The Green Team #5 Review: Interstellar Swimming Pools

by Daniel Gehen
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After taking out Riot, the Green Team stars in a twisted version of Armageddon. Can they save the day without Bruce Willis? After a less than satisfying conclusion to the opening arc, writers Art Baltazar and Franco take The Green Team a step in the right direction. The team dynamics that were missing before are now in full effect with all of our characters finally banded together. Though the title’s cancellation has already been announced, hopefully Baltazar and Franco can end this series on a high note. If this issue is any indication, they just might.

GT 5a

Positives

We get the whole team together in this issue, and the reading experience is better for it. The heroes are allowed to interact with each other outside the context of a disaster flick, which makes for some great character moments. The banter between Commodore, J.P. and the others does something that should have been established earlier in the series: making the characters likeable. I’m hoping that this is a development that flourishes to the point where I’m crushed by the time issue eight is released.

Ig Guara’s artwork continues to capture the fun, lighthearted tone that this book strives to maintain. Providing an anchor of consistency month after month, Guara’s cartoonish style makes each issue of The Green Team fun to look at. Playing around with an outer space setting, he does a great job balancing the technicality of a spaceship with the lavishness we’ve come to expect from our heroes.

GT 5b

Negatives

The villain is not at all interesting. To my knowledge, this is the first appearance by Icicle into the New 52, which is great if you’re a fan of obscure, redundant characters. Here, he’s basically Clayface with ice and serves no purpose other than to be an obstacle for our hero’s while the real villain, Bellachek Temple, waits ominously off-panel. While the repurposing of the obscure Superman villain Riot made for a compelling adversary, the use of Icicle seems uninspired by comparison.

Verdict

rating3outof5 

The Green Team bounces back from a disappointing issue thanks to an increased focus on character development and change of setting. The choice of villain for this arc is questionable as the series heads towards its conclusion, but the continued use of playful banter and character interactions could close things out on a high note.

GT 5d

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