In this review of Absolute Green Lantern #3, we get the story of what happened to John Stewart as Hal and Jo come closer to clashing.
ABSOLUTE GREEN LANTERN #3
Written by AL EWING
Art and Main Cover by JAHNOY LINDSAY
Variant Covers: JULIET NNEKA, MICHAEL WALSH, NIMIT MALAVIA
Page Count: 32 pages
Relase Date: June 4, 2925
This review contain spoilers
Upon the turn of the cover to the first page of Absolute Green Lantern #3 we’re greeted with the same panels that have appeared in both earlier issues, the golden ring centralised in the panel with someone being spoken to in this case it’s John Stewart. To me this gave off and early indication that this issue would be a John Stewart focused issue considering the way the last issue ended.
John Stewart has a theory and he wants to put it to the test. He puzzles over a golden ring that came through the force field that is currently over Evergreen, after a motorcyclist crashed into it a few days prior. In order for him to test that theory he seeks the help of Hal Jordan and at this point Hal is not showing signs of the blackened arm so this issue must be set before the events of the first issue.
I did feel like there were many questions left to be answered after issue number two, which is obviously what you want for a successful ongoing title, keep bringing them back for more, and that’s exactly what Ewing is doing. Although I complained about the slowing of the pace in the last issue compared to the first. In this issue, I welcome it.
I thoroughly enjoyed the first couple of pages of investigation and analysis that was carried out by John Stewart and with the close ups in the panels of the characters, I felt it really gave a sense of the emotion the characters are feeling in that moment as they ponder and converse with one-another. I must say that was beautifully executed by Lindsay, just like the rest of this book.
The really like the different use of perspectives that Lindsay uses throughout, for example where we change scene and during the short but very much welcomed action sequence between Hal and Jo as Hal’s Blackened arm attempts to take out Jo and Her Green Glow. I’m also a fan of the use of the over shoulder type angles for long stretches of dialogue which gave a pleasant and easy to follow read, so easy that you could easily ignore the dialogue and still follow what’s going on.
So Hal has now joined up with John, Jo & Todd with the Gold coloured plastic toy that John asked him to bring. John repeats his earlier actions and presses the golden toy in to the force field, the rest of them look on stunned as if John has cracked the secret to potentially getting out of there. Jo questions what happens if actual solid gold were to pass through. John indulges her and takes out his grandmothers ring and throws it at the force field. This time a huge rupture happens and a hole is present in the force field for a couple of seconds.
Although John is happy with this discovery he remains a little more pessimistic than the others and believes there’s something they’re not quite getting. Before he can discuss his concerns Abin Sur appears and begins “Judgement” upon John Stewart and everyone believes that John Steward has been killed by Abin Sur, though I see no actual evidence of this.
I began to wonder if those judged and killed by Abin Sur are actually being teleported and recruited to repopulate the various corps after a major event caused significant destruction. He might assess their attributes during judgment, sorting them into corps based on their traits, such as assigning those showing Rage to the Red Lantern Corps. This could explain why Jo wields the power of the Green Lanterns while Hal has a blackened arm reminiscent of Sorrow, as suggested by the coloring and appearance of the word balloons during Hal’s transformation.
It must be said that this is a fairly out of left field assumption to be making three issues in but I can’t help it. Ewing’s use of development techniques has my mind rushing at a million miles an hour when reading each issue thinking, maybe he’s introducing this? Maybe he’s going this way with it? Is this a new introduction to something? I must say that I love it. I hope he continues to fill in blanks issue by issue than rather tie up everything all at once. Though so far it must be said I am truly loving the combined work of Ewing and Lindsay on this title.
Wrapping up Absolute Green Lantern #3 Hal Jordan is seen to be preparing to take matters into his own hands, depicted to be painting bullets gold. So this is telling me that what he does next definitely has to have something to do with his blackened arm. Which must be addressed in the next issue! If you haven’t already make sure to get this on your pull list and catch up if you can. Things are about to heat up!
