Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Doug Mahnke; Christian Alamy; Keith Champagne; Randy Mayor; & Nick J. Napolitano
Cover Art by Doug Mahnke; Christian Alamy & Randy Mayor
SUMMARY:
Published for November 2010, this Brightest Day tie-in is entitled “Hope Burns Bright.” Sinestro and Atrocitus investigate the ominous destruction of a Montana prison. Unleashing his fury, Atrocitus burns alive the surviving Death Row prisoners aboard an adjacent bus. Sinestro ponders that Atrocitus may well be a future adversary.
In deep space, Hal Jordan tries dissuading Carol Ferris from accepting Zamaron’s throne as Queen of the Star Sapphires. On Earth, an abducted fourteen-year old girl, Nicole Morrison, flees from her psychopathic captor, only to be transformed by a mystical blue bird-like entity called Adara. Nicole’s bloodied serial kidnapper evidently meets a deserved fate.
Elsewhere, Hal intercedes, as Larfleeze erupts on a human prisoner. On Oa, the Green Lantern Corps express concern that Hal could be deceiving the Guardians re: his present actions. Hal, Saint Walker, and Larfleeze meet Nicole/Adara. Barry Allen’s Flash questions his best friend’s recently shady alliances.
Note: Though the image isn’t available in this comic, artist Gene Ha produced the issue’s variant cover.
REVIEW:
Writer Geoff Johns’ story is just coherent enough for new readers to jump in without knowing much about the Brightest Day saga, or even the confusing array of other Lantern Corps (red, blue, violet, orange, etc.). The exceptional artwork is consistently well-drawn.
However, readers may have justifiable qualms to Johns’ storytelling, i.e. the sequences re: Nicole & her creepy kidnapper and the fiery Death Row prisoner massacre. Though neither scene is overly explicit, their unsettling presence clearly precludes this comic as an option for younger readers. Green Lantern # 58 isn’t a bad read per se, but Johns unnecessarily relies too much on some icky material.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
Senior Story Editor Ian Sattler’s “DC Nation” column hypes upcoming projects, including the Bruce Wayne – The Road Home one-shots; a reboot of DC Comics Presents; Teen Titans # 88; Batman: The Return # 1; Action Comics # 894; and Untold Tales of Blackest Night # 1.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars
