or leaving Bleez out of this introduction to Invictus. It would seem more logical to have her arrive at the solar system the same time as the rest of the skittles and move on from there. Having said that, I am confident Bedard has a plan that will make me feel silly for even suggesting the story be written differently. Mistreatments aside the story itself offers readers a glimpse into the characters past lives but is able to move the story itself forward at a steady pace. I'm not a big fan of books that almost completely lack action but the pace and depth of this issue made up for the lack of physical intensity. Hopefully we will see these lanterns in full stride wielding their constructs of light, giving us further insight to the minds of the Skittle Squad. The art: This book is tightly drawn, the lines are clear and the work is spotless. Kirkham’s panels in this book spend more time in a wide view of the character, and it’s difficult to say if I would rather see fewer panels with more closeness and detail or if this distractingly large quantity of wide view panels will work in future issues. Having said that, the close up panels have a sharp attention to detail and character. Kirkham’s Fatality is beautiful and voluptuous and at the same time intimidating and fierce. There is a lot to this character and I am curious to see what type of constructs Kirkham have her use. Thankfully the art in this book continues to be consistent; gone it seems is the shared work load between artists. The colors in this book continue to be my favorite aspect, the name Skittle Squad seems very appropriate with the amount of color Ruffino is able to squeeze into each page. The cover: There are comic book covers that prepare the reader for the art inside, and covers that tease artwork never to be seen, Green Lantern New Guardians succeeds in the first. When I look at a cover (unless I know it’s a variant) I want that cover to show me what I'm getting into artistically. There is only one difficulty with this cover, it is unclear if the Lanterns are being blown away or sucked in to this orb in the middle of the cover. Yes I can see the tether Kyle creates, but without that small detail the cover is somewhat convoluted in concept. There is an interesting detail though that I hope teases at future events, Kyle and Fatality are holding hands. Yes I'm sure he is just holding on to her to keep her from being sucked in to the mysterious orb, but what if there is more. Personally I would love to see these two form a relationship, something deep like green lantern fans once saw between John Stewart and Katma Tui. Future couple or not, its fun to ponder. The verdict: The creative team on this book is consistant, and although the story itself is a little decompressed and slow to develop, with so many characters and so much potential I'm perfectly content to let this story be told slowly. ]]> Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:03:33 +0000 332-113 http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/component/content/article/97-green-lantern/332-red-lanterns Story: Continuing with the disappearance of Krona's body at the end of issue #4, Atrocitus predictably focuses his accusations on Bleez. Her patience with his continuous mistrust grows, but 'like a good corps member should', she acquiesces for the time being. She lobs over a quip about how Krona may have absconded from the stone altar by his own means, and this tosses Bid Red for a loop. Again Bleez proves she has invaluable mental faculties Atrocitus does not. This is surprising in lieu of the facts that Atrocitus used to be a psychologist, while Bleez was a being wholly consumed by vanity. Still seething with the rage, Atrocitus commands her to retrieve the three lanterns thrown into the blood ocean during the last issue. The origins of Skallox and Ratchet are further revealed, and it is this part of the issue which elevates it from a standard, mediocre rating. While one member was sentenced to 80 years of mental and emotional atrophy, the other had his rage brought immediately to a boiling point. We learn red rings choose new members without taking into account their personal histories. Ferocious rage is the ring's honing beacon, while the boons and labors of corps membership become are a blessing and a curse. The rage of the righteous, the wicked, the scorned, and the self-loathing are all equal in the eyes of the Red Lantern Corps. Art: It is more apparent with each passing issue that the characters in Red Lanterns seem oddly disconnected to Ysmault. They are placed on top of it, instead of engaging it. I have a difficult time escaping the two-dimensional aspect of this series sometimes. For instance, a member's featureless, monotone eyes and lack of physical expression add no textural necessity. This character quality is itself interesting, but the combination of it with the optical flatness of Ysmault is uncomplimentary. On the other hand, the origins of Skallox and Ratchet are really enjoyable. I find myself shivering in the cold echoes of solitary confinement. My skin ripples and peels away as I am charred down to skeletal remains. I really hope the action of this title continues to move away from Ysmault and into other worlds/situations. Issue three was a great example of how the creative team can tactfully weave the lanterns into the universe surrounding them. Cover: Again, the cover of this issue is misguiding. The battle to lead the lanterns may eventually arise, but has not yet come to a head. This title is heavy on the use of misdirection. Instead of selling volumes of preludes, a caption of action relevant to the current issue would be an improvement. As for Bleez and Atrocitus sharing the cover... tango, anyone? ]]> Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:39:22 +0000 294-74 http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/component/content/article/97-green-lantern/294-green-lantern-new-guardians-4-review Continuing the fight around the universe, Green Lantern New Guardians is a book I keep coming back to. The creative team keeps giving us a great team book where everyone on the team pretty much hates each other. Ok, well Saint Walker doesnt hate anybody, but Bleez has enough hate to make up for that. ]]> Tue, 10 Jan 2012 21:05:18 +0000 292-72 http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/component/content/article/97-green-lantern/292-green-lantern-new-guardians-3-review Another great installment in the series. If this keeps up we will have a very good addition to the Green Lantern universe. ]]> Tue, 10 Jan 2012 18:32:30 +0000 245-32 http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/component/content/article/97-green-lantern/245-red-lanterns I hope the reader will be able to sense my enjoyment/patience with each of these issues, and I would love to know what each of you think about the issue and review yourself. ]]> Tue, 27 Dec 2011 00:44:23 +0000