Green Lantern # 48

[redorion]

4 pages from Green Lantern #48 "Gimme a Break!" by Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke.

After the preview the other Lanterns try and get Atrocitus and Larfleeze to join them, first by asking and then by Sinestro threatening Larfleeze and promising Atrocitus that he'll help him destroy the GLC. Both refuse. The Lanterns also realize that the Guardians started the Blackest Nights with there attempts to stop it and Hal says he's going to quit after this rather then work for them.

Comments

[milleniumrex]

This issue is so great.

I suppose it makes sense, since the Corps need to be united against the Black Lanterns, but I really liked the way all the leaders of the Corps were made likable or relatable in their own strange way.

[jlroberson]

I'm glad they finally addressed that Atrocitus' anger has a very legitimate foundation. And gave us a tiny glimpse of what he might have been before it all happened.

And how exactly has he remained alive all this time anyway(or for that matter the other Inversions)? Am I to assume the Guardians intended to keep them alive to torture them forever? If so, what fuckers.

What happened to Indigo's face? Did she get bit?

[intertobamf]

Nah, she's just tapping into the Black Lantern Ring.

[colonel_green]

It's...not really clear why they're still alive. In the original story, the Guardians couldn't kill them; here, his backstory specifies that most of his species was killed by the Manhunters, so obviously that isn't an issue.

[leikomgwtfbbq]

Does the Black Lantern in the first panel remind anyone else of Ryuk from Death Note?

Anyway, I liked this.

Also, Larfleeze's "I WANT MY OWN GUARDIAN >:(" made me giggle.

[drakyndra]

Does the Black Lantern in the first panel remind anyone else of Ryuk from Death Note?

Yeah, I was thinking it.

[freezer]

So practically every major threat to the GLC in the last ten years or so has either been the Guardians' doing or something they knew about, but supressed?

Why do people still follow them, again?

[stig]

...You could make the same argument for almost every form of government, especially that which is controlled by some kind of church.

Only, with the Guardians it's worse because no-one voted for them so there's no chance of getting them out of office in four millenia's time.

[box_in_the_box]

This entire thing has been so boss.

[jlroberson]

The fact that Johns has been willing to explore the moral failings and mistakes of the Guardians, and the consequences, has been to me the most impressive part of it. In DC terms it's a fairly complex issue he's been unafraid to address. I get the feeling Johns doesn't care for the Guardians much, which is totally cool with me.

[leikomgwtfbbq]

I gotta say, I didn't have much faith in Blackest Night at all, but, much to my shock, it's actually turned out kind of... interesting.

[crinos]

It is nice to see that female Guardian agreeing that the Guardians have to own up for some of the dumb shit they've pulled, even if it means becoming Larfleeze's bitch.

[jlroberson]

But Larfleeze is not the one who was done wrong. It's a little screwy that she wants to make up for their crimes by helping HIM.

[jlbarnett]

You ask me, that just means Larfleeze is dead.

[stig]

Bit of an impulsive choice there, Sayd. Unless, of course, you spend your entire time making his life a Twilight-Zone-type hell by simply granting his every wish until he gets incredibly bored.

PREDICTIONS!

[crinos]

yeah, except I don't think Larfleeze has the presence of mind to get bored with that kind of life like the guy from that episode did.

I meant this guy spent literally centuries sitting around a ruined palace eating moldy food and killing anyone stupid enough to trespass. I don't think boredom is an issue for this guy.

[theanswer]

Atrocitus is kind of the hero of this story. I mean the Guardians committed genocide. <_<;

[jlroberson]

It is kind of strange then that he has such a grisly name. Not to mention--the atrocity was committed AGAINST him. Whatever he did in response could not have been as bad as what the Guardians allowed.

Which begs the question: did the Guardians even pay attention to what the Manhunters did? I'd imagine it'd take some time to kill everyone in a sector.

[crinos]

He's also kind of a woobie.

Wrap your brain around THAT if you dare.

[jlroberson]

I think the part that gets me the most is the "we did nothing" panel.

[thehefner]

Motto. Very affecting. That panel single-handedly made the character, who was otherwise kind of boring and one-note, IMO.

[jlroberson]

Something I'm wondering: if the rings had no charge before, how did they even work enough to revive the dead and everything?

[iondan]

(I didn't read BN:5 yet so figure me if I'm off)

From what I understand the Black rings and their wearers are just pawns so their 'Power Level' is just the power needed to raise or summon Nekron.

I think it's likely their rings are constantly charged or don't use as much emotional energy as a regular ring. A regular ring would have to keep its wearer alive (shields,oxygen in space, etc) these don't so they wouldn't require as much power. This could also explain why some people are able to 'kill' black lanterns faster than they could regenerate (low vs high power)

[iondan]

"I want my own forest of Christmas trees!"

And I want a Larfleeze plushie as a stocking stuffer but knowing DC Direct I wouldn't get it until Christmas 2010.

They need to revamp their action figure system, I know their just trying to prevent storyline leaks but I have to wait till march and april to get a Larfleeze and HG Kyle Rayner figures (respectively), when they were solicited MONTHS ago

[thandrak]

One Larfleeze action figure.
http://www.amazon.com/Muppet-Uncle-Deadly-Action-Figure/dp/B000I6NHGA

It even glows with Lantern Power!

[proteus_lives]

Walker, Larfleeze and Atrocitus are the best parts of this storyline.

[jlroberson]

I'd disagree on Walker because I think he's a bit insipid, but I agree on the other two.

I wish Hal would call him Gonzo to his face.

[jlroberson]

I have a question that was brought to mind by Atrocitus here. Who is quite sorrowful.

Why does Johns not consider sorrow, or guilt, or happiness emotions? I note none of those are represented. But they ARE quite powerful. Ask any Catholic or depressive.

What Johns has done, at least in part, is to make this more like the Seven Deadly Sins. As though emotion is a failing.

[colonel_green]

Would the sorrow-Lanterns look like Goths?

As to the sins thing, Hope and Compassion (from what we know of the latter) are pretty positive here; Love is a bit more ambiguous in its methods, though not in its goals.