New Comics, Green Lantern/Green Arrow, Green Lantern

Two new comics!

Gotham High

Oracle Code

DC’s YA graphic novel line has been really impressive, at least the ones I’ve picked up.  Between Mera: Tidebreaker, Harley Quinn: Breaking Glass, and these two, they’re 4 for 4 for far.  “Elseworlds with teenage versions of DC heroes” has the potential to be uninspiring, but Marieke Nijkamp (Oracle) and Melissa de la Cruz (Gotham High) take these Batman characters in new and exciting directions, with wonderful art by Manuel Preitano and Thomas Pitilli respectively.  These would be entertaining with original characters, but the familiar-yet-not personalities add a welcome spice.  Totally recommend these.

Green Lantern 76-87, 89

The classic Denny O’Neil/Neal Adams run.  I was dreading this re-read; this project of mine has a tendency to drag as the comics get older.  I’m just more used to the modern style of comic book writing, with fewer captions and thought bubbles.   

O’Neil doesn’t disappoint with the florid writing, but I found it more entertaining than I expected.  

The mirror universe version of "Home on the Range"

The stories are surprisingly fun, and Adams’ art is really ahead of its time.  But why does O’Neil have such a fixation with Hal living in hotels?  

This is squarely one of those “glad I own it for the historical context, but it doesn’t really get me excited” comics.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Fine

Green Lantern: Evil’s Might 1-3

Howard Chaykin and David Tischman have a number of fun Elseworlds stories to their name, and this is no exception.  Kyle Raynor, Hal Jordan, Alan Scott, and Carol Ferris run around in the Gangs of New York era.  Marshall Rogers draws the shit out of it.  For something that I remembered zero details about, it provided a lot of fun moments.  Especially this little moment that made me laugh out loud:

Perfect capper.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Pretty good

Green Lantern 46, 48-50, 0

Emerald Twilight!  The fall of Hal Jordan!  This was a big deal for me when it first came out.  I was just a few years into collecting, and events like this really felt like the earth-shattering stories they were hyped up to be.  This one really holds up; The opening fight with Mongul is surprisingly vicious, as is Hal’s romp through the gauntlet of Green Lanterns.  (Though if a ring is only limited by the user’s will, I still don’t get how having more rings increases your power.)

It may not make sense, but this is a classic, awesome cover by Darryl Banks

It’s hard to rate this one.  I think my high opinion of it is colored more by nostalgia than anything else.   (Though there’s nothing that feels good about seeing Kyle’s girlfriend Alex’s first appearance, knowing that she’s about to name one of the most depressing comic tropes out there.)

Her fridging is only months away.  Sigh.

I wanted to call out Anthony Tollin's excellent use of the green palette.  What could have been a jumbled mess reads very clearly.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Major feels