Review: Green Lantern #10
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writer: Geoffrey Thorne
Art:Â Chriscross, Juan Castro and Marco Santucci
Colors:Â Mike Atiyeh
Letters:Â Rob Leigh
Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd
Summary
John Stewart must face the consequences of his decision as he chooses his future path, but it leads to Oa’s present as the two storylines come together in Green Lantern #10.
Positives
Geoffrey Thorne sets the reader on uneasy waters as the fist few pages of Green Lantern #10 are a bit of a mystery. However, once we get Katma Tui, she advocates for the reader, because she’s confused as well. But, the ideas that Thorne puts forth are really exciting.  Last issue, we learned of John Stewart’s ascension and this issue gives that a shape- a sense of the power and responsibility that he has as well as the choice he must make as he gets to decide his future path.
The notion that John can choose what he becomes is a pretty neat concept, but the way it’s presented is even cooler. We figure out that we are seeing disjointed glimpses of possible futures for John. The one with the most impact is the one in which he is able to bring back Katma Tui and other deceased Lanterns. John and Katma have a long history too long to present her, just know that they were married and she was killed by Star Sapphire. In this particular future, John is able to collect versions of people from different Hypertime timelines and bring them together, essentially bringing them back from the dead. Katma Tui’s presence is a wonderful reminder of DC Comics’ history and some of the great work done with the Green Lantern characters. Like John, I still miss Katma Tui.
Positives Cont’d
As enjoyable as it’s been to have two separate storylines in this series, it is nice to see them come together. One imagines issues #11 and #12 will result in a grand finale with the new status quo. The surprise at the end of the last issue is welcomed. No spoilers, but this finale is going to be a heck of a showdown!
While the second half of the issue is mostly Kyos going nuts and threatening the remainder of the Corps led by Jo Mullein and Simon Baz, visually it is absolutely stunning. It really feels like Marco Santucci has turned it up a notch. The giant Kyos is incredibly imposing and threatening. He has the same kind of presence that Jack Kirby’s Galactus had in those classic Fantastic Four comics of the 60’s. The angles and framing that Santucci uses emphasize Kyos’s threat level and just how big he is compared to the other characters in the sequence. And, of course we get Santucci’s wonderful approach to faces that is one of his stylistic signatures.
Chriscross and Juan Castro get the unique opportunity to give the reader different future versions of John that all have a unique presence. Mike Atiyeh’s coloring technique really adds a textural quality to the art. He has a unique approach that really makes the book look different. Also, Rob Leigh’s choice of the giant lettering for Kyos’s speech is really effective in communicating not only the volume, but the power. Sound can sometimes be a difficult aspect to convey in comics, but this is a perfect example of how to do it. Furthermore, there’s a stylized approach to the shape of the letters that give the impression of an accent or perhaps even the intensity of soundwaves.
Negatives
One would think we’d be beyond this with a series that’s been nominated as Best New Series for the inaugural DC Comics News Awards! There’s still a few days left to vote!
Verdict
With the two storylines coming together in Green Lantern #10, we seem to be approaching a big finale. There’s clearly some unanswered questions left as well as an action packed showdown. It’s all set up here in this issue though as the visuals are stunning from Chriscross, Castro, Santucci and Atiyeh.
