It’s Lantern against Lantern in this first chapter of a new era in Green Lantern #16. Get in on the ground floor with our review!
Green Lantern #16
Written by: Jeremy Adams
Art and Main Cover by: Xermánico
Variant Covers: Chris Samnee, Daniel Sampere, John Timms, Lesley Leirix Li
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: October 16, 2024
October’s entry in the ongoing Green Lantern series is everything we’ve been hoping for – space battles, prison breaks, and superhero team-ups! But how did we get here?
In the wake of the Green Lantern Civil Corps Special, a blurb on the title page recaps the hectic run-up to the here and now: Mogo, a living planet with the power of the Green Lantern, corrupted by Lord Premier Thaaros, slammed into Thanagar and obliterated its entire civilization! Together at last, Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and Carol Ferris had little time to bask in their reunion; they fled the planet before its destruction, managing to save a meager thousand winged-civilians before their homeworld collapsed. While Hal and John hold off leagues of United Planets Lanterns, Carol uses her expert knowledge of Earth jets to help repair the alien spaceship of the Rann so they can make their escape.
A concern of merging the disparate Green Lantern storylines was that the solo-story heroes would fall into the shadow of central protagonist Hal Jordan. It is a relief that quite the opposite is true; bolstered by the events of their individual storylines, each member of our cast has an established recent history, perspective, and a moment in the story to take center stage.
Furthermore, we’re also treated to a glimpse inside the cracked eggshell of our villains’ master plans – the yolk of which centers around a mysterious young Earth girl with unprecedented powers. With a clearer motivation and presence in the absence of their mouthpiece Thaaros, the Durlans, a race of alien shapeshifters, now seem to finally have some dramatic weight of their own. This issue reassures the reader that these loose bricks are building toward something of significance.
Jeremy Adams has the cuffs off, and treats us to a jam-packed 32 pages where every line matters. Unburdened by DC spin-off responsibilities (Knight Terrors, House of Brainiac, and Absolute Power), it seems we have finally returned to the central story he started all the way back in Green Lantern #1. Even so, the star of the show has to be series artist Xermánico.
Green Lantern #16 features some exceptional pages, and no panel goes to waste; an absolute masterclass in character-blocking and shot framing. And of course, with a set piece like a planetary collision, the color work is incredibly vibrant. With so many Lanterns on the page, we get to see some super fun constructs. One of the standouts has to be the battle-worn cars reminiscent of Mad Max. It seems that Jeremy Adams and Xermánico are having just as much fun as our titular comic book heroes.
Green Lantern #16 is a strong installment that brings together stunning art, rich character moments, and an engaging narrative. If you were lost in the maelstrom of too many concurrent series and are looking for a way in, this is the start of something great! We’re so back.
