Green Lantern Corps #58

It all worked out quite neatly, with the Green Lantern Corps issue coming out the same week as Green Lantern, to be followed this week, by GL: Emerald Warrior, all kicking off the War of the Green Lanterns. And by Cracky, this is yet another dandy of a book.

They've managed to beat off Sinestro and the Weaponeer on Qward, and are preparing to head back to Oa, while Kyle does a little solioquizing in his head, not to mention his opinion of John as being tough and competent. But he can't muse for long because Ganthet is in a swivet over Krona. And rightly so, it turns out, because the minute they arrive back near Oa, they see the bodies of any number of Green Lanterns just floating in space, including Boodikka and the rest of the Alphas. They aren't dead, but they are certainly out of commission. And just to top it all off, who should show up but a flash of yellow, as Krona restores Parallax to the battery. This sets off all kinds of interesting reactions, as ALL the rest of the Lanterns fall prey to Krona...with the exceptions of Ganthet, Kyle and John.

As the possessed Lanterns fall towards Oa, Kyle naturally enough goes after them. John stops him however, claiming that it's a trap, and he's probably right, but of course Kyle isn't thinking with his head, but with his heart. Not to mention that he's probably being subtlely influenced by Parallax as well, so he attacks John. Not to be outdone, John fights him right back. It's probably not a good thing that Kyle brought up Katma Tui. Then Ganthet starts yelling at them, and realizes that he too is being influenced and realizes that they are being reached through the rings...just like way back when, in Rebirth.

So, he separates the two of them, and tries to take their rings. Naturally, they are fighting back, but Ganthet is no pushover, and he...with a great deal of effort...manages to get their rings. Too bad that they blow up in his hand! Poor Ganthet. He'll never play the violin again. What is it with everybody losing their hands lately anyway?

Kyle and John fall to the ground of Oa with a palpable thud, and John immediately rushes over to Ganthet and puts on a tourniquet and bandage. Kyle is shaken, and tries to apologize, but while John is regretful, its pretty obvious that the two of them aren't happy. What is a really neat touch here, is that without their rings, their uniforms start to fade, leaving them in their regular clothes.

Ganthet realizes that Krona has taken over the battery and most probably the Guardians, not to mention all the other Lanterns. He, John and Kyle are more resistant to it, because they had all been possessed by Parallax before, and Ganthet realizes that Hal, Guy and Kilowog are also probably immune...or at least will have a fighting chance.

Just then the rest of the Corps shows up, ready to capture them, and Ganthet shoves John and Kyle away, telling them to get to cover, and he'll hold off the Corps. He can't hide like the two of them, because he has residual power from being a Guardian within him, so he's basically going to be Horatio at the Bridge.

And then he says something interesting. Kyle had been a bit concerned before, about his fitness to be a Lantern. He says that Ganthet is much more important than they are, and Ganthet replies:
"Kyle Rayner, I was NEVER more important than you. Did you think it an accident I granted YOU the last Power Ring? You were our BEST HOPE then, and you still are today."

Best Hope, eh? THAT sounds interesting. And possibly ominous.

This was awfully good, and tied in quite nicely with Green Lantern, showing how things are coming to a head. I wasn't that enthusiastic at first, but these two books have completely changed my mind about the War of the Green Lanterns. It looks as though it is going to be...epic.