No, This is the REAL Green Lantern Corps #21!

One of these days, I am going to remember not to click the "return" button when I'm trying to get from the the title to the main gist of the stuff that I'm writing. Typewriters never used to do this sort of thing to me! Gah!

*Ahem*

Getting into things...again...this was an interesting issue. No Guy, no Kyle, which is a darned shame, but I can live with it, they'll be popping up again after this Alpha Lantern business is taken care of. And speaking of Alpha Lanterns, the Guardians have once again committed a HUGE mistake...but one that is certainly in keeping with their modus operandi. The Alpha Lanterns, are regular Green Lanterns who have surrendered their bodies, their minds and basically their souls over to the Guardians, to be transformed into updated Manhunters more or less. They are supposed to serve as the Internal Affairs branch of the Lanterns, policing their fellow Corpsmen and women, and keeping them in line, and dispensing a bit of rough justice when they deem it called for.

Poor Boodikka was one of the Lanterns who so eagerly offered themselves and now she's on the rampage, berating one Lantern for not pursueing a Sinestro Corp member (who just happens to be his brother) and being rude to both Tomar and Graf Toren when they want her to help Laira. Graf however apparently hits a tiny bit of humanity that is still within Boodikka when he refers to her "Blood Sisters". The Guardians also send her off to her old home of Bellatrix, when they say that a new Green Lantern has received a ring there, but has so far refused to come to Oa for training.

There is a bit of flashback to Boodikka's old days as a bounty hunter and her relationship with her sister. There is also an interesting revelation at the end, in regards to the identity of the new Green Lantern.

What I found to be most interesting however, is the way that the creation of the Alpha Lanterns reflects upon the characters of the Guardians. After sending Boodikka off on her mission, several of the Guardians are discussing their decision amongst themselves and are basically patting themselves on the back. The Alpha Lanterns never need to rest or recharge...or show remorse for what they ask them to do.

Uh oh.

I can see that the Guardians are big fans of the concept of "the beatings will continue until morale improves" school of thought. The original Manhunters were an abysmal failure, and they just finished fighting the results of that failure in the recent Sinestro Corps War. Why exactly they thought that it would be just a PEACHY idea to go and create some NEW Manhunters has escaped me. They did combine the Manhunter technology with actual living beings, but then went and took away both their free will and willpower. Both of which are pretty essential to BEING a Green Lantern.

They were also awfully sneaky about the way that they recruited their guinea pigs. Telling them that it was such a huge honor, and how lucky they would all be and how FABULOUS it all was. John was the only one with the skepticism and brains to question it, and boy, did THEY get snarky on HIS ass. Those pesky Earth Lanterns! Always asking questions.

The question, is that that does the Corps actually NEED the Alpha Lanterns? They seem to have managed pretty darn well for an awfully long time without them. Discipline was handled by Salakk, or the Guardians themselves. They had the Fists of the Guardians for a while, and there is also the Honor Guard. Or are the Alpha Lanterns just a defense against Parallax? The Guardians have booted out Ganthet and Sayd for being sensitive (and sensible) but they seem to be the ones who have given themselves over to fear.

They've also become something of a bully.

Stupid Guardians.