Green Lantern #35 Review

Creative Team
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Ivan Reis
Inker: Ocleair Albert
Colorist: Ranov Mayor

Issue Rating
Story: 8/10
Art: 9/10
Overall: 8.5/10

Issue Summary
Hal and Sinestro arrive on Oa to receive a mouth full from the Guardians. The Guardians question why Sinestro went to a sector out of his jurisdiction. Hal having enough of the Guardians starts telling them of and accusing them of fear. The Guardians offended of this claim are about to reprimand Hal but Sinestro and one of the Guardians calms everyone down. Sinestro then tells the Guardians that the Guardian calling himself Ganthet sent him to help Hal Jordan fight Atrocitus. He then goes on tell the Guardians that the Green Lanterns should stop working independently and work together in the future. The Guardians tell him all Green Lanterns will continue to work alone and Sinestro must take Atrocitus back to Ysmault.

Later, Hal tries to destroy a yellow statue to prove to the other Green Lanterns he can do it when Sinestro appears. Sinestro tells Hal that next time they meet he is coming to his planet and leaves to take Atrocitus back to Ysmault.

Back on Earth Hal is back to Ferris Air were his buddy Tom tells him he is the new test pilot for Ferris Air. Carol appears and tells Hal that all the other pilots left so he is the only one that she has left to pilot the planes. Hal ask Carol out for a date but Carol responds by saying she does not date employees. We then see a captured Hector Hammond and William Hand in a mortuary were he test the absorbing device he took from Atrocitus on a security guard.

At Ysmault Sinestro leaves Atrocitus on Ysmault and before he leaves Atrocitus tells Sinestro that his home world will soon go into chaos and that is when Sinestro will feel fear. Sinestro does not believe him and tells him it will not happen as long as he is around.

The scene shifts back to Earth were Hal meets up with his brother Jim at their dads grave. Hal explains that he wants to be a much better brother to Jim and he starts today. Hal transforms into his Green Lantern costume and hands Jim a journal explaining everything. End of issue.

Highlights of the Issue

"For such little guys the Guardians sure are offended easily."

"Dating the boss is never a good move Hal."

"Ominous!"

"Looks Like Jim has some reading to do."

Review
Green Lantern #35 was a good final installment to "Secret Origins." I am actually surprised how much I enjoyed "Secret Origins" since in general I hate re-telling of a characters origin. The only real knock on this issue, and story in general, is the re-telling of an origin most fans already know. But I understand that after "Sinestro Corp Wars" and "The Alpha Lanterns" arcs which changed the landscape of the Green Lanterns overall this title needs to slow down a bit and allow new readers who have just started to pick up this title after "Sinestro Corp Wars" to catch up with what makes Hal such a great character.

One the things that I have liked about this story is that we have gotten to see Hal and Sinestro work together as partners. The scenes they have during the time they are getting chewed out by the Guardians and before Sinestro leaves show that these two were once good friends. Which is what makes them being mortal enemies in the present that much more sad especially for Sinestro. For all the Guardians alienation towards Sinestro in the it is Sinestro that was correct in that the Green Lanterns should stop acting as individuals and work as a team. "Sinestro Corp Wars" showed that in the end Sinestro was correct and with the upcoming "Blackest Night" story it may be Sinestro that may be one of the Green Lantern's greatest ally or enemy because with this story I am not sure which side Sinestro will play.

This story actually made me miss the take no shit attitude Hal use to have when he started of as Green Lantern and before the Guardians gave him the responsibility of being the leader of all Green Lanterns. The present Hal Jordan is much more conservative and hesitant to take the leadership role again due to what he has done in the past. And with the upcoming war of lights Hal may need to return to the take no shit attitude he used to have if he is going to not only survive but thrive in upcoming war.

Another thing that this issued showed is that the Guardians don't get enough screen time which is hard to believe since their are two Green Lantern titles on the market and they barely get any time on screen. I would actually like to a one-shot in one of the Green Lantern titles were the focus is on the Guardians because as they are right now they are playing the role of authoritarians that are fated to die in the upcoming war. With the creation of the Alpha Lanterns and their continued statements they do not feel fear it just seems that the future is not to bright for the Guardians.

Reis and Albert combined to provide some great artwork. Even though this was mostly a talking heads issue Reis and Albert showed they are just as strong with having characters talk as they are with the action scenes. The best scene of the issue was the visual of the Guardians being offended by Hal's comment of them being the ones that feel fear. Even with out the words you can see by the artwork how pissed of they were by Hal's comments.