Green Lantern Annual #1 (spoilers)

[stillanerd]

If there is one undeniable fact of life in the DC Universe, it is this: The Guadians of the Universe are a bunch of assholes. Not to mention arrogant, self-imporant, and, as shown in recent issues, psychotically insane. Of course, I don't need to tell you any of this; but in this weeks Green Lantern Annual #1, they've really stooped to a new low.

See, the Guardians have decided that the universe must be "saved" from this pesky little thing we call "free will." And since they "know what's best for us," they've taken upon themselves to free a being known as "The First Lantern" that they've imprisoned for billions of years so they can use him as a new battery to create their "Thrid Army" of mindless obedient drones to pacify the cosmos (cause third time's the charm, I guess) which, of course will set up the upcoming new Green Lantern crossover event. And along the way to Earth, they just so happen to stumble upon our buddy cop team of Hal Jordan and Sinestro, having just recovered their Green Lantern rings, and gaining the upper hand against Black Hand. Which then leads to this:

Um...yeah. Hal Jordan and Sinestro are dead. Again. Which I guess also explains the new guy:



 

Hehehe! So how long until The Hal Emerald Advancement Team comes out of retirement and re-mobilizes back into action once they hear this news?  It really is the 1990s all over again!:-D

But still, the Guardians of the Universe really are a bunch of assholes, aren't they?

EDIT: Though it's highly probable that both Hal and Sinestro's absence won't be nearly as long as it was last time. :-).

Comments

[abriel]

It won't last. I give it less than a year before Hal and Sinestro are back.

[stillanerd]

Agreed.

[darkknightjrk]

Less than a year? They'll come back before the Third Army event is over.

[sherkahn]

Killed by Black Hand... yeah, I expect them up and running in a few months.

[darkknightjrk]

They'll both be back.

Seriously, remember what Hand saw in the Book of the Black in GL #12. "Hal Jordan will be the greatest Black Lantern of them all." Besides, I always thought HEAT wasn't so much pissed that Hal died but more that Hal had a psychotic snap, killed a shit-ton of Lanterns, became a supervillain and THEN died.

Also--anyone else thinking that the Maltusians that were guarding/imprisoned with the First Lantern will become the new Guardians once the Third Army and the Guardians are defeated?

[abriel]

HEAT wasn't so much pissed that Hal died but more that Hal had a psychotic snap, killed a shit-ton of Lanterns, became a supervillain and THEN died

That's always been my impression as well.

[stillanerd]

Seriously, remember what Hand saw in the Book of the Black in GL #12. "Hal Jordan will be the greatest Black Lantern of them all."

Yep.

[mullon]

They should come back as a merged being.

[sherkahn]

The Beast with Two Backs?

[big_daddy_d]

Um...yeah. Hal Jordan and Sinestro are dead. Again.

Oh they're fine. They'll be back next week.

[freezer]

I'm still wondering how Rage got into the DCU to get a Lantern ring...

[cypherfdp]

This is a bad comic. I know that this is a new and adventurous opinion, but that's what I think.

[jlbarnett]

there were a few interesting things, but I'm not fond of what they've done with the Guardians overall. At least they finally declared they'd gone mad, not just turned evil

[thormonger]

I'm not convinced Hal and Sinestro are actually dead, just trapped. I am looking forward to this whole deal blowing up in the bad Guardians' faces, hopefully with finality.

[theflames]

Oh.. I like this to be honest. Not bad at all.

Yeah, they'll come back. But this is comics, stagnant growth comes with the territory.

[kd_the_movie]

New continuity and all, but it makes me wonder if the First Lantern will have ANY reference to the Pre Flashpoint OG Green Lantern, an alien named Rori Dag.

[rainspirit]

Hooray!

I know they're not dead for good, but it's nice to have the Worst Green Lantern out of action for a while. Even if he's been replaced by... whoever that guy is.

[medster_comics]

Which of all the lantern corpses ever used a gun!!? I'm sure he's a thief or a bad guy.

[icon_uk]

Don't think so, the solicits suggest that he just doesn't trust relying entirely on alien jewellery.

[silicondream]

Jack T. Chance used a gun. His origin story justified it, Emerald Twilight made fun of it.

I get that Baz is packing in case his ring runs out of juice, but I don't like the implication that a .45 is the next best thing to a power ring. Why isn't he holding a Swiss army knife? A first aid kit? An iPhone? A Green Lantern shouldn't spend most of his time shooting folks.

[glprime]

o_O* (...can't contain grammar hammer... erk)

The plural of corps is corps. The distinction is in the pronunciation, "core" vs "cores."

[eyz]

Come on, they aren't dead. This ain't a thing like "last time". Just the plot, plot device, deus ex machina, call it whatever you want.
They're both temporary "away" for the new story arc. It's all planned!

[brushwoodthicket]

No bodies. Sinestro probably just dragged them both to Quard.

[beoweasel]

So, how long will it be for they viciously murder this new Lantern to make a return to the status-quo? Shall we start taking bets?

[milleniumrex]

This is the GL line. It constantly expands.

More likely, if he catches on they'll give him his own title geared more towards Earth adventures. I mean, Red Lanterns can't go on forever.

[pyrrhocorax]

New Lantern looks like he's on his way to hold up a McDonalds, not save the universe. Why the gun? He can't possibly need one. If he's evil I'm going to be very cross.

[donnblake]

The mask makes me think of Luchador masks, which is a perfectly reasonable place to draw from for superhero designs. The gun is a bit more confusing, but not completely unreasonable if he's a new Green Lantern and (as I think I read somewhere) military/ex-military. Sure, he's got a more powerful weapon, but it's also one he's not familiar with, doesn't know the full limits and powers of, and comes with its own set of weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Carrying a weapon he's already proficient in as a backup doesn't seem unreasonable.

[quatoria]

Yes, that all sounds very reasonable, if you're willing to go out of your way to try and figure out why they included some very troubling racist imagery in their first ever depiction of a Muslim green lantern. (Note: Not taking an accusatory tone with you here,don - I want to think the best, too, I just find it impossible here.)

Ugh, DC. I get that you're trying. I'm GLAD that you're trying. How do you mess it up so badly? Literally charging off the cover at the reader with what reads as a ski mask and a gun? Just... dear god, DC...

[jlbarnett]

they've already announced why the gun, in case the ring runs out of energy. As for why the mask, I bet in uni it'll be because he doesn't trust the people he's protectimg

[donnblake]

On the one hand, I get how you could get unfortunate vibes from the gun, but I also feel like it's something that makes sense for a lot of heroes to carry. Not all- Batman has very specific phobias, I think, relating to guns (more on the irrational hatred than irrational fear, certainly), and Superman is someone who has had his powers since he was a baby(? I certainly remember Superbaby, but it wouldn't surprise me if that were no longer the case. Someone who is entirely comfortable with his powers in any case, and it makes sense for him not to see a need for a backup).

For the mask- for what it's worth, I did think Luchador the first time I saw it, and the charging out of the cover made me think of X-men Second Genesis.

I guess maybe it's not that there's anything inherently offensive about the cover, but rather that it ties into a history of problematic representations of minorities, which is something I confess I'm not particularly sensitive to.

[maseiken]

Hal's dead? Or close enough?
Hm, I might actually think about following this comic. At least till he gets back.