The cover of Green Lantern #1, illustrated by Xermánico. Green Lantern flies above a golden city, with Carol Ferris and Kilowog's faces visible. Green Lantern #1 (2023)
- Writer:
- Jeremy Adams
- Artist:
- Xermánico
- Letterer:
- Dave Sharpe
- Cover Artist:
- Xermánico
- Publisher:
- DC
- Price:
- $4.99
- Release Date:
- 2023-05-10
- Colorist:
- Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Hal Jordan, aka the Green Lantern, is back on Earth. With the Guardians of OA having vanished, the United Planets have taken control of the Lantern Corps and deemed Earth a no-go zone. All Lanterns have been forced to leave Earth, but Hal Jordan was never one for abandoning his post. In the ultimate act of defiance, Jordan has quit being a Lantern and returned to Earth to start his life anew. But a hero can't ignore his calling for long -- no matter what the United Planets have to say.
Written by Jeremy Adams, illustrated by Xermánico, with colors by Romulo Fajardo Jr., and letters by Dave Sharpe, DC's Green Lantern #1 has Hal Jordan getting back in touch with his roots on Earth. Although the world may be changing, evil remains, and it's up to Hal to discover whether he can be the Lantern he used to be.
Despite its bittersweet premise, there is an undeniable exuberance in Green Lantern #1. Even in its most serious scenes, it's clear that writer Jeremy Adams hasn't lost his enthusiasm for this franchise. This issue has a neo-classical quality in both writing and visuals while still being rooted in aesthetic and narrative trappings that appeal to contemporary audiences. Letterer Dave Sharpe toes the line between modern and retro by using bold introductory fonts to introduce important characters but does so in a way that doesn't detract from the main lettering or come across as out of place. The most appealing facet of this issue is Adams' writing. He blends old-school joyousness with poignant emotional resonance and wistfulness. This issue boasts an impressive non-linear structure, jumping back and forth between different time periods to further this cinematic appeal.
Green Lantern #1 shines in its action sequences. There is an old-school '80s action film quality to these sequences, which include fabulous fighter pilot races and citywide destruction -- courtesy of the Manhunter armor-wearing supervillain Steel Fury. It's a re-introduction full of pomp, circumstance, and posturing, worthy of Hal's Green Lantern. However, the best sequences in Green Lantern #1 are moments of quiet, atmospheric stillness. The scene where Hal listens to music as he contemplates his future is one of the most devastating yet beautiful moments in the current DC canon. It's clear that Adams truly cares about Green Lantern, treating his legacy with excitement and tenderness -- an approach that makes his tense and difficult scenes with Carol Ferris all the more dramatic and heartbreaking. This delicacy extends to the epilogue sequences, all-too-short looks at the lives of other Lanterns, including John Stewart's poignant return to his family and the terrifying return of Revenant Queen.
Green Lantern #1 presents the gold standard of classic comic book art with Xermánico's intricate line art, beautifully rendered human features, detailed eyes, and bold action lines. Romulo Fajardo Jr's exquisite color palette allows vibrant, cosmic green to take center stage. All the colors, from ultraviolet purple, sunny yellow, and moody blue, have a luminous quality. Most impressive are the action sequences. The scenes that feature Hal flying planes would feel at home in a big-budget action film.
Green Lantern #1 is a bittersweet and beautiful start to a new chapter in the character's canon, toeing the line between mature contemplation, frustrating ambivalence, and superheroic joy with aplomb.