Review – Absolute Green Lantern #2: Black and Green
Ray: It's no surprise that a big sci-fi guy like Al Ewing would absolutely knock it out of the park on this title, but I feel like coming in, this was the Absolute book we knew the least about. The first issue didn't give away all its secrets either, with a non-linear plot that showed us the story from the perspective of Jo Mullein and Hal Jordan as a mysterious alien being named Abin Sur came to town. But this Abin Sur wasn't a kindly space policeman – he was a mysterious alien spectre who dropped a massive lantern-shaped ship on the city and proceeded to unleash unpredictable powers. In the aftermath, Jo became Earth's first Green Lantern – and Hal was infected by the dark forces of the Black Hand. As Jo tries to reason with her friend, whose new powers killed a large number of policemen when they confronted him, it's clear Hal inherited a lot more than some spooky shadow powers from the alien entity. Rude awakening. Via DC Comics.
The timeline becomes a little clearer this month, as we see the immediate aftermath of Abin Sur's arrival. With a sector of the city essentially fenced off due to the mysterious dome, it falls to Sheriff Guy Gardner – Jo's estranged friend – to try to keep the peace. He's the first to make contact with the alien, and his better instincts shine through and lead him to try to open a line of communication. Not that it helps him, as the alien begins dealing out inscrutable 'judgements', seeking evidence of the emotional spectrum in people and quickly dispensing with them if he can't. This is a terrifying issue, because similar to the great Absolute Martian Manhunter, it's an amazing depiction of a truly alien intelligence and how it would interact with an 'inferior' species. Between this visit from beyond and Hal's increasingly unstable behavior, the tension in this title is through the roof. Another phenomenal entry from the Absolute Universe so far.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes. Liked it? Take a second to support GeekDad and GeekMom on Patreon!
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