Green Lantern #21

Gadzooks! In case you didn't pick up Sinestro Corps a little while back, Sinestro is back and he's loaded for bear. He's STILL pissed at the Green Lantern Corps, and he's brought a few friends with him in order to even the score. Oh, and he kidnapped Kyle, fed him to Parallax, freed Cyborg Superman and his Manhunters, Superboy-Prime and the Anti-Monitor for good measure. Say what you will, but Sinestro is a man who loves his work.

Geoff Johns starts us off with a little recap, and a flashback.

That's PRE-Parallax Hal by the way. It was nice to see Katma and Ch'p and a few others who are pushing up daisies. There is then a nice explanation of the Corps, and Rebirth and a few other plot points, that makes it nice for those people who are just coming to this. And then...

...Wham! We are back in the present, and things aren't looking so good. The brutal attack on Oa by the Sinestro Corps has left the Lanterns reeling in shock and decimated in numbers. Numbers which by the way, keep increasing, as more and more Lanterns are being attacked across the Universe.

Hal is feeling just a tad overwhelmed at the moment, but he realizes that Tomar Tu has been hurt and needs help. As he tries to give him aide however, those cranky lost Lanterns step in, and tell him in no uncertain terms to butt out. Hal is uncharacteristically humble about their treatment of him, and backs off immediately.

Guy however isn't feeling quite so kind at the moment, and says so, with his usual bluntness.

"...We got HURT Lanterns all over this place. Cyborg-Superman and Super-Psycho Junior MISSIN' from their Sciencells, Sinestro's band a'MERRY MEN lightin' up the Universe, Kyle Rayner's been kidnapped...and YOU buncha babis wanna CRY and hold on ta stupid GRUDGES?"

Thank you Guy. We can always count on you for brutal honesty. The lost Lanterns are STILL feeling pissy however, but Kilowog, bless his heart comes over and defuses the situation.

Meanwhile, everyone is wondering where the heck the Guardians are. Salakk is covering, and says that they are "assessing the situation". John, who is feeling a little blunt himself, points out that what's to assess? They just got their asses handed to them, and the least the Guardians can do, is come out and admit it, and provide a little moral support.

They aren't going to be geting it anytime soon however, since the adorable little power-mad muchkins are argueing amongst themselves. Sayd and Ganthet...the only two Guardians with brains apparently...are pleading their case. Things have gone to hell in a handbasket and they had better face up to it and act. The rest of the little psychos on the other hand, are still in a case of complete denial, and decide that expunging the final chapter...the HIDDEN chapter with the dark prophecy...from the Book of Oa is the right thing to do. Apparently, in the belief that if it isn't written down, it doesn't exist? The Guardians would fit RIGHT in with the present administration!

Meanwhile, the Sinestro Corps continues its killing spree.

It is rather cool that they power their rings from the batteries in the Manhunter's heads. It is also rather good strategy on Karu-Sil's part to just follow the rings, from newbie to newbie, picking them off.

Super-Psycho Junior meanwhile (I REALLY like that name for him) is pouting. He wants mayhem, and he wants it NOW! Gosh this kid is annoying. When the villains eventually start to turn on one another, I hope that he's the first to get wasted.

Back on Oa, Ganthet and Sayd are contacting Hal on the QT. They definitely don't want the rest of the Guardians to know that they need Hal to stop moping and step up to the proverbial plate. Hal, understandably is feeling a little worldweary, and keeps reiterating that he's not sure he's up to the challenge.

"...You do realize there've been exactly TWO Green Lanterns the Guardians have asked that of. ME and SINESTRO. And under all that pressure, we BOTH broke. We BOTH became renegades."

A nice little bit of insight there from Hal. Ganthet is buying it however and continues to give Hal a pep talk. Guy and John come over and Guy points out that while the Lanterns are calling in the rest of the Corps to defend Oa, they are also sending the lost Lanterns to Qward to find Ion. The three of them decide that they need to be going after Kyle themselves, and start to charge up from the battery. They are in the middle of the oath, when suddenly yellow tendrils fly out of the battery and grab first Guy, and then John, pulling them right into the battery itself. Hal tries to stop the charge, but he's grabbed too, and comes face to face with Parallax.

Suddenly it is another trip down Memory Lane for Hal, as he once again relives the plane crash that killed his fathe. Hal KNOWS that Parallax is taunting him, but he still tries to save his doomed father. Then they show his last words, but Hal can't hear them, as Parallax tells him that he'll NEVER hear them, that his father died in fear...

...and then who should show up but Kylellax! Cool. Now Hal is just spitting mad that Parallax is using Kyle, and he also is worried about Guy and John.

He SHOULD be worried!