Green Lantern (USA) di Geoff Johns & Doug Mahnke

[Azrael]

Slowly but surely, Geoff Johns is tapping back into the sprawling mythology he created for Green Lantern during Blackest Night — but restraint does bring reward, in this case. By bringing in information piecemeal rather than all at once, Johns spins together a brisk, action-packed story whose internal rules bolster the conflict rather than overwhelm it.

And that's a good thing, too, considering Johns is still juggling not one, but two protagonists — Hal Jordan and his former nemesis-turned-benefactor Sinestro. Sinestro still gets the better moments in the script, particularly when he strikes back against his captors using sheer nastiness and grit. Yet Johns is getting his balance back with Hal, too, who finds a smart way to get out of his own prison that utilizes the mythology Johns had so meticulously constructed years ago. Johns peppers the rest of the script with action, ranging from grappling hooks to motorcycle constructs, and while the end does come fairly quickly, it's still a fun read.

The art, however, is the real hit. I think this is the cleanest I've seen Doug Mahnke's work in a long, long time, as the book's four inkers interact quite seamlessly. There's definitely a Jim Lee vibe going on here, particularly as Hal zooms across an alien city on a motorcycle, but Mahnke still has plenty of style that's all his own. Sinestro's beatdown of his captor explodes with rage and energy, yet also has a down-to-earth seediness as blood flies against prison bars. (Yes, the violence quota here is still fairly high.) Mahnke also gives some nice flexibility to his characters, who in the past have come across as a bit stiff — there's a splash page of Hal escaping that looks really iconic, with his arms and legs pumping in that old superhero style.

This book is definitely for those hankering for sci-fi-infused action, but is also sufficiently streamlined to not totally scare off new readers. I do think that Geoff Johns is still struggling with the truncated page counts for this book, but his learning curve has improved tremendously since the first issue. The real victory here, however, is artistic coordination and mythology that doesn't fall under its own weight. Green Lantern #7 may feel short, but it's definitely getting sweeter.

8 out of 10

Da Newsarama[/quote]

[Thanos]

Questa serie deve essere qualcosa di incredibile....

Maggio maledetto muoviti!!!

[Azrael]

It's been a little ironic that as one of the few titles to have no creative changes at all post-"Flashpoint," Geoff Johns' and Doug Mahnke's "Green Lantern" has felt a little lackluster as of late. Thankfully, the new "The Secret of the Indigo Tribe" storyline feels like we're finally getting some of the mystery and excitement the series has been sorely lacking, in many ways thanks to the title going back to what made it work during its lead-up to "Blackest Night."

When Johns introduced the idea of the full emotional spectrum of Lanterns, it was the Indigo Tribe that remained the most mysterious and enigmatic. Johns himself was especially quiet on their secrets, saying that we'd have to wait to learn about them. Ever since making their debut, the characters have been kept mysterious, presumably leading up to this precise storyline. And so far? It's feeling like the payoff could be worth it.

We're only on chapter 2 of "The Secret of the Indigo Tribe" but already we're learning pieces of information about the strange characters. Johns offers up tidbits about Indigo-1's pre-Tribe existence, as well as the founder of the Indigo Tribe in general. It's exactly the sort of early information that we have been waiting for; an understanding how the Tribe fits in with the greater cosmology, as well as presumably an understanding on their channeling abilities. But because it's early on, Johns isn't giving everything away at once, and we've got not just Hal Jordan's struggles on the Indigo Tribe homeworld but also Sinestro's predicament. It fits in well with what we've seen the Indigo Tribe do with other villains, even as it looks increasingly likely to be part of the Tribe's origin in general. This gives the sense of a long game finally playing out, and I feel that Johns' plotting has served us well.

Johns also serves up some entertaining scenes with a powerless Hal Jordan figuring out how to juice up. It's a funny solution, even as it keeps from becoming too simple a way out of his predicament. It feels well thought out, too; this isn't simply a random obstacle to hamper the hero but one that fits in with the solution in the first place. That's the kind of writing that superhero comics can do well; fantastical ideas that feel logical to the reader and don't break the suspension of disbelief.

Mahnke's pencils (along with a legion of inkers) look nice as always. The strange alien armada that make up the Indigo Tribe is well drawn, and the lean, wiry Hal Jordan comes across good, too. It's some of the little bits that stand out, though; Hal's plunge through the city towards the ground, or his green-light motorcycle. The Black Hand looks dead-eyed here in his appearances, making his current situation feel chilling rather than acceptable; Mahnke's art is what helps sell Johns' story.

"Green Lantern" has had its peaks and valleys as of late, but it feels like "The Secret of the Indigo Tribe" is bringing the title back to its strength again. The lead-up to "Blackest Night" was full of mysteries being revealed to the reader, and it was fun to watch scraps of information come together. That's what we're seeing here, and it's a good thing. More like this, please.

3,5 su 5

Da CBR

[Azrael]

Preview: Green Lantern #9

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[Sinestro]

Best series ever.

[Green Lantern]

 

[Lois Lane]

Best series ever.

è decisamente una forza!

[Buddy Baker]

Sempre mooolto interessante, questa storia a lungo raggio

Spiacente, ma non sei autorizzato a visualizzare il contenuto degli spoiler.

mi sta prendendo sempre di più 

[Azrael]

The Indigo Tribe was one of the most overlooked elements to Geoff Johns' sprawling Blackest Night saga, but that's all about to change in the latest issue of Green Lantern. While the sheer spectacle is diminished simply due to what has come before, Johns and Doug Mahnke deliver a taut primer for this mysterious faction that will definitely spark reader interest.

Continuing with the not-so-buddy comedy of Hal Jordan teaming up with his former nemesis Sinestro, Johns opens the book with a fast-paced introduction to the villain's past. Johns has long had a bro-crush on the mustachioed ringslinger, but by seeing the horrors and losses of interstellar war, you actually feel for Sinestro, as surprising as that is to believe. That human hook gives Green Lantern its juice long enough to dive right back into the deep end of the continuity waters, with Hal Jordan giving a nice bit of sass before we're treated to the prerequisite amount of exposition.

Of course, this wouldn't work nearly as well without Doug Mahnke on board. Mahnke definitely brings his A-game this week, with some nice variation to his panels that really feels cinematic. You see the fear in Sinestro's eyes when a child self-destructed in front of him, and the transformation of a mysterious hero into a cold-blooded killer (and vice versa) is particularly unnerving with some of the facial details. Something else that's a nice change of pace in this issue is the use of the Lantern constructs, which not only gives some opportunities for unique visuals like race cars and grappling hooks, but also gives colorist Alex Sinclair an opportunity to really bring some powerful energy to the page. His hot greens really pop well off the indigo backgrounds.

That said, this book is an improvement, but it's still not perfect. The thing that got me in particular is that Abin Sur seems to have gotten everywhere before his somewhat ignominious passing on Earth. I understand that Johns wants to waste not, want not, but after awhile, the continuity knots become almost incestuous, straining the levels of even our suspended disbelief. The other issue is one of balance — Hal may be doing all the work here, but this still feels like Sinestro's book. If Sinestro didn't feel so flatly evil, that might be a good thing, but it feels like Johns is wasting a lot of pages trying to get us to root for a sneering villain while he neglects the fun daredevil in our midst.

While the character balance still isn't quite there, Green Lantern is still improving by leaps and bounds every month, and might be my favorite DC book of the week. (Yep, even including Batman.) At the end of the day, Johns proves that he knows how to structure a universe with its own history and its own rules, and it's that sureness of mythology that makes Green Lantern #9 a treat to read.

8 su 10

Da Newsarama

[Jor-El]

Eccezionale.

[Azrael]

If you're looking for the Secret of the Indigo Tribe, you sure are going to find some here. The arc isn't over yet but there are some huge bombshells here.
Usually when we're promised answers, we're teased and only given snippets. That isn't the case here. Be prepared for some answers.

The Good
The arc may be called "The Secret of the Indigo Tribe" but that didn't quite prepare me for what happens here. And let's be clear, it's not just the Indigo Tribe we'll be finding out information on. There's some juicy facts dealing with Sinestro as well as Abin Sur.

You can clearly see that Geoff Johns isn't holding back here. It almost feels like the series is ending and all the secrets need to be told before the end. Thankfully, that is not the case. We are finding out a lot and are also getting more on upcoming stories.

Along with Johns story we get the continued stellar art by Doug Mahnke. It's the combination of Mahnke's art with Johns ideas as well as Alex Sinclair's amazing colors that makes this such a great package. This is exactly what I expect in the GREEN LANTERN title and it's great when they all deliver.

The Bad
There's always the fear of what happens next after the big secret is revealed. Characters and situations can change, not always for the best. It shouldn't be a problem here since it's always felt as if he has the story completely mapped out well in advance.

The Verdict
You want answers? This issue has answers. Hopefully you'll be prepared for them and can handle them all. It's almost crazy how it feels all the stops are bing pulled. There's still one more part to this arc yet big things are happening. The team of Johns, Mahnke and Sinclair (along with an army of inkers) makes this such a great and fun comic to read each month. As if the revelations weren't enough, we also see another crazy move by the Guardians. It's no surprise why this is my favorite Green Lantern title month after month.

5 su 5

Da CVine

[Ikki di Phoenix]

Sinceramente ormai ho perso ogni parola per commentare questa serie...

Parliamo di imprescindibili? Beh, se non è imprescindibile questa run che dura ormai da anni e diventa mese dopo mese più interessante e appassionante, io non so proprio cosa lo sia.

Faccio un appello a tutti i lettori del fumetto di qualità: volete capire come sia possibile che la gente ami i Fumetti?

Fatevi un regalo: compratevi questa serie, da Rebirth in poi. Leggete e godete.

Poi, quando vi sarete ripresi dall'estasi mistica che vi avrà colpito, ne parleremo nel forum.

[Lois Lane]

Vorrei una macchina de tempo 

[Azrael]

Vorrei una macchina de tempo 

Perchè?

Comunque serie PAZZESCA 

[Lois Lane]

Vorrei una macchina de tempo 

Perchè?

Per comprarmi già adesso i futuri albi italiani con la serie.