Green Lantern Corps #22

Well, this wasn't bad at all.  Although I do miss having Guy in it, it is awfully nice to have the spotlight on John for a change.  And I got to see Kilowog and Salaak and Soranik, all of whom I am extremely fond. 

Something is definitely going on with all of the various Corps power batteries, and the Star Sapphires discover this to their dismay.  When John shows up on Oa, they realize that the power drain that they experienced didn't have anything to do with Larfleeze's attack, it was happening all over.  John in the meantime, isn't impressed with the newest bunch of rookies...and shows them how to use their rings to optimal advantage. 

Salaak meanwhile, is going through all of the stuff that the Guardians left behind, looking for booby traps and such.  Salaak is feeling just a tad paranoid lately, and after what he went through, who can blame him?  Man, I just love Salaak.  He also tells John that Hal is in charge, which rather knocks John for a loop.  I do love that everyone's reaction to having Hal running the show is stunned disbelief. 

Haw! 

John then hooks up with Kilowog, who has basically taken over Salaak's job.  I'm not sure that Kilowog is cut out to be an administrator, but it is an interesting direction to take.  It's rather a shame that the new bunch of rookies don't have either Kilowog nor Guy around to give them pointers.  John did help out, but in a spirit of exasperation, more than anything else.  John is always so supremely competent, that I think he has a tendency to forget that everyone else...isn't. 

Kilowog also tells John, that according to Hal, Guy just upped and quit.   This of course is not at all what happened, Guy is working undercover in the Red Lanterns, but I find it interesting that Hal is using a bit of subterfuge here.  He couldn't let Kilowog in on this little fact?  Especially since Kilowog is one of Guy's very best friends.  John is friendly with Guy too,and he's stunned and aghast.  Kilowog does grumble a bit, and ropes John in to help with the rookies for a bit.


Fatality meanwhile, has trailed the Durlans from last issue, and is keeping a close eye on them.  John shows up, and joins her...until she stabs him through the heart with her love spear.  Guess he shouldn't have called her "babe".  But that's ok, he was a shape-changer anyway. 

John and the rookies have flown off to save another planet, where the dam that holds back the boiling sea is breaking.  The inhabitants are less than thrilled to have Green Lanterns, and the Khunds show up, taking advantage of the absence of the Guardians to establish themselves as the "Protectors" of  Nellelewel.  For a price of course.  The debacle with the Guardians has created a power struggle throughout the Universe, with other groups jostling and fighting to fill the void.  The Lanterns unfortunately are caught in the middle.  It is an interesting take on intergalactic politics, to be frank. 

The Khunds and the Lanterns fight...naturally.  Too bad their rings all conk out again.  Fatality loses the power in her ring too,and the Durlans defeat her.  Finally, the Entity of Love, aka the Predator is having problems, and the White Entity shows up and points out that they are ALL in danger of dying, and that they must find the White Lantern.

I found this to be pretty darned good.  There are some new themes being addressed, and it seems as though the books are going in a new direction, which isn't a bad thing.  I do find it a little hard to believe that nobody has ever heard of the Durlans, considering that one was actually IN the Corps...or should I say the Corpse. Remember Von Daggle?    I would imagine that the weakening of the entities is having the deletorious effect on the Batteries.  Maybe they need to be in the batteries, for their own sakes as well as their followers? 

Good stuff indeed.