Another first for me! Time for some Green Lanterns! That's right plural, but we will get more into that in a little bit. I am sad to admit that I haven't read any Green Lantern comics either. I did see the movie, but I think that is one of those things you don't usually talk about. This comic does not follow the adventures of Hal Jordan, but two newish Lanterns who are both complicated and full of surprises. This volume contains Green Lanterns: Rebirth #1 and Green Lanterns: #1-6.
Green Lanterns: Rebirth #1: A voice in space giving us a breakdown of human Green Lanterns. First of course is Hal Jordan, described as loud and cocky, but he stopped Sinestro and taught the Corps to listen to their guts. Next came John Stewart who helped the Corps move past prejudice and malformed mindsets. Then there was Guy Gardner who was a ball of fury working the hardest to prove he was worthy of being a Green Lantern. Lastly is the artist Kyle Rayner who relit the light for all Green Lanterns. The person speaking seems to appreciate them all while calling them all problems.
The speaker now talks of a Guardian who we see fleeing through space. He is holding a box that the narrator tells us contains a mysterious new ring. It is something new that this Guardian created. He is fleeing from the Dominators, who do not tolerate trespassing in their space. Poor little guy is surrounded so he does the only thing he can, he opens the box. The still unknown narrator tells us that the new power is released and our narrator wants it.
In Dearborn, Michigan we meet Simon Baz, he is a newish Green Lantern. He did a stent in space but is back home now. We see that he is cleaning the word “terrorist” off of his sister's garage. This is apparently the third time since being back that he has had to clean up this kind of graffiti. He is blaming himself for trouble and thinking that he would be better off not on earth at all.
A Men in Black looking guy walks up telling Simon he missed his check-in. Simon glows green for a moment and confirms this is a guy from the FBI. Pretty much tells him to fuck off, that he has been busy with Green Lantern stuff. The suit stays pretty calm and reminds Simon that he agreed to the check-ins. We get a little background, Simon stole a car that was full of explosives and many conclusions were jumped to. Now all of the charges have been dropped, even the car theft. The government just wants info on the Green Lantern Corps.
Simon tells us that his sister lost her job because of him. The suit gives us a little bit more info by adding that his brother-in-law is out of his coma because of Simon. (A lot of expositions in just two panels.) Suit offers to take a brush to help Simon clean up the graffiti and Simon asks why. Suit wants to help him, he tells Simon he is a young guy with a lot of potential. That the ring chose him while he was sitting in Guantanamo Bay, so he is meant to overcome anything. The Ring interrupts the conversation to tell Simon an unknown spacecraft just entered the atmosphere.
In Portland, Oregon we meet another Green Lantern. She is asking herself why she is a Green Lantern. We get some of her back story. She almost died fighting alongside the Justice League, losing one ring and then getting another one. She thinks helping the Flash made the ring think she was good at overcoming fear. She disagrees with the ring's assessment. While she is narrating, we see her arriving at a soccer game that she does not want to be at. She doesn't want to be outside or around all these people. Her sister thinks she is suffering from anxiety, but Jessica (another character finally said her name) calls it fear.
We find out this is her sister and she is very happy to see Jessica out of her apartment. Jessica admits she got kicked out. Her sister, Sara, asks where she is staying and then without waiting for an answer tells Jessica she will be staying with her. Jessica doesn't want to impose, but Sara is not taking no for an answer. Seems that Jessica has not told her sister about being a Green Lantern, so instead of saying she is one, she asks Sara if she has heard of them. (The response made me laugh, see picture.) At the moment Jessica's ring gives the same message as Simon's about an unknown spacecraft.
She finds a secluded spot and shifts into her Green Lantern outfit. The unknown craft has crashed in Arizona. Jessica gets there first, once Simon arrives he is confused as to why there are two Green Lanterns. Simon asks if someone died and there is some funny banter between the two and their rings.
Suddenly there is an explosion from the crashed ship. A dude in a red metal looking suit comes out declaring himself a Manhunter. Simon calls Jessica a rookie and declares that he will take care of this guy. They fight and the blasts from Manhunter are giving Simon's ring even more power. This does not stop the Manhunter from blasting Simon off his feet. Jessica steps in to help. (I enjoy her inner monologue.) She gets knocked down by the Manhunter too.
Turns out this was just a test simulation to test the two. Hal Jordan is behind it and he is unimpressed. Hal shuts the Manhunter down and explains that they both just failed his test. Simon immediately tries to throw Jessica under the bus, but she calls him on his BS. The two of them argue and we learn there are now six Green Lanterns of Earth. Simon thinks he has seniority. Hal breaks up the fight pointing out that Simon has been a Green Lantern for maybe a few weeks longer than Jessica. He calls them both rookies and tells them to summon their power batteries.
Hal doesn't have time to hangout on Earth, he has to go deal with Corps stuff (see next week's post). He decides to make them partners and fuses the two power batteries into one. He explains they have to be together now to use them. He is not punishing them but needs to know the Earth is in good hands. There is likely a reason for so many Green Lanterns. They both agree to try. Hal smiles and tells them that they need each other and that Corps is all about collaboration. Hal then introduces the two of them to the Justice League (I think Jessica had already met them, but it is a nice gesture to remind them they are not alone). Hal then wishes them good luck and flies off into space.
The unknown narrator from the beginning of the issue is finally revealed to be Atrocitus, keeper of the Rage and father of the Red Lanterns. He has seen visions of Simon and Jessica getting a secret power from a secret Guardian. He references Blackest Night and Brightest Day (other Green Lantern stories) but now is the time of the Red Dawn. They (the Red Lanterns) are not worried about some new Green Lanterns and their plan for Earth is about to begin.
Rage Planet Part 1: Simon and Jessica are giving us some Green Lantern history. So we have rage (red), avarice (orange), fear (yellow), will (green), hope (blue), compassion (indigo), and love (violet) and they all reunited to end Blackest Night. After that conflict the Green Lanterns Corps became the protectors of the universe, but they are all missing.
In Pima County, Arizona, there is a Code 312. Simon tells Jess that he has got it. She points out he doesn't even know what it is. Turns out it is an unauthorized alien on Earth. Jessica is not feeling great about being out and about, but she hopes the ring will keep her safe. Simon might be the only Green Lantern to get his ring while in jail, so he doesn't trust his ring or Jessica for that matter (So he carries around a gun, poor guy's got some issues).
The two of them are both thinking about the Green Lantern oath. Really Jessica is thinking of it on point and Simon is more a fan of actions over words. They arrive at an unassuming house. They bust right in and it looks a little condemned. A man with glowing red eyes, a poorly painted t-shirt, and a big shotgun yells about a blue woman owing him a ring while shooting at Jess and Simon. Jessica takes the brunt of the shot but is okay. Human guy is looking worse and worse, while yelling about a tower and wanting his ring.
Simon punches the guy right out. Jess and Simon both compliment each other while thinking negative thoughts about the other. They find the alien and it is in bad shape, dead in fact (kind of brutally). There are many ba Bum ba Bum ba Bums (I like it, it is a heartbeat sound). Jessica gets sick and before they can decide what to do, she sees into the basement. It is full of dead bodies. They decide to call the cops.
The cops are unimpressed with the rookie lanterns. Simon wants to just tell the cop off and get the heck off the planet. Jessica is more concerned with the crowd. A helpful cop tells us that it is the families of the victims from the basement, there have been many missing persons. A woman breaks through the police block and grabs Jessica demanding to know why this happened. Her eyes then turn red and she gets very angry. The ba Bum ba Bum is back. As the sound continues all the people in the crowd start to get red eyes and are calling for revenge!
The Green Lanterns can hear the ba Bum ba Bum and tell the ring to scan what the noise is. The shed behind the house is leaking red smoke and the ring reports a code red 12, rage levels are spiking. They think it is a bomb and try to get everyone back. Before they can, a tower of red bones erupts from the ground. Jessica bubbles everyone so no one is hurt. This is for sure the tower the crazy guy was yelling about. There isn't time to figure out what is going on before a very mean/angry lady from A.R.G.U.S shows up and tells them to get lost. She pushes all of Simon's buttons reminding him, he should have checked in. Jessica calms him down enough to get him to leave, but he is still wishing he could just leave Earth.
On planet Ysmault, sector 666. Lord Atrocitus is very angry with his blue lady looking companion. Seems the Red Lanterns are going through some tough times. On this planet there is a lot of the ba Bum sound. The connection to the rage is deteriorating. Blue lady’s name is Bleez and Atrocitus is mad at her because the hell tower came up prematurely. He is upset, but not too worried about the Green Lanterns. The Red Lanterns are facing extinction and he thinks that if they stop existing there will be universal chaos. The tower needs to stand until they have the Rage Seed (many components).
Back in Portland, Jessica is shopping with her sister and she is very unhappy about it. Jessica begs to leave but her sister manages to calm her down. Suddenly Jess's ring gives the Code Red 12 alert, the rage levels are spiking again. At the same time we see Simon at his sister's house back in Michigan. The suit from before is telling Simon he has to play ball with Amanda Waller. If he won't give them information about the Green Lanterns Corps or give up his ring, they will reinstate the terrorism charges or go after Simon's family.
Simon is not happy, he says they can take the ring off his dead body. He also brings up just leaving the planet again. His brother-in-law and sister want him to stay, they know he is innocent and will have his back. He thanks them and as the suit continues to talk, Simon's eyes turn bright green and he yells out. His ring helpfully tells us that Simon has Emerald Sight. He sees a series of things, his death, a mysterious Guardian with a powerful ring, an angry looking monster, his brother-in-law breathing fire, and Jessica screaming for help.
Jessica does in fact need his help, at the store she is being attacked by every other person in the store. They all have red glowing eyes and are yelling the word “rage”! The ba Bum ba Bum is going strong. Up in space we see Atrocitus also giving a prediction. One lantern will serve and one will fall, the Earth will succumb to the power of Red Dawn!
Rage Planet Part 2: On the planet Ysmault, Atrocitus is telling the other Red Lanterns of the blood prophecy. The Butcher, aka, the entity of rage is dead. The Red Dawn is apparently the creation of a new home world. Earth is perfect because it is already full of rage. The Hell Tower is growing downward towards Earth's core so they can plant the rage seed. He is holding the rage seed so they need to start making their way to Earth.
On Earth, in Arizona, the Hell Tower is blowing up again, kind of in the style of a volcano. People that are getting hit with debris suddenly turn into rage monsters. In Oregon at a Lexmart (lol, Lex stuff) Jessica is now in her Green Lantern form and can't find her sister. All of the other shoppers are swarming on top of her. She is super regretting leaving her apartment. She does find Sara and she is full of rage and glowing red eyes. Simon makes a grand entrance in a jeep made out of green light energy. She is not sure if she is happy to see him. She is all anxiety and he is all impulse. He pulls her into his energy jeep. She wants out, but he isn't listening.
They have a conversation that makes it clear neither loves being partners. He wants to go deal with all the code reds but she wants to save her sister. Eventually she just forces him to crash the jeep and gets out. She finds Sara but she seems too far gone and attacks Jessica. We flash back to the night before, Jessica and Sara are chatting on the roof of a house. Sara wants to know how the ring works. Jess explains that it is powered by willpower. Jessica tries to show her that she can fly, which she sort of does, but crashes into the ground pretty hard. We find out that Jessica's ring listens to her, but she doesn't have enough willpower to make constructs. She doesn't think she should be a Green Lantern, but her ring tells her that it is sure she is up to the job. Sara tells her the same thing and that she is happy that Jessica is out and about living her life again.
Back in the present, Jessica is on her back still fighting her now ragey sister. She is trying to build her willpower and make a construct, she is doing pretty well, until Sara starts to pick at her. There is a lot of flashing back while Jessica continues to doubt herself. She just can't muster the willpower. Simon shows up and puts Sara in a green energy bubble. She still wants to stay, but he wants to show her how big the problem is. He creates a cuff so that she has to come with him (he also grabs a stuffed bear for his nephew). They fly into space and he tells her that she needs to stop thinking small. He tries to call Hal with his ring, but there is no response. We zoom out and can see that there are red eruptions all over the Earth. It also seems to take the form of a symbol, both our heroes recognize it as the mark of the Red Lanterns.
Rage Planet Part Three: Simon still has the stuffed bear, (seemed important) and the Red Lanterns are infecting Earth with all the rage. Simon think's this is the perfect chance to prove himself to the Green Lantern Corps. Jessica thinks they should hit up the Justice League.
Just outside of St. Louis, Missouri, a lot of Red Lanterns have just landed. Atrocitus tells Bleez to go into the city and cause a scene to make sure that the Green Lanterns don't have time to stop him or endanger the Hell Tower. Before any of them can leave a farmer shows up with a shotgun and tells them to get off his farm. Bleez offers to kill them, but Atrocitus says no, they are full of rage (they being the farmer and his son, who do look very full of rage).
Jessica and Simon land in St. Louis. She asks him why he carries a gun when he has a ring that is the most powerful weapon in the universe. He thinks it is dumb to only rely on the rings. She thinks he is an idiot. They are busy fighting until they get hit by a blast of red energy. Bleez calls them pathetic and starts to beat up Simon. Jessica tries to help but gets thrown into a high rise. Simon gets back in the fight and is regretting not contacting the Justice League (also the bear is still safe). Bleez claims that the Red Lanterns are fighting for Justice for the universe. She is trying to draw the rage out of Simon. (He drops the bear!)
In Michigan, Simon's sister, Sira and his brother-in-law, Nazir find that their home's door is broken open (their son's name is Farid, I am not sure if any of their names were said before). Sira is a badass though and goes into the house with a bat ready to take on the intruder. Nazir wants to call Simon. In the dining room is none other than the mysterious Guardian. He wants to talk to the Green Lantern who lives in that house. He hopes it is either Hal or John. Sira says to definitely call Simon.
Back in Missouri, Simon is starting to rage. He is reliving all of the things that have upset him in the past. Most of it centers on his family being treated badly for being Muslim, but he sees the bear he grabbed for his nephew and is able not to give into rage. He is able to channel his willpower into a blast sending Bleez flying. It took a lot of energy out of him. We also see that Bleez is no longer being controlled by rage. She can't remember the last time she didn't hear the pounding in her skull. She is so distressed at all the things she did while being a Red Lantern that she grabs a large piece of glass to stab herself with. Simon stops her before she can do it though.
Simon tries to talk her down. Claiming that he is glad his ring healed her and if he can overcome his past, she can too. She doesn't want to hear it, she then tells us her back story. She was a princess on her planet, but she lost everything and was consumed by rage. So there is no going back for her. He says to not look back but to move forward. She is down to try and move forward and then she decides to tell Simon the whole plan about her being a decoy while Atrocitus plants the rage seed to bring on the Red Dawn. She tells him that he needs to destroy the Hell Tower.
Jessica shows back up and hits Bleez with a copy machine. This slight causes Bleez to revert back to a rage monster. The ba Bum ba Bum has returned and she is really pissed that Simon healed her. Now she has to hide from everyone, because her boss is for sure going to kill her if he finds out she gave away the plan.
Simon yells at Jessica about messing up. They fight a lot about what is clearly a misunderstanding. Simon is being a jerk about how he knows so much more and that she can't make a construct. She calls him out, if he is so good with the ring, why does he need a gun? The rings finally remind the two of them that many people are being infected with rage. Jessica wants to chase Bleez, but Simon says no, they need to go to the Hell Tower (don't worry all, he did pick up the bear before they flew off).
As they approach the tower Jessica asks if there is a plan. Simon doesn't really have one. We see all of the A.R.G.U.S agents are down, out cold, not dead. In the moment Jessica says she isn't feeling well. Simon turns to see that Jessica is now infected with the rage and she is about to take that rage out on him.
Rage Planet Part Four: Jessica is pissed and has joined team Red Lantern. She sucker punched Simon and is holding him with a sort of construct hand. He is mostly limp but still has the bear. He tries to reason with her, but they both end up falling into the tower's hole. (The tower goes down not up, Simon is sure to clarify this for us.)
At the bottom Simon wakes up and asks his ring where he is. 1203.09 feet beneath the surface of the Earth, no big deal. The ring further tells us he is not at the bottom as the hole is already 5000 miles deep and growing. There is of course the ba Bum ba Bum. He quickly finds Jessica close by and unconscious. He tries to get his ring to scan if she is alright but it doesn't have enough energy. He asks the ring to find the teddy bear, but it can't do that either. Jessica wakes up and hits him, telling him he is going to die here.
Back in Michigan Sira and Nazir cannot get ahold of Simon. They are arguing about who else to call, but eventually settle down and figure they can handle a random house guest. Then they realize their son has wandered off. In the living room the Guardian is floating around many objects and their son, Farid, while explaining a lot of things. Where he had lived, how someone is messing with time and space, why there are now two new Green Lanterns, and that the Phantom ring (the thing in the box he has been running around space with) is the most dangerous weapon in the galaxy. Farid is having a blast and wants to be lifted higher. Sira seems cool with all this but Nazir seems even more nervous.
Jessica is really, really angry and the only solution is to kill Simon. Simon's ring is at 1%, but he hopes he can blast the rage out of Jessica like he did for Bleez. They have a staring contest where they are both thinking about how the other is to blame, well, mostly Jessica is just thinking rage. There is a willpower explosion and Simon's ring shuts down because it is now at zero. Jessica appears to be unconscious again. Simon now only has his gun that he doesn't want to use.
Jessica is awake and gets up slowly, she is being really hard on herself. She just can't figure out how someone who is afraid all of the time was given a Green Lanterns ring. Simon tries to talk to her but she just breaks down crying and feeling like a failure. She wants to be done and give up being a Green Lantern. Simon tries very poorly to comfort her. She is not having it and tells him that he is not a helpful partner and it is clear he has no faith in her. He admits that to himself and then does admit that out loud to her. He proceeds to give her a little bit better of a pep talk but she is not having it. She summons the battery and then promises once they are out of this mess she is quitting. She just asks that he make sure to save her sister.
She holds up the battery, ready to go, but Simon just stands there. Finally Simon decides to admit that he is scared too. He tells her how he got his ring while in Guantanamo Bay and that it saved his life. He is afraid that he isn't worthy of the ring or the Corps. She tells him that he is a good Green Lantern, but sucks at trust, that he needs the gun because he doesn't trust the ring. He agrees with her and says he is working on it. Then he gives a much better pep talk and includes some corny jokes. The talk ends with him telling her that if he can overcome fear, she sure can too, and he calls her partner.
Now we get the full Green Lantern oath and both Jessica and Simon are powered up and ready to fight again. They make it back up to the surface ready to destroy the Hell Tower, but are confronted by an angry and napalm spewing Red Lantern cat. Not just the cat, but many Red Lanterns, including the leader Atrocitus. He offers to spare one of the Green Lanterns. Whichever one will join them and kill their partner. Ba Bum ba Bum ba Bum!
Rage Planet Part Five: I love the thoughts these two Green Lanterns have as they are about to face off against an army of Red Lanterns, I cannot do them justice so I will share a snap of it below. The writer of the comic is also nice enough to tell us all the names of the Red Lanterns, but I do not care enough to share them. The fight is four Red Lanterns versus two Green Lanterns, not including the boss guy and the cat that are still around I am sure.
In fact those two bad guys, just mentioned, have gone down into the tower some ways. Atrocitus tells the cat, whose name is Dex-Starr, to take the rage seed and plant it deep within the Earth, so as to fulfil the prophecy of Red Dawn.
Up above we flash between the fight of the Lanterns and all of the humans that are being infected with rage. Jessica is still having a hard time figuring out why she is in this fight, but she is thinking about her sister and how in the past she always just ran away. Simon is also thinking about past mistakes while fighting. He is able to channel it though, as his willpower spikes he has another vision with his Emerald sight. In the vision Atrocitus has taken over, including controlling the other members of the Justice League.
The vision spooks him and he decides he needs to take out Atrocitus. He tells Jessica to handle the other four Lanterns while he deals with Atrocitus. She is pretty sure he is crazy and as she is tossed pretty hard, is still wishing she could bail on this fight. She tries really hard to focus, to make a construct, her willpower increases, but she is still not able to make one. Right as one of the Red Lanterns is about to end her for good, she bursts with power and makes a run for it. Her plan is to hide and try and get control of herself. The Red Lanterns are trying to find her and she is just trying to catch her breath.
Simon on the other hand decides that he is really good at curing people of their rage, so he is going to do the same with Atrocitus. He does give it his best shot, but Atrocitus is rage and he doesn't need a ring to destroy Simon. He grabs Simon and pretty sure he breaks his arm. His scream of pain almost pulls Jessica out of her hiding place, but she can't talk herself down. We see the cat making its way to the center of the Earth with the Rage Seed and we see Sara still infected with rage. Jessica is curled up in a ball of fear, too afraid to help Simon or herself. Simon is laying on the ground in pain, realizing maybe this was not the best plan.
Rage Planet Part Six: In Arizona, all hell is breaking loose, mostly literally. Atrocitus has Simon by the throat and the poor guy is wondering where his partner is. She is still having a full breakdown while hiding from all the other Red Lanterns that want to kill her. She simply cannot get her anxiety under control while she dwells on the past. Running after watching her friends being murdered and then spending three years never leaving her apartment. Finally she is able to start pushing her thoughts in a more productive train. She looks down to see that she has made a construct. It looks like green flames coming out of her hand.
Atrocitus is monologuing a little about how rage is retribution, but before he gets too deep into it, a green light approaches. It is Jessica and she is wielding a lot of energy and a neat green shield. Suddenly her small flame looking construct from before is ripping up from the Hell Tower ripping it apart. Atrocitus is not happy (was he ever happy) and Simon is impressed.
The Hell Tower might be down, but Red Lantern cat is back to report that the Rage Seed has been planted. (I think only the reader knows this.) Their job done for now, all of the Red Lanterns peace out. Simon is worried about Jessica, but she busts out of some rubble no worse for the wear. The two of them share a hug and it might be the first time they care about each other.
Simon is very impressed with Jessica and her construct. She is worried about his arm but he quickly makes a green cast for it. The rings report that all humans have been cleared of the rage infection. Jessica wants to go check on her sister, but first she pulls out the stuffed bear (it is okay guys! I know you were all worried.). They share some more bonding banter, where Simon asks her if she still wants to quit and she asks him if he wants to dump her as a partner. Neither really answer the questions, but they make jokes and start towards Sara.
At Lexmart, poor Sara is sitting trapped in her green bubble. Some firefighters look on helplessly. Jess and Simon show up though and Simon lets her out. She is happy to get some fresh air. Sara and Jess hug, both happy the other is okay. In Michigan a little later, Simon and Jess arrive to finally give Farid his b-day present. This is also the first time they are meeting each other's families. Jessica is trying to keep her cool.
The Guardian comes running out of the house, we finally learn his name is Rami, the rogue Guardian (a name he gave himself?). He wants to talk to Hal Jordan, but they report that he is MIA or at least not taking their calls. Rami asks that they, as the current Green Lanterns of Earth, protect him until Hal comes back. He can't go back to the Guardians because he did a thing they didn't like. He made a power ring that anyone can pick up (normally you have to be chosen/found worthy). It is called the Phantom Ring!
Bank in space on the planet Ysmault, Bleez is begging Atrocitus to forgive her for her failure. He isn't mad though, because the Hell Tower served its purpose and the prophecy will be fulfilled. While Atrocitus is talking she is thinking about how much she is over being a Red Lantern, that when Simon showed her how things could be different, she was finally happy for a moment. For now though she must wait it out. Atrocitus notices the change but kind of shrugs it off.
Deep in the core of the Earth the Rage Seed starts to grow. It looks like a dragon with many teeth and is made of fire. Atrocitus is confident that there will be no stopping the Red Dawn.
So I know that this is not the introduction of these two Green Lanterns. Jessica and Simon both showed up in the New 52 run of comics, but I didn't read any of that. So for me, I am just now meeting these two. I do think that I like them both. I also like that they are both so deeply flawed, that feels like the right word. It is also fun that neither is a white guy. I found it was also both an interesting change of pace and deeply frustrating just how long it takes them both to overcome their issues, but that is way more real in a lot of ways. Jessica, with her agoraphobia and Simon with his history of persecution. To be fair, both of them have made bad choices and are still dealing with the aftermath of those choices. I very much look forward to reading about their growth as individuals and as partners.
Now look, I was deeply invested in that bear, bet you want to see the outcome? Well this week my favorite lines go to Farid and Jessica in this small exchange.
Next Week: Hal Jordan & the Green Lantern Corps Vol. 1: Sinestro’s Law Part 1
Hal Jordan & the Green Lantern Corps Vol. 1: Sinestro’s Law Part 2
Last Week: Green Arrow Vol 1: The Death and Life of Oliver Queen
Note: All images belong to DC™
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