The 3rd iteration of the Green Lantern series really began with the epic storyline Green Lantern: Rebirth wherein Hal Jordan was resurrected by writer Geoff Johns. The ongoing Green Lantern series starts with the three part arc entitled No Fear.
Most often the first arc of a series is designed to be epic and engrossing in order to draw in new readership and keep them coming back for more. Unlike most first arc’s of a series this one is more designed to get the reader from point A to B.
Jordan is “getting back to normal” as he settles into a home in the still-being-rebuilt Coast City. He has conversations with his brother about moving back and how the city needs leaders; people to be a positive influence. It would be easy to classify these benign events as boring or even useless – but they’re not.
Johns masterfully understands the need for character development on a human level. These are superheroes, yes. But they are people first and foremost. Too often this is forgotten and you go issue after issue without seeing the character out of costume.
How can you care about a character you cannot in any way relate to? I can’t relate to Green Lantern. I don’t have a power ring. I can’t fly or battle intergalactic villains. But Hal Jordan is just a normal guy with normal problems. He lives in the shadow of his father and constantly fails to maintain a meaningful relationship because he fears intimacy.
These are relatable issues that most of us understand.
The story has its fantastical elements, of course. Green Lantern encounters the new and improved Manhunter model who is both bent on destroying any and all previous versions but maintains a secondary directive to eliminate all life on Earth.
The new Manhunter works for a mysterious character called Grandmaster. Surely this story will play out over the coming issues but for now we should be satisfied by the intrigue and value of what has been presented thus far.
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Till next time…
This is your Bin Fodder Guru Tim Blacksmith signing off.