The Green Lanterns are still stranded.
Green Lantern: The Lost Army was one of the better books to launch out of the DC You initiative last year, so it was rather disappointing to learn the series had been canceled after a mere six issues. The good news is that Green Lantern Corps: Edge of Oblivion is there to pick up right where Lost Army left off. And while the previous creative team is sadly gone, having a pairing like writer Tom Taylor and artist Ethan van Sciver on board certainly helps ease that sting.
Both creators have already left their mark on the franchise. Taylor made them the central antagonists of the second volume Injustice: Gods Among Us, which still ranks as the high point of that long-running series. And van Sciver needs no introduction for Lantern fans, given all he’s done to help revive and redefine the mythology since Green Lantern: Rebirth. The two creators hit the ground running in this first issue. Taylor, for his part, displays the same easy, engaging characterization that made his Injustice work so fun to read. From the opening shot of a hyperactive Bd’g, it’s clear this book is going to be something special. Taylor juggles his large cast effortlessly and builds a compelling team dynamic full of distinct voices.
Van Sciver kicks off the series in top form as well. His style is defined by powerful figures and intricate levels of detail, and that’s very much what we get here. Van Sciver painstakingly renders every figure and gives each Lantern a unique look and posture. Some of van Sciver’s recent work has suffered from wonky perspective and distorted anatomy, but thankfully that isn’t an issue here. He even has the opportunity to design new characters – fleshing out the look of a society older than the DC Universe itself in the process.
This issue does encounter some hurdles in its final act. Taylor’s pacing becomes hurried and abrupt as the Lanterns meet the survivors of the dying universe and new enemies emerge. Still, this issue offers a solid foundation on which to build a new Lantern epic. Sadly, DC has already made it clear this book won’t be lasting any longer than Lost Army did.
It’s unfortunate that Green Lantern: the Lost Army ended so quickly, but DC’s newest Lantern comic is a worthy replacement. Between the dramatic premise, Van Sciver’s detailed art and Taylor’s impeccable characterization, there’s a lot to like about this new series.
