Green Lantern #42

Well, it took me long enough, but eventually, the siren call of the Green Lanterns managed to seduce me away from my new toy...ie. Jonah Hex. But Jonah can wait for a while.



Well! Isn't THAT a nice cover? Hal's been having quite the time lately, what with all the various colors of rings apparently being warm for his form. I'm not sure that orange is his color though.

As we ALL recall, last issue's cliffhanger involved Larfleeze taking posession of Hal's Blue Ring...by ripping his hand off! Larfleeze is not noted for his patience. He does however really really like his new Blue Ring, since he actually feels full...for the first time in millenia. Too bad it's a fakeout.

Oh Hal, you scamp.



It was so nice picking out all the characters that Hal used, although I'm not quite sure if I can find Kyle. Poor old Larfleeze, he really does sound like a petulant Two-Year Old, doesn't he?

Meanwhile, outside, the Orange constructs are still wreaking havoc on the Guardians and assembled Green Lanterns. But John doesn't have to worry, because Fatality, in her new guise as a Star Sapphire has shown up and decided to forgive him for not saving her planet. John is not exactly sure HOW to react to all of this, especially when Fatality goes and plants one full on the lips.

I do have to say that the dialogue just sparkled in this particular issue. The situation if deadly serious of course,and yet...ludicrous at the same time. For example, while Larfleeze is distracted by the Guardians busting in, Hal uses the opportunity to grab his Lantern, and is immediately bombarded by smarmy suggestions.

"...And you need your own Guardian! Your life won't be complete without your own Guardian! You could really go for a hamburger right now, couldn't you? TWO Hamburgers!..."

Then Larfleeze snatches his Lantern back, expressing horror that it might get damaged, since it is in mint condition. I have to confess to falling into helpless giggles at this point...not my usual reaction to reading a Green Lantern book. Usually I'm too busy ogling the behinds.

Anyway...Larfleeze decides no more shilly-shallying,and really opens up. He wants that Blue Ring, and he wants it NOW! The Ring meanwhile is STILL asking Hal what he hopes for, and he finally snaps and says that when they get out of this mess, he hopes that it will finally stop asking him that question.

"Sincerity registered"

Or as Hal says, "You've got to be kidding me."

And just like that, they win, they are powered up, Larfleeze is defeated, and Hal has weird visions of the future, while the ring boogies out of there. Now we have quite the little standoff. The Guardians are all pissy at Larfleeze, but on the other hand, he IS the Devil they know, so they decide to leave him in possession of the Orange Lantern...after rudely shoving all the Green Lantern Corps who had been doing all the fighting...out the door. Can't have the kiddies getting in the way of the grown-ups making decisions now, can we? Needless to say some of their loyal Corps members are less than thrilled. So they end up making one little tiny deal with Larfleeze, in return for staying out of their hair.

And what is that you say? Why only where the Blue Rings can be located.

That's right, those treacherous little blue Bastards just sicced Larfleeze on Ganthet and Sayd and the other Blue Lanterns.

And finally as an epilogue, we meet up with Ash and Saarek again, as they find the body of the Anti-Monitor and the giant ominous Black Lantern. The voices of the dead are so loud that Saarek has been deafened. The Dead are ALSO being on the treacherous side, as it turns out they led him to the Black Lantern, and the two of them are in big big trouble.

So! That was one HECK of an issue! And now we stand on the brink of the final chapter of the Green Lantern Trilogy that Geoff Johns has been working on for six years or so, with Blackest Night all set to begin in a week or so. And at the end of it all...I REALLY want the Guardians to get what's coming to them.

Really.