Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #43: Darkstars Rising Part Two
Written by: Robert Venditti
Art by: Rafa Sandoval
Cover by: Ethan Van Schiver and Jordan Wright
Variant Cover: Tyler Kirkham and Tomev Morrey
What You Need to Know:
The Controllers have reintroduced the Darkstars into the universe and the Darkstars have been busy unleashing their brand of justice on space criminals. The Guardians and the Green Lanterns Corps have to decide whether to intervene and risk an intergalactic war.
What Just Happened:
The issue begins with Green Lanterns in multiple sectors investigating murders caused by the Darkstars. Meanwhile, the Green Lantern Honor Guard meets with the Guardians to determine how they should intervene with the Darkstars if they chose to. The Guardians and Lanterns agree to take the Controllers and Darkstars down and track them to the space sector outside of the Controllers’ homeworld. The Lanterns are then ambushed by the Darkstars and teleported to the Controllers homeworld. Tomar-Tu, who seems to now be the face of the Darkstars, shows Hal Jordan just how vast the Darkstars are in number and that the Controllers may not actually be in control after all. After experiencing the confrontation with the Darkstars firsthand, John Stewart realizes the Green Lantern Corps are going to need help to stop the Darkstars.
My Thoughts:
Robert Venditti continues to build an explosive story with impressive action set pieces strengthened in this issue by Rafa Sandoval’s art. The dispute between the Green Lanterns and the Darkstars over how law and order should be enforced in the galaxy has grown into a potential war and in this issue, Venditti shows that the Lanterns may need a lot more new recruits to defend the galaxy.
Tomar-Tu continues to see his role in this story expanded as he now seems to be the mouthpiece for the Darkstars. He comes across as cold yet rational in his motivations for becoming a Darkstar and believing in their cause. Venditti is using Hal Jordan in this arc as a foil for Tomar-Tu while still believing that Tomar-Tu can be redeemed from his recent murderous turn. This issue also allowed for John Stewart, Guy Gardner, and Kyle Rayner to share some of the spotlights.
Sandoval’s art and Jordi Tarragona’s covers make the action pop in this issue. Sandoval and Tarragona are able to depict the Lanterns and their use of their power rings in ways that are unique to each character. Hal Jordan’s ring is depicted as powering him differently than Guy Gardner’s, which shows how well the artist and writer are in sync in regards to understanding these characters.
Marcus Freeman
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