Comic Review: The Green Lantern: Season Two #1

The Green Lantern Season Two #1

DC Comics

Writer: Grant Morrison

Artist: Liam Sharp

Grant Morrison’s The Green Lantern returns with a new #1 issue following the chaotic three-part Green Lantern: Blackstars interlude. With the threat of the Blackstars and their leader, Controller Mu, safely behind them, Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps look to the future as new threats and cosmic developments arise.

In this second season opener, Hal is tasked with recruiting a new generation of cosmic immortals to succeed the current Guardians of the Universe, as well as with testing potential new members to join the Corps. Finally, a new mystery is introduced as Hal is given a new assignment: to return to Earth and hunt down the murderer of a Corps member.

Overall, GL: Season Two #1 has a fairly simple and self-contained story on its own, making it a good jumping-on point for new readers, but also retains a bit of the longer form storytelling that helped make the first season so entertaining. Morrison hints at a new villain in a familiar setting, new abilities for Hal courtesy of an upgraded power battery, and the possibility of major upcoming universal changes with the departure of the old Guardians and the reintroduction of the Cosmic Grail. Given the depth and scale of Season One’s story, and with allusions to a universe-crossing “Multi-Crisis,” Morrison provides a promising preview of things to come.

Liam Sharp’s art remains consistently strong here, featuring more of the H.R. Giger-inspired technology and architecture that was seen prominently throughout Season One. Also on display are Sharp’s bold linework, heavy detailing, and dramatic shading that –combined with Steve Oliff’s flatter retro colors– give the book a unique neo-bronze age vibe.

The Green Lantern: Season Two #1 is by itself a fun cosmic action-adventure story that also provides a glimpse into the future of the Green Lantern mythos. Casual fans of the Corps or of Hal Jordan will probably want to jump on board with Morrison’s work here; readers who have followed Morrison’s Lantern from the start through Blackstars will likely be excited by this issue and developments to follow. Overall, it’s definitely worth picking up.