This issue is more or less the aftermath to Blackest Night, and it calls to mind issue #19, which was the aftermath to the Sinestro Corps War. Both issues are amongst my favorites by Peter Tomasi and Pat Gleason.
We open with an grid of eight pictures, each of a different Lantern, and each busy lighting up their rings. What jumped out at me right away, is the fact that there are an EQUAL number of men and women...something that is rather unnusual in the average run-of-the-mill comic book. But this is far from run-of-the-mill.
There is a beautiful shot of all the remaining Lanterns using their rings to relight the central power battery. And a little bit of reminiscing by Guy and Kyle, which serves to bring the readers up to speed.
If you've been reading the book all along, you don't really need the recap, but if you are just jumping in, or have only been reading for a short time, it is quite handy. It is also nice to have the boys tease each other a bit. You don't get this sort of interaction between Guy and Hal, that's for sure.
Then all of the Lanterns go off to Mogo, where they have a lovely dedication to all of the fallen Green Lanterns. As a memorial, all of their likenesses are etched on the leaves of an enormous tree...a Tree of Life. It's a rather moving moment, although Arisia raises the sore subject of poor Sodam Yat, stuck in the Daxam sun, and Isamot raises the issue of the Guardians not even bothering to show up. Then Salaak has Mogo release all of the rings that he had been holding for safekeeping,and they fly off to find new owners.
*sniff*
Then it's back to Oa, where Kyle and Soranik muse about the wreckage of Kyle's mural. Oddly, I was just wondering about this myself. Soranik assures Kyle that it is a worthwhile project, and he's just going to have to start over again. It's rather sweet to see the two of them interacting so nicely. I LIKE Soranik, dammit...a hell of a lot more than Jade. Don't screw this up, Kyle!
Then Kilowog is meeting with Salaak, who wants him to get ready to start training all the new recruits. But Kilowog has decided that he's buried enough trainees, and wants to go back to just being a regular Lantern. Salaak isn't completely convinced, but decides that if that is what Kilowog wants, that is what Kilowog shall get. But not to worry about the new recruits, they'll be in the sure hands of Stel, which is actually a rather good choice.
You remember what happened to poor Vath Sarn back in Blackest Night? In fighting the Anti-Monitor and Nekron, he saved Iolande's life, and in the course of events got both of his legs cut off. Ouch. But not to worry, he wakes up in the hospital with a brand NEW pair of legs! Isamot's legs!
It turns out that Isamot had a talk with Soranik, and he has regenerative powers like a lot of lizards, so he donated his legs so that Vath could walk again. Vath isn't particularly grateful, he's all pissed that now he's going to look like a Thanagarian, which is a pretty rotten attitude to take, considering that his partner just sacrificed a couple of limbs for him. The boys have a heart-to-heart as well as a fist-to-chin talk about it, when Iolande comes in to check on them and makes them feel thoroughly ashamed of themselves. Boy, Rannians can be really pissy sometimes.
Meanwhile, Kyle, Guy and Arisia are still trying to get into see the Guardians, but the little blue despots keep cancelling their appointments. Finally, in their usual inimitable fashion, they take matters into their own hands. To be honest, Salaak doesn't even really try that hard to stop them, and Shorm is nowhere in sight. As usual, the Guardians start copping an attitude, when out of nowhere, Arisia decides she's had enough, and pastes one of the Guardians right in the chops!
It's a lovely lovely moment.
When the Guardians are huffing and puffing in outrage, Arisia continues to yell at them about the way that they abandoned Sodam Yat. The Guardians mutter that it was all Scar's fault, and that unbeknownst to them, they were all being manipulated...yes, that's it. It's not REALLY their fault, even though they are supposed to be nigh omnipotent and all that jazz. Guy points out rather dryly that there was a LOT of crap that was "unbeknownst" to them, like creating the Alphas who are already running slightly amuck, murdering unarmed prisoners, and...and...
...and Kyle suddenly pipes up with the Third Law. The one that forbids love between Green Lanterns. That's right Kyle, focus on the one thing that concerns you the most. He does provide quite an eloquent appeal however, pointing out that the recent war was won by ALL the emotions, and that the Guardians are just fooling themselves with their anti-emotional take on the world. The three of them finally leave, as the Guardians sulk, and Guy makes sure to tell Arisia that she's his new favorite Lantern, and that he's in awe of her right hook.
Oh Guy.
As the Guardians start to bloviate to Salaak, he finally stops dead and lets them have it. He's there because he believes in the Corps and their mission, but he's not their lapdog, or as he puts it, their puppet and errand boy. He'll continue to serve them, but he's not putting up with any more bull.
Well! It is finally starting to dawn on the remaining six Guardians that they aren't the most popular people in the Universe. They put their enormous blue noggins together, and in a brief moment of actual intelligence and compassion...they repeal the Third Law of Oa.
In the meantime, Guy has wandered over to Warriors, and is fit to be tied. They Broke The Bar! All things considered he should be used to this, the old Warriors was always getting trashed. Maybe he thought it would be different on Oa. Poor baby, he's moaning that he'd finally gotten the menu and the beer just right, as Kyle commiserates. And Kyle takes Soranik's role, and tells Guy to buck up, and they'll fix it up together again. Just then, the announcement of the repeal of the Third Law goes out all over Oa, and a lot of Lanterns are suddenly very very happy.
Guy and Kyle end up toasting each other with some of the few unbroken bottles of beer, and it's all just so wonderful. Not a lot of fights, but I've had more than enough fights recently. I just adore seeing all the various Lanterns doing their thing, and adjusting to the aftermath and getting on with their lives.
There is also a very interesting two page spread at the very back of the book, that gives a sneak peek at the new Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors book that is going to be coming out in August, written by Peter Tomasi and with the art by Fernando Pasarin. I'm thrilled that we are keeping Tomasi, as he has a sure hand with my favorite Lanterns...but I'm going to miss Pat Gleason terribly. But the new art looks decent, and there are all kids of things going on. It looks as though the book is going to focus on Guy, Kilowog, Arisia, Vath and Isamot, which makes me very very very happy.
If you like Green Lanterns...get this book!
