Beware My Power . . . Sinestro's Light?

            Anyone who has read Green Lantern in the last 30 years, or even seen the recent film starring Ryan Reynolds and Mark Strong, ought to know the equal parts respect and disdain most fans feel for Sinestro.  He is not only the enemy of Hal Jordan, but the best friend of Jordan’s predecessor, Abin Sur.  He is both a strong leader and elite Lantern, but in contrast, is the greatest enemy to the Green Lantern Corps.  That being said, he and Jordan equally share the spotlight in Green Lantern #1.  As the self-appointed Guardians of the Universe and Sinestro grapple with what it means to allow one of their greatest enemies back into their ranks, Jordan is trying to make sense of his life without the Corps.  The twists and turns and references to the old model, are numerous.  Finally we get to see what happens when a hero is AWOL as many years as Jordan has been.  There are very real repercussions, which is something I'm quite happy to see in a comic book.  The last time we saw real life hit home for any comic book characters in the DC realm was in Alan Moore's iconic Watchmen.  

The writing Geoff Johns is great (this time) and it pulls you into the story faster than a twister appearing in Tornado Alley.  All of the characters, including the immortal Guardians, are spot-on from what the fans expect.  Johns is perfect and in his element writing for the Green Lantern title.  He has spent years on this and according to an interview with the geek-centric website, IGN.com, has enough Green Lantern stories in him for the next several years.  Given that Johns is the writer responsible for Hal Jordan’s return to the land of the living, it was to be expected that he is a force to be reckoned with in the pages of Green Lantern. 

Doug Mahnke’s art is exceptional and possibly the only real artistic competition so far for Jim Lee.  He is true to the look of the characters and their essence, while still allowing room for his own take on them.  It’s a fine line and he rides it with the precision of a high-wire performer.  Christian Alamy’s inks are pretty good, the shading is near-perfect, though the feeling is slightly off.  David Baron’s colors, on the other hand are to be admired.  Every color compliments the others in the panel.  No color seems too dark or light, as they lend an elegant aesthetic.  Then there’s the cover.  Ivan Reis, whose covers are art gallery quality, has nearly outdone himself with the cover of this issue.  At the same time, realistic and surreal, his colors, lines and shading are spectacular, in every sense of the word.  Even if you’re not a fan of comics, and just an art lover, this is the series to follow.

Being a fan of Green Lantern since day one, this is a great read and bound to be a fantastic story arc.  Having seen more than a few bad comics in my time, and a couple that hit below the mark in the New 52 so far, this is a wonderful issue.  The issue ranks 9.6 out of 10.