Green Lantern #40 - DC

While I miss Ivan Reis' pencils on this book right now, I also have to admit that Philip Tan is doing an equally incredible job with his own version of these characters. The art on this book is incredible. I guess it helps to have such fantastic characters to work with. But, even without Ivan, Geoff Johns is still here and he and Phillip really seem to be putting together an instant classic. By the way, the cover on the left is by Phillip Tan. I saved this sketch cover, but the finished work looks even better. Then, on the right, and below, we have a cover by, I guess, a new artist by the name of Rodolfo Migliari. He did last months also, and they both looked great. So I imagine that we'll see more of this guy in the future. Anyways, this issue we expound more upon the new law in the book of OA . . "The Vega system is not longer outside of the Green Lantern Corps' jurisdiction." This is one that could end up causing a whole lot of problems. Basically the Guardians have cut off the Vega system because Larfreeze is there with the Orange rings. Basically it sounds like they told him they'd leave him alone if he left them alone. But now, with the interference of the Controllers, the Guardians feel that it's time for them to take matters into their own hands. Part of the problem though is that the 'hands-off' policy worked out well for the Okaarans, as well as the Psions and the Spider-guild. So the tryst of the 'blue-man group' here is going to cause waves of trouble that will probably engulf the whole universe. At the very least, this little corner of it. Meanwhile, back on Zamaron, Fatality has been successfully inducted into the Star Sapphires. Now that she's full of love, she's decided that she's going to forgive John Stewart, and she's ready to go to him immediately to tell him. Hal Jordan is still splitting his power with the Blue Ring on his left hand . . even though he doesn't even know how to make it work. It keeps asking him what he hopes for, but . . Hal doesn't have a lot to hope for right now. This Larfreeze is kind of unique though. He has hundreds of rings, just like the Corps, but he keeps them all to himself. Apparently when he goes up against an adversary he consumes them completely. Once he's done . . "Consumption complete. Identity stolen. Replicating. Gretti of sector 2828. You belong to Agent Orange." Which is what Larfreeze calls himself. Right now it appears that the Corps members have no way of fighting Agent Orange. "These Orange Lanterns are absorbing our constructs! Even those created by the Guardians! They are 'eating' my magicks as well." But then . . Larfreeze gets a sniff of Hal and his Blue ring. "What is that? It smells new!" After his Orange talons pulls him underground Hal comes face to face with him. He looks like a mad-dog drooling over it's prey. After sensing this new thing with Hal, all he can say is . . "I want one!" Next issue is the 'Secret Origin of Agent Orange'. I don't know who's worse, Larfreeze or Atrocitus. Who, along with Sinestro, will probably end up here because of Hal. And Fatality is on her way here because of John. So eventually, all the various spectrums will be in one place . . Vega. Doesn't anybody see a problem arising here? I think Scar does because she's conveniently left herself out of this battle. Actually I think she's the one trying to push all of the pieces together. This story is getting more and more heated as it goes along. We haven't even reached Blackest Night yet. I do have one question though, we were introduced to a guy back in the Secret Origins issue that is somehow connected to Blackest Night, or he's connected to 'death'. I'm not sure which. Anyways, my question is . . what ever happened to him, William Hand? Where's he at, and when is he going to pop up his head again? Just wondering. Anyways, I absolutely loved this issue. Really, I'm diggin' this whole franchise right now. As we get closer to the big story, both of the Green Lantern books just get more and more intense.