Red Lanterns, #26

Okay, I have to admit it.  Charles Soule is fast becoming one of my favorite writers.  I am loving this book lately...as in a whole lot, since Guy joined this merry little band of misfits.  Soule has actually made me care about this bunch!

Last issue, they had recovered from their hangovers and decided to go out and patrol their new sector, and urged on my Ratchet, decided to visit Kormorax, where the local despot Gensui was busy being despotic.  Also, he was constructing a Dyson's Sphere, which was considered to be something of a threat. 

Well, all good intentions aside, it is a trap, and they are pretty much attacked right away, but they are holding their own fairly well, at least for the moment.  Zilius Zox, who had stayed on the ship, to work on some...improvements, gets the word from Guy, that they've been made, and to try and escape.  As the rest of them are battling Gensui's hordes, Guy gives them a pep talk, as only Guy can do.  He also doesn't think much of Atrocitus's oath, and comes up with a MUCH more pithy version. 

Oh Guy. 

Well, they are doing pretty fair, right up until the moment that Gensui unleashes a weird blue beam at them.  This surprises Barg.  You remember Barg?  He was the pirate that they stole that cool ship from, and apparently he isn't dead at all, but conspiring with his good friend Gensui.   The blue beam, in the words of Gensui, is, "...a very intense shot of the neuro-blocker field we use here to pacify the worker race whenever they get uppity."  The Reds are still mad as hell, but they can't access their rage, and therefore, no rage...no powers. 

Meanwhile Atrocitus and Dex-Starr have found the latest recipient of a Red Ring, and naturally Atrocitus is planning to take it.  Which he does, through a particularly cruel subterfuge.  I really don't like Atrocitus.

So, the Red Lanterns are basically...stoned.  Bleez likes Rankoor's hair.  Guy apologizes for killing Barg.  They are mellowed out, Dude, and know perfectly well that they are about to be lined up and shot, but hey...shit happens, and Rankoor likes Bleez's cool bony wings.  They...they look like big grabby bone Hands, Man! 

I really started to lose it at this part...because frankly, it is pretty hilarious.  Gensui is pontificating, as despots do, Barg is upset because Gensui also plans to blow up Zox and their stolen ship, and Barg just wants his ship back.  When the ship...and Zox are apparently blown up, the rest of the Reds are all going, Oooh, pretty!  All except Ratchet who somehow can still access his anger, and when the firing squad opens up on them, he bursts his bonds and uses his tentacles to block the shots to his fellow Lanterns, while taking a shot himself.  The rest of the Reds are mildly bemused by this, but just then, out of the fireball in the sky, comes...Zox! 

Zox really loves that ship, and he had performed some cool improvements including being able to power it with his ring, and he blows up the firing squad, and frees them, and  they get all that hot lovely Rage back, and poor Barg points out to Gensui that he just HAD to play around.  Barg then makes a discreet exit, so I would imagine we haven't seen the last of him. 

Bleez goes after Gensui, and makes her...point.  The rest of them are trying to help Ratchet, but it is too late for him.  In fact, it was going to be too late for him no matter what.  Part of the reason he became a Red Lantern was that he craved  connection, and despite all their petty squabbles, he had come to treasure the contact with his fellow Reds, and was therefore getting less cranky...so he figured he'd probably be losing the Ring anyway.  But he dies to save them, and they are all very sad.  And Angry. 

This was great.  I'm still not all that into the artwork, but it is servicable.  But the cameraderie that is starting to build between these misfits is wonderful.  Having Guy join their ragtag band, is the best thing that ever happened to the Red Lanterns, and I think that when Atrocitus finds his way back...as I am sure he will do...he's going to realize that they've moved on without him. 

I think that this is the best Lantern book out there right now.