“Ringquest” (part 3)

Sometimes all it takes is a few stories to work out the kinks. I’ve been back and forth with Peter Tomasi’s return to the writer’s side of the table, but like any true and good writer, sometimes all it takes is the time to hit a stride. Over in Nightwing Tomasi is taking a true character approach to the title. Here in Green Lantern Corps Tomasi is not only taking a character approach to the story-arc, but he’s also playing right into the general scheme of everything going on in the Green Lantern universe. The thing about the Green Lantern universe is that it is heavily character driven, be it Hal Jordan, Sinestro, the Guardians or whomever. The reason the stories have been so strong is because they are connected and every character plays some kind of role in the grand scheme of things. Tomasi understands this and he brings these elements to the table when he depicts the psychotic and power-hungry Mongul.

One thing Tomasi does very well in this issue is capturing the personalities of each character and giving them each a distinct voice as well as maintaining the tone and feel of “Blackest Night”. It’s interesting to see the similarities and differences in his writing when you compare this book to Nightwng. For all intents and purposes, this is a team book and Nightwing focuses on one character. The major difference is that Tomasi doesn’t use inner narration in Green Lantern Corps, instead he uses a method of condensed storytelling where the plot and direction of the story are tightly woven and the dialogue is where a character’s feelings and opinions are expressed. As the main members of this book’s cast fly into a planet completely covered with dead bodies on their way to save Arisia and Ion, readers are can really see for themselves just how well Tomasi handles each character. There really isn’t a moment where I felt that the dialogue was unnecessary. I also like the approach writers have been taking to this book. Usually, a team book deals with how characters mesh and work together when faced with adversity. In the case of Green Lantern Corps, they are soldiers, there really is no inner conflict amongst the group, but each character is given a distinct voice which allows for a solid structure and maintaining the course of the story while at the same time exploring the characters.

Speaking of character exploration, Tomasi has really done a great job with Mongul over the past few issues. He used a lot of inner narration over the course of the last couple issues to really point out Mongul’s feelings and state of mind. Mongul is an angry soul, a conqueror who sits on a throne of death. Tomasi devotes three pages in the beginning of the issue to covering Mongul’s past. It’s mostly a story about the original Mongul and documents the rise, reign and fall of Mongul pretty concisely. The original Mongul was a great villain and was a key player in the “Death and Return of Superman” but I’ve loved the way Tomasi has written the second Mongul. He’s much darker, almost depressed, and he will stop at nothing to live up to his father’s name, including kill his own sister. I also found it interesting that the Black Mercy attached to Arisia and Ion were making them live out their worst fears. In the past, the Black Mercy usually places the host in a state of euphoria, living out their perfect life. As a side note, for an excellent story featuring the Black Mercy check out Superman Annual #1 entitled “For the Man Who Has Everything”. Anyways, I found it interesting that the Black Mercy was feeding off of the weakness of the Green Lanterns as opposed to putting them into their hearts' desire. This is mostly due to the fact that Mongul is a member of the Sinestro Corps and is using fear to get what he wants out of his victims. In fact, I love the idea that Mongul reversed the biological imprints of the Black Mercy with the power of the Sinestro Corps so that when he launches them into space, they will attach to hosts and feed off of their worst fears.

Tomasi also scripts a brilliant scene inside the Oan prison holding the captured members of the Sinestro Corps. Usually, scenes involving Sinestro have been classic conversations between Hal and Sinestro, here readers are given something much more chilling. As Salaak brings captured Sinestro rings to the prison for the guard, Vox, to watch over, Sinestro and every other member of the Sinestro Corps cut themselves and draw their logo in blood on their cells. It’s absolutely amazing how Sinestro has effectively gone from forgotten villain while Hal Jordan was “dead” to probably the most dangerous man in the entire DC Universe.

Patrick Gleason, Prentiss Rollins and Guy Major do a decent job with the artwork as well. Rollins inks maintain the dark tone of the series, and Guy Major might be the best colorist in the industry right now. The way he can capture the green and yellow has astonished me for the better part of a year now. I like Gleason’s pencils, I’m just not the biggest fan of the way he draws the faces on the characters. Otherwise I think the art comes together rather nicely.

This is a strong issue of Green Lantern Corps and Peter Tomasi seems as though he’s finally hit his stride He’s doing an excellent job with the Mongul storyline and with capturing each of the Green Lanterns featured in this book. While Green Lantern is probably the strongest title in DC’s arsenal, Green Lantern Corps has been an excellent supplement and is certainly rising to the top quicker than ever.

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