COMIC BOOK REVIEW - Green Lantern New Guardians: Beyond Hope
By The Masked Medic
With exciting news around the corner that DC are once again starting up a new event that will lead to a refresh in all their comic books, the question on my mind is, are we going to be getting a new series based in the Green Lantern mythos? Personally, I’ve found in recent years that DC has been less and less willing to take a chance on different stories, rather focusing on producing more Batman and Superman based novels. Whilst I wait, I’m sure I have plenty of “Green Lantern: New Guardians” to keep me occupied.
Having put their differences aside and created a team in ‘Ring Bearer’, we see our Lanterns all go their separate ways at the beginning of ‘Beyond Hope’. Kyle believing this to be a mistake finds himself having to go back to Earth in order to recharge his ring. There he runs into a bounty hunter who is after him, but is saved by Blue Beetle. Whilst using his ring to scan Blue Beetle’s technology he discovers that the alien species, known as the Reach, are currently attacking the Blue Lantern home-world of Odym. As he attempts to send out a distress signal to his new allies, he has to do his best to rush to the aid of Saint Walker and the other Blue Lanterns. Meanwhile, on Odym, the Blue Lanterns are doing their best to stop the Reach from claiming their central battery and taking over their planet. Can Saint Walker step up as the leader of the Blue Lantern Corps and protect his people? And can his new allies make it there in time to help him?
I said this when I read ‘The Ring Bearer’, but this is a damn enjoyable series. Since the first novel focused on Kyle, and this second one focused on Saint Walker, I’m presuming that future novels will focus on the other Lanterns in this team. Seeing them interact and use their differences to cover each other’s backs was awesome to see. Though they are smaller players in this novel, seeing the character development of both Bleez and Arkillo was extremely interesting. I’m intrigued to see where this goes going forward.
The artwork was pretty good, especially some of the landscape pages in which large scenes are shown. I’ve always believed that the Green Lantern comics could essentially be like “Star Wars” in their scale and some of those larger scenes do help reflect that. The covers were vivid and exciting. Overall, this series is starting to become one of my favourites. I’d say may be top 5 series I’ve read.
Favourite Panel:
I mean look at this. Everyone assumes that because he’s the calmest Lantern, he’s the weakest, but not this guy.
Favourite Character:
Saint Walker. He’s wise, modest but also a badass.
Rating:
Story Arc: ★★★½
Character Development: ★★★½
Artwork: ★★★½
Enjoyability: ★★★★
Re-readability: ★★★½
Level: Advanced