Review: HAL JORDAN AND THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS #14

HAL JORDAN AND THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS #14
Written by Robert Venditti
Art by Rafa Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, Tomeu Morey
Published by DC Comics
Release Date: February 8, 2017

There’s a faint light in the darkness. It calls, quietly, but it is there. Hope is always there.

Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #14 kicks off a new storyline, “Quest For Hope”. As the cover suggests, and the title, there’s a certain Blue Lantern coming back on the scene, and half of this issue is focused on setting that up very nicely. Venditti strings readers along just the right amount before the return of my personal favourite Lantern across any colour spectrum, Saint Walker. The banter between Hal and Kyle as they seek the trails of hope is great, the two joking in a way that lightens the mood and keeps the issue moving at a really brisk pace. I’m not sure what is going on where they are hunting for the Blue Lantern, but this issue starts that storyline nicely, while also keeping another very interesting plot thread moving.

The merging of the Green and Sinestro Corps is a fantastically written (and penciled) plot line. These two “original” Corps are always at odds and that’s what makes them perfectly entertaining bedfellows. John is a titan on the page while Guy is the perfect bullheaded fratboy, and Soranik Natu is a solid leader for the Sinestro Corps. I really find it interesting where Venditti is taking this, and Sandoval does a solid job of keeping these pages dynamic, even though the two Corps leaders are really just addressing their troops. There is a constant tension in the art and Tomeu Morey’s electric colours make these pages thrum with energy.

The artwork for the Hal/Kyle storyline is fantastic as well, with Sandoval and Morey simply cutting loose with big bads for much of the issue. Green Lantern books are a place where artists can really just unleash and when Sandoval and Morey go for it, good things happen. The final page reveal of Saint Walker is a powerful visual and from start to finish I can’t say anything other than this team nailed it. If this is what I’m going to get from the rest of the arc, you can count me in without hesitation.

Hal Jordan And The Green Lantern Corps #14 is exactly what I want from a ring-slinging space romp. Venditti, Sandoval and Morey balance the two storylines well, building up tension in each and using the constant jabs between Hal & Kyle to keep things light. The galaxy is a wild and crazy place, which the art team shows very well in this issue and I’m quite excited to see how Saint Walker factors into what is occurring with the Sinestro Corps plot line going forward. This is, quite simply, a great read and I enjoyed every damn panel from start to finish.

The Verdict: 10/10

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