ABSOLUTE GREEN LANTERN #2: The Abin Sur

Absolute Green Lantern #2: Abin Sur arrived on Earth judging those who stood before him. Guy Gardner, Hal Jordan, and others were judged and left in various states. Hal struggles to battle the darkness he was left with as Jo is a beacon of Green Light. Together they must figure out a way forward before it’s too late.

Creative Team:

Al Ewing (WRITER)

Jahnoy Lindsay (ART, COLOR, and COVER)

Lucas Gattoni (LETTERS)

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

The Story:

Al kicks off this highly anticipated second issue as though we were watching an old-school science fiction film. Aliens arrive on Earth and the humans don’t know what to think. One plot twist I was not expecting, however, was Guy Gardner doing the right thing in addition to being the sheriff.

Despite our feelings for him seeing him blasted and then the brutality of Abin Sur was a shock as Al lulled me into a sense of calmness that one could expect in an origin story of heroes. The decision to have Hal be the antagonist rather than the hero continues to be a major plot point and one that has me hooked at the same time. We gain some answers in this issue but, still are left with plenty of questions that will for sure have me coming back for more.

The Art and Letters:

Despite this issue being mainly a burst of green and black tones there is plenty of brutality drawn within. We see Guy phased into nothing in a burst of green light and black shadows which were drawn in such a haunting manner that hits home. Seeing limbs chopped off and the shock throughout was not something I thought we would see in this story. The art brings heaviness and despair to this story as we work to figure out what is happening.

Hal’s hand stands starkly out in coloring as though it is not a part of this issue in a good way. It sets him apart and capturing that vibe cannot be easy. Lucas assists in the gravity and the heaviness in tone with as he weaves in words and effects during the showdown with Abin Sur.

Overall Grade: 8.7/10

Absolute Green Lantern #2 takes a turn towards brutality and shows the reader that not all alien contact is what we dream of. We are left wondering just what is happening with Hal as some questions begin to get answered hooking me to come back for more. The anime style art with the old school science fiction artwork should be a selling point and a reason why you must pick this up!

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